The big difference in the gallop.

Is galloping a confidence thing? 

The instructor in me said well there's not much difference. It's basically the same. It's just the canter is a 3 beat stride and the gallop a 4.

But the rider in me says "whoa friend" there is a huge difference between a canter and a gallop.

Anyone who's has ever opened up a well self regulated, steady canter into a gallop knows there's a whole extra gear and potentially other excitement in  in a horse that's given permission to go full tilt and not regulate themselves. 

The first memory i have of being at a gallop was an accident. The horse I was on spooked while on a trail with my mum and this horse was off like a frog in a sock with my mum's horse not far behind.

These horses are bolting but not only did they seem to be going as fast as they could but they also seemed to be racing each other, egging each other on. My mum turned to me and said can you stop? I looked at her and said no can you? Nope!  

Thankfully we found a clearing and were able to still circle to a halt. 

My second hoorah at galloping really was when I started eventing and you have to open the horse up between fences. I had a little stallion that, whenever you opened up, would slam on the front end brakes and lift his butt up. He'd get me off every time. 

So because I know how hard it is to run in sand, I used that in my training. When we found sand I would say off you go and the sand would keep him a bit slower. 

This was a good experience - he could go as fast as he wants and because he was a bit slower I could relax and allow him.

So what is the real difference between a canter and gallop? This one always plays on me. The horse wants to go along unchecked but we always say not too fast! They have spent a long time learning to regulate and slow down with us. Now you say go as fast as you want! That is no longer checked, that is the wind in your hair, bare back along the beach with black beauty kind of unchecked. 

And they are a very different experience. The canter is a lovely balanced regulated managed 3 beat stride.

And the gallop is a soul-freeing acceptance of death moment of pure elation as you let a horse go full horse.