Every horse has four natural gaits — walk, trot, canter, and gallop — each defined by a distinct footfall pattern and beat, not just a change in speed.
Walk
The walk is a four-beat gait, each foot landing separately in the sequence left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore. At least two feet stay on the ground at all times, giving the walk its steady, unhurried rhythm.
Trot
The trot is a two-beat gait in which the legs move as diagonal pairs — left fore with right hind, then right fore with left hind — with a brief moment of suspension between each pair's landing.
Canter
The canter is a three-beat gait with a moment of suspension when all four legs leave the ground together. On a right-lead canter, the sequence runs left hind, then the diagonal pair of left fore and right hind together, then the right fore — the "leading" leg — followed by suspension; a left-lead canter mirrors the same pattern on the opposite side.
Gallop
The gallop is a horse's fastest gait — a four-beat pattern (rather than the canter's three) where each leg now lands independently: left hind, right hind, left fore, right fore, with a longer suspension phase that lets a galloping horse cover serious ground with every stride.
Beyond the Four: Gaited Breeds
Some breeds naturally perform additional, smoother gaits on top of the standard four. Pacing moves the legs in lateral pairs (same-side fore and hind together) instead of diagonal pairs, most associated with harness-racing Standardbreds. Other "gaited" breeds — the Tennessee Walking Horse's running walk, the Icelandic Horse's tölt, and the Paso Fino's paso gaits — trade top speed for an exceptionally smooth ride, since a foot is almost always on the ground.
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