Watch: The four-beat racing gallop
The fastest natural gait is the racing gallop, which has a four-beat pace (such as right hind, left hind, right fore, left fore). The gallop stride is not used in dressage competition.
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Hushhushvideo (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Horse racing in northern Mongolia during the naadam (“games”), which are held annually in July throughout the country.
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Courtesy of Northwestern University (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Synchronized team skating, a women's sport at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Even tug-of-war once held its own as a respected Olympic sport.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Canter
The canter is a three-beat gait with a moment of suspension (none of the horse's feet touching the ground) after the three steps. There is a left canter (right hind, then left hind and right fore, then left fore) and a right canter (left hind, then right hind and left fore, then right fore).
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Pirouette
In a full pirouette, the horse pivots on the inside hind foot to make a full circle on two tracks. It is usually done at a walk or canter, taking six to eight strides to make the full turn. (A half pirouette uses the same movements to turn a half circle.)
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Piaffe
The piaffe is a high-stepping trot (two-beat pace on alternate diagonal legs) executed on the spot with prolonged suspension. The transfer between the piaffe and other movements should be smooth and without change in tempo.
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Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.What were Russell Crowe and Paul Mescal getting themselves into?
