Competitions

Competitions

There are many different types of competitions that a horse and its rider can compete in.  There are all different levels of these competitions, ranging from beginner to Olympic level and quite possibly beyond.  The competitions also take place around the world.  Competitions can be local or halfway across the world.  If you look hard enough, you can find a local competition in your area that is fun and low-key.

Competing in local shows is a great way to experience what a show feels like and what is expected of you before, during, and after the show.  I competed in a show at the barn that I ride at, and it was fun.  I got a sense of how I was supposed to act during the show and had a great time doing it.  I am actually preparing to go to a show in May.  It's not as small as the previous one that I went to, but it's still a great way to get my foot in the door and get even more experience as to how shows work.  Every bit counts, and I know that my confidence in my riding abilities will grow with each show I go to.

Dressage

If you've ever seen people wearing tophats, black blazers, and white gloves riding horses, chances are that they're doing dressage.  Dressage is when riders and horses work together to perform a series of memorized tasks in exact locations.  Dressage is about building your horses' flexibility, subtlety, and grace to the point where you can ask it to perform a certain action with the slightest touch and it will do it for you instantly.  Horses in dressage must be in tune to the rider's every movement, and perform some complicated yet beautiful maneuvers when done correctly.  Dressage horses and riders compete using "tests", which are basically sheets of paper telling you where to go and how to get there properly.  Tests are not long, and get more and more complex as your training progresses.  Tests are performed by one horse and rider at a time in the ring, and there is a judge that grades it using a standard grading system.  Each rider is graded individually, and not against the other competitors.

I am learning dressage at the moment, and every time I watch a dressage tournament on TV, I get even more inspired to do it.  I have been riding dressage for about 4 or 5 years now, and I love every moment of it.  While it is frustrating at times (getting the horse to do something at the exact letter in the ring isn't easy!), it has its rewards, such as when the horse gets "round", meaning when the head goes down and the neck curves downwards, almost creating an arc.  The "round" horse is in tune with your movements and is more willing to do what you ask it to.  Another name for a "round" horse is "on the bit".

Typical dressage gear includes white or tan pants, white gloves (for beginners only, so that way the judges can see if you're moving your hands or not), tall black boots, a blazer, and for more experienced riders, a top hat.

Jumping

Jumping is pretty self-explanatory.  You simply trot the horse up to a fence and it jumps over it for you.  However, the horse requires some preparation for this.  You need to aim the horse at the dead center of the fence.  If the horse jumps it on an angle, it could hurt the horse or cause it to hurt itself when it lands.  You also need to be in what is known as a two-point position.  It is where you are slightly elevated above the saddle with your knees in the knee rolls of the saddle.  Your reins are held above the horse's withers.  If you are leaning on the horse while you are jumping, it throws you and the horse off balance.  You also need to be 100% committed to jumping over the fence.  My current instructor says that horses can tell when you're unsure of whether you're going to make it over the fence or not.  I know that I was nervous one time, and the horse that I was riding wouldn't jump over the fence.  A week or so ago, the horse tried to go to the left to avoid the jump (he thought he could pull a fast one on me! ;) ), but I steered him towards the fence and jumped it.

Jumping is also very competitive, and the jumps get higher as you go.  I am currently jumping small fences in order to get the feeling of how it is done.  I was actually not interested in jumping before I switched barns, but I am glad that my instructor has taught me to jump.  I feel that it makes me a more rounded rider, and if I am on a trail ride and I need to jump over a log or downed tree, I will know that I can do it.  Jumping, like other things involving horses, is also dangerous.  You could fall off or the horse could decide at the last moment to jam its back feet into the ground and refuse to jump the fence, causing you to fly forward and off its back.  I have watched people jump at the Sussex County Fair, and I've seen plenty of refusals.  There's been a few moments where I've thought, "Is she/he going to stay on?!"

Common jumping gear is tan or white pants, open-front boots, and a hunter-jumper saddle.  Optional pieces of tack are a martingale and a figure-8 noseband.  (A martingale usually attaches to the girth and goes down the middle of the horse's chest.  It helps the horse carry its head in a certain way.)  In show jumping, faults (usually 4 points) are deducted if a horse refuses to jump, knocks down a jump, or if the course is not completed in the amount of time set.

Steeplechase

Steeplechase is a form of horse racing.  It requires the horse and rider to jump over a series of fences, ditches, and rivers.  It is practiced in the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and France.  It usually takes place in a cross-country type racetrack.  The jumps are usually long.

The steeplechase originated in Ireland in the 18th century.  There are two types of American steeplechase: hurdle and timber.  Hurdle races are usually 2-3 miles long, and the horses are trained to jump out of stride.  Timber races are usually 3-4 miles long, and horses are trained to jump in an arc.

Breeds of Horses

There are many, many breeds and types of horses located around the world.  Below, I've listed a few of the breeds.

Kabardin/Kabarda Horse

The Kabardin/Kabarda was bred in Russia.  It is usually 15-15.2 hands high.  It is predominantly bay, dark bay, and black, usually without distinguishing markings.  The Kabardin will unerringly pick its way slowly over the narrow, rocky mountain tracks and has the uncanny ability to find its way through the dark or mist.  Its paces are cadenced, light and smooth.

It is sure-footed and has a well-developed sense of self-preservation.  Its home is in the northern Caucasus mountains.  It is very good at carrying people through the rugged mountain terrain.  They are very athletic and well-balanced, which make them good jumpers.

Friesian Horse

The Friesian originates from the Friesland, Netherlands.  It is one of Europe's oldest horses.  It is usually 15-16hh.  It is always black in color.  They are kind, alert, and friendly horses.  They are known for pulling carts in formal events.

It used to be bred for varied types of work, such as riding and harness work. However, by the end of World War II, they were bred for farm/draught work.  They are now used for pulling carriages around city streets   It is a well-balanced horse with a proud bearing.

Clydesdale

Clydesdales originate from Scotland.  It is used primarily for farm work, such as pulling plows and other large machines through a field.  Clydesdales are also used for riding purposes.  Clydesdale stallions are usually 17.1-18hh, and mares are usually 16.3-17.2hh.  Clydesdale colors are usually brown, bay, or black.  Chestnut is rare.

Clydesdales often have a good deal of white on their faces and legs.  This may run up to the body, particularly presenting itself as flashes on its belly.  The Clydesdale has a docile nature, and is elegant and hardworking.  It was being imported to North America, Australia, South America, and Russia by 1878.  It is an exceptionally sound breed suitable for agricultural and/or heavy haulage work.

Quarter Horse

Quarter horses were originally bred in the United States.  Mature Quarter horses are usually 14.3-16hh.  They are usually any solid color, such as chestnut or brown.  They are ideal for Western work, such as herding cattle or rodeo work.  They have an innate "cow sense" and are able to anticipate the movements of the cow.

There is a registry for American Quarter Horses which has over 2 million members.  It excels at sprinting short distances.  Its name came from its ability to outdistance other horse breeds in races of a quarter mile or less.  Some individuals had times of 55 miles per hour!  The Quarter horse is a versatile and common breed of horse, and is sometimes mixed with other horse breeds to produce different characteristics.

Horse Basics

Basics

There are numerous basics to horses, such as colors and height.

Height

Horses are measured in "hands", which basically means that they are measured from the ground up to their withers.  A hand is 4 inches.  If a horse is 16hh, that means that the horse is 64 inches high, which means that the horse is 5'3".

Colors

Horses come in many different colors, such as gray/grey, fleabitten grey/gray, dappled gray/grey, bay, black, chestnut, liver chestnut, sorrel, brown, roan, blue roan, strawberry roan, dun, palomino, spotted, piebald, skewbald, pinto, cream, white markings, and brindle.  Horses either start out as black or chestnut.  More colors are created upon other genes' interactions with other genes.  These variations turn horses lighter or darker in color.  There are also different names for piebald and skewbald.  The Lipizzaner is a breed of horse whose foals are born black, but turn gray over a few years.

Markings

Horses can have many different markings on their faces, bodies, and legs.

Terminology

Ponies: "What's the difference between ponies and horses?" you ask.  Well, ponies are small horses, usually no higher at the withers than 14.2hh.

Foals: Foals are baby horses, usually up to one year old.

Filly: A young female horse usually under three to four years of age.

Colt: A young male horse usually under three to four years of age.

Mare: A female horse older than four years of age.  Used to refer to a female horse who has given birth, regardless of her age.

Stallion: A male horse older than four years of age.  These horses aren't gelded, and are also referred to by different names, such as stock, stud, and stud horse.

Gelding: A male horse older than four years of age.  Geldings are different from stallions in the fact that they have been neutered.

Tack

Riders have to have several pieces of equipment, also known as "tack", that they need to put on their horses in order to ride them.  These include a saddle, bridle, saddle blanket, and a girth.  The saddle blanket goes directly on the horse's back.  The saddle goes on top of the saddle blanket.  The girth is attached to the girth straps on the sides of the saddle.  The girth stops the saddle from moving around on the horse's back, so it is important that it is tightly secured.  The bridle is then placed on the horse's face.  There is a metal bar in the middle of two rings on the bottom of the bridle.  This metal bar is called a bit.  The bit goes into the horse's mouth.

Saddles and Saddle Blankets

There are two types of saddles, English and Western.  The saddle pictured below is a Western saddle.

The saddle pictured below is an English saddle.

A saddle blanket is pictured below.

Bridles

There are two different types of bridles, English and Western.

The bridle pictured above is an English bridle, and the one pictured below is a Western bridle.

Girths

Horse Blankets

A horse blanket goes on the horse in winter to keep it warm.  Some horses have two blankets on when it gets really cold outside.

Gaits

Horses have four gaits: walk, trot, canter, and gallop.  The walk is a four-beat gait.  The trot is a two-beat gait.  The canter is a three-beat gait.  The gallop is a four-beat gait.

http://instagram.com/p/iSMPgMGiSy/  The horse in this video starts at a canter, turns around, and then trots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCBrg8P7mlM  A 3D animation of a horse trotting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq0Q7lIXw8c  An Ehow movie that tells you how to walk, trot, and canter your horse.

Some terms that the lady in the video mentions:

Seat: Your butt bones and crotch.

Softening the reins: Loosening your grip on the reins so that way the horse knows it can go forward.  Loosening your grip does not mean to completely let go of the reins.  If you do that, the horse can go wherever it wants to!

Posting: An up-and-down motion that goes with the rhythm of the horse.  The trot is bouncy, and the horse naturally pushes you up as it trots.

Sit-trot: This is where you sit down while trotting.  It may feel odd, but you have to sit up straight and tall in order to avoid bouncing around.

Legs: Horses respond to pressure by avoiding it.  If you push on a horse from the left, it will go to the right.  If you push a horse from the right, it will go to the left.  Putting pressure on the horse from both legs means that you want it to go faster/forward.

Lead: The leg that the horse picks up the gait with.  If you are going left, you want the left lead trot or canter.  If you are going right, you want the horse to pick up the right lead trot or canter.