SummaryThe objective of this study was to compare shoulder, elbow and carpus rotations bilaterally during the gallop in an investigation of intralimb coordination of the foreleg during high‐speed asymmetrical quadrupedal locomotion. The motion patterns of the forelimb during the gallop stride were documented using high‐speed cinematography. The gallop stride characteristics of 4 Quarter Horse fillies, approximately 30 months of age, were examined. Horses were housed and fed together and received the same amount and type of limited training, and were all ridden with the same tack by one person. Both sides of each horse were filmed simultaneously (243 frames/s) while galloping individually along a 1.5 m‐wide track. Kinematic variables describing 29 strides (16 left lead, 13 right lead; mean velocity 13.1 m/s, stride frequency 2.60 strides/s, stride length 5.06 m) included temporal and linear measurements of the approximate centres of rotation of the shoulder, elbow and carpal joints; maximum and minimum relative angles and angular velocities of those joints; and maximum and minimum angles with respect to the horizon of the scapula, humerus, radius and metacarpus segments. In both forelimbs, hoof impact was followed sequentially by maximal carpal extension and maximal elbow extension in weightbearing during the stance phase. Hoof lift‐off was followed sequentially by maximal carpal flexion, maximal shoulder flexion, maximal elbow flexion and simultaneous shoulder maximal extension and an initial extension peak of carpus well prior to hoof impact. Temporal patterns of forelimb motion at the gallop appear to originate proximal to the elbow joint. Distal to the shoulder joint, basic motion patterns are remarkably similar on the leading and trailing sides of the body. A high degree of reciprocity in shoulder joint action was observed, a mechanism contributing to the energetic economy of the equine