Translated into practical terms and other units, these figures may be extrapolated into the following estimates. Note that these are for relatively fit, normal horses either carrying a rider (under 175 pounds) or pulling a light vehicle over flat, dry roads.
These speeds might exhaust an unconditioned animal (don't try this at home, kids!), particularly on bad roads, in hot weather, with heavy loads, or over hilly terrain; but might readily be exceeded by an elite-caliber world-class equine athlete.
Even in healthy, fit individuals the higher speeds could not be maintained for more than a few days in succession without substantial weight loss and careful attention to the condition of the hooves as well as the water and caloric intake of the animal.
| Typical Speeds For Long-Distance Horse Movement | ||||
| Gait | Typical sustained speeds for very physically fit individuals (meters per minute) | Typical sustained speeds for very physically fit individuals (km per hour) | Typical sustained speeds for very physically fit individuals (miles per hour) | Ten hour's travel distance for very physically fit individuals, with 10 minutes rest per hour |
| Walk | 80 - 120 m/min | 5 - 7 km/hr | 2 - 3.5 miles/hr | 15 - 25 miles |
| Trot | 210 - 300 m/min | 13 - 18 km/hr | 5 - 8 miles/hr | 40 - 65 miles |
| Canter | 300 - 420 m/min | 18 - 25 km/hr | 7 - 11 miles/hr | Using fresh horses every hour, 55 - 90 miles |
| Gallop | 420 - 730 m/min | 25 - 44 km/hr | 11 - 19 miles/hr | Using fresh horses every hour, 90 - 150 miles |
If you've always wondered what it would be like to watch a thoroughbred run around a racetrack, you should go see the Kentucky Derby. Besides NASCAR and the NFU there's nothing else like it.
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