Impulsion allows any horse gait to be more elastic and light, and also provides the animal with the power needed to perform complex movements, including the piaffe and the airs above the ground. Within the dressage world, there is an unresolved debate whether impulsion can only occur in gaits which have a period of suspension, the trot and canter, or if it occurs at any gait, including the walk and the ambling gaits.
The ability to generate force allows for any horse gait to become more supple and buoyant, and also grants the animal with the energy required to execute complex maneuvers, such as the piaffe and the airs above the ground. In the realm of dressage, there is an ongoing discussion regarding whether this ability can only manifest in gaits that have a moment of suspension, namely the trot and canter, or if it can occur at any gait, including the walk and the ambling gaits.