The horse’s mode of movement is called the gait. What is a natural and artificial gait? The gait of a horse differs depending on the locality in which it was born, the breed and the conditions of its upbringing. Wild animals, which no one was engaged in, use those gaits that help them survive: to escape from predators, to flee from danger, to travel long distances and to relax during the transitions. The way a horse uses the capabilities of his body clearly shows how people should relate to their abilities.
Allures of horses and their characteristics
First of all, it is worth noting that there are natural gaits - those that the racer uses in life, even if no one taught him artificial ones. The latter are more impressive. If we approach the question of what an allure is from the philological side, from the French language this word means “running” or “gait”. The classification is often different, but the following species are highlighted in natural gait:
- Step.
- Lynx.
- Amble.
- Gallop.
Artificial carry a gallop back when the horse runs backwards, a gallop on three legs - the animal always keeps one leg in the air. In addition to them, the passage and piaffe are common. The first is a very calm lynx with the slow raising of its front legs underneath itself, and its rear legs under the body. Piaffe differs from the passage only in that the beast under the rider beautifully raises its legs, but remains in place. The Spanish lynx and step are characterized by the removal of one front foot parallel to the ground.
Step - calm gait
Movement is possible due to the alternation of suspension, movement of limbs, repulsion. The step is a horse gait, in which only movement of the limbs and repulsion without hanging is observed. Movement is made diagonally, if only 4 legs are monitored: the left front and right rear are replaced by the right front and left rear. The procedure for raising legs resembles an influx of waves. When the front foot drops, the back rises and goes a little forward, but the horse does not have time to lower it again, as the front rises.
There is a collected, medium, added and free step. If the assembled makes it clear and quick to sort through the hooves, then the free one allows the horse to rest and dry before entering the stable. Experts consider the step an important gait for the horse, because it serves as a warm-up. They start training and they finish it. When the animal is not sufficiently trained, then the entire training is carried out on this gait.
Lynx and its species
The lynx is characterized by diagonal movement of the legs, as with a step. True, in order to understand what a lynx allure is, you need to pay attention to the pace. The pace is the number of hoof strokes that the steed makes in one go. If at a step all 4 speeds are heard, then at a trot - only 2. The approximate speed of trotters is 45-50 km / h, good breeds can develop 10 m / s, and the maximum record is 55 km / h. Trotters are specially bred breeds that can lead a harness at a trot for a long time without going a step or gallop. This method reduced the risk of turning the carriage over.
There is a short lynx, called trot, medium and sweeping, that is, max. Interestingly, when moving at a medium trot, the moment of suspension is visible - the animal’s legs are in the air, and the moment of contact with the ground is short. Because of this, it seems that the horse is soaring. Noble trotters capable of holding a lynx for a long time are considered French, Russian, Oryol and American.
Which horse gait is the fastest
At a gallop, the steed develops a speed of 70 km / h. This is not just a gait of a horse running; it is compared to horse racing because jumping continues throughout the journey. It is carried out at 3 pace, since two legs fall almost at one moment: the left hind leg drops, then the right hind and right front legs at the same time, the left front foot is the last to step on the ground. The hanging phase is clearly visible when all legs are in the air.
If classified by pace, then there will be 3 gallops:
- Slow, maneuverable, shortened or assembled;
- Medium, Canter or Common;
- Added, fast, quarry or field, frisky.
Due to the fact that the messengers needed to quickly get the message, three crosses or pluses were put on the message in wartime. When the information could wait, two crosses (lynx) were placed, and if time was running out and there was no need for urgency, one was put. Then the rider could start the horse in a step, not in a hurry. In the army, the gallop began to be called the “three crosses” and the expression quickly spread.
Is the amble natural for a horse
Most people will answer no to this question. For most breeds, amble is not a natural way of moving. It is inconvenient for open space, and therefore rarely a horse is able to walk this way in the wild. It’s difficult to walk along the mountains in the usual way, because of this, some breeds have developed an unusual way. In the Crimea, the Tien Shan, in the Caucasus and in the area where American trotters are common, ambler is found as a natural way of moving around the mountains.
But when classifying what an ambler gait is - natural or artificial - you need to know whether the horse can walk this way from nature or if she had to be specially trained to do this. The method consists in raising the left front and rear legs at the same time and changing them to the right front and rear legs. Allure is trained for those animals that originally ran trot, and foals begin to train.
