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Which horse gaits are performed in a Grand Prix dressage test?
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horsemanship
An Icelandic horse moving swiftly at the tölt, a smooth four-beat, lateral running walk.
In a Grand Prix dressage test, the horse performs the three basic natural gaitsâthe walk, the trot, and the canterâexecuted in various degrees of collection and extension.12
These gaits are refined through the systematic training of dressage, which emphasizes balance, suppleness, and obedience. Within the Grand Prix level, these gaits are often performed in highly collected forms, such as the piaffe (a trot in place) and the passage (a very collected, cadenced, high-stepping trot). The test also incorporates various movements and figures that demonstrate the horse's agility and responsiveness to the rider's aids.12