Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Dressage vs Western () Reining The jog and lope are slightly slower gaits that are smoother and more comfortable to sit for the rider than the trot and canter.īelow is a great video showing English and Western dressage side-by-side. The gait in Western dressage (and in general) is also different from English as the horse will jog instead of trot and lope instead of galop. A western rider can use one or both hands to hold the reins but is required to stick with his or her choice throughout a program. Western dressage also focuses more on movements and exercises that are important for a Western working horse. However, Western riding has different tack and bit and the rider outfit is in line with the Western style.
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The measurements of the arena are the same, the judging happens in the same manner and the overall goal is to display the obedience, balance and suppleness of the horse as well as a good interplay between horse and rider. Western Dressage bears many similarities to classic English dressage. Points throughout the competition and the winner is the one with the lowestĬombined score at the end of the 3 days. Must compete in all disciplines throughout the event. The different competitions are designed to test the horse and rider onĮndurance, speed, precision, teamwork and lots more. Each discipline has one day allocated to it and It is usually a 3 orĤ-day competition that combines all the three disciplines described above dressage,Ĭross-country and show jumping. Third and final Olympic Sport in the horse riding domain. Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Helmet Cam: Riot Gear (CIC 2 Star | 2018 Red Hills International Horse Trials) () EventingĮventing is in many ways an equestrian trilithon and is the This is also one of the most accident-prone equestrian sports due to the fixed nature of the fences, which sometimes cause horses to stumble and riders to fall off at high speeds.Ĭountry obstacle course from a riders’ perspective, have a look at this cool video: Penalties are given for refusals and when a rider exceeds the optimal time for the course. Cross country involves an up to 4 miles long course in varied terrain with fixed fences as well as natural obstacles like sandbanks, ponds, and deep ditches. This is a very physically demanding discipline for both horse and rider and is performed in a gallop. Show jumping is run both as individual and team events at an international level. Riders get penalty points for any rails that are knocked down during the round, any refusals (where the horse stops before an obstacle) and for exceeding the optimum time. Abrupt turns, for instance, demand great flexibility and obedience of the horse and brightly colored or oddly shaped obstacles can be potentially intimidating to the horse.
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The difficulty rises with the increasing height of the obstacles, but also with the complexity of the layout of the obstacle course as well as the width, shape and make of the obstacles themselves. Show JumpingĪlso, an Olympic Sport governed by FEI, show jumping is when a horse and rider jump fences made up of lightweight rails in an arena. When competing, para-riders are grouped according to their functional abilities to ensure fair competition between pairs, otherwise, the ground rules, judging, and programs are the same as for classical dressage. Para-Dressage is dressage for people with physical handicaps and forms part of the Paralympics and is also governed by the FEI. Powered By ConvertKit Para-equestrian Dressage
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If you are getting ready for your next horse show, don’t miss How to Prepare Yourself and the Horse for a Dressage Show.
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Each sequence of movements is graded by a panel of judges (or just one for lower-level competitions). There are progressive difficulty levels in dressage ranging from programs that include just walk, trot and stops, to Grand Prix level where complex movements such as piaffes and pirouettes are incorporated. In dressage, a horse and rider are judged based on the form, obedience, suppleness, and balance of the horse as well as how well the pair executes the movements in the program. Equestrian sports are actually the only ones where women and men compete in the same events. Englishĭressage is an Olympic Sport governed by the FEI (International Federation for Equestrian Sports). You can see some of these differences in the photos below and for more details on these differences, this is a great article to refer to.
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These differ in a few ways the tack, the way the reins are held and used, the rider gear and attire as well as the jargon and gaits. English versus Western Style Horse Ridingīefore we get into specific disciplines, we need to distinguish between Western and English styles as horse riding disciplines fall into one of these categories.