by Dina Mazzola

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

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.

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

Beautiful Equitation

90’sExcellent. Great performance and exceptional quality 85-89Very Good. Solid Performance and good quality 80-84Good. Quality Rider with perhaps and minor error 75-79Fairly Good. An average horse or rider with a minor error, or a high quality horse or rider with a couple of minor errors 70-74Sufficient. A bit below average rider with a few minor errors or mistakes 65-69Insufficient. Poor performance with one or more serious errors or poor quality, missing lead changes 60-65Fairly Bad. Very poor performance, making serious errors, adding strides, more than one significant distance error Below 60Bad. Bolting, bucking, running off, trotting, stopping, refusals, knockdowns that are the fault of the rider, losing stirrup or reins,

Judges Scorecard

(or at least win the class) ①Present a neat, workmanlike appearance demonstrating correct angles in your position ②Ride a well planned, well executed, entrance ③Execute a prompt transition up to pace, correct for the horse and class ④Find evenly matching, appropriate distances to each fence ⑤Maintain an even, rhythmic pace throughout the course

⑥Execute prompt changes of lead before the corner ⑦Ride an accurate track ⑧Focus and eye level is always and up, ahead and to the next jump ⑨Maintains a soft, still and supple position, with correct angles, using a level appropriate release ⑩Executes a smooth, well planned closing and downward transition and pats horse

①Incorrect basic position ②Inappropriate release ③Bad hands ④Ahead or, or behind the motion ⑤Cannot sit the trot or canter, posting to the canter

⑥Poorly executed lead changes ⑦Pace: too slow, too fast, uneven ⑧Poorly planned entrances ⑨Missing the distance ⑩Incorrect track

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

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

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…

BOOKS The Judge is Back by Randy Roy (Amazon) Hunter Seat Equitation Manual pdf Hunter Seat Equitation by George Morris (Amazon) USEF Rule Book ( DVDs The Judge’s Eye by Linda Andrisani ( Form Follows Function with Cynthia Hankins ( The American Hunter/Jumper Forward Riding System by Bernie Traurig (EquestrianCoach.com) Get Connected (featuring USEF Tests 1-19) (