Most horses move in walk, trot, and canter. A small group of breeds also naturally has one or two extra gaits, and that changes how riding feels. The best-known example is the Icelandic horse, with its own breeding and sport world and an active community in the Netherlands and Belgium.
What Is a Gaited Horse
A gaited horse is a breed that, in addition to the three standard gaits, can naturally perform one or more extra gaits. That isn't just a matter of training — it's rooted in the build and muscle coordination, and is largely hereditary. Several gaited horse breeds exist worldwide, but in the Netherlands and Belgium the Icelandic horse is by far the best known: a small, sturdily built horse that originally comes from Iceland and has been bred for centuries specifically for these extra gaits.
Within the Icelandic breed, a distinction is made between four-gaited horses (walk, trot, canter, and tölt) and five-gaited horses (which also master the pace). So not every Icelandic horse is a five-gaiter — that difference matters when buying, training, and entering competition classes.
The Tölt: The Gait That Makes the Difference
The tölt is a four-beat gait: with every step, one hoof touches the ground at a time, in a fixed sequence, and at least one leg is always in contact with the ground. In trot, by contrast, the horse briefly floats above the ground between one diagonal pair of legs and the other — that moment of suspension causes the familiar jolt that you, as a rider, absorb with posting or a good seat.
The tölt lacks that moment of suspension. The result: a gait that feels like a fast, comfortable walk, without the up-and-down motion of trot. Riders experiencing it for the first time often describe it as "sitting like you're walking, but covering ground faster." That makes the tölt popular for long trail rides: you cover more distance than at a walk, without the fatigue that hours of trotting or a light canter bring.
That doesn't mean the tölt comes out right without training. A horse can have the natural aptitude and still tölt impurely — too flat, too rushed, or slipping into another gait — and that requires focused schooling of both horse and rider, often under the guidance of an instructor with Icelandic horse experience.
The Pace: Speed in Two Beats
Some Icelandic horses also perform the pace, also called skeið or flying pace. This is a two-beat gait in which both legs on the same side of the body touch down together. It's the fastest gait a horse can perform, faster than canter, and is ridden almost exclusively over a short, straight distance — comparable to a sprint.
The pace demands a lot of balance and fitness and is mainly ridden in competition, on straight tracks where speed and purity of gait are judged. Not every Icelandic horse has the aptitude for it; that's why the distinction between four-gaited and five-gaited horses weighs heavily in breeding and when buying.
Other Gaited Horse Breeds
The Icelandic horse isn't the only breed with extra gaits. Other gaited horse breeds exist worldwide with similar traits, each with its own origin and breeding history. In the Netherlands and Belgium, though, the visibility of those other breeds is small: the Icelandic horse by far has the largest and most active community here, with its own associations, inspections, and competitions. Anyone in the Netherlands getting acquainted with gaited horses will therefore almost always end up with the Icelandic horse.
Competitive Sport: What an Icelandic Horse Competition Looks Like
Icelandic horses are judged in their own way, separate from the better-known disciplines such as show jumping and dressage (see Choosing Between Jumping, Dressage, or Eventing for that contrast). Competitions take place on an oval track, where each gait — including tölt and, where applicable, the pace — is judged on purity, tempo, and the impression the horse makes. Several classes exist, based partly on the number of gaits ridden and the level of the horse-and-rider combination.
For the precise class divisions, inspection requirements, and rules, this guide points to the breed association: that documentation changes from time to time and belongs with the official source, not with a general introductory guide.
| Aspect | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Track shape | Oval (race) track, instead of a rectangular dressage arena |
| Judging | Purity and quality of each gait, per class |
| Four-gaited horses | Ride walk, trot, canter, and tölt |
| Five-gaited horses | Also ride the pace |
| Rules | Set by the breed association; consult it for current classes |
Accessible for Beginners
Icelandic horses are known as small, strong horses with a distinct character: often level-headed, confident, and easy to handle, even for riders who don't have much experience yet. Their compact build makes them physically less imposing than an average sport horse, which can lower the threshold for those just starting out. That also makes the breed suitable for recreational riding: a short ride in tölt is, for many beginners, a pleasant introduction to a side of the sport beyond the well-trodden dressage and show-jumping paths.
That doesn't mean the tölt comes right the moment you're in the saddle. Feeling and asking for a pure tölt takes focused instruction, just like any other riding technique. Anyone wanting to try it out would do well to look for an introductory lesson or trial ride at a stable or with an instructor with Icelandic horse experience, rather than fixating on the breed's "easy" reputation — temperament and training determine the end result with an Icelandic horse just as much as with any other, see also Best Horse Breeds for Beginners.
In Short
- Gaited horses perform one or more extra gaits alongside walk, trot, and canter; in the Netherlands and Belgium, the Icelandic horse is the best-known example.
- The tölt is a comfortable four-beat gait without a moment of suspension — popular for long, jolt-free rides.
- Some Icelandic horses also perform the pace: a very fast two-beat gait ridden over a short distance.
- Four-gaited horses master the tölt; five-gaited horses also master the pace — that distinction matters when buying and for competition class.
- Icelandic horse competitions revolve around the purity of each gait on an oval track; the breed association is the source for rules.
- Icelandic horses are considered accessible for beginners thanks to their temperament and compact build, though a pure tölt still takes training.
See also: Choosing Between Jumping, Dressage, or Eventing · Best Horse Breeds for Beginners · Glossary · Level: Just Starting Out