All gaits have different degrees of quality,
these differences separate the good movers from the average or poor movers.
Quality of movement can translate into the difference of horse value.
The quality of the gait is dictated by the horse's balance and structural correctness, resulting in a unique hoof flight pattern.
Balance plays an important role in movement, the more balanced a horse is,
the more likely that horse will travel in a collected manner, maintaining maximum stride length.
Horses with more sloping shoulders and pasterns, generally move with more free flowing, ground covering strides
that tend to hit the ground softer thus increasing the comfort of the ride.
A horse's way of going can be predicted by viewing the balance of the horse and structure of both front and hind legs.
A horse standing straight on the front and rear column of bone, will travel in the most correct manner.
As the horse walks toward you, the hooves travel in a straight line
resulting in little chance of interference among the horses legs or hooves. Thus, reducing the horses risk
of injury. Horses with correct leg conformation will step further up underneath themselves with their hind legs.
Deviations in bone structure can predispose horses to less than perfect travel.
Horses that stand base wide or toed out travel in inward or arcs called winging or dishing.
As the horse walks, to or away from you, the flight of the hooves travel inwardly.
Winging can be potentially serious, because if the condition is severe enough, interference between
the supporting and striding legs and feet may occur. When horses stand base narrow or toed in they generally travel in wide outward arcs.
referred to as paddling. As the horse travels, to or away from you, the flight of the hooves travel outwardly.
This conformation fault in movement, is more noticeable because the legs move away from the horses body.
Although winging and paddling are common deviations in horse travel, winging is the more serious fault,
due to the potential for interference.
In addition to evaluating trueness of stride through conformation, you can also observe length of stride.
The stride is the distance between successive imprints of the same foot. Stride length is determined by viewing the horse from the side.
When watching the horse move from the side, a horse should place their hind foot in the spot that their front foot left the ground.
Length of stride is dictated by the slope of the horses shoulder and pasterns.
A horse with a more sloping shoulder and pastern will have more length of stride and hit the ground softer.
The horses softer gait is a result of the angle in the leg joints, that absorb concussion during movement,
resulting in a smoother ride. As the shoulder and pasterns become straighter the horse looses his shock absorbing capacity,
in the leg joints. Resulting in a short, choppy, poor ground covering stride. A horse with a straight shoulder and pastern,
will have a rough hard hitting gait. Conversely, an extremely long overreaching stride may lead to interference between the fore and rear feet and legs.
When overreaching occurs, a horse may strike the sole of the front foot, as it lifts of the ground with the toe or the hind foot.
Generally, you hear a characteristic "clicking", when the horse forges.
Pulling the horses shoes off, bruising heels, scalping cornet bands, and possibly injuring the fetlock or flexor tendon can be results of forging.
In addition to the hoof flight pattern and length of stride, softness of stride is also important.
More correct horses tend to have a stride that hits the ground softer. In some cases it appears that they even float,
or suspend in the air at the trot. When evaluating the smoothness of a horses gait, notice the levelness or movement of the horses top-line or back,
as this horse moves along, notice how smooth and level his croup is. A horse with less movement at the withers and croup,
gives a smoother more comfortable ride. Notice how close the horses feet stay to the ground, and what a long ground covering stride this horse has,
there is no excessive movement in the knees or hocks. In comparison this horse has a shorter stride, is not as level over his withers and croup,
and has more knee and hock action resulting in the hooves not staying as close to the ground. This horse is a poorer mover than the paint horse.
It is a combination of balance and structural form that influences functional performance, hence the term "Form to Function."