ASB: Study of the Walk

The walk is technically a four-beat gait. The foot falls for the walk are either left-hind, left-front, right-hind, right-front, or right-hind, right-front, left-hind, left-front. In pleasure divisions of the show-ring, this is called a flat-footed, or flat walk.

A true flat-footed, four-beat flat walk is required in all pleasure classes. All horses can walk, the question is "will they?" In the show ring, the excitement of the surroundings can make a horse nervous, and many will try to jig or jog instead of walk. It takes a skilled, relaxed rider to get the horse to settle down and four-beat walk.

Videoclip of Flat Walk (973K)

The animated walk is actually a two-beat diagonal gait, with the same foot falls as the trot. It is can also be called a primp or bounce walk. According to the American Horse Shows Association, the animated walk is "highly collected gait, exhibiting much primp at a slow regulated speed, with good action and animation."

Videoclip of Animated Walk ~ 2.3MB, approximately 12 minutes to download (depending on your connection)