Equestrian Terms - for those who don't have english as 1st language

English is not my mother tongue, and although I can understand most of the posts in the forum, again and again I see some words that are terminology, or things that are not practised in my country, that I don't understand. I guess other members might have similar problems, so we can all post here our questions ^_^

So I begin.

1. What is the equitation? What is the difference with show jumping?
2. What is the diference between a hunter horse and a jumper horse?
3. What means "conformation" at the Critique session?

4... I m sure I have more questions, they just don't come to me right now...

Thanks

Don't worry, english is my mother tongue and I don't know the answer to questions 1 & 2, they are american things so you will have to get one of the american members to answer those for you.

For question 3 - Conformation is the way the horse is put together, the angles of joints and lines. Conformation plays a large part in long term soundness and the horses ability/potential.

Thnx ^_^
I v seen this word so often, and I just couldn't understand what was the question!

Hunters is more about having a good calm even horse, being able to take them in the ring and just calmly jump the jumps etc. its kind of more snobby, has to be a push button horse. Jumpers is more having a clear round (not knocking any jumps) and who can do it the fastest. Equitation classes are based on the rider, how well the rider's form is etc... hope this helps

Hey, I rider hunters and I'm not snobby and my horse isn't push button.

But that's right...hunter horses are nice and keep a steady even pace while jumping, they make nice wide turns and take their time and try to look pretty while jumping.

Show jumpers it's all about getting the best time and a clear round. There is no time to concentrate on how pretty you look, so minor position flaws are OK, as long as it doesn't effect the horse.

Hunters are judged by a person while show jumping is all about the clock.
Also hunter fences are designed more natural with trees, flowers, and brown, white painted poles, the course is set up to flow. While jumpers have brightly pained fences and their courses are designed to have roll back turns, broken lines and stuff like that.

Thnx everyone! So... equitation is little bit like Parelli test?

I am not snobby, and you should tell my horse since he is a hunter he needs to be push button. I don't think he realizes that!


I found this link in Wikipedia that gives a really good description of what a hunter horse is: Show hunter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Show Jumping: Show jumping - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Equitation is a class where the rider is judged on their position when they are mounted, their ability to ride correctly with the correct aids. The judge will look at the riders performance and their ability to control the horse, use of the correct aids, their turnout aka the riders clothes, plus they will most likely look at the horse to see if he was properly cleaned up and turned out for the show. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equitation)

Conformation : Equine conformation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This page would be really good for anyone who is wanting to learn about conformation as it gives a good over view of what are "common" faults. I look back to this page fairly often as I am trying to learn conformation faults better.

ETA: Equitation has nothing to do with Parelli at all. It was around long before he was.

I apologize if I offended you guys, I guess I did come off kind of judgy. I had bad experiences in hunters and personally have no wish to go back into it, but to each their own. I am sorry if I insulted you.

What does it mean
"auto release" on jumping terms?

Silverada
In trying to formulate an answer for your question I came to realise how a foreigner might have difficulty in understanding and using the words in equitation which you have a problem with.

Equitation is the word used to describe the subject of horses - you name it, everything.
If you are studying how to ride a horse, train a horse or take care of a horse, then you will be studying ‘equitation’.
Show jumping is merely one ‘equestrian’ (ie horse) sport; dressage is another and hunting is a third and there are lots more horse specialist disciplines.

A ‘hunter’ ( the word ‘horse’ is assumed) is a type of horse used in the sport of fox hunting. That means you can ride out with the Master, the huntsmen, the hounds and the followers (the riders) on their ‘hunters’ knowing that you have a horse competent to last the day’s riding. Typically a ’hunter’ is a strong, sturdy, 16 hands plus, long legged horse, perhaps a Thorobred X Hannoverian or maybe a Thorobred X Irish Draught. The Irish successfully breed horses destined to become the mounts of followers to hounds. They are described as Irish Hunters. Such horses are strong, bold, sure footed and have lots of stamina. They can also jump the hedges and the ditches to be found out in open countryside.

A ‘jumping’ horse ( as against a ‘jumper’ horse) is one that can jump well in the show jumping arena. Any horse of almost any breed can jump but some have a natural ability to jump fences well without knocking them over. A show jumper is a rider whose hobby is show jumping. Show jumpers look for a jumping horse ie the horse which is born with an ability to jump.

‘Conformation’ is a term used to describe the shape of a horse, ie the way in which the bones, the muscles, the length of neck, in other words ‘the whole package‘ goes together. A horse with a good conformation looks to the knowledgeable horseman to be physically appropriate for the purpose in mind. A horse which looks in proportion has a good conformation. A horse with a heavy body and small feet might be said to have a poor conformation, in other words it does not ‘conform’ with perceived good standards

Dear Silverada, One thing there is need for a Greek to understand is that there are slight differences in the terms used by Americans who ride ‘English’ compared with Europeans who ride ’English’. Indeed there are minor differences in the way the English speak and write English as compared with the way Americans speak and write the language. There are even differences between how the English ride ‘English’ as compared with Germans who ride ’English’.

May I suggest you get a book on Xenophon - he is regarded as being the first ’horsemaster’ who devised the first formal method of riding. He was the Greek who is credited with starting the study of equitation. You might enjoy the book, perhaps you can even read it in Greek.

One of the problems for all riders new to the sport is to understand correctly the terminology used in equitation. A man called Jean Fort-Paillard wrote a book called ‘Understanding Equitation’ ISBN 0-273 00059-4 - he uses up a whole book to define some words like ’impulsion’ ‘collection’ ’calmness’ ‘tension’ ‘lightness’ and many other terms. Look for a copy in a second hand bookshop or on the internet. But I warn you - it will be hard work to understand unless you can find a teacher.

Best of luck / BG

PS, When writing, always write ‘I’ (upper case) and not ‘i’ (lower case) as you have done in your post.