Question: Is it incorrect to say 'canter' in the US?

[dougle]

Question: Is it incorrect to say 'canter' in the US?

Woudl everyone say 'lope'?

Thanks, Elaine.

 

[vthorse]

Hi, Canter is English riding lingo, and Lope is for Western riding.
Now, I ride gaited horses, so my lingo is GLIDE!

 

[ALACOWMAN]

we aways say lope but ive also heard canter used pretty regular so dont see what differance it would make. unless for showing or competition.

 

[vthorse]

You're right, it really only matters in shows.

 

[born2run]

I rode western until a year ago...had a western trainer that referred to the "lope" as a canter. Wasn't a big issue to me, but I was surprised. Now riding english and taking dressage lessons, everything is "canter."

 

[sidney411]

I've only ridden western and been around western style, not showing or english and I've heard "canter" pretty much all my life. I've only heard "lope" on these boards.

 

[hayray]

lope usually is a slower version of the canter and associated with Western horsemanship but not always. A canter is a 3 beat gait all the time and a little more forward, a lope can be 3 beat and 4 beat. A gallop is an extended version of the canter were there is 4 beats to the gait because the horse is going so fast that the beat number two turns into two beats, like in a race horse.

 

[born2run]

Never heard the word "hand-gallop" until Sunday at my lesson. Evidently it's a faster version of canter but slower than an all-out gallop?

 

[milkmaid]

Never heard the word "hand-gallop" until Sunday at my lesson. Evidently it's a faster version of canter but slower than an all-out gallop?

Yep. And it needs to be under control. Depending on the horse, that can be interesting. :lol: ;-)

 

[fletcher]

i never new loop means cantering thought it meant loop and cow or something lol. im from the uk so wouldnt really know.

 

[Gliderider]

Hi, Canter is English riding lingo, and Lope is for Western riding.
Now, I ride gaited horses, so my lingo is GLIDE!

I'm with you! My horse glides, but he will canter, right before he breaks into a gallop.