Equestrian words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 30 words · Step 1 of 2

General terms

Athlete

The competitor, called an Athlete in the FEI rules. An Athlete and a Horse together are an Athlete/Horse Combination, which is what is ranked and penalised.

Also called: rider
See also: Horse, Combination

Horse

The horse being ridden in competition.

Also called: mount

Arena

The enclosed area where a competition is held. A dressage arena is 60 by 20 metres. Jumping has a competition arena, a warm-up arena and a training arena, each with its own rules.

Tack

The equipment on the horse, such as the saddle and bridle. The FEI sets what may be used in each discipline in separate tack and equipment documents, and improper saddlery brings elimination in eventing.

Gait

The pattern/speed of a horse's movement, the main gaits are walk, trot and canter/gallop.

Dressage terms

Dressage

The discipline in which a horse and athlete perform an official FEI test of set movements, each marked out of 10 by judges. The result is a percentage, and the highest wins. The FEI says it exists to preserve the equestrian art in the purity of its principles.

Test

The set sequence of movements for a dressage competition. Each competition has its own official FEI test, which may not be changed or simplified without FEI approval. Tests exist for seniors, youth, young horses and freestyle.

Also called: dressage test
See also: Dressage, Freestyle, Judges

Freestyle

A dressage test in which the athlete chooses the movements and music. Technical marks may be in half points and artistic marks in tenths. A degree of difficulty system is used at Championships and top events, and ties go to the higher artistic marks.

Also called: kür
See also: Athlete, Dressage, Test, Judges

Movement

A numbered element of the test, such as a turn, a transition or a change of pace. The judges mark each one, and some transitions and a final collective mark are marked too.

Collection

Techniques where the horse shortens its stride and elevates movement (collection) or lengthens its stride for more ground coverage (extension).

Also called: extension
See also: Horse, Movement

Marks and percentage

Each movement is marked from 0 to 10 by each judge: 10 excellent, 8 good, 6 satisfactory, 4 insufficient, 2 bad, 0 not executed, and half marks are allowed. Marks are multiplied by any coefficients, totalled and turned into a percentage, with three decimals.

Grand Prix, Special and Freestyle

The three competitions of the top level at Championships. The Grand Prix is the team competition, the Grand Prix Special is the individual competition for the best 30 from it, and the Grand Prix Freestyle is open to the best 18 from the Special. Medals are given for all three.

Show jumping terms

Show jumping

The discipline in which an Athlete/Horse Combination jumps a course of obstacles in order, and is penalised for faults. In a standard competition (Table A) a knock-down or first disobedience is 4 penalties, each second over the time allowed is 1, and a fall or second disobedience is elimination.

Obstacle

A fence on the course. It is a vertical (poles in one plane), a spread such as an oxer or triple bar, a water jump, or a combination. No obstacle may exceed 1.70 m in height, except in Six Bar and Puissance competitions.

Also called: fence
See also: Combination, Water jump

Fault

An infringement during a round, such as knocking down an obstacle, a disobedience, a fall, a deviation from the course, unauthorised assistance, or exceeding the time. A fault is penalised with penalties or elimination, depending on the table.

See also: Obstacle, Disobedience, Fall, Elimination

Clear round

A round with no penalties: no knock-downs, no disobediences, and no time faults.

Refusal

When a horse stops in front of an obstacle it must jump. It is not a refusal if the horse does not move backwards and immediately jumps from standing. A first disobedience is 4 penalties, and a second is elimination, in jumping. In eventing a first refusal is 20 penalties.

Jump-off

An extra round to decide a tie, held when the schedule says so. It is run under the same rules as the earlier rounds, may have fewer obstacles (at least six) and be raised, and a competition has no more than one.

Course walk

The practice of riders walking the jumping course beforehand (without their horse) to plan their strategy and stride counts.

Knock-down

When the top part of an obstacle falls, or an end of it no longer rests on its support, through the combination's mistake. It costs 4 penalties under Table A. A touch that does not bring it down is not penalised.

Disobedience

A refusal, a run-out, a resistance or circling. The first costs 4 penalties and a second elimination. A run-out is when the horse avoids an obstacle or passes the extended line of it, and a resistance is a refusal to go forward, for example stopping or rearing.

See also: Horse, Obstacle, Refusal, Elimination

Fall

A fall of the athlete, who touches the ground or needs support to stay in the saddle, or of the horse, when its shoulder and quarters touch the ground. A fall during the round is elimination, and the athlete and horse must be cleared by the medical and vet teams.

Elimination

Removal of the combination from the round or competition, for example for a fall, a second disobedience, exceeding the time limit, an uncorrected error of course or unauthorised assistance. In eventing, elimination from one test means elimination from the competition.

Eventing terms

Eventing

A competition of three tests ridden by the same athlete and horse: dressage, cross-country and jumping. The result is the total penalty points, and the lowest total wins. Elimination in one test means elimination from the competition.

See also: Athlete, Horse, Dressage, Test, Elimination

Cross-country

The eventing test over a course of fixed obstacles across country, ridden against the optimum time. Some obstacles are fitted with frangible devices that break under load. A first refusal, run-out or circle costs 20 penalties and a fall is elimination.

See also: Test, Refusal, Fall, Elimination, Eventing

Optimum time

The target time for cross-country, set from the distance and speed. Finishing faster is not rewarded. Exceeding it costs 0.4 penalties for each second commenced, and the time limit is twice the optimum time, beyond which the athlete is eliminated.

Final classification

The eventing total. The judges' dressage marks are converted into penalty points and added to the cross-country and jumping penalties, and the lowest total wins. Ties go first to the best cross-country score.

Also called: combined score
See also: Dressage, Eventing, Cross-country, Judges, Penalty points

Officiating and scoring

Judges

In dressage, judges at the arena mark every movement out of 10, and the judge at C leads, for example by ringing the bell for an error of course. In jumping and eventing a Ground Jury of officials runs the competition and decides faults.

Also called: dressage
See also: Arena, Dressage, Movement, Error of course, Eventing

Penalty points

The score in jumping and eventing, where the lowest total wins. They come from faults at obstacles and time faults. In eventing the dressage percentage is converted to penalty points. Dressage itself is scored in percentages, where the highest wins.

Also called: faults
See also: Dressage, Eventing, Judges

Time fault

A penalty for exceeding the time allowed. In jumping Table A it is 1 penalty for each second commenced, and in eventing cross-country 0.4 penalties for each second commenced over the optimum time.

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