From the outset, I want to say that "forward” is a state of mind in a horse. It is not a speed. It is not a gait. A trot need not be any more "forward" than a walk and no less "forward" than a canter. It all depends on the horse’s state of mind.
To Trot or Not To Trot?
Desensitization In Training
Work Ethic In Horses
What Is Trick Training?
A Quiet Mind
I have spent many years trying to tell people about what is a soft horse or what is a horse like when he feels okay. It’s always been a struggle to put these ideas into concepts that have meaning for people. But when I really break it down to the essentials I realize I am just talking about a horse having a quiet mind.