The term
working gait describes a horse moving with his weight evenly distributed
on all 4 feet, swinging his legs freely in long, even, ground covering
strides. He is stretched over his topline and his hind legs are well engaged.
Any horse moving this way is in a working gait; it may be a walk, trot
or canter, but it's still a working gait. The working gait which
is balanced on all four feet differs from a horse moving on
his forehand in which he has more weight on his forelegs than rear
legs, and the collected gaits in which the horse has more weight on his
rear legs than forelegs.