Running versus Impulsion — The Same Horse, the Same Tempo
Impulsion is the transmission of controlled, propulsive energy generated from the hindquarters into the athletic movement of the horse. At one unchanging tempo, three things separate a horse that is running from a horse with impulsion.
the same horsethe same trotthe same stride tempo — lockedthe same camerathe same scalethe same direction of travel
State
runningIt runs, flat and long, pushing itself along on the forehand.
1 · The hind foot pushes off
little push
2 · The back
flat and long
3 · The moment of suspension
barely clear
The stride tempo is locked: the two beat marks sit in the same place, and the beat does not skip when the state changes. A horse can cover the ground at one unchanging tempo with and without impulsion — so speed is not the measure of impulsion.