Each gait has its own potential for rhythm impurities. The walk is the most vulnerable to gait impurities because it has no suspension phase. That’s why German riding instructors often warned against working the horse at the walk.

The canter has an asymmetrical footfall sequence, which also makes it susceptible to rhythm purities.

The trot has a very symmetrical footfall pattern with a suspension phase after each diagonal pair touches down. That makes it the most robust gait, although there a couple of rhythm anomalies that can occur in the trot as well.