Which Gait Is Your Horse Doing?
By Gaye DeRusso
Riding a gaited horse is fun, but a lot of us when starting out, just have no idea what gait they are doing. Sure, most of us can feel if its smooth or rough, but I have seen many clients in the beginning, thinking a pace is smooth compared to their previous trotting horse, so they keep pacing.
So here is the gaited spectrum. See if you can figure out, where your horse is on the spectrum
PACE- STEPPING PACE- RACK - RUNNING WALK OR SADDLE GAIT- FLAT WALK- FOX WALK- FOXTROT
So here are some hints on which gait your horse is doing.
1. Your horse seems to move side to side. His head is swinging but it's not up and down, it's to the right and to the left. You feel your saddle shift side to side and sometimes up and down and sometimes both at the same time. Sometimes its smooth and sometimes it's rough. Your horse is high headed with his nose poked out. He may have more muscle at the underside of his neck which is called an ewe neck. He might have a longer back. The topline may be underdeveloped and his spine may tend to stick up. He just swings his legs and never seems to place them with any effort.
When people see you ride, they all think your horse is lame and just looks off, usually in the backend. they say he looks weird. His legs are moving on the same side together (right front and right hind). No matter how fast you go he does not change his gait, it just gets bouncier the faster you go.
This is a pace. It is a 2 beat gait with a moment of suspension and that is why it is bouncy or uncomfortable.
Horses are not the only animals that pace. Dogs can also pace but also elephants, giraffes, bears and camels, many of them will pace or step pace.
2. Your horse moves slightly side to side, sometimes you may feel a leaping motion like he is hopping from side to side. It is not bouncy but quite smooth. Some of these horses will also have their heads up but some have been over collected and go with their head on the vertical, in what looks like a pretty frame, there is no up and down head shake. These horses can also have a long back. The topline may be underdeveloped and his spine may tend to stick up. They tend to swing their legs instead of picking them up and putting them down.
This is a step pace; this is an uneven 4 beat gait that can be very smooth. These horses, since they are not using their muscles and moving off their hind end may break down early under hard use. So, although it is smooth, it is not the best gait for your horse.
3. Your horse is very smooth with little head shake. Sometimes you may feel a jiggle in the saddle. Although you are not moving it feels like your horse's legs are moving so fast. In some horses you may feel them elevate their back as they start this gait and feel their backend, drop down underneath them. It reminds me of a boat taking off from a slow speed to a fast speed.
These horses tend to have a shorter back. since these horses move so well naturally, the rider does not tend to help the horse. Some of these horses carry their heads up but others have it in a more neutral position. Some horses need help staying in this gait and some just do it all day long with no help.
This is a rack. It is a 4 beat even fast gait.
4. Your horse is smooth, but you feel a back-and-forth motion toward the front of the saddle and toward the back of the saddle. The horse's head shakes up and down. You can feel the horse driving with his backed end. As the horse goes faster, his head will shake faster. The head shake actually starts in the back end of the horse as he sets down each hind foot, he lowers his head to maintain balance. The horse is relaxed but engaging his back end. This is a forward gait but not as fast as the rack. These horses tend to have a long deeply sloped croup and long hind legs. Their hind end can look more pointed vs round.
This is a running walk. It is an even 4 beat gait.
5. Your horse is quite smooth. It feels like he is taking short steps. There is no head shake, you may feel a slight jiggle in the saddle. He may have his head neutral or slightly up. He can do this gait quite easily and for long periods of time. It is fun but not very fast.
This is a saddle gait (slow rack). It is an even 4 beat gait.
6. Your horse is smooth, but you feel a back-and-forth motion toward the front of the saddle and toward the back of the saddle. in some horses there is a lot of motion. The horse's head shakes up and down. You can feel the horse driving with his back end. As the horse goes faster, his head will shake faster. The head shake actually starts in the back end of the horse as he sets down each hind foot, he lowers his head to maintain balance. The horse is relaxed but engaging his back end. This gait is about as fast as a regular horse's extended walk.
This is a Flat Walk. It is an even 4 beat gait that most gaited horses can do.
7. This is the speed of a flat walk, but you sometimes feel a slight up and down motion. The horse shakes his head up and down. He may have a lower head set and a round back and hindquarter.
This is a fox walk. It is an even 4 beat gait.
8. This gait is very surefooted. You can even go down hills faster than your friends, but they always beat you up the hill if doing this gait. Your horse has pretty good self-carriage and can be gaited on a looser rein in a relaxed frame. There is a fair amount of head shake, and your horse shakes it faster as he goes faster. It is a smooth gait with a slight bounce, but you cannot post if you try. It feels like a smooth quarter horse jog but faster.
This is a fox trot. It is an even 4 beat gait.
9. This gait is very bouncy, and jarring. You can post to it. There is no head shake. It can be very fast at times.
It is a 2-beat gait with suspension, that is why it is bouncy. This is a trot.
So, now you may have an idea of what your horse is doing and why. The next step is to try to improve his gaits and get him smoother and using his correct muscles to do the gait so he will last as long as you do!
Gaited Books
Easy Gaited Horses By Lee Ziegler https://amzn.to/3vFuk8w
The Gaited Horse Bible by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3It0Imf
Gaits of Gold by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3jGXam0
Heavenly Gaits By Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3ieKGBP
Training the Gaited Horse By Gary Lane https://amzn.to/3jPcAVq
DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission if you buy something. This helps support the website. Thank you for the support!
By Gaye DeRusso
Riding a gaited horse is fun, but a lot of us when starting out, just have no idea what gait they are doing. Sure, most of us can feel if its smooth or rough, but I have seen many clients in the beginning, thinking a pace is smooth compared to their previous trotting horse, so they keep pacing.
So here is the gaited spectrum. See if you can figure out, where your horse is on the spectrum
PACE- STEPPING PACE- RACK - RUNNING WALK OR SADDLE GAIT- FLAT WALK- FOX WALK- FOXTROT
So here are some hints on which gait your horse is doing.
1. Your horse seems to move side to side. His head is swinging but it's not up and down, it's to the right and to the left. You feel your saddle shift side to side and sometimes up and down and sometimes both at the same time. Sometimes its smooth and sometimes it's rough. Your horse is high headed with his nose poked out. He may have more muscle at the underside of his neck which is called an ewe neck. He might have a longer back. The topline may be underdeveloped and his spine may tend to stick up. He just swings his legs and never seems to place them with any effort.
When people see you ride, they all think your horse is lame and just looks off, usually in the backend. they say he looks weird. His legs are moving on the same side together (right front and right hind). No matter how fast you go he does not change his gait, it just gets bouncier the faster you go.
This is a pace. It is a 2 beat gait with a moment of suspension and that is why it is bouncy or uncomfortable.
Horses are not the only animals that pace. Dogs can also pace but also elephants, giraffes, bears and camels, many of them will pace or step pace.
2. Your horse moves slightly side to side, sometimes you may feel a leaping motion like he is hopping from side to side. It is not bouncy but quite smooth. Some of these horses will also have their heads up but some have been over collected and go with their head on the vertical, in what looks like a pretty frame, there is no up and down head shake. These horses can also have a long back. The topline may be underdeveloped and his spine may tend to stick up. They tend to swing their legs instead of picking them up and putting them down.
This is a step pace; this is an uneven 4 beat gait that can be very smooth. These horses, since they are not using their muscles and moving off their hind end may break down early under hard use. So, although it is smooth, it is not the best gait for your horse.
3. Your horse is very smooth with little head shake. Sometimes you may feel a jiggle in the saddle. Although you are not moving it feels like your horse's legs are moving so fast. In some horses you may feel them elevate their back as they start this gait and feel their backend, drop down underneath them. It reminds me of a boat taking off from a slow speed to a fast speed.
These horses tend to have a shorter back. since these horses move so well naturally, the rider does not tend to help the horse. Some of these horses carry their heads up but others have it in a more neutral position. Some horses need help staying in this gait and some just do it all day long with no help.
This is a rack. It is a 4 beat even fast gait.
4. Your horse is smooth, but you feel a back-and-forth motion toward the front of the saddle and toward the back of the saddle. The horse's head shakes up and down. You can feel the horse driving with his backed end. As the horse goes faster, his head will shake faster. The head shake actually starts in the back end of the horse as he sets down each hind foot, he lowers his head to maintain balance. The horse is relaxed but engaging his back end. This is a forward gait but not as fast as the rack. These horses tend to have a long deeply sloped croup and long hind legs. Their hind end can look more pointed vs round.
This is a running walk. It is an even 4 beat gait.
5. Your horse is quite smooth. It feels like he is taking short steps. There is no head shake, you may feel a slight jiggle in the saddle. He may have his head neutral or slightly up. He can do this gait quite easily and for long periods of time. It is fun but not very fast.
This is a saddle gait (slow rack). It is an even 4 beat gait.
6. Your horse is smooth, but you feel a back-and-forth motion toward the front of the saddle and toward the back of the saddle. in some horses there is a lot of motion. The horse's head shakes up and down. You can feel the horse driving with his back end. As the horse goes faster, his head will shake faster. The head shake actually starts in the back end of the horse as he sets down each hind foot, he lowers his head to maintain balance. The horse is relaxed but engaging his back end. This gait is about as fast as a regular horse's extended walk.
This is a Flat Walk. It is an even 4 beat gait that most gaited horses can do.
7. This is the speed of a flat walk, but you sometimes feel a slight up and down motion. The horse shakes his head up and down. He may have a lower head set and a round back and hindquarter.
This is a fox walk. It is an even 4 beat gait.
8. This gait is very surefooted. You can even go down hills faster than your friends, but they always beat you up the hill if doing this gait. Your horse has pretty good self-carriage and can be gaited on a looser rein in a relaxed frame. There is a fair amount of head shake, and your horse shakes it faster as he goes faster. It is a smooth gait with a slight bounce, but you cannot post if you try. It feels like a smooth quarter horse jog but faster.
This is a fox trot. It is an even 4 beat gait.
9. This gait is very bouncy, and jarring. You can post to it. There is no head shake. It can be very fast at times.
It is a 2-beat gait with suspension, that is why it is bouncy. This is a trot.
So, now you may have an idea of what your horse is doing and why. The next step is to try to improve his gaits and get him smoother and using his correct muscles to do the gait so he will last as long as you do!
Gaited Books
Easy Gaited Horses By Lee Ziegler https://amzn.to/3vFuk8w
The Gaited Horse Bible by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3It0Imf
Gaits of Gold by Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3jGXam0
Heavenly Gaits By Brenda Imus https://amzn.to/3ieKGBP
Training the Gaited Horse By Gary Lane https://amzn.to/3jPcAVq
DISCLAIMER: This description contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission if you buy something. This helps support the website. Thank you for the support!