Understanding Equestiran Competition

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• WESTERN
• DRESSAGE
• HUNTER/JUMPER

Understanding Western Competition:

Equitation: Horse and rider should be "turned out" as neatly as possible, with the horse well groomed, feet properly shod or trimmed and excess hair clipped away. Tack (saddles, bridles, reins, etc.) must be clean and appropriate for the class, and fit the horse and rider well. The exhibitor must wear clothes that fit properly, are stylish, and appropriate for the class.

Western Pleasure: The judges look for a horse that is a pleasure to ride, one that appears as if it could be ridden all day easily and comfortably. The horse's head should be carried neither too high nor too low, and the horse should maintain a consistent rate at each of the three gaits: walk, jog-trot and lope. When asked, the horse should back readily with its head in position and its mouth closed, then stand quietly until asked to go forward.

Trail: Trail classes test the ability of the horse to perform the three gaits (walk, jog-trot and lope) around, over and through a series of obstacles simulating those found on a trail. Examples might be a wooden bridge, gate, water hazard, small jump (similar to a fallen tree on a trail) and a number of logs. The course tests the horse's carefulness, obedience and smoothness.

Reining: This fast-growing sport is very fast and exciting. Horses are judged on a series of maneuvers, such as spinning, rollbacks, circles with change of speed and direction, and sliding stops, the latter a crowd favorite. These maneuvers are the talents needed by a good cow horse - one that can change direction quickly and easily, stop quickly and move out fast after a cow.
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Understanding Dressage Competition:

Dressage challenges horse and rider to strive for perfection with precision and harmony. The judge looks for a horse with three "good" gaits, meaning both sound and correct at the walk, trot and canter. The transition between the movements, both upward and downward, should be executed promptly and with proper engagement.

The competition takes place in an arena measuring 20 by 60 meters, with 12 lettered markers as reference points. Horse and rider strive for an unobtainable 100% score (winning scores are usually in the high 60s and low 70s).

Competition is divided into levels, beginning with Training through Fourth level, then moving on to the international levels of Prix St. Georges through Grand Prix.

Among the most spectacular movements are Flying Change, a skipping-type movement at the canter where the horse changes its leading leg (at Grand Prix level, every stride); Half Pass, where the horse travels forward and sideways at either the trot or the canter, with the horse's legs crossing as it moves; Passage, a suspended trot in slow motion; Piaffe, a highly collected, elevated trot in place; and Pirouette, a rhythmic turning in place at the walk and canter.

Musical Freestyle requires certain movements be performed, but they may be done in any sequence. Each competitor tries to create a program which will suit his or her mount in style and rhythm, and will be pleasing to watch.
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Understanding Hunter/Jumper Competition:

Equitation: Only the rider is judged, not the horse. The rider is judged on position, style, accuracy and riding form. Riders must show smooth and controlled management of the horse during flat work or over fences.

Hunter classes: Judges look for a horse with a smooth and even pace, fine conformation (physical build),and a finessed style over fences. The course of stone walls, brush hedges and rail fences simulates natural obstacles found in the hunting field. Hunters must be able to jump, but they also are judged on how they look doing it.

Jumper classes: The fastest horse that makes the fewest mistakes wins — it's that simple. Jumpers are scored based on how fast they can negotiate a course with the fewest faults. Faults are knocked-down fences, refused jumps and exceeding the time allowed. If a horse touches or rubs a jump, but it stays put, no fault is given.

Riders and trainers are permitted to walk the course to check fences and pace off the strides between the jumps, but the horse doesn't get to practice before the competition. It must jump the course at "first sight," guided by the rider's knowledge.

If a horse makes it through the course in the time allowed without any faults, it has a "clean round." If more than one horse has a clean round, a "jump-off" occurs to determine the winner, which is the horse with the fewest faults and fastest time.
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