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Through the Judge’s Eye Equitation. by Dina Mazzola www.FairHarbourFarm.com. Basic Position. Equitation on the Flat. Demonstrate correct basic position Demonstrate control of the horse’s pace Ride with light contact Show an excellent sitting trot and canter
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Through the Judge’s EyeEquitation • by Dina Mazzolawww.FairHarbourFarm.com
Equitation on the Flat • Demonstrate correct basic position • Demonstrate control of the horse’s pace • Ride with light contact • Show an excellent sitting trot and canter • Be able to execute the IEA or USEF tests
Equitation Over Fences • Performance, Performance, Performance • If you ride a great hunter round, chances are you are going to get a great ribbon • Track, Pace, Position and Distances • Show me you can ride an accurate, effective round that answers the track, pace and distance questions posed by the course • Accuracy first, style second • Position and style are the “tie breakers” or how I order the accurate rounds.
Equitation Over Fences Position • Soft, supple, still, strong • Invisible aids • Appropriate use of various seats and rein aids • Eye level • Correct body and arm angles • Correct hands • How rider position affects quality of horse’s jump and general shape
How to Score 100 (or at least win the class) • Present a neat, workmanlike appearance demonstrating correct angles in your position • Ride a well planned, well executed, entrance • Execute a prompt transition up to pace, correct for the horse and class • Find evenly matching, appropriate distances to each fence • Maintain an even, rhythmic pace throughout the course
How to Score 100 • Execute prompt changes of lead before the corner • Ride an accurate track • Focus and eye level is always and up, ahead and to the next jump • Maintains a soft, still and supple position, with correct angles, using a level appropriate release • Executes a smooth, well planned closing and downward transition and pats horse
Top Ten Equitation Errors • Incorrect basic position • Inappropriate release • Bad hands • Ahead or, or behind the motion • Cannot sit the trot or canter, posting to the canter
Top Ten Equitation Errors • Poorly executed lead changes • Pace: too slow, too fast, uneven • Poorly planned entrances • Missing the distance • Incorrect track
What’s Different in IEA? • Simple changes are equal to flying changes • Use of the stick • USEF rules using the stick is incorrect, score of 60 • IEA rules cannot use the stick outside of the ring, so… • Never on the shoulder • Suitability • Try to account for relative difficulty of horse • Strides don’t count, but. . . • Has to match and be up to pace for that horse
Top IEA Riding Errors • Leads!!! • Inability to perform a correct simple change of lead • Not correcting a cross canter • Picking up the wrong lead on the entrance • Poor track to the jump and on landing • No plan for strides in the lines • Have a plan depending on the stride length of the horse and how the warm up rider rode the horse
MakING the Most of Your EquiTatION CAREER WATCH riders who are better than you Go EARLY and watch the best trainers give a lesson at 6:30 in the morning at an A show – it’s a free clinic WATCH the best riders on YouTube Become a STUDENT of the sport and read up Present a good ATTITUDE - always Demonstrate EXCELLENT SPORTSMANSHIP and HORSEMANSHIP PAT your horse – they work hard for you …success is earned not given…
REsources BOOKS The Judge is Back by Randy Roy (Amazon) Hunter Seat Equitation Manual www.usef.org/documents/hunterjumper/hunter-seat-manual-2002.pdf Hunter Seat Equitation by George Morris (Amazon) USEF Rule Book (www.usef.org) DVDs The Judge’s Eye by Linda Andrisani (www.thejudgeseye.com) Form Follows Function with Cynthia Hankins (www.EquestrianCoach.com) The American Hunter/Jumper Forward Riding System by Bernie Traurig (EquestrianCoach.com) Get Connected (featuring USEF Tests 1-19) (www.ushja.org)