THE SPECTRUM FROM DIAGONAL TO LATERAL COORDINATION

This part of equestrian theory is a culmination of thinking within the Paso and Icelandic traditions, both of which know much more about “purity of gaits” than does competitive Dressage. The leading teachers have been Jorge de Moya, a contemporary master and former horse show judge from Cuba, and Eyjólfur Ísólfsson, the “töltmaster” of Iceland. The footfall order of the walk is: left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore—in other words, the left lateral pair moves, followed by the right lateral pair. If the time interval between footfalls or “beats” is equal, the walk is isochronal or “square.” If it becomes shorter between left hind and left fore than between left fore and right hind, the lateral legs appear to be “tied together” and the gait becomes “pacey.” If the time interval becomes shorter between left fore and right hind than between left hind and left fore, the diagonal legs appear to be “tied together” and the gait becomes “trotty.” The walk thus contains the potential for both lateral and diagonal coordinations.

This series of images is taken from films of different horses. Because neither the walk nor the ambling gaits include a period of suspension, I compare them here to non-suspended versions of trot and pace which some horses readily produce. The series illustrates change in footfall timing which connects trot at one extreme (wholly diagonal coordination) with pace at the other (wholly lateral coordination). The walk is isochronal, at the center of the spectrum; the foxtrot and trot are progressively more “trotty,” while the running walk and pace are progressively more “pacey.” The gradual changes in timing that produce this spectrum are best studied by observing the dark vs. light legs. Compared to the left hind limb which is in standard position in each image, first note the change in position of the opposite forelimb. Then note the changes compared to the left forelimb.