The entire class, or only the finalists must work at all three
gaits at least one direction of the arena. Rail work can be
used to break ties and possibly adjust placing‟s. Individual
works will be composed of any of the following:
Group 1: Walk, Sitting Trot, Extended Trot, Posting Trot,
Canter, Circles, Figure 8, Halt, Back, Sidepass, Address
Reins, Demonstrate Change of Diagonal.
Group 2: Serpentine (Trot or Canter), Turn on Haunches or
Forehand, Leg Yield, Flying or Simple Change of Lead.
Group 3: Canter and Hand Gallop in a straight or curved
line, Counter Canter Figure 8, Drop or Pick-up Irons without
stopping.
A turn on the forehand to the right is accomplished by
moving haunches to the left. A forehand turn to the left is
accomplished by moving haunches to the right.
If riders are asked to drop their irons, they can leave them
down or cross them over the withers.
88.4 Basic Position.
a) To mount
Take up reins in left hand and place hand on withers.
Grasp stirrup leather with right hand and insert left foot
in stirrup and mount. To dismount, rider can either step
down or slide down. The size of rider must be taken into
consideration.
b) Hands
Should be over and in front of horse‟s withers, knuckles
thirty degrees inside the vertical, hands slightly apart
and making a straight line from horse‟s mouth to rider‟s
elbow. Method of holding reins is optional, and bite of
reins may fall on either side. However, all reins must be
picked up at the same time.
c) The eyes
Should be up and shoulders back. Toes should be at an
angle best suited to rider‟s conformation; heels down,
calf of leg in contact with horse. Iron should be on the
ball of the foot and must not be tied to the girth.
d) The Walk:
Should be a 4-beat gait, with the rider in a vertical
position with a following hand.
e) The Posting Trot:
Figure 8 at trot, demonstrating change of diagonals. At
left diagonal, rider should be sitting the saddle when left
front leg is on the ground; at right diagonal rider should
be sitting the saddle when right front leg is on the
ground.
When circling clockwise at a trot, rider should be on left
diagonal; when circling counter-clockwise, rider should
be on right diagonal.
The rider should close his/her hip angle to allow his/her
torso to follow the horizontal motion of the horse. The
upper body should be inclined about 20 degrees in front
of the vertical.
f) Sitting Trot and Canter:
At the sitting trot the upper body is only slightly in front
of the vertical. At the canter the body should be
positioned slightly more in front of the vertical. As the
stride is shortened, the body should be in a slightly
more erect position.
Page 99