I know there is more to a good walk than overtrack, but I’m trying to assess my 2 1/2-year-olds walk and was wondering how much overtrack is considered good? Also, do you measure from the front toe to the heel or the toe of the hind foot? If I measure from front toe to hind toe my filly overtracks 35-40 cm. Would that be good, ok or too much?
I’d appreciate some comments. 
Rather than how much overtrack, I look at how the horse walks overall.
The great walks you see the horse’s haunches look much lower as the horse steps forward, and the “Marilyn Monroe” swing from behind. My TB has the best walk I have ever ridden by FAR, and I loved my mom’s observation on it when I was hand walking him after a chiro appointment and she was riding behind him. She said it looked like liquid jello - his whole body just flowed forward.
My horse can overtrack up to or over about 2’ between hoofprints, which is 61cm. The overtrack isn’t the big deal, though - he’s very long-legged and short-backed which means he has more overtrack. It’s the overally swing and looseness in his body that makes it a great walk. He’s kind of shuffling along here compared to his free walk which scores VERY well (8-9 from judges who almost never give over 7), but you get the idea with the hips which are much lower than the front end as he swings forward. It’s a softness and bending through the whole body.
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4149/5072672879_a5f9b50e51.jpg
In this video Hilda Gurney refers to the stallion’s walk as a very good 9 walk. Same basic characteristics as my horse’s walk as well as any other horse I’ve heard referred to as having a great walk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DUf_eBhrYQ&list=UU_U76xGclrvmav2ogVoBoYQ&index=5&feature=plcp
