The trot is a gait of the horse where the diagonal pairs of legs move forwards at the same time, a diagonal gait. There is a moment of suspension between each beat, as seen here ^*.

The speed of the trot is approx 8 to 12 km/h (5 to 10 mph), up to 19 km/h (12 mph) in a horse driving trials marathon^*.

The trot can be classified as "working", "collected", "medium", or "extended", depending on the amount of engagement and collection of the horse.

• Working trot: the natural trot of the horse. The stride length is "normal" for the horse (note: some breeds have naturally shorter or longer strides). It is a gait between the collected trot and medium trot. [http://blythdale.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/jennandstony.jpg

• Medium trot: a trot that is more engaged and rounder than the working trot, with moderately extended strides. It lies between the working and the extended trot. The horse has great impulsion. ^*

• Collected trot: a very engaged trot where most of the horse's weight is carried toward the hindquarters. The frame is compressed, the stride length is shorter than any of the other trots, with the horse taking higher steps. The horse is lighter and more mobile in the collected trot.[http://www.classicaldressage.net/members/images/L11trans2.jpg

• Extended trot: an engaged trot with extremely long strides, where the horse stretches his frame, lengthening the strides to the greatest degree possible. The horse has a great amount of suspension. The back is round and the horse's head just in front of the vertical. To see extended trot on video, see and [http://www.dressage.to/video_pages/londonderry_html.

• Lengthened trot: a trot with lengthened strides. It differs from the more advanced extended trot in that is does not require the horse to bring its weight so far back on its hindquarters. [http://www.brookridgemorgans.com/LIZADRES3.GIF

• Jog trot: seen in western horses, it is a relaxed trot lacking the suspension of a working trot, with short strides. It is easy to ride because of the lack of suspension. [http://www.labeaucoosa.com/wpbeau1.jpg

• Racing trot: seen in harness horses that race at the trot, such as Standardbreds, the stride is at its maximum length, with a great deal of suspension. The hind leg in a diagonal pair may begin to ground before the front. Unlike the extended trot, the neck is not round but high and extended. ^*

• Park trot: seen in gaited show horses such as the Saddlebred, the head is held high. It is a showy, flashy trot with extreme elevation of the legs (forearm is horizontal or higher and the hindlegs are extremely flexed). There is collection to this trot. This should not be confused with the rack, which is a four-beat lateral gait. ^*

• Passage: a slow, elevated, extremely engaged and collected trot. Horse moves like he is under water, with a long moment of suspension between steps. A very advanced movement. ^*

• Piaffe: an extremely collected trot in place, where the horse carries most of its weight on its hindquarters. ^*

By the rhythm, one may distinguish the square trot, when each diagonal pair of hoofs hits the ground at the same moment, thus producing a two-beat rhythm, and the fox trot, or the broken trot.

From the standpoint of the balance of the horse, the trot is a very stable gait, and the horse need not make major balancing motions with its head and neck. This is a common gait that the horse is worked in for dressage, due to its many variations.

Horse gaits

Trot (équitation) | Trotto | Trav | Kłus | Trote (equitação) | Trav