Gaited

3 Gaited Pleasure

The Three-Gaited horse performs its three gaits - walk, trot, and canter - both ways of the ring with brilliance, precision, and high action. Beauty, grace, elegance, and refinement define this division, where the horse is shown with collected energy directed toward animation and expression. 

5 Gaited Pleasure

The Five-Gaited horse displays show-stopping beauty, brilliance, and power, with judges seeking an animated form, speed, and precision. These horses perform five gaits both ways of the ring. 

Breeds eligible to compete in 3 Gaited Pleasure & 5 Gaited Pleasure:

Aegidienberger

American Curly Horse

American Saddlebred

American Walking Pony

Buur Pony

Campolina

Florida Cracker

Galiceño

Gaited Baroque

Gaited Mule

Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse

Mangalarga Marchador

Marwari Horse

McCurdy Plantation Horse

Missouri Fox Trotter

Mongolian Horse

Montana Travler

Mountain Pleasure Horse

National Show Horse

North American Single-Footing Horse

Paso Creole

Paso Fino

Peruvian Paso

Northern Norwegian Pony

Racking Horse

Rocky Mountain Horse

Spotted Saddle Horse

Tennessee Walking Horse

Virginia Single-Footer

Walkaloosa

Icelandic 4 Gaited V.1

The test is conducted on an oval track. Riders compete individually. Open only for Icelandic horses.

In the preliminary round each rider has four and a half laps to demonstrate the following gaits in any order: slow tölt, slow to medium trot, medium walk, slow to medium canter, and fast tölt. Each gait is shown only once; walk is shown for half a lap, and the other gaits for one full lap. 

In the final round finalists perform the required sections as instructed by the speaker, in the following order: slow tölt, slow to medium speed trot, medium walk, slow to medium speed canter, and fast tölt.

Icelandic 5 Gaited F.1

The test is conducted on an oval track. Riders compete individually. Open only for Icelandic horses.

In the preliminary round each rider has four and a half laps to demonstrate the following gaits in any order: slow to medium tölt, slow to medium trot, medium walk, slow to medium canter, and racing pace. Each gait is shown once; walk for half a lap, other gaits for one lap. Racing pace is only shown on the long sides. 

In the final round finalists perform the sections in the order instructed by the speaker: slow to medium tölt, slow to medium trot, medium walk, slow to medium canter, and pace. Horses may show racing pace up to three times on one long side.

Cover image: Dagur Brynjólfsson, license / cropped from original