My Equestrian Life

#87 English Terms

Someone requested that I make a chapter about the English Riding terms👍🏻
(Btw I'm not going into great detail on everything, so if you want to add something feel free to comment😊 this is mostly for people who don't know much about English riding)

Trot- the English alternate of Jog

Canter- English alternate for Lope

Posting- Moving up and down to the
rhythm of the horse's trot

Diagonal- The beat you post on (when the horses front outside Leg is out, you rise out of the saddle, when the inside leg goes out, you sit, etc)

Hunt Seat/Hunters- Most popular style of English riding. Riders who show are judged on equitation and the horses headset and movement. Hunter over fences isn't as fast as jumpers and riders are judged on how well they equitate over fences and how well the horse performs

hunter under saddle - a term used in horse shows to describe a class that is judged on the horse. The horse should look pleasurable to ride and be moving forward

Jumpers- Fast paced jumping, riders are timed. Eq isn't really important as you aren't judged on eq in jumpers

Dressage- is a highly skilled form of riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an "art" sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrian sport defined by the International Equestrian Federation, dressage is "the highest expression of horse training" where horse and rider are expected to perform from memory a series of predetermined movements

Bascule- is the natural curve that a horse will make while jumping. During the bascule the horse will raise up through its wither, with the wither being the highest point and will tuck its forelegs up in front while stretching out through its back and with its neck lowered when in mid suspension, to form a curve or arc when in mid air over the jump

hack - to go for a ride. More traditionally, "hack" means to ride a horse in an open grass field

downward transition - a transition from a faster gait to a slower one. For example, a transition from a canter to a trot

drop noseband - a noseband on an english bridle which sits lower than a regular noseband, and attaches below the bit. A Drop noseband helps prevent a horse from opening it's mouth while riding

snaffle bit - a bit which does not have shanks and acts on the corners of the horse's mouth. Does not act on the leverage principle as a curb bit would. Snaffle bits are often jointed in the middle

martingale - an item of equipment used commonly in english riding which consists of a strap which buckles around the horses neck, and another strap which attaches to the girth at one end, passes through the neckstrap and attaches to either the noseband (standing martingale) or the reins (running martingale) at the other end. A martingale is used to prevent a horse from raising his head above the level of the rider's hand

standing martingale - an item of equipment used commonly in english riding which consists of a strap which buckles around the horses neck, and another strap which attaches to the girth at one end, passes through the neckstrap and attaches to the noseband. A standing martingale is used to prevent a horse from raising his head above the level of the rider's hand

running martingale - an item of equipment used commonly in english riding which consists of a strap which buckles around the horses neck, and another strap which attaches to the girth at one end, passes through the neckstrap and attaches to the reins at the other end. A running martingale is used to prevent a horse from raising his head above the level of the rider's hand

breeches - riding pants. Breeches usually have suede or leather patches on the insides of the knees for better grip and less slipage while riding