In gait evaluation, which element has the highest priority?

• A. Correctness
• B. Degree of Difficulty
• C. Quality
• D. Color of horse

Answer: (A)

Correctness determines the gait evaluation; judges first assess whether the horse moves with the proper footfalls, tempo, lead, and overall gait mechanics as defined for that gait. If the movement isn’t correct, it can’t be scored well regardless of how flashy or challenging the performance appears. Degree of difficulty and quality are considered afterward as supporting factors, describing how hard the horse is working and how well the movement is executed, but they don’t override the requirement for correctness. The color of the horse is irrelevant to gait evaluation and does not influence scoring.