Gaits of the Horse

Gaits of the horse

Introduction

The term gait refers to the pattern of movements a horse exhibits as it moves.  There are five natural gaits of horses. These natural gaits include the walk, trot, canter/lope, gallop and back.

                                                      

Watch this video on How to Walk, Trot & Canter

Walk

Figure 1: Footfall pattern at the walk

The walk is the slowest gait of the horse. The walk is a four beat gait where each foot hits the ground independently. The pattern of this four beat walk may be as follows: right front (1), left hind (2), left front (3), right hind (4). See figure 1.

Trot

Figure 1. Footfall pattern of a trotting horse

The trot is a two beat diagonal gait where the horse’s legs work in paired diagonals. The pattern of this two beat diagonal gait may be as follows: right hind and left front then left hind and right front or left hind and right front then right hind and left front.

Although the jog (a term used in western riding) is very similar to the trot, the jog is usually slower with shorter strides.

Canter or lope

Figure 1. Footfall pattern of a cantering horse on the right lead

The canter/lope is a three beat gait where one pair of feet strike the ground at the same time and the other two feet land independently.

The canter/lope will either be on what is referred to as a right or left lead. If the horse is on the right lead then the hoof pattern is left hind, right hind and left front simultaneously, then right front (see figure 1). The opposite foot pattern represents the left lead as follows: right hind, left hind and right front simultaneously, left front.

In general, horses are to be on the right lead when circling to the right and on the left lead when circling to the left. Also, when horses are on the right lead the right front leg will extend further than the left front. The opposite is true when a horse is the left lead; a horse's left front leg will extend further than the right front leg while in the left lead.

Gallop

Although the gallop or run appears to only be a faster canter, it is in fact a different gait containing four beats.

Like the canter, the gallop also has a right and left lead. The footfall pattern of the gallop on the left lead is the right hind, left hind, right front, left front. Likewise, the right lead footfall would be left hind, right hind, left front, right front.

Back

When a horse backs naturally without interference from the rider they perform a two beat diagonal gait. The back has a similar hoof pattern to that of the trot, only backwards. The footfall pattern of the back would be the right front moves with the left hind and the left front moves with the right hind.