First of all, keeping steady in the air is all about how your wings are angled and body balanced.

[He spreads his own out for both emphasis and demonstration purposes.]

Gliding is for smooth descents and distances you can't reach in a single bound. For long flights, gaining and keeping height takes a lot of power and control in your flaps, something that you really won't have yet.

[Spyro would know because he's still getting the hang of long flights.]