Soundness: The absence of stiffness or lameness in the horse. A sound horse moves with even, regular and symmetrical strides.
Step: The movement of one leg. Right and left step lengths should be symmetrical/equal when the horse is moving on a straight line.
Straightness: Alignment of the horse’s body parts parallel to the line of travel.
Stride: The distance a horse covers with all four legs. A well-trained horse is able to lengthen and shorten the stride length without changing the rhythm or beat of a particular gait.
Suppleness:
2 }+ D* X5 G0 N The ability of the horse to shift balance smoothly. A horse that is not supple will produce stiff, awkward movements, be slow to respond, and lacking in rhythm.
Symmetry: Evenness of movement and stride length on both sides of the horse. Symmetry of equine movement is characteristic of a healthy, sound horse and is more likely to promote symmetrical postural strategies in the patient.
Tempo: Number of beats per minute
Top Line: The parts of the horse that run in a continuous line from the poll along the top of the neck and back to the dock of the tail.
Transition: A change of gait as well as any change of pace within a gait. Transitions are referred to as upward (e.g. walk to trot) or downward (e.g. canter to trot).
Trot: A 2 beat gait in which diagonal legs move together - right hind with left fore, left hind with right fore. There is a moment of suspension after each pair of legs moves forward.
Vertical: A term used to refer to the position of the horse’s head in relation to a perpendicular line from the ground. The desired position is described as on the vertical. Undesirable positions include above the vertical or behind the vertical
Walk: A 4 beat gait with the feet stepping in the following sequence: left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore.
References: American Horse Shows Association Rule Book (1997-1998). New York: AHSA Classical Training of the Horse (1998) United States Dressage Federation Harris, S.E. (1993) Horse Gaits, Balance and Movement. New York: Simon & Schuster Macmillian The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright ã 2005 Columbia University Press. , F, L9 w8 l/ }. q% X- X' s
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