In the trot, how many beats are there and what are they described as?

• A. 4 beats; left-right pairs
• B. 2 beats; diagonal pairs
• C. 3 beats; outside hind
• D. 2 beats; diagonal pairs

Answer: (D)

The trot is a two-beat gait, with the feet moving in diagonal pairs. In each stride, the left front and right hind strike the ground together on one beat, then the right front and left hind do so on the other beat. This alternating diagonal pairing gives two distinct, equal beats per stride, which is why the description is “two beats; diagonal pairs.” The other ideas don’t fit because a four-beat pattern belongs to a walk, and describing beats as left-right pairs or focusing on a single leg (like the outside hind) doesn’t capture the true diagonal timing of the trot.