The Trot Is a Two-Beat Diagonal Gait
To trot is to move at a moderate pace. In horses it is a precisely defined gait.
To trot is to move at a pace between walking and running. In horses it is a defined gait with a two-beat rhythm: diagonal pairs of legs move together, so the near fore and off hind strike the ground at the same moment, with a brief airborne phase between. The bounce comes from that suspension, which is why riders learn to rise in time with it. *Trot* is Old French *troter*, and *trotters* for pig's feet is the same word.
- A moderate pace. *A brisk trot.*
- To move quickly. *Trotting along.*
- A horse's gait. *The trot.*
- Trotters — pig's feet. *Trotters.*
- Old French — *troter*. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | trot | Trotting. |
| Noun | trot | A trot. |
| Past | trotted | Trotted. |
| Noun | trotters | Trotters. |
| Old French | troter | To trot. |
- The pony broke into a trot.Gait.
- He trotted after them.Movement.
- Pig's trotters.Food.
The gaits of a horse
- Walk — four beats, always one foot on the ground
- Trot — two beats, diagonal pairs together
- Canter — three beats, with a moment of suspension
- Gallop — four beats, the fastest gait
- Some breeds have extra gaits such as the pace or tölt
Old French *troter*, to trot, of Germanic origin.
What makes a trot different from a canter?
A trot has two beats with diagonal leg pairs moving together; a canter has three beats and a rolling rhythm.
Why do riders rise at the trot?
Because the gait has a brief airborne phase that produces a bounce, and rising in rhythm absorbs it.