What does Equitation Mean?
Let’s talk Equitation
According to Wikepedia, Equitation is the art or practice of horse riding or horsemanship.
Excellent.
I often get asked what is the difference between Equitation, Hunter, and Jumper.
Let’s clear this up.
Equitation – the rider is being judged.
Hunter the horse is being judged.
Jumper the performance of jumps up/knock down is being scored.
Equitation
The rider is being judged. This means if you are sitting up correctly and in balance with your horse you have “good equitation”.
If you are:
- Balancing on the horse’s mouth
- Falling back into the saddle
- Hunched over the pommel
Then your equitation skills need some work (i.e. bad equitation)
All equitation means you are riding correctly and in balance with the horse.
So if you ride:
- Hunter equitation
- Jumper equitation
- Western equitation
- Reining equitation
- Hunt seat equitation
- Saddle seat
- Other.
You get the idea. Equitation is riding.
Equitation is being balanced and being part of the horse.
The performance of the horse is not judged.
Although if I am judging an equitation class and a horse goes on the wrong lead and the rider doesn’t correct it…
Then
I will most certainly judge that rider on their equitation that resulted in the wrong lead.
AND
The fact that it wasn’t corrected does not work in your favor.
If you are in an equitation class and you pick up the wrong lead…
FIX IT
The judge will see that you are knowledgeable enough to see/feel that you had the wrong lead and know the steps to correct it.
That being said, you may get “dinged” a couple of points because you weren’t prepared or the horse picked up the wrong lead as a result of your equitation.
Going around on the wrong lead (or posting diagonal) is never the right thing to do.
We’ve seen them. The best rider.
With the best position.
On the wrong diagonal.
And not knowing what to do.
FIX IT.
Good equitation riders ride in balance with their horse. No matter what gait they are performing they seem to be a part of the horse and are supple and relaxed so their aids are invisible.
Sure, some of that is horse training. And we know the ones who are on the “school masters” who have become accustomed to ignoring some riders.
General speaking however,
riders with good equitation look effortless.
Hunter
The hunter round over fences the horse is being judged on their performance and style when they jump over each fence.
The hunter undersaddle, the horse is being judged on their movement, performance and style on the flat, i.e. NOT over fences.
Note:
This is different from an equitation class where the RIDER is being judged.
The rider on a hunter is not judged. BUT if that rider makes the horse look difficult to ride poorly turned out or otherwise not a good match, then it does influence the judge somewhat.
A hunter is being judged on their:
- performance
- movement
- way of going
- manners.
NOT on the rider.
When a hunter is performing its round over fences the judge has to take into consideration all of these things.
If a hunter knocks down a jump or has a refusal then the judge will score it more severely than if it were a clear round.
If all the hunters have a clear round, then the judge has to make a decision which round, in their opinion, was the smoothest and which horse had the best form over fences.
Not an easy task sometimes.
Sometimes it is clear.
A horse that has bad form, knocks a jump or a refusal.
But
If all the horses are REALLY nice,
Then
The judge has to make a decision.
Looking for more ways to improve your hunter rounds? Check out this post I did here.
JUMPER
A jumper is judged on clear rounds.
That is, if the jumps stay up.
If the horse has unusual movement or jumping style, it doesn’t matter.
Just as long as the horse leaves the jumps up and they come through the timers within the time allowed they will get a clear round.
Jumpers get penalties for:
- jumps knocked down.
- Jumps not jumped (refusals)
- Going over the Time Allowed.
Other than that they are good to go.
You can have a jumper equitation.
This is an equitation (rider being judged) over a jumper style of course.
So,
Next time someone asks you what’s the difference between
- Hunter
- Jumper
- Equitation
You will know what to say.
I work with equestrians of all types to help them improve their riding and training and win more ribbons and accomplish their goals.
You can learn more about that here.
or if you’d like to discuss in more detail how I can help you, please email me. I’d love to hear from you.
Thanks,
~Laura
P.S.
Are you looking for assistance?
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