There is a split second during a horse's gallop stride and their canter (sometimes called a lope) stride when the horse is totally airborne. This photo captures that moment in a collected canter. A collected canter is when the horse's weight is concentrated on the hind end and the spine is round. Even though this mare's back hooves are off the ground completely, it is obvious that she us using her hind end as a driving engine producing the powerful lift shown here.
