Did you know the difference between a lope and a canter is...

One is 3-beated and the other is 4-beated ?

Huh? Not what I was taught. I was taught lope & canter were virtually the same foot fall - 3 beated gait. Lope being the slow western version (that some massacre into a 4 beat gait and make the horse look half lame) and the canter is the english version.

Now a true gallop - that is a 4 beated gait.

I watched the video and she did say that a four beated lope was incorrect and in a show, judges would take points away. She specified what I think we all believe to be true that a lope is slow, relaxed three beated gait with hind end propelling not front end pulling.

So Cat, don't fret, you are correct.

Funny, I always thought they were the same thing and Canter was the term used for english and Lope was the term used for western. Expert huh? I don't know about all that but I know that looks like absolutely no fun at all to ride. If I lope my horse it is because I want to cover more ground and get somewhere, not lope all day and travel a quarter mile. :(

Agree with Cat here. Canter is a 3-beat gait - look in any text book or just watch your horse. Gallop is 4-beat.

I'm pretty sure Spyder was being sarcastic. =P I have watched some of that woman's videos. Her title as "expert" is worrisome.

Oh My God. I watched that whole video and kept wanting to smack that woman's hands... She kept bumping her horse with the bit and pulling his head in and then wiggling her heels for the duration of the video. Did anyone else notice this?

Truth be told, I couldnt listen to the content because of how frustrated and distracted I was at watching her play with his mouth when he probably has a HUGE port bit in there and it really freaking hurt to have the reins raised, lowered, and pulled constantly. When my horse is stopped and standing still I leave his mouth the heck alone. If I fidgit, I fidget with the horn or the buckle on the reins depending on my discipline im riding.

Sure.. i'll bump my horse back if they start to wiggle around.. but I didnt notice any sign of movement on the horse's side.. I just think she was nervous and playing with his mouth and the reins to have something to do with her hands... not cool. Fail for you "Expert".

... so what was the topic about again? LOL (just kidding, of course :p)

The canter and the lope are the exact same thing, one is just slower and smoother than the other.

I worked at a western pleasure barn for a while, and when I first saw those horses move I thought they looked lame too, but once I got on one I found that a well trained western pleasure horse is just that, a pleasure to ride.

Oh Lord, I've seen her video's posted elsewhere..........scary stuff!

That lady is a hand talker and when she moves her hands she tugs the horses mouth! She dosn't even seem to realize she's doing it!