Galop 3Knowledge
Contents
- 01WelcomeOverview
- 02Life in natureKnowledge
- 03Bedding and waterCaring for the horse
- 04The points of the horseKnowledge
- 05The hoof and shoeingKnowledge
- 06A full groomingCaring for the horse
- 07Tack and bridleCaring for the horse
- 08The walk and the trotKnowledge
- 09The diagonal at trotIn the saddle
- 10Markings and whorlsKnowledge
- 11Coat colour variantsKnowledge
- 12BreedsKnowledge
- 13The aids to turnKnowledge
- 14The canter strike-offIn the saddle
- 15Position and balanceIn the saddle
- 16Controlling the gaitIn the saddle
- 17Curves and half-voltesIn the saddle
- 18Approach and jumpIn the saddle
- 19GroundworkOn foot
- 20The disciplinesKnowledge
- 21Revision and examRevision
How the walk and the trot work
The mechanics of a gait are the order in which the feet come down. Knowing them helps you understand what you feel in the saddle — and, from the very next page, choose your diagonal.
In the exam programme
- Explain how the walk and the trot work.Common module B
- Footfall
- The moment a foot comes down and takes weight on the ground.
- Beat
- Each footfall you can hear: one beat is one foot landing, or several feet landing together.
- Stride
- A complete cycle of a gait, until the feet land again in the same order.
- Moment of suspension
- The instant when no foot is touching the ground.
- Pair of legs
- Two legs taken together. There are six pairs: the forelegs, the hind legs, the right lateral pair, the left lateral pair, the right diagonal and the left diagonal. A diagonal pair joins a foreleg and the opposite hind leg; it takes its name from the foreleg. The right diagonal is the right fore and the left hind.
The walk: four beats, no suspension
The walk is a stepping gait — there are always at least two feet on the ground, never a moment of suspension — symmetrical and in four even beats: you hear 1, 2, 3, 4, at regular intervals. It is the slowest gait, about 6 to 7 km/h.
The walk, four beats
Left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore — always at least two feet on the ground, never a moment of suspension.
- Right hind
- Right fore: the fore follows the hind on the same side
- Left hind
- Left fore, then the cycle begins again
Each hind leg is therefore followed by the foreleg on the same side, and the horse stands on two feet and on three by turns. At walk, the neck swings forward and back with every stride: that is why your hands must follow the swing without blocking it.
The trot: two beats, in diagonal pairs
The trot is a springing gait — it has moments of suspension — symmetrical and in two even beats. The feet land in diagonal pairs: the right fore together with the left hind, then the left fore together with the right hind. Between the two footfalls, the horse is in the air for a brief instant. Its average speed is about 14 km/h.
The trot, two beats
The diagonal pairs land together — left fore with right hind, then right fore with left hind — with a moment of suspension between.
- The right diagonal lands: right fore and left hind
- Suspension
- The left diagonal lands: left fore and right hind
- Suspension, then the cycle begins again
At trot, the neck stays almost still: it is the horse’s whole body that goes up and down. This bounce is why sitting trot is so jolting, and why rising trot exists: the rider rises for one beat and sits for the other.
| Feature | The walk | The trot |
|---|---|---|
| Kind of gait | Stepping | Springing |
| Number of beats | Four even beats | Two even beats |
| Footfalls | One foot after another, each hind followed by the fore on the same side | In diagonal pairs |
| Suspension | None | One after each diagonal lands |
| Average speed | About 6 to 7 km/h | About 14 km/h |
Did you know?
The canter has its own mechanics too, more complex, with three beats followed by a moment of suspension: you will study them at Galop 4.
A word from the instructor
To hear the gaits, listen to a horse on hard ground: four nicely even beats at walk, two at trot. If you count six, someone is walking beside it.