Copy of `Dressage Academy - Dressage terms`

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Dressage Academy - Dressage terms Category: Animals and Nature > Horses Date & country: 27/01/2014, USA Words: 22

Volte
This is a 6, 8 or 10m circle. The term circle is used if the diameter is greater than 10m.

Working
This pace falls between the collected and medium gait. Shows proper balance, the horse remains on the bit and moves forward with even elastic steps.

Turn on the Haunches
This movement is similar to the pirouette in that the horse's forelegs move around the horse's hind legs.

Simple Change of Lead
The horse is brought back to a walk immediately asked to show a few clearly defined walks strides and then asked to depart in canter using the opposite leading leg.

Transitions
An upward or downward change of gait or pace at a given marker. These should not be abrupt and the horse should remain calm and maintain position. View Video.

Travers
The horse is bent around the rider's inside leg, and looking in the direction of travel with the outside legs passing in front of the inside legs. Travers is performed at either the collected trot or collected canter with the forehand remaining on the track. The walk can be used for introducing this movement. The quarters leave the track at the beginning of the travers and are not returned to the track until the end of the travers. Upon returning to the track, there should be no counter flexion of the poll or neck. In this movement, the head will remain closest to the outside of the arena or wall. View Video.

Shoulder Fore
This exercise is performed similar to the Shoulder In but with a lesser degree of angle (by approximately 1/2) than the previous. It is used to supple the young or stiff horse and to aid in the development of straightness. It is a movement of the horse's shoulder to the inside. View Video.

Shoulder-In
The horse should be slightly bent around the rider's inside leg

Serpentine
The horse performs half circles followed by straight lines. The horse should be parallel to the short side of the arena as he crosses the center line. View Video.

Renvers
This is the opposite of the travers with the tail remaining closest to the outside of the arena or wall. View Video

Rein Back
The horse moves backward in a straight line by moving legs in diagonal pairs. This is a two-beated movement. View Video

Medium
The pace between working and extension at the trot and canter or between the collected and extended walk showing a moderately lengthened stride with impulsion from the hind quarter.

Passage
This is a very collected, cadenced trot that is characterized by elevated movement of the knees and hocks, as well as a defined engagement of the quarters. The toe of the raised foreleg should come to the middle of the cannon bone of the opposing foreleg. The horse should remain calmly on the bit with a raised arched neck and head close to vertical. The poll should be the highest point of the arch. View Video.

Halt
The horse stops all movement with all 4 feet equally balanced underneath the horse. The horse should remain relaxed, attentitive, straight and on the bit.

Leg Yield
The horse exhibits a slight flexion of the poll away from the direction he is traveling. The inside legs should cross in front of the outside legs with the rider being able to see just the inside eyebrow and nostril. This movement is the precursor to the shoulder-in and half pass seen in the more advanced tests. The horse should remain supple and relaxed during the execution of this movement. View Video

Free Walk
This walk demonstrates long strides, a relaxed back and a lowering and stretching of the head and neck illustrating complete relaxation. It can be ridden with little or no contact. The horse is encouraged to carry his head and neck as low as he chooses. View Video.

Half Halt
A nearly invisible simultaneously action of the hand, seat and legs used to capture the horse's attention and regain balance. View Video

Half Pass
The horse bends slightly around the rider's inside leg with the forehand moving slightly in advance of the hind quarters as the horse travels across the diagonal. The outside legs pass in front of the inside legs and the horse is looking in the direction in which he is traveling. The horse should maintain his elasticity, cadence and impulsion throughout the execution of the movement. View Video

Change of Direction
The horse changes his bend of his body in conjunction with the direction in which he is moving. The horse should maintain his current pace without resisting or losing his rhythm.

Change of Lead
Horse is brought from a canter to a few strides of trot and then asked to canter again on the opposite leading leg.

Counter Canter
Cantering deliberately on the lead opposing the circle direction (i.e.

Extension
The horse covers as much ground as possible within a given gait, thus demonstrating greater impulsion of the hind quarter.