Canter and gallop

The canter is a controlled, three-beat gait performed by a horse or other equine. The gallop is a faster, 4 beat variation of the same gait. It is a natural gait possessed by all horses, faster than most horses' trot, or ambling gaits. It is the fastest gait of the horse, averaging about 25 to 30 miles per hour (40 to 48 km/h). The speed of the canter varies between 16 and 27 kilometres per hour (10 and 17 mph) depending on the length of the stride of the horse. A variation of the canter, seen in western riding, is called a lope, and generally is quite slow, no more than 13–19 kilometres per hour (8–12 mph).