Canter and gallop
The
canter and gallop are variations on the fastest
gait that can be performed by a
horse or other
equine. The canter is a controlled three-beat gait, while the gallop is a faster, four-beat variation of the same gait. It is a natural gait possessed by all horses, faster than most horses'
trot, or
ambling gaits. The gallop is the fastest gait of the horse, averaging about . The speed of the canter varies between depending on the length of the horse's stride. A variation of the canter, seen in
western riding, is called a
lope, and is generally quite slow, no more than .
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