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Trot (horse gait)
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The trot is a two-beat diagonal gait
Horse gait
Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.-Classification:...

 of the horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...

, where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time. There is a moment of suspension between each beat.

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
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...

, due to its many variations.

The speed of a regular working trot is averages 8 to 12 km/h (5 to 10 mph), up to 19 km/h (12 mph) in a horse driving trials
Combined driving
Combined driving also known as Horse Driving Trials is an equestrian sport involving carriage driving. In this discipline the driver sits on a vehicle drawn by a single horse, a pair or a team of four. The sport has three phases: Dressage, Cross-country Marathon and Obstacle Cone Driving and is...

 marathon. Harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...

 horses are considerably faster. Other variations, such as the "jog trot" used in western pleasure
Western Pleasure
Western Pleasure is a western style competition at horse shows that evaluates horses on manners and suitability of the horse for a relaxed but collected gait cadence and relatively slow speed of gait, along with calm and responsive disposition. The horse is to appear to be a "pleasure" to ride and...

 competition, may be much slower.

Eadweard Muybridge
Eadweard Muybridge
Eadweard J. Muybridge was an English photographer who spent much of his life in the United States. He is known for his pioneering work on animal locomotion which used multiple cameras to capture motion, and his zoopraxiscope, a device for projecting motion pictures that pre-dated the flexible...

 was the first to prove, by photography, in 1872, that there is a "moment of suspension" or "unsupported transit" during the trot gait.

Types of trot

The trot can generally be classified as "working", "collected", or "extended", depending on the amount of engagement and collection of the horse. By the rhythm, one may distinguish a true, two-beat square trot, when each diagonal pair of hoofs hits the ground at the same moment, from a four-beat intermediate ambling
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...

 gait, such as the fox trot
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...

 or the "trocha" sometimes seen in the Paso Fino
Paso Fino
The Paso Fino is a naturally gaited light horse breed dating back to horses imported to the Caribbean from Spain. Pasos are prized for their smooth, natural, four beat, lateral ambling gait and are used in many disciplines, but are especially popular for trail riding...

.

Different speeds and types of trot are described with the following terms (from slowest to fastest):

Haute Ecole variations on the trot

In advanced dressage, two additional forms of the trot are used:

Riding the trot

There are three ways the trot may be ridden:
  • Sitting: The rider's seat remains in the saddle the whole time, following the motion of the horse, without bouncing. This is preferred for show ring western riding
    Western riding
    Western riding is a style of horseback riding which evolved from the ranching and warfare traditions brought to the Americas by the Spanish Conquistadors, and both equipment and riding style evolved to meet the working needs of the cowboy in the American West...

     and in dressage
    Dressage
    Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...

    , especially at the upper levels. Sitting the trot gives the rider optimum control because he or she can use the seat and weight to influence the horse, asking for upward or downward transitions, turns, and to decrease or increase impulsion. It is also a test of equitation
    Equitation
    Equitation is the art or practice of horse riding or horsemanship.More specifically, equitation may refer to a rider's position while mounted, and encompass a rider's ability to ride correctly and with effective aids. In horse show competition, the rider, rather than the horse is evaluated...

    , proving that the rider can quietly move with the horse. The jog, which is the preferred gait of western horses, is generally smoother and less-bouncy than the working and extended trot of the English-style horse.
    Sitting can be very tiring for the rider, especially if performed by riders who have not built up their stomach and back muscles, or if riders are on an extremely powerful mount with a big trot. To sit the trot, there is a slight forward and back movement of the lower back and stomach as the rider's hips follow both the up and down and side-to-side motion of the horse. To absorb the impact of the trot, the rider relaxes through the hips, the stomach and lower back, as well as the legs. The rider's upper body remains upright and quiet. The rider's hands remain steady. The lower legs remain relaxed and only come into play when the rider gives a leg aid
    Riding aids
    Riding aids are the cues a rider gives to a horse to communicate what they want the animal to do. Riding aids are broken into the natural aids and the artificial aids.-Natural aids:...

    . If a rider cannot sit the trot and is bounced around, the rising trot is preferable, as not only is the rider uncomfortable, the constant slamming of the rider onto the horse is uncomfortable for the horse, who will hollow its back and stiffen its movement.

  • Rising or Posting: The rider makes an up and down movement each stride, rising out of the saddle for one beat, and lowers (sits) for the second beat. When the rising trot is performed correctly, it is comfortable for the rider and easy on the horse. This is preferred for show jumping
    Show jumping
    Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...

    , hunt seat
    Hunt seat
    Hunt seat is terminology used in the United States and Canada to refer to a style of forward seat riding commonly found at American horse shows. Along with Dressage, it is one of the two classic forms of English riding. The Hunt seat is based on the tradition of fox hunting...

    , eventing
    Eventing
    Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...

     (the jumping phases), saddle seat
    Saddle seat
    Saddle Seat is a style of horseback riding within the category of English riding that is designed to show off the high trotting action of certain horse breeds. The style developed into its modern form in the United States, and is also seen in Canada and South Africa...

    , lower-level dressage
    Dressage
    Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...

    , and most other English-type riding as well as endurance riding
    Endurance riding
    Endurance riding is an equestrian sport based on controlled long-distance races. It is one of the international competitions recognized by the FEI. There are endurance rides worldwide....

    . Although this does not provide as much control as sitting, it frees the horse's back. In the rising trot, the rider allows the horse's movement to throw his or her seat a bit out of the saddle. When coming back down, the seat touches down lightly rather than slamming down on the horse's back. Except in saddle seat
    Saddle seat
    Saddle Seat is a style of horseback riding within the category of English riding that is designed to show off the high trotting action of certain horse breeds. The style developed into its modern form in the United States, and is also seen in Canada and South Africa...

     riding, rider's shoulders maintain a slight forward incline throughout the rising trot, instead of the upright, vertical position seen in sitting trot. The shoulders and lower legs remain in relatively the same position when the rider is both rising and sitting and the hands also stay in the same position as the rider rises and sits.

  • Half-seat or Two-point: Variations are also called jumping position
    Jumping position
    The jumping position is a position used by equestrians when jumping over an obstacle. It usually involves what is known as the "forward seat" or "2 point" because the rider has 2 points in contact with the horse; the legs and hands. It was first developed by Captain Federico Caprilli...

    , Half-seat involves the rider getting the seat bones off the saddle and keeping soft contact with the pelvis, two-point involves the rider raising the seat and pelvic bones. In both cases, the rider remains off the saddle and does not sit. This provides a great deal of freedom for the horse's back. It also offers the least amount of control for the rider. These positions are rarely used at the trot, although both are common at the canter
    Canter
    The canter is a controlled, three-beat gait performed by a horse. It is a natural gait possessed by all horses, faster than most horses' trot but slower than the gallop, and is used by all riders. The speed of the canter varies between 16-27 km/h , depending on the length of the stride of the horse...

     for jumping
    Jumping (horse)
    Jumping plays a major role in many equestrian sports, such as show jumping, fox hunting, steeplechasing, and eventing. The biomechanics of jumping, the influence of the rider, and the heritability of jumping prowess have all been the focus of research....

     riders. Two-point also requires a good amount of strength in the rider's legs, which must be developed slowly.

Diagonals

A rider posts to one side or the other at the trot, called a "diagonal." Diagonals are used in the rising trot help to keep the horse balanced, and are also useful for timing certain riding aids
Riding aids
Riding aids are the cues a rider gives to a horse to communicate what they want the animal to do. Riding aids are broken into the natural aids and the artificial aids.-Natural aids:...

, such as those for the canter. When the rider is on the correct diagonal, the rider sits as the horse's inside hind leg and outside foreleg are on the ground, and rises as the outside hind leg and inside foreleg are on the ground. A rider can learn to recognize diagonals by feel. However, less-experienced riders discreetly check for the correct diagonal by a quick glance down, using peripheral vision
Peripheral vision
Peripheral vision is a part of vision that occurs outside the very center of gaze. There is a broad set of non-central points in the field of view that is included in the notion of peripheral vision...

.
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