Where is the first pict from? The on with the houses in the snow? It looks like one of those 'primitive' paintings that get made into puzzles. I love it!
Yes, it's a 'lope'. The super slow gait and the low headset are much desired - although I have NO idea why. It's one of those things where one horse won who happened to have a bit of a slow gait - so the next year everyone had it - and 5 years later is MUCH exaggerated - and 10 years later...
I love to watch them in the afternoons. I have a 'swarm' of 10 or so dragon flies that gather in the space between the coop, the barn and the paddock. They dip and bank and circle all afternoon hunting mosquitoes and gnats and whatever else is buzzing there. Very soothing to watch. Almost...