What are the gaits required in English pleasure and how should each one look?

English pleasure classes typically require three gaits — walk, trot, and canter — performed in both directions of the arena, with some classes also calling for an extended trot depending on the association and level of competition. Each gait is evaluated on its own merits, and a horse that excels at the trot but shows a poor walk or an unbalanced canter will not score as well as a horse that is correct and consistent at all three. Understanding what each gait should look like in an English pleasure context helps a trainer develop the horse's complete way of going rather than focusing only on its strongest gait. The walk in English pleasure should be a free, forward four-beat gait that covers ground with each step. The horse should walk with energy and purpose rather than shuffling, and the head and neck should swing naturally with the movement. A walk that is lazy, irregular, or shows the horse leaning on the forehand is a walk that will cost points consistently throughout the class. The trot is the primary gait evaluated in most English pleasure classes and the one where the horse has the greatest opportunity to demonstrate its movement quality. The trot should be a two-beat diagonal gait with clear rhythm, moderate pace, and genuine engagement from behind. The stride should be long and flowing, the back should swing with each step, and the horse should appear to move with energy and willingness rather than being pushed or held into its pace. The canter should be a clear three-beat gait on the correct lead, balanced and rhythmic, with enough impulsion to maintain the gait without the horse appearing to struggle. A four-beat canter is a fault in English pleasure, and a canter that breaks to a trot or falls on the forehand throughout will lose significant points.