Equestrian words · Intermediate

The words that make the commentary make sense. They build on the beginner words.

I · Intermediate · 23 words · Step 2 of 2

Dressage terms

Piaffe

A highly collected trot performed almost in place, showing great balance and control.

Passage

An elevated, elegant trot with a pronounced moment of suspension between steps.

Half pass

A sideways movement where the horse travels diagonally while remaining bent along its body line.

Flying change

A change of the leading leg during canter, performed while still moving, often in a series.

Impulsion

The controlled, energetic forward drive of the horse's movement, valued highly by dressage judges.

See also: Horse, Dressage, Movement, Judges

Collective marks

Marks given after the test for the whole performance, such as harmony and the demonstration of the training scale. The FEI can give them, and some difficult movements, a coefficient that multiplies the mark.

Error of course

Taking a wrong turn or leaving out a movement. The judge at C usually rings the bell and shows the athlete where to continue. The first error costs 2 percentage points from each judge's total, and the second is elimination.

See also: Athlete, Movement, Elimination

Technical faults

Smaller faults, such as entering the arena with a whip or boots on the horse, or before the bell, or after too long. Each costs 0.5 percentage points per judge, and they are not added up to elimination.

See also: Horse, Arena, Elimination, Penalty points

The ruleWhat small penalties are there in dressage apart from riding mistakes?

Dressage ties

The winner has the highest percentage. A tie for the first three places goes to the higher median of the judges' scores, and in freestyle to the higher artistic mark, then harmony, then choreography.

Show jumping terms

Combination

A group of two or more obstacles, 7 to 12 metres apart, that must be jumped separately and consecutively without circling. After a refusal or run-out the whole combination must normally be jumped again, except for closed combinations.

Rub

A touch or displacement of an obstacle that is not a knock-down. It is not penalised, and the Ground Jury gives the benefit of the doubt to the athlete.

Time allowed

The set time for a round, worked out from the course length and a set speed. Each second commenced over it costs 1 penalty under Table A. The time limit is twice the time allowed, and exceeding it means elimination.

Table C

A competition scored under Table C, where faults are added as seconds to the time instead of penalty points. A knock-down adds four seconds outdoors and three indoors, and the fastest total wins. There is no time allowed, only a maximum time limit.

Also called: speed class
See also: Time allowed, Knock-down, Penalty points

Table A and Table C

The two scoring tables. Under Table A faults cost penalty points and a competition may be against the clock. Under Table C faults are seconds added to the time. A fall, a second disobedience or exceeding the time limit means elimination under both.

Water jump

An obstacle with open water more than 2.00 m wide, dug into the ground, with a take-off element. It may not exceed 4.00 m in spread. A horse that touches the water or the lath at the landing edge has a fault, worth 4 penalties.

Eventing terms

Dressage test (eventing)

The first test, ridden in a dressage arena of 60 by 20 metres. The judges' good marks are converted into penalty points and published after the test.

See also: Arena, Dressage, Test, Judges, Penalty points

Run-out and missed flag

A horse that fails to pass its head, neck and the point of a shoulder between the flags of a cross-country obstacle has run out, which costs 20 penalties. If only the point of a shoulder misses the flag, it is a missed flag, 9 penalties.

See also: Horse, Obstacle, Cross-country

Frangible device

A part of a cross-country fence built to break or deform if the horse hits it hard. Activating one that changes the fence's dimension costs 11 penalties.

See also: Horse, Obstacle, Cross-country

Eventing team

A team of three or four athletes. The team total is the individual final scores of the best three, and a team member who fails to finish is given 200 penalty points for the team classification.

Eventing jumping test

The third test, a show jumping round over a course up to 600 m, with penalties for knock-downs and time added to the total. It is judged on faults at obstacles and time, and the fastest jumping time can break a tie.

See also: Test, Show jumping, Penalty points

The ruleHow does the show jumping work in eventing?

Eventing and general terms

Horse inspection

A veterinary check that a horse is fit to compete. At FEI events the Ground Jury holds a first and second horse inspection with the Veterinary Delegate, and a horse that has fallen must be cleared by the Veterinary Delegate before competing again.

Also called: vet check
See also: Horse

Dressage arena letters

The lettered markers placed around a dressage arena that riders use to guide precise movements.