Horseback Riding Disciplines
Riding disciplines allow riders to improve their skills and let loose their competitive side, not to mention have fun. Some are traditionally associated with Western-style riding, while others are more common among English-style riders.
WESTERN
Barrel Racing
WESTERN
Barrel Racing
In this exciting rodeo event, the horse and rider try to complete a cloverleaf pattern around 3 barrels as fast as possible. It was originally an event for women riders only, but, today, it's open to all.
The barrels are arranged in a triangle. The first and second barrels are each 60 feet (18.3 m) from the starting point, while the third barrel is 105 feet (32 m) from the starting point.
If the rider knocks over a barrel, 5 seconds are added to her time. However, if she manages to catch the barrel before it falls, she does not get the penalty. If she breaks the pattern for circling the barrels, she is disqualified from that run.
A pocket is a buffer between the horse and the barrel, typically of 3 to 5 feet. The horse must learn to respect the barrels' pockets so that it does not knock the barrels over. The rider should approach each barrel wide then get closer as she starts for the next barrel.
The rate is the point where the horse must shorten its stride and prepare for the coming pocket and turn. The rate is typically about 10 feet (3 m) from the barrel.
Barrel racing requires a lot of discipline and control. Riders wanting to try this sport should start slow, working on perfecting the pattern before adding speed. Initially, they should stop at every rate and pocket to ensure that they - and the horse - learn the proper distances. Another tip is to always be looking at the next barrel, not the current one.
Cutting
This event has its origins in ranching, when ranchers needed to separate cattle from the herd, such as for veterinary care. In a competition of 2.5 minutes, the horse and rider must "cut" at least 2 cows from a herd. At least one of those must be a "deep cut," in which the cow was in the middle of the herd, not on the periphery.
The rider starts by walking the horse quietly through the herd, making the animals fan out. After separating an individual cow, the rider must get the horse's head ahead of the cow's to stop it from rejoining the herd. The rider is allowed to "quit" a cow if it has completely stopped moving or turned its rear to face the horse and rider.
The main rider has 4 helper riders. The 2 herd holders prevent the rest of the herd from wandering into the competition area, while the 2 turnback riders prevent the cow from escaping to the far end of the arena.
Riders participating in a cutting competition should let the horse do most of the work - the actual turning and stopping. The rider's job is to get the horse moving. Beginners often start by practising chasing a flag, not a cow.
Cutting competitions have a scale of 60 to 80 points. The average score is 72 to 73, and 74 is considered good.
The barrels are arranged in a triangle. The first and second barrels are each 60 feet (18.3 m) from the starting point, while the third barrel is 105 feet (32 m) from the starting point.
If the rider knocks over a barrel, 5 seconds are added to her time. However, if she manages to catch the barrel before it falls, she does not get the penalty. If she breaks the pattern for circling the barrels, she is disqualified from that run.
A pocket is a buffer between the horse and the barrel, typically of 3 to 5 feet. The horse must learn to respect the barrels' pockets so that it does not knock the barrels over. The rider should approach each barrel wide then get closer as she starts for the next barrel.
The rate is the point where the horse must shorten its stride and prepare for the coming pocket and turn. The rate is typically about 10 feet (3 m) from the barrel.
Barrel racing requires a lot of discipline and control. Riders wanting to try this sport should start slow, working on perfecting the pattern before adding speed. Initially, they should stop at every rate and pocket to ensure that they - and the horse - learn the proper distances. Another tip is to always be looking at the next barrel, not the current one.
Cutting
This event has its origins in ranching, when ranchers needed to separate cattle from the herd, such as for veterinary care. In a competition of 2.5 minutes, the horse and rider must "cut" at least 2 cows from a herd. At least one of those must be a "deep cut," in which the cow was in the middle of the herd, not on the periphery.
The rider starts by walking the horse quietly through the herd, making the animals fan out. After separating an individual cow, the rider must get the horse's head ahead of the cow's to stop it from rejoining the herd. The rider is allowed to "quit" a cow if it has completely stopped moving or turned its rear to face the horse and rider.
The main rider has 4 helper riders. The 2 herd holders prevent the rest of the herd from wandering into the competition area, while the 2 turnback riders prevent the cow from escaping to the far end of the arena.
Riders participating in a cutting competition should let the horse do most of the work - the actual turning and stopping. The rider's job is to get the horse moving. Beginners often start by practising chasing a flag, not a cow.
Cutting competitions have a scale of 60 to 80 points. The average score is 72 to 73, and 74 is considered good.
Penalties in Cutting
- "losing" the cow (it runs back to the herd)
- doing a "hot quit" (the horse and rider stop working a cow while it's running toward them)
- reining or otherwise visibly cueing the horse
- making noises toward the cattle
- putting a toe, stirrup, or spur on the horse's shoulder
- putting a hand too far forward
- putting 2 hands on the reins (one should be on the saddle horn)
- failing to perform either any cuts or a deep cut
- changing cattle after committing to one
- the horse pawing at or biting the cattle
Working Cow Horse
In this event, the horse and rider work a single cow in an arena, also performing reining patterns. The sport originated from cowboys who would work herds of cattle on the open prairies. It requires a combination of agility, speed, endurance, and mental discipline.
The horse and rider may be asked to circle the cow, hold it at the end of the arena, and make it run along the fence in both directions. The pair also perform one of 12 reining patterns, which could involve sliding stops, spins, circles, or lead changes. Each pattern takes about 5 minutes and demands constant changes of movement, speed, and direction.
The score for working cow horse ranges from 0 to 80. There are separate scores for the cow and for the horse and rider to make up for possible variability between cows.
Reining patterns can receive a score between -1.5 (extremely poor) and +1.5 (excellent). The rider can receive a penalty for poor execution of a manoeuvre or inappropriate spurring. He receives no score whatsoever if he uses illegal equipment or leaves the arena before completing the tasks.
Calf Roping
This rodeo event has its origins in ranching, when cowboys roped calves that were sick or injured to give them veterinary treatment. Ranch hands prided themselves on their speed at roping calves, which gradually led to informal contests. Today, the competitor with the fastest time wins.
The rider starts in a box with 3 sides that opens into the arena. The calf starts in a chute and receives a head start, whose amount varies depending on the size of the arena.
The calf has a breakaway rope attached to its neck, which also stretches across the open end of the rider's box. When the calf reaches the end of the rope, the barrier is released. If the rider enters the arena before the calf has finished its head start, she receives a 10-second penalty.
The rider throws a loop of rope around the calf. As soon as the rider catches the calf, the horse comes to a stop.
The rider dismounts and throws the calf onto the ground, in what's known as flanking. If the calf was already on the ground, she must let it stand up before flanking it.
The rider then ties together any 3 of the calf's legs using a rope called a pigging string. The horse must be pulling back hard enough to keep the rope taut but not drag the calf.
When the rider is done tying the calf's legs, she throws her hands in the air, then remounts the horse and rides forward. She waits 6 seconds to see whether the calf remains tied. If the calf wriggles out before 6 seconds have passed, the rider is disqualified.
Pole Bending
In this timed event, often part of high school rodeos, the horse and rider weave down a line of poles. They are trying to complete the event as fast as possible without knocking down any poles. In official competitions, winning times are often under 20 seconds.
The 6 poles are 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and arranged in a straight line starting 21 feet (6.4 m) from the starting line. It's fastest if the rider approaches the starting line with a running start. It can actually be quicker to trot than to gallop because it's easier to stay in control.
The horse and rider can approach the poles from the right or the left. In either case, they start by racing to the end of the line of poles, then weave back between the poles. The pair finishes by circling the last pole and running all the way along the line of poles to cross the finish line.
There is a 5-second penalty for missing a pole, and the pair is disqualified if they go completely off-course. There is no penalty for touching a pole with your hand.
Those looking to get into pole bending should start by practising the pattern at a walk and jog. The rider must bend the horse around the pole using leg pressure. He should stay as straight as possible as he rides down the line and ride as close as possible to the poles without knocking them over.
ENGLISH
Dressage
Dressage is sometimes described as horse ballet. One of 3 Olympic equestrian disciplines, it has its origins in the way the ancient Greeks prepared their mounts for war. Dressage training helps the horse improve its balance, symmetry, flexibility, and strength, as well as its communication with the rider.
Men and women compete together in individual and team events. One phase has compulsory movements, while the other is a freestyle routine to music. The movements should flow gracefully from one to the next.
The movements take place at the walk, trot, and canter and depend on the level of the competition. The movements could involve speed changes within a gait, lateral movement, or increasing the horse's use of its hind legs.
The score for dressage ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 being excellent, 5 being sufficient, and 0 being no movement performed. It's rare for a horse and rider pair to receive a score of 10.
In addition to the scores for the individual movements, the judge gives 4 scores for her general impression of the performance. All the different scores are added up and divided by the total possible score to give a percentage. Scores of 60 to 70% are good, and a score above 70% is excellent.
Eventing
This intense competition is like an equestrian triathlon. It started as a test for cavalry (soldiers who fought on horseback) and includes 3 phases: dressage, cross-country, and show jumping.
Eventing is another Olympic sport with both male and female participants. It can be held over 1, 2, or 3 days. The horse and rider pairs accumulate penalty points in each phase - the pair with the fewest points at the end wins.
The dressage portion uses the same scoring system of assigning a score between 0 and 10 for each movement, as well as overall marks. The dressage penalty points for eventing are the points that the horse-rider pair did not manage to win.
The cross-country portion tests the pair's speed, endurance, and jumping ability. The race includes 15 to 25 fences for lower levels and 30 to 40 fences for higher levels. The fences imitate items found in the countryside, like logs and stone walls. The course also includes natural obstacles like ponds and ditches.
The cross-country course is ridden at a gallop. The rider tries to jump every fence on the first effort and finish the race within the time limit (optimum time). The rider must carefully control the horse's pace to finish on time but not use up all its energy.
Show jumping is a timed event in an enclosed arena. The event tests the horse's stamina and precision as it jumps over 12 to 15 jumps. The jumps are made of light rails that are easily knocked down.
Dressage is sometimes described as horse ballet. One of 3 Olympic equestrian disciplines, it has its origins in the way the ancient Greeks prepared their mounts for war. Dressage training helps the horse improve its balance, symmetry, flexibility, and strength, as well as its communication with the rider.
Men and women compete together in individual and team events. One phase has compulsory movements, while the other is a freestyle routine to music. The movements should flow gracefully from one to the next.
The movements take place at the walk, trot, and canter and depend on the level of the competition. The movements could involve speed changes within a gait, lateral movement, or increasing the horse's use of its hind legs.
The score for dressage ranges from 0 to 10, with 10 being excellent, 5 being sufficient, and 0 being no movement performed. It's rare for a horse and rider pair to receive a score of 10.
In addition to the scores for the individual movements, the judge gives 4 scores for her general impression of the performance. All the different scores are added up and divided by the total possible score to give a percentage. Scores of 60 to 70% are good, and a score above 70% is excellent.
Eventing
This intense competition is like an equestrian triathlon. It started as a test for cavalry (soldiers who fought on horseback) and includes 3 phases: dressage, cross-country, and show jumping.
Eventing is another Olympic sport with both male and female participants. It can be held over 1, 2, or 3 days. The horse and rider pairs accumulate penalty points in each phase - the pair with the fewest points at the end wins.
The dressage portion uses the same scoring system of assigning a score between 0 and 10 for each movement, as well as overall marks. The dressage penalty points for eventing are the points that the horse-rider pair did not manage to win.
The cross-country portion tests the pair's speed, endurance, and jumping ability. The race includes 15 to 25 fences for lower levels and 30 to 40 fences for higher levels. The fences imitate items found in the countryside, like logs and stone walls. The course also includes natural obstacles like ponds and ditches.
The cross-country course is ridden at a gallop. The rider tries to jump every fence on the first effort and finish the race within the time limit (optimum time). The rider must carefully control the horse's pace to finish on time but not use up all its energy.
Show jumping is a timed event in an enclosed arena. The event tests the horse's stamina and precision as it jumps over 12 to 15 jumps. The jumps are made of light rails that are easily knocked down.
Penalties in Eventing
Cross-Country:
Show Jumping:
Cross-Country:
- stopping in front of a fence (refusal) - 20 points
- running past a jump (run-out) - 20 points
- a second refusal or run-out at the same obstacle - 40 points
- a third refusal or run-out at the same obstacle - elimination
- every second over the optimum time - points added
Show Jumping:
- making a rail fall - 4 points
- a refusal - 4 points
- a run-out - 4 points
- every second above the optimum time - points added
Mounted Games
Mounted games are a series of about 40 different relay races and other games on horseback, although only 10 are chosen every year for official competitions. It was created by the British Prince Philip for children who could not afford expensive, well-bred ponies. The first competition was held in 1957, and the games are now played in 22 countries.
The ponies can be up to 15 hands tall. Riders can be any age, although there may be age restrictions or qualifying times for higher-level games. The riders compete in a large, flat, fenced area, with a different lane for each team.
Each team has 5 riders. Most games only require 4 players, so the fifth rider is a reserve player, although he must participate in at least 3 of the games. Each rider holds a certain position in a game, with the fourth rider being the one to cross the finish line.
Examples of mounted games include moving flags between cones and picking rings off the tops of poles with a sword.
Skills Used in Mounted Games
- mounting and dismounting (including while the horse is moving)
- handing an object to the next rider
- placing an object in a container
- leading the pony between 2 points
- leading another pony while riding a pony
- pole bending
- hitting items lying on the ground with a lance
Polo
Polo is an equestrian sport that originated as a training game for cavalry in ancient Persia. From there, it spread to Arabia, Tibet, China, Japan, India, and - in the 19th century - England and the United States. Today, the sport has 2 teams of 4 players each.
The players drive a wooden ball down a grassy field with long mallets, trying to shoot it between goalposts to score goals. The periods are 7.5 minutes long and are known as chukkers or chukkas. There can be anywhere from 4 to 8 chukkers in a game, depending on the location.
Each player has a number with certain responsibilities. Player number 1 is often the weakest player, although she tries to score goals and neutralize the other team's defence. Player 2 is always trying to get the ball. Player 3 strategizes and hits long shots, while player 4 plays defence.
Polo players wear a colourful shirt with their number on it. They receive a rating from 0 to 10 to determine their handicap (advantage or disadvantage depending on their level of skill). Ratings of -1 and -2 are occasionally given as well.
Polo ponies' legs are bandaged just below the knee to prevent injury, their mane is clipped, and their tail is braided. In fact, there is no size requirement for horses for polo, so they may not technically be ponies.
Team Chasing
Team chasing is a relatively new British sport that involves teams of 4 riders galloping through the countryside along a course that's 2 miles (3.2 km) long. There are approximately 25 fences, which are wide enough for more than one horse to jump at the same time. The typical season is from September to November and from March to April.
Novice classes have an optimum time that riders try to beat. For intermediate and advanced classes, the team with the fastest 3 riders wins. The teams have a staggered start so they're not getting in each other's way.
Novice classes have shorter fences, while the ones for intermediate and advanced levels can be 3 feet 6 inches (1.1 m) tall. Riders are eliminated if there's a 2-rider fall or a single-horse fall or if a horse refuses more than 3 times at the same fence.
Try this worksheet to test your knowledge about horseback riding disciplines!
| Disciplines_worksheet.pdf |
You've now learned all about different Western and English riding disciplines, from their origins to their rules.
