Horse Gaits Guide

Every horse gait explained — from the basic walk to the tölt that feels like floating on air. Complete visual guide: the 4 natural gaits ALL horses share, plus the 4 extra "ambling" gaits that only gaited breeds perform.

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🐎 The 4 Natural Gaits (ALL Horses Have These)

Gait	Beats	Speed	Footfall Pattern	Bounce Level
Walk	4-beat	5-7 km/h	LH→LF→RH→RF (always 2-3 hooves on ground)	Smooth ✅
Trot	2-beat	10-22 km/h	Diagonal pairs: (LF+RH) suspension (RF+LH)	BOUNCY ⚠️
Canter/Lope	3-beat	16-30 km/h	Outside hind→diagonal pair→inside front→suspension	Rocking-Horse Smooth
Gallop	4-beat	40-70+ km/h	Full extension — all 4 feet off ground in suspension	Exhilarating

🕺 The 4 Extra "Ambling" Gaits (Gaited Breeds Only)

Gait	Beats	Breed	What It Feels Like
Running Walk	4-beat	Tennessee Walker	Gliding on glass — the smoothest gait on Earth at 10-20 km/h
Rack	4-beat lateral	American Saddlebred	Extremely fast walk — 30+ km/h, flashy, high-stepping
Tölt	4-beat	Icelandic Horse	So smooth you can hold a full cup of coffee at speed
Pace	2-beat lateral	Standardbred	Left legs together, right legs together — a rolling side-to-side motion

🧬 Did you know? The ability to perform ambling gaits is caused by a single gene mutation (DMRT3 — the "gait keeper" gene) discovered in 2012. All gaited breeds share this mutation. A simple DNA test can tell you if your horse carries the gene. The mutation alters spinal cord development, allowing the horse to move legs laterally instead of diagonally.