Below is a chart showing the
different gaits of the horse. Animations or video are provided when
possible and their speed has been intentionally slowed so you can see
the leg movements. Some animations or videos will play
automatically, some will need you to click a start button and others
only need you to double click the box that it is in to start. If there are gaits that you would like to see listed or
if you have better animations that can be used in our table please
contact us at msjmichel@comcast.net.
Non-Copywrite animations for Dressage gaits would be greatly
appreciated!
Videos use
QuickTime, RealPlayer or Windows Media Player. If you need either of these
players, you can download a free version from here.
Animated Example
Gait
Description
Walk
The walk is a four-beat
lateral gait. Each beat is distinct and can be easily heard. The
walk is natural, and it is the slowest of the gaits.
Trot
Jog
The trot is a two-beat
diagonal gait. Jog is another term for this gait, but it usually
refers to the slow, western-pleasure style of trotting. The
right hind and left front move together, and the left hind and right
front move together.
Right Lead
Left Lead
Canter
Lope
The canter is a 3-beat
gait. Lope is another term for this gait, but it usually refers to
the slow, western-pleasure style of cantering. While cantering, the
horse is either on the left or right lead. In the top animation, the
horse's left front leg is hitting the ground in front of the right,
so the horse is on the left lead. A horse on the right lead would
have its right leg hitting the ground in front of, not
before, the left leg. When turning in a circle to the right, the
horse should be on the right lead, and when turning to the left,
should be on the left lead. So the horse should always be leading
with it's inside leg. A flying lead change is when the horse
is cantered in a figure 8, and changes leads in mid stride when it
reaches the middle of the 8, where it changes directions. Most
horses will canter on the correct lead naturally, and a few need to
be trained to. A horse that is leading with its outside leg is said
to be on the 'wrong lead', or moving with a 'false lead'. In some
high-level competitions, horses may be required to do a "counter
canter", that is, cantering on the wrong lead.
Video Courtesy of Good Go!
Farms
Hand Gallop
Gallop
When the horse is fully
extending itself in a run, there is a moment when all four feet are
off the ground. It is usually a 4-beat gait, varying in speeds.
Gallop speed is about 30 miles per hour.
Pace
The Pace
is an even, lateral 2 beat gait. The lateral hooves lift off and set
down at the same time. In a pace the front and rear foot are picked
up and then set down simultaneously making only one beat. A pacing
horse will move its head side to side to counter the motion of its
feet.
Tolt
The Tolt
is a four-beat lateral gait in which there is always at least one
foot on the gound. All four feet move in the same pattern as in the
walk, with higher action and more speed. As there is no moment of
suspension this gait is very smooth and comfortable for the rider.
Saddle Gait
Amble Walk
Shuffle
Stepping Pace
Sobreandando
The Slow Saddle Gait is a four-beat, broken lateral gait.
The footfalls for the slow gait are the same as the walk. Each foot
rises from the ground and hesitates in the air. The slow gait is
restrained, executed with extreme collection and with impulsion from
the hind-quarters. The hind legs are placed well underneath the
horse and the forehand is elevated.
Foxtrot
Trocha
In the fox trot (trocha for
the Columbian Paso) the horse nods his head and neck up and down in
time with the motion of his shoulders and the reach of his hind legs.
His hindquarters will bob up and down in rhythm with his gait. He
will seem to take a long, reaching step in front and a quicker,
higher step in back, "breaking" (bending sharply) at the hocks his
hind hoof hesitates before following the diagonal front to the
ground. The horse may "cap" or disfigure his front track with his
hind in this gait.
Running Walk
The
Running Walk is a four-beat lateral gait during which each foot
is picked up and set down in an even cadence. The rear end movement
should be smooth and close to the ground without any snap. Each
stride should reach forward and slide in as it is set down, over
striding the track of the front foot. Suspension occurs only with
the front feet, not the hind, which is why the gait is often
described as "trotting with the front feet and walking with the
hind".
Video Courtesy of Tennessee
Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association and WDA
International - Nashville, TN
Single-Foot
Saddle Rack
Paso Corto
Paso Llano
The
Single Foot is an intermediate four-beat gait, very near to
even in timing. It can be performed at a range of speeds from a
relaxed trail speed of 7 to 9 mph, to a ground-eating road gait of
10 to 15 mph, to the racing single-foot of over 20 mph. At the
fastest speeds the horse travels with one foot on the ground at a
time. Some horses will start single-footing at a road gait speed and
others at the racing speed.
Peruvian Paso perform this
( Paso Llano) with "termino".
Termino is a rolling of the front limbs to the outside during
extension. Termino originate in the shoulders and be associated with
a free fluid movement of the shoulders and be executed with good
extension. The Paso Corto is what this gait is called in Paso
Finos.
Video Courtesy of American-Saddlebred.Com
Rack
Paso Largo
Faster version of the
Saddle rack. In both the
rear of the horse provides the most of the forward motion and
support while the front end does little pulling. Both have an even
four beat cadence without any head shake. In the slow rack the feet
are picked up one foot at a time with the front end moving up and
down with little forward extension. In the fast rack the gait is
performed at great speed with only one foot on the ground at any one
time. Paso Largo is the gait is called for Paso Finos.
Video Courtesy of American-Saddlebred.Com
Flat-Foot Walk
The Flat
Walk is a four-beat lateral gait, similar to the ordinary walk,
but smoother, with more speed and reach to the step. The hooves lift
and set down at distinct, even intervals. The beat is an even
1-2-3-4 set down in an even cadence. The rear end movement should be
smooth and close to the ground without any snap. Each stride should
reach forward and slide in as it is set down, over striding the
track of the front foot. In a true flat foot walk at least one front
foot is touching the ground at all times.
Video Courtesy of Tennessee
Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association and WDA
International - Nashville, TN
Video Courtesy of Good Go!
Farms
Slow Gait
The Slow
Gait is an even four beat gait, but is executed much, much faster
than the walk, yet just as much so, slower than the Rack. The
forelegs are brought upward to produce a flashy and brilliant ballet
type of movement. The hind feed are not expected to overreach the
prints of the forefeet (as is expected in Dressage, or in the gaits
of the Tennessee Walker). The Slow Gait is the preliminary to the
request for the Rack. A horse performing the Slow Gait will greatly
increase in speed and in animation when asked to begin to Rack. The
horse should not loose it's form in any way in executing the Rack
from the Slow Gait.
Video Courtesy of Good Go!
Farms
Classic Fino
Forward speed is very slow, and the footfall is extremely rapid
while the steps and extension are exceedingly short. The classic fino horse is ridden with a lot of animation and energy while
displaying exacting footfall and great precision. The perfect fino
should be like a piaffe in a lateral 4-beat movement that is faster
than the eye can see. It is the ultimate degree of collection!
The horses are ridden over
the "fino strip", plywood set into the ground, so the judges can
listen for absolute regularity of footfall which would be hard to
detect visually.
Spanish Walk
The horse raises the forelegs off the
ground in an extreme upward and out manner, with much expression.
The Spanish walk is not included in any dressage tests, but has its
roots in dressage and is sometimes taught as a trick.
While remaining on the bit, the horse
should be attentive, straight and immobile.
Free Walk
The horse is allowed complete freedom to
lower and stretch out his head and neck. The walk should be
marching and regular and must be four beats.
Medium Walk
A clear and regular walk of moderate
length. The horse, remaining on the bit, walks energetically forward
with even steps. The hind feet touching the grount in front of the
footprints of the forefeet. The should be a light, soft and steady
contact with the mouth
Extended Walk
In the extended walk the horse covers as
much ground as possible without losing the regularity of his steps.
The rider allows the horse to stretch out his head and neck without
losing contact with the mouth.
Half Turn On The Haunches
The horse's forehand moves in even and
regular steps around the horse's inner hind leg while maintaining
the walk rhythm. The inside hind leg may move slightly forward
Working Trot
The horse should be properly balanced
and remain on the bit. The horse should go forward with regular,
elastic, and cadenced strides with good hock action. The trot is
two-beat on alternate diagonal legs separated by a period of
suspension.
Collected Trot
The collected trot is shorter than the
working trot, but with increased lightness and mobility of the
shoulders. The hocks should be well engaged, and the horse should
remain on the bit.
Medium Trot
A pace between the working and the
extended trots. While remaining on the bit, the horse lengthens and
lowers the neck slightly as the strides are lengthened. The medium
trot is "rounder" than the extended trot. The steps should be
regular and the horse should remain balanced.
The horse should cover as much ground as
possible while maintaining the cadence. While remaining balanced
and on the bit, the horse lengthens the frame and the stride as a
result of great impulsion from the hindquarters. In the forward
movement of the extension, the movement of the fore and hind legs
should be similar (parallel).
Video Courtesy of Dressage Daily
Leg Yield
The horse is flexed slightly away from
the direction of travel, but remains basically straight (forehand
leading slightly). The inside legs pass and cross in front of the
outside legs. The quality of the trot must be maintained.
The horse is slightly bent to the inside
(away from direction of travel). The inside foreleg passes and
crosses in front of the outside foreleg while the inside hind leg is
placed in front of the outside hind leg. The shoulder in is a
suppling and collecting movement. The quality of the trot
should be maintained.
Half Pass
The horse is bent to the inside and the
movement is performed on a diagonal line. The forehand should lead
slightly and the outside legs cross in front of the inside legs. The
quality of the trot must be maintained with particular attention to
the impulsion and engagement of the inside hind leg.
Stretching at the Working Trot
Required at Training and First levels,
the horse is allowed to follow the giving hand. This results in the
horse reaching forward and down into the contact. The horse should
remain in balance, without falling onto the forehand. Upon
shortening of the reins, the horse should calmly accept the contact
and continue forward in working trot on the bit.
Piaffe
Commonly referred to as "trot in place,"
the piaffe is a highly collected movement. The quarters are lowered
and the hocks well engaged, allowing freedom and mobility of the
shoulders. The steps should be regular and cadenced.
Passage
The Passage is a measured, very
collected, very elevated and very cadenced trot. There should be
pronounced engagement and increased flexion of the knees and hocks.
The movement should be elastic.
Working Canter
The horse should be properly balanced
and remain on the bit. The horse should go forward with light,
regular and cadenced strides with good hock action. The canter must
be three beat -- for example, in the right lead canter the footfalls
would be: left hind, left fore and right hind together, right fore,
period suspension.
Collected Canter
The collected canter is shorter than the
working canter, but with increased lightness and mobility of the
shoulders. The canter must remain three beat and the horse should
remain on the bit.
Flying Lead Change
The change of lead occurs during the
period of suspension in the canter. The rhythm and balanced must be
maintained and the changes should be straight. The flying changes
can be done in series: every 4 strides, every 3 strides, every 2
strides or every stride.
The counter canter is a balancing
movement where the rider deliberately makes the horse canter with
the outside foreleg leading. The horse is positioned to the side of
the leading leg.
Pirouette
The pirouette is a circle executed on
two tracks with a radius equal to the length of the horse, the
forehand moving around the haunches. The horse is slightly bent in
the direction of the turn and the forefeet and the outside hind foot
move around the inside hind. The canter should be regular and
balanced with increased flexion of the joints. The half pirouette
(180 degrees) should be completed in 3-4 strides and the full
pirouette (360 degrees) in 6-8 strides.
The horse raises his forehand off the
ground and tucks his forelegs evenly, carrying all his weight on his
hindquarters, to form a 45 degree angle with the ground.
The horse must maintain a haunched
position at a 45-degree angle to the ground, requiring muscle
control and perfection of balance that is quite difficult.
The horse jumps into the air but does
not kick out at the height of elevation. The hind legs are
tucked tightly and remains parallel to the ground.
Ballotade
Movement like the Croupade except the
horse's hind hooves are positioned so one can see its shoes if
watching from behind, but the horse is not asked to kick out as in
the Capriole.
The stallion leaps into the air, drawing
his forelegs under his chest at the height of elevation, and kicks
out violently with his hind legs. The capriole can take many years
of training.
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