Home / Equestrian sports / Gaited horse competitions
Traditional and historic
Some horse breeds have special smooth gaits that ordinary horses do not. Gaited horse competitions judge how even, beautiful and clean these gaits are.
| Group | Traditional and historic |
|---|---|
| Also called | tolt, toelt, gaited horses, ambling gaits, paso fino, flying pace, running walk |
| Olympic | no |
| Governing body | FEIF (International Federation of Icelandic Horse Associations) |
| Where it is popular | Icelandic horses are bred and shown in Iceland and many countries across Europe and North America. Paso Finos are popular in Colombia, Puerto Rico and the USA. |
Icelandic horses compete on 250 m oval or straight tracks, where judges score the quality of the gaits, especially the tolt, and the partnership with the rider. Five-gaited Icelandics also race at the flying pace, which can reach 48 km/h (30 mph). Paso Fino horses show three speeds of their gait, and in the classic fino class any break in the four-beat rhythm means disqualification.
Only breeds with natural extra gaits take part: the Icelandic horse (tolt and flying pace), the Paso Fino, the Peruvian Paso, the Tennessee Walking Horse (running walk) and others. These gaits are very comfortable for the rider.
Tack is ordinary, chosen to suit the breed and riding style. Riders must wear a helmet.
The top event for Icelandic horses is the FEIF World Championships, held every two years. Paso Finos compete at national shows in Colombia, Puerto Rico and the USA.
Start at a club or yard with Icelandic horses: they are small (132 to 142 cm at the withers), which makes them easy to get on for children and adults. Learn the tolt with a coach who knows the breed.
Once an Icelandic horse has left Iceland, it can never return, because the country does not allow horses to be imported.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, ihsgb.co.uk