Galop 1Knowledge
Contents
- 01WelcomeOverview
- 02Respecting the horseKnowledge
- 03Club, licence and FFEKnowledge
- 04SafetyKnowledge
- 05Understanding the horseKnowledge
- 06Approaching your ponyCaring for the horse
- 07Headcollar and knotCaring for the horse
- 08Brushing your ponyCaring for the horse
- 09Leading in handOn foot
- 10Parts of the horseKnowledge
- 11Basic coat coloursKnowledge
- 12The three gaitsKnowledge
- 13Mounting and dismountingIn the saddle
- 14The reins and the aidsIn the saddle
- 15Walk, rising trot, canterIn the saddle
- 16Saddle, bridle, tack roomCaring for the horse
- 17VocabularyKnowledge
- 18Revision and examRevision
The three gaits: walk, trot and canter
A gait is a way of moving. The horse has three: walk, trot and canter. At Galop 1, you must recognise them and name them — by eye, by ear and from the saddle.
In the exam programme
- Recognise and name the three gaits: walk, trot and canter.Common module B
The walk
Four even beats — the slow, marching gait.
The trot
Two beats and a spring — the bouncy gait.
The canter
Three beats and a spring — the fastest, rocking gait.
The slowest
Walk
A marching gait: the horse always has at least two feet on the ground. You hear four beats, evenly spaced — “one, two, three, four”. In the saddle, your pelvis is rocked from front to back and the pony’s head nods at every step.
The middle gait
Trot
A springing gait in two beats: between one beat and the next, the horse is in the air for an instant. You hear “one, two, one, two”. Sitting, you are bounced at every beat — which is why you learn rising trot.
The fastest
Canter
A gait in three beats: you hear “one, two, three”, then a short silence, during which the horse is in the air. In the saddle, you feel a big rocking motion, from back to front.
| Clue | Walk | Trot | Canter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of beats | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| What you hear | One, two, three, four | One, two | One, two, three… silence |
| A moment in the air? | No: always at least two feet on the ground | Yes, between beats | Yes, after the third beat |
| Speed of a horse | About 6–7 km/h (4 mph) | About 14 km/h (9 mph) | About 20–30 km/h (12–19 mph) |
Tip
Train your ear: stand at the side of the school, close your eyes and count the hoofbeats of a horse going past. Four is walk; two, trot; three and then a silence, canter.
Remember
Walk: 4 beats. Trot: 2 beats. Canter: 3 beats. From slowest to fastest, in that order.
The order in which the horse puts down his feet at each gait — its footfall sequence — will be explained in Galop 3 for walk and trot, and in Galop 4 for canter. For now, simply learn to recognise them.