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 might be the right front moves with the left hind and the left front moves with the right hind.
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Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
The canter is a three beat gait where one pair of feet strike the ground simultaneously 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. The opposite foot pattern represents the left lead as follows: right …
Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
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The stride is the distance between successive imprints of the same foot. From the side view a horse should place their hind foot in the spot that the front foot left the ground. The more balanced a horse is the more likely that they will travel …
Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
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.
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Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
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.
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Trot
Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
The walk is four beat gait where each foot hits the ground independently. The pattern of this four beat walk may be as follows: right front, left hind, left front, right hind or right hind, right front, left hind, left front.
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Walk
Download this video! Horse Walk (5.35 MB)
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Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
Epiphysitis is an inflammation of the epiphysial cartilage plate of the long bones. It occurs mostly on the front legs and is associated with growth in young horses. The cause is excessive pressure from either too much weight or concussion on an inmature skeletal system. The swelling can be painful and can result in lameness. Prognosis is good for the young horse, provided the foal gets rest until the swelling resides or the epiphyses …
Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
A horse standing straight on their front and rear column of bone will travel in the most correct manner. As the normal foot travels in the straight line there is little chance of interference among the horse’s legs or hooves. Thus reducing the horse’s risk of injury.
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Walking Straight –
Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
Understanding how a horse moves is the first step in identifying a horse’s quality of movement. The orderly hoof fall pattern of movement is considered a gait. Gaits of a horse are classified into natural and artificial gaits. In many cases, the breed of the horse dictates the gaits that it performs.
There are over 167 symmetrical gaits described for the horse. Symmetrical gaits such as the walk, trot, and pace …
Ashley Griffin, University of Kentucky
There are five natural gaits of horses. These natural gaits include the walk, trot, canter/lope, gallop and back. Many breeds perform these gaits. They include stock horse breeds like the Quarter Horse, Paint Horse, Appaloosa, etc. and hunter or english type horses such as the Thoroughbred, Arabian, Saddlebred, Morgan, etc.
Watch the following video to learn more about the natural gaits of the horse.
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