What term describes a laborious, inefficient gait of wide-fronted horses?

The term that describes a laborious, inefficient gait of wide-fronted horses is "rolling." In this context, "rolling" refers to a movement where the horse’s body sways as it travels, often resulting from an exaggerated gait. Such a gait is typically characterized by a wide front, which can cause the horse to move clumsily or inefficiently, making rolling a fitting description for this scenario.

In contrast, the other terms refer to specific gait abnormalities or actions that involve other aspects of equine movement. Cross-firing, for example, occurs when a horse's hind foot strikes the front foot on the opposite side, usually associated with a disorganized gait rather than a wide-fronted inefficiency. Forging involves the hind foot hitting the front foot on the same side, which can also relate to uneven gaits but is more about the interaction between the limbs than the overall movement style. Scalping occurs when the hind foot strikes the front foot, often leading to injuries but not specifically describing the gait style of wide-fronted horses.