Horse gait

Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.

Classification

Gaits are typically categorized into two groups: the "natural" gaits that most horses will use without special training, and the "ambling" gaits that are various smooth-riding four-beat footfall patterns that may appear naturally in some individuals, but which usually occur only in certain breeds. Special training is often required before a horse will perform an ambling gait in respond to a rider's command.

Another system of classification that applies to quadrupeds uses three categories: walking and ambling gaits, running or trotting gaits, and leaping gaits.

The British Horse Society Dressage Rules require competitors to perform four variations of the walk, six forms of the trot, five leaping gaits (all forms of the canter), halt, and rein back, but not the gallop. The British Horse Society Equitation examinations also require proficiency in the gallop as distinct from the canter.