When evaluating travel you should first look for trueness of gait. Directness or trueness refers to the path the foot makes during a stride. A horse standing straight on its front column of bone should travel with one hoof right in front of another forming a straight line.

Horses that toe out or stand splay-footed when standing may travel with feet moving in an inwards arc, otherwise known as winging-in. Winging-in can potentially damage the horse's legs as they may interfere with one another during travel. Horses that tend to toe-in or stand pigeon-toed may travel forward in wide outward arcs, otherwise known as paddling. Although unattractive and incorrect, a horse that paddles does not have the potential for injury as that of the horse winging-in.