The art of horseback riding is something that can take years of hard work, practice, training, and dedication to achieve. This article is aimed at any level of rider in order to explain and give better details and information about each pace of the horse.

The rhythms

Most horses naturally have four gaits, such as the walk, trot, gallop, and canter. However, some horses have a natural gait. The horse must be able to perform all of these steps and with some variations of each. The horse must move forward with rhythm, drive and balance. Momentum is defined as the power of a horse, which comes from the horse moving forward with energy. However, pulse does not mean speed. A horse can only have drive if he is using and moving from his rear and the horse is round and alert, as is the collection, which we will address.

The walk

The step is the slowest of the four steps. It even has beats that you can count, 1, 2, 3, 4 while you’re riding. In the walk, the horse always has at least two legs on the ground at the same time. If you watch a horse walking, you can see that his whole body is in action. Although it is the slowest pace, you as a rider must be aware of your body as you follow the horse’s movement and be careful not to interfere with the horse’s movement.

the trot

The trot is a two-beat rhythm in which the horse jumps from one pair of diagonal legs to the other with a moment of suspension in between. The right front foot and the left back foot should touch the ground at the same time and the same for the left front foot and the right back foot. Think of the jog as he swings his arms back and forth one at a time. Many riders find this the hardest stride to master because it’s the most bouncy. Until you get used to it, the trot may feel uneven and uncomfortable to sit on, but you’ll learn to climb into the trot called a pole.

The post trot means that you are rising slightly out of the saddle and taking your weight off the stirrups when one pair of legs hits the ground and then sit up when the other pair lands on the ground. You rise from the saddle when the outside leg, or the leg that is closest to the fence, comes forward. This is called being on the correct diagonal. Looking down at the horse’s shoulder allows you to see if the leg is moving forward or backward. As the shoulder moves forward, you go up. Once you learn to post, jogging is much more comfortable. You will also learn to sit trot, or sit trot. This just means that you keep your seat in contact with the saddle at all times.

the gallop

The gallop is a three-beat walk. There is a small moment when all four legs are off the ground. It is at the gallop that the rider will first experience the thrill of riding a horse. The feeling of power and speed as the horse devours the ground can give you a real buzz. The gallop can also feel like a rocking chair. Despite the increased speed, the rider can generally find the canter to be a smooth gait. The canter is more comfortable than the trot, but can feel bouncy until the rider gets used to it. When riding at a canter, it’s best to sit deep in the saddle, relax your back, and follow the rolling motion of the canter.

There are two guides for the gallop depending on the direction you are going. The correct lead is the leg that is closest to the inside. If you watch a horse galloping in a circle, it should look like the horse is leading each stride with the inside leg. It appears as if the front leg is extended further forward than the other front leg. The horse will feel more balanced and comfortable when he is wearing the correct leash.

At full speed – The gallop

The canter is a four-beat gait where each leg touches the ground separately. Think of a racehorse in the Kentucky Derby. They run at a full gallop that can reach almost 35 miles per hour. At a gallop, the horse is fully stretched and the horse lengthens the body and neck and fully extends each leg. To gallop, you must have good balance on your horse.

When you go to gallop, you should take your weight off the saddle, push the seat further back, and tuck your upper body behind the horse’s neck, like a jockey, but with longer stirrups. This position is very similar to the position you would get into while jumping a horse, called the two-point or jumping position.

Variations within each step

Each horse is capable of several variations within each step. For example, the walk, trot, and canter have working, collected, and extended variations. As the horse increases his training, he should be able to offer these variations without any problem. When requesting these variations, he should think in terms of momentum and power rather than more speed.

work steps

The working gait is the gait that the horse naturally has. The horse should take nice, relaxed steps and lose control of its gait, which means its rear hoof should land in front of where the front hoof imprint was. The working trot and canter is once again the natural pace offered by the horse. The walk must be active with the horse maintaining the same pace and rhythm. It is relaxed but active at the same time.

The steps together

The collected airs are mainly used in dressage. The horse is round and uses its rear. The horse does not slow down, but shortens it. As for the collected gaits of the walk, trot, and canter, these variations take time and practice. In these collected gaits, the horse shortens its entire outline and lowers its back and raises its forehead so that its neck is higher and more arched. Imagine how a dressage horse carries its head. It is tall and round. The horse takes shorter, rounder strides with more height and lift in each stride.

the extended steps

In the extended gaits, the horse stretches its entire body and takes the longest possible stride with maximum drive while maintaining its balance with perfect timing. In extended strides, it may appear that the horse is moving at a much faster pace, but it is actually moving with a lot of power and drive coming from its rear. The general image of the extended steps is a long frame.

There are many different gaits to work with when riding. Knowing the variations within each step will help you know and understand how your horse moves. Once you’ve accomplished the four basic steps, you can move on to mastering the variations within each.