Post by Adrienne Dionas on May 26, 2010 18:23:10 GMT -5
Endurance Riding-Endurance riding is when horse and rider must cover a set distance as quickly as possible without overstress, with distances varying from 25 miles (40 km ) to 100 miles (160 km). Veterinary checkpoints need to be negotiated along the way, so map reading and navigational skills are essential, as well as a fit horse and rider.
Polo-This is a fast moving team event with four riders in each team, all aiming to score as many goals as possible against the opposing team. Polo is ridden on a pitch with a goal at either end and the skills required are mallet and ball skills with excellent riding.
Driving-Driving competitions are held in show rings where combinations can be judged on turnout and appearance of both horse, carriage and driver. Their are also competitions where an obstacle course has to be maneuvered, and it is the requirement that the driver get their team of horses around the course as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Team Chasing-Four riders form a team who compete all together around a cross country course, the first three riders through the finish will count as the team with the aim being to make it around the course as quickly as possible. Refusals and run outs do not count so it is all down to speed, with the fastest team around being the winner.
Dressage-This is where horse and rider have to perform a series of movements around a marked arena, these movements are called tests and increase in difficulty starting from prelim and moving up to advanced being the most technical. The tests are pre written in the order that they are to be performed in and the whole test is marked by a judge who watches the test and grades each movement out of ten, the higher the total mark the better.
Showing-Showing classes can be both in hand or under saddle and give you the chance to show off your horses conformation and way of going against other horses of the same category. Horses need excellent conformation, movement and turnout not forgetting the correct correct tack and paper work to qualify for the breed classes which include classes such as working hunter, riding horse and show hack.
Western Riding Competitions-Western riding competitions test the skills of the horses agility as well as the riders skills and technique. Competitions can vary from barrel racing which is a fast and furious race around barrels, to the working cow horse competition where the skills of the horse and rider to maneuver a cow around the arena are tested.
- Western Pleasure his where the horse is judged on his paces and transitions as well as how attentive he is to ride.
- Trail-This is an obstacle course designed to test the horses turning, reversing and gate opening skills.
- Cutting- The rider has to separate a calf off from the herd and drive the calf to the opposite end of the arena whereby the horse will help to prevent it from rejoining the herd.
- Working cow horse- A cow is maneuvered around an area to show off the horses talents and pace and movements.
- Barrel Racing - A course of three barrels has to be raced around in a clover leaf pattern, as quickly as possible without knocking any over.
- Steer wrestling- This originates from when sick or injured calves had to be roped quickly to have veterinary treatment before further injury followed, in steer wrestling a calf is roped and tied as quickly as possible.
- Calf Roping- A calf is roped as quickly as possible.
Racing-Horses racing is a fast moving and exhilarating sport where horses can be raced both on the flat over a set distance or over fences, some racing requires the horse to be ridden and other races require the horse to pull sulkies.
- Thoroughbred racing is where Thoroughbred horses are raced on the flat over a set distance.
- Harness racing is where a horse pulls a two wheeled trap called sulkies and it can be either a trotter or a pacer depending on which gait it uses.
- Quarter horse racing is the racing of quarter horses over a set distance.
- Steeplechasing is the racing of Thoroughbred horses over steeplechase fences and covering a set distance.
- Arab racing is the racing of the Arab breed over a set distance.
Equestrian Vaulting-Vaulting is when gymnastic exercises are performed by a rider or riders whilst on a horse which is on the lunge. Competitions are held both nationally and internationally.
- Individual - vaulters must perform a compulsary test and a freestyle test to qualify them to ride in the final round, in CVI1, the freestyle and compulsary tests are repeated in the final and for the CVI2, a technical and freestyle test have to be performed.
- Pairs - this is known as a pas-de-deux. Pairs are made up of a male and a female who compete over one or two freestyle rounds.
Horse Eventing-Eventing is a three phase competition where horse and rider will need to be skilled in dressage, show jumping and cross country. Eventing starts at 'intro' level and proceeds up to 'advanced' with competitions being either one, two or three day depending on the class, with competitions held both in the UK and abroad. Horse and rider are able to gain points for good results which allow them to qualify and progress up to the next level which becomes more technical and challenging in all three phases each time.
- Dressage- Dressage skills required increase as you progress through the tests. To start off with, simple changes of rein and transitions are required in paces such walk, trot and canter. For more advanced classes, movements such as shoulder in, half pass, flying changes, counter canter and a variety of transitions such as canter to walk, and halt to canter will be expected as well as transitions within a pace, for example from working trot to extended trot. The tests should be ridden in a relaxed manor and with ease, and the horse should have free flowing paces and execute the movements with precision, elegance and obedience. The more accurate each separate movement is, the higher the score out of ten will be.
- Show Jumping -Show jumping courses consist of eight to twelve show jumps which have to be jumped in an enclosed arena. In eventing there is no 'jump off' so the pressure is on to go for a clear round which is one with all the fences left up and without time penalties. Courses increase in height and technicality the higher up the levels you go, so for an advanced track you will find a double, treble and a related distance to test the horse and rider, with lower levels being slightly less demanding. Penalties are given for any fences knocked down, going over the time limit or for a refusal, and competitors can be eliminated for taking the wrong course, going before the bell, not going through the start or finish markers, exceeding the time limit, inappropriate or dangerous riding, and amongst other things, wearing incorrect tack.
- Cross Country -Cross country courses are a series of solid fences to be ridden around an outdoor track which can be anything from two miles for an intro course to four miles for an advanced course. Intro level fences are small and inviting and are designed not to be too challenging, and for higher levels, fences require more accuracy, agility and precision from the horse and rider with an increase in height and width of the fence, and the speed the course needs to be completed in. Penalties are given for refusing an obstacle and exceeding the time limit set. Elimination occurs if there is a horse fall, the wrong course is ridden, for incorrect tack and inappropriate or dangerous riding.
