Hornpipes are in 4/4 time which means there are 4 beats per measure and a quarter note (crotchet) gets one beat. This is nearly the same rhythm as a reel, but you hold the first and third beats just slightly longer and shorten the second and fourth beats to produce a bouncier sound. For example, here is how you would count while playing a hornpipe. The vertical lines separate measures.  Listen to Off to California below and say: 

ONE two THREE four | ONE two THREE four | ONE two THREE four |

Track 11 Off to California with Slow Rhythm (Mark & Collin McDonnell)

The written form of the music would look like this:

Hornpipe Tracks for Practicing

Off to California Sheet Music (Click here to download Off to California PDF sheet music file)