Basic Gaits of the Horse

The Three Basic Gaits at a Glance

In equestrian sport, the basic gaits are an essential element that every rider should understand and master. These basic movements of a horse - walk, trot and canter - form the basis for all other disciplines. Whether you are a beginner who wants to learn the basics of riding or an experienced rider who wants to deepen their knowledge, a sound understanding of the basic gaits is essential.

Step

The walk is the foundation of all horsemanship. While the quality of the walk may be less important for a show jumper, it is of the utmost importance for a dressage horse. An inadequate walk is difficult to correct and improve. The walk is a quiet gait without a suspension phase. The footfall sequence can be described as "equilateral, but not simultaneous": The legs are placed first on one side, then on the other, one after the other.

A correct stride should be a clear four-beat stride. The hind hooves should at least follow the track of the front hooves, ideally even reach beyond it.

But be careful: A particularly ground-covering and long stride, in which the hind hooves step forward well beyond the front hooves, can lead to problems in practice. Such a long stride is often slower in the hind leg. This is particularly problematic in short turns, hind leg turns and walk pirouettes. That is why diligence is particularly important in the walk.

Trot

The trot is a medium-fast basic gait in which the horse moves at a steady and lively pace that enables it to cover long distances. This gait is a two-beat movement with four phases, including suspension phases. The sequence of feet is left front, right back, right front, left back, with the diagonal pairs of legs moving synchronously. In the first and third phases, the diagonal hooves (left front and right back or right front and left back) touch the ground. In the second and fourth phases, all hooves hover in the air. Similar to the walk, the hind hoof follows the track of the front hoof at the trot.

Forms of the Trot

In equestrian sport, the trot is divided into different forms depending on the speed and degree of collection:

• Working trot: The normal trot is lively, pure and diligent.
• Medium trot: With increased reach and frame extension. The hind hooves step slightly over the track of the front hooves.
• Strong trot: Shows even clearer ground coverage, maximum frame extension, impulsion and forward thrust without becoming faster. The hind hooves clearly step over the track of the front hooves.
• Collected trot: Requires the hindquarters to step more under the center of gravity, shortens the stride, eliminates the suspension phase, and the hind hooves reach no further than the track of the front hooves.

In addition, a distinction is made between light trotting and sitting trotting.

Special Features and Use

In the high school of dressage, the piaffe, the trot on the spot, is a well-known exercise. Another artistic gait is the passage, in which the suspension phases are extended by a delayed stride sequence. The hindquarters are pulled far under the body and the forequarters are raised strongly, which can also be observed as part of the stallions' impulsion gait in the wild.

In Western riding, there is the so-called jog, which is adapted to the pace of a herd of cattle and is ideal for herding and accompanying herds. This slow trot without a suspension phase is ridden in a dismounted seat and is particularly comfortable, which is why it is often used for extended trail or hiking rides.

The trot is particularly used in trotting races. Specially bred breeds such as the trotter or similar sport horses are preferred for this discipline.

Gallop 

The canter is the fastest of the basic gaits, but is also a soft and bouncy movement that is ridden in three-beat time. In the right canter, the sequence of feet is left behind, then right behind and left in front almost simultaneously, then right in front, followed by a suspension phase. The horse swings one diagonal pair of legs further forward than the other. This leads to the variations left and right canter, depending on which hind leg is started with. When cantering à tempo, the horse alternates between left and right canter at each jump. A distinction is also made between inside and outside canter. In the inside canter, the inside pair of legs, pointing towards the center of the track, leads the way, while in the outside canter, the outside pair of legs leads the way. Changes between these variants are referred to as simple or flying canter changes.

Forms of the Canter

A distinction is made between the following canter forms depending on collection and speed.

• Working canter: The horse canters in a regulated, lively forward movement in a clean three-beat gait with a slight upward tendency. The hind hooves are slightly over the track of the front hooves.
• Medium canter: The canter jumps are longer, but not faster, with a clear extension of space and frame. This is achieved by extending the canter jumps out of the working canter.
• Strong canter: Characterized by maximum ground coverage and strong frame extension with a clear upward tendency, required from medium dressage level.
• Collected canter: The canter jumps are greatly shortened so that the horse jumps with its hindquarters well below its own center of gravity and takes on weight. This leads to a shortened frame and an extended suspension phase, whereby the jumps remain more elevated and dynamic. This canter form is relevant from dressage class L upwards and serves as preparation for the flying canter change or the canter pirouette.

Special Features and Use

In Western riding, the canter is called a lope and is known to be ridden particularly gently, slowly and flat to provide comfort for horse and rider over longer distances. The canter, a light and fast canter, is ridden in a light seat with long reins. The hunting or racing canter is the fastest variant, where speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour can be reached. During this gait, the rider or jockey adopts a light seat. English thoroughbred horses are mainly represented in gallop races. Current findings indicate that the gallop can also be perceived as a four-beat gait, but only at very slow or fast racing gallops.

Problems and Bources of Error When Riding the Basic Gaits

Christoph Hess explains how to solve problems in the basic gaits in the ClipMyHorse.TV Academy:

In Step

In addition to diligence, it is particularly important for riders to be sure of their rhythm. It becomes particularly challenging when the horse tends to shift its passages. In such cases, the four-beat rhythm is disturbed and the equilateral legs touch down almost simultaneously.

The horse's nerves can also cause difficulties for the rider: A very nervous or overzealous horse often does not show a calm stride, but tends to buck and make beat mistakes.

However, a good stride can also be negatively influenced by the rider - often unconsciously. The rider's most serious mistake is a rigid and backward-acting hand, which blocks the horse's even beat. In dressage, the medium walk is therefore required in the basic classes: In walk, a clear forward movement with a slight frame extension is particularly important.

Some riders tend to push the walk by rhythmically pushing forward with their buttocks in the saddle. However, this does not make the walk more diligent or tactful, but actively disturbs the horse. In walk, as in any gait, the rider should sit supple, upright and calm in the saddle. The rider's hand should respond loosely and smoothly to the nodding movement of the horse's neck and head without blocking.

To improve the walk, especially if it is restless, nervous or pass-like, the terrain is particularly suitable. Long, quiet rides on a yielded rein can help the horse to find its rhythm. It is also important to gymnasticize the horse in all three basic gaits. A straight, well-balanced and gymnastic horse often shows a better stride.

Nevertheless, there are cases in which all the rider's efforts are unsuccessful. When assessing a riding horse, special attention should therefore always be paid to the stride.

On the Trot

The working trot should be diligent, but not hasty. The horse moves forward in a steady beat, loose, free and with a swinging back. The hind legs roughly follow the tracks of the front legs. This gait is particularly suitable for loosening exercises, as it helps the horse to reduce tension and stiffness and to relax through the natural and energy-saving forward swing.

The rider sits supple and relaxed in the saddle. The rider must be relaxed, especially in the middle pose, in order to gently follow the movements of the horse's back. The focus is on maintaining the diligence of the movement and activating the horse's hindquarters.

The beat is also maintained when the trot is strengthened. A good medium trot is faster than the working trot, but this is not achieved by increasing the beat, but by gaining more space with each individual trot stride. The horse places its hind legs further under the body and pushes itself forward more strongly, gaining more space. The rider should not achieve trot reinforcement by driving haphazardly, which would speed up the rhythm, but by developing it through increased ground coverage. Good trot reinforcement results from the horse being more upright and collected.

The horse's increased off-foot and longer strides can make it more difficult for the rider to sit out smoothly. However, a correctly executed center trot with a swinging back on a well loosened horse is good to sit out. If the rider is extremely thrown, this is a warning signal that the horse's suppleness should be checked. Practice and patience are required to be able to sit out a swinging center trot.

A frequently observed seat fault is "surfing": The rider leans heavily backwards in the trot reinforcement in order to drive on the one hand and sit on the other. However, this leads to a loss of correct influence and support for the horse. The horse's back is disturbed and possibly blocked. An independent and sensitive rein hand is also no longer available as the rider holds on to the reins. This can lead to the horse lying heavily on the bit and losing its self-carriage.

In collection, the horse becomes shorter, the hindquarters lower slightly and the forehand straightens up accordingly. The forward movement is transformed more into an upward movement so that the horse trots more elevated.

Tact and diligence should be maintained. The horse does not become slower or less lively, but gains in expression. Every kick is executed precisely, consciously and diligently in time.

Only a well-trained horse will be able to fulfill these requirements. Similarly, only an advanced rider will be able to achieve correct collection of the horse.

At a Gallop

During the one-legged support of the inside front leg, this leg bears the entire weight of the horse and rider and must also push the entire weight back up. This leads to considerable strain on the tendons, ligaments and joints. Horses that are naturally forward-leaning put more strain on their front legs, which is exacerbated by tight turns.

In order to maintain the horse's health, it should not be ridden too long on one hand when cantering. Frequent changes of hand in the arena are advisable. The canter should also be changed regularly during rides to avoid one-sided strain.

When gymnasticizing the horse, make sure that both the left and right canter are demanded equally. If the horse falls into cross canter, it should be halted immediately. Cross canter is a warning sign that the horse is either poorly balanced or there is a misunderstanding between rider and horse.

In cross canter, the horse gallops to the left at the front and to the right at the back or vice versa. The rider cannot see this, but can clearly feel it: The otherwise rhythmic three-beat canter becomes bumpy and uncomfortable to sit on.

The rider should take care not to block the horse's inside front leg. In inside canter, the horse's inside shoulder reaches particularly far forward. If the rider pulls on the inside rein and blocks it, the horse will not be able to canter freely. The rider's inside hand should already be clearly in front when cantering to enable the canter jump.

Many horses show a preference for left-hand canter and find it easier to canter correctly on the left hand. However, there are also horses that prefer to canter to the right. If a horse repeatedly canters incorrectly, it can be useful to develop the canter from a clear outside position. This supports the far reaching inside foreleg by blocking the outside shoulder.

The horse's movements do not have to be impressive to be successful under the rider. A constant and rhythmic walk, a canter with a raised forehand and a trot in which the hindquarters actively cooperate are ideal prerequisites.

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