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Equestrian / Dressage Equipment and History

Equipment

History

Bit

The metal mouthpiece on a bridle, to which the reins are attached.

Blinkers

The flaps on a bridle which stop a horse from seeing backwards or sideways (unautorized in competition).

Breeches

Trousers worn specifically for riding.

Bridle

A harness that fits around a horse's head, holding the bit.

Hunting Stock

A broad band worn around a rider's neck.

Saddle

The seat for the rider on the back of a horse.

Spur

A pointed device attached to a rider's boot heel and used to encourage a horse.

Whip

A long, thin, hand-held device used to encourage a horse.

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Fédération Équestre Internationale

All the medallists since 1896

Glossary

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Aid
A prompt that a rider gives a horse to change gaits, turn, etc., using the hands, legs, voice or body weight.

Canter
An easy gait of a horse (between a trot and a gallop in speed) where, in the course of each stride, three legs are off the ground at once.
Centre line
In dressage, an imagined line down the middle of the arena.
Combination
A series of related jumps labelled A, B (and C) one or two strides apart.
Cross-country
1. a section of the cross-country day in the three-day event where competitors must complete a course of difficult obstacles in a countryside setting. 2. the new term for the speed-and-endurance test.

Disobedience
In jumping, a general term for a horse''s refusal, run-out, resistance, turning in a circle or deviating from the course.
Dressage
An Olympic equestrian event where each horse must perform a series of movements testing the rider''s control of the horse, and a panel of judges awards points.

Fall
1. the act of a horse touching either its shoulders or hind quarters to the ground. 2. the act of a rider touching any part of the body to the ground or pushing up from an obstacle to return to the saddle.
Fault
In jumping, a unit of scoring equal to each point a rider is penalised for committing an error.
Flying change
A skipping movement at the canter where a horse changes its lead leg at every fourth, third, second and finally single stride.
Forefoot
A horse''s front foot.

Gait
Any of a horse''s characteristic motions, including, in order of speed, a walk, trot, canter or gallop.
Gallop
The fastest gait of a horse, essentially equivalent to running.
Grand prix de dressage
In dressage, the test used to determine team medals at the Olympic Games and the first round of the individual competition.
Grand prix freestyle test
In dressage, the third round of the individual event at the Olympic Games, a composition of grand prix movements performed with the rider''s own choreography to musical accompaniment.
Grand prix special
In dressage, the second round of the individual event at the Olympic Games.
Grand prix test
See grand prix de dressage.

Half pass
A forward and sideways movement at the trot or canter where the horse crosses its legs.
Half pirouette
The same as a pirouette, except executed only in a half-circle.
Hind foot
A horse''s back foot.

Impulsion
A state of readiness to act impulsively and push onward.

Jump
An obstacle which requires a horse to jump over it.
Jumping
Short for "showjumping", an Olympic equestrian event where each horse must clear a number of obstacles on a set course within a specified time.
Jump-off
In jumping, an extra round held to break a tie for first place after the final scheduled round of competition.

Knock down
To cause any part of an obstacle to fall.

Lath
In jumping, the thin white strip that defines the boundary of a water jump.

Mane
The long hair growing about the neck and neighbouring part of a horse.
Movement
A single characteristic style of motion of a horse, several of which make up a dressage performance.

On the bit
A term used for a horse being restrained by pressure on the bit, with the horse attentive to the rider''s aids.
On the flat
A term referring to riding or training performed over ground without obstacles.

Pace
Manner of stepping; gait
Passage
A suspended trot in slow motion where each diagonally opposite pair of feet is raised and returned to the ground alternately.
Penalty point
A point added to a rider''s score for committing an error.
Piaffe
A highly elevated and majestic trot on the spot, with each diagonally opposite pair of feet raised and returned to the ground alternately while the horse''s head ideally is vertical and the neck raised and arched.
Pirouette
A rhythmic turning on the spot at the walk and canter where the inside hind foot is the pivot for the circle and ideally returns to the spot each time it is lifted from the ground.

Resistance
A horse''s act of refusing to continue, rearing, stepping back or making a half-turn.
Roads and tracks
Two parts of the cross country test in the three-day event, consisting of riding on the flat at a measured pace.
Run-out
A horse''s attempt to escape the rider''s control and avoid an obstacle it is supposed to jump.

Schooling area
In jumping, the area designated for warming up the horses before competing.
Showjumping
An Olympic equestrian event where each horse must clear a number of obstacles on a set course within a specified time.
Speed and endurance
The section of the three-day event consisting of road and track, steeplechase and the cross-country obstacle course, now generally referred to as the cross-country section.
Steeplechase
A part of the cross-country test where horses run on a turf track featuring several low brush fences.
Submission
Unresisting or humble obedience.

Take-off point
The optimum point before an obstacle for a horse to jump.
Three-day event
An Olympic equestrian event incorporating the three equestrian disciplines of dressage, cross-country and jumping in one series of tests for horse and rider.
Triple bar
A jump featuring three sets of rails at varying heights that produce a spread.
Trot
An easy gait of a horse (between a walk and a canter in speed) where the legs move in diagonal pairs alternately.

Walk
The slowest gait of a horse where the legs move individually in a diagonal pattern.
Wall
A jump simulating an actual solid wall.
Wings
Structures designed to frame a jump and used to hold the cups..