THROUGH THE JUDGE’S EYEEQUITATION

by Dina Mazzolawww.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• 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

PERFECTION

Beautiful Equitation

COMPARE POSITIONS

SCORING A ROUND90’s Excellent. Great performance and exceptional quality

85-89 Very Good. Solid Performance and good quality

80-84 Good. Quality Rider with perhaps and minor error

75-79 Fairly Good. An average horse or rider with a minor error, or a high quality horse or rider with a couple of minor errors

70-74 Sufficient. A bit below average rider with a few minor errors or mistakes

65-69 Insufficient. Poor performance with one or more serious errors or poor quality, missing lead changes

60-65 Fairly Bad. Very poor performance, making serious errors, adding strides, more than one significant distance error

Below 60 Bad. Bolting, bucking, running off, trotting, stopping, refusals, knockdowns that are the fault of the rider, losing stirrup or reins,

Judges Scorecard

HOW TO SCORE 100(or at least win the class)①Present a neat, workmanlike appearance

demonstrating correct angles in your position②Ride a well planned, well executed, entrance③Execute a prompt transition up to pace, correct

for the horse and class④Find evenly matching, appropriate distances to

each fence⑤Maintain an even, rhythmic pace throughout

the course

HOW TO SCORE 100

⑥Execute prompt changes of lead before the corner

⑦Ride an accurate track⑧Focus and eye level is always and up, ahead and

to the next jump⑨Maintains a soft, still and supple position, with

correct angles, using a level appropriate release⑩Executes a smooth, well planned closing and

downward transition and pats horse

TOP TEN EQUITATION ERRORS

① Incorrect basic position② Inappropriate release③ Bad hands④ Ahead or, or behind the motion ⑤ Cannot sit the trot or canter, posting to the

canter

TOP TEN EQUITATION ERRORS

⑥ Poorly executed lead changes⑦ Pace: too slow, too fast, uneven⑧ Poorly planned entrances⑨ Missing the distance⑩ 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 youGo EARLY and watch the best trainers give a lesson at 6:30 in the

morning at an A show – it’s a free clinicWATCH the best riders on YouTubeBecome a STUDENT of the sport and read upPresent a good ATTITUDE - alwaysDemonstrate EXCELLENT SPORTSMANSHIP and HORSEMANSHIPPAT your horse – they work hard for you

…success is earned not given…

RESOURCESBOOKSThe Judge is Back by Randy Roy (Amazon)Hunter Seat Equitation Manual

www.usef.org/documents/hunterjumper/hunter-seat-manual-2002.pdfHunter Seat Equitation by George Morris (Amazon)USEF Rule Book (www.usef.org)

DVDsThe 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)