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101-442: The Dutch Harness Horse is distinctive among warmbloods for its high action, and gaining popularity among those saddle seat aficionados who seek a larger, more substantial horse. They are traditionally shown with a braided mane and natural tail, and when shown in-hand often wear a white bridle without a cavesson . The hooves are usually allowed to grow longer than a riding horse's feet, but are never shod with weighted shoes . While

202-471: A "piggy-pace". With one exception, a fast pace is uncomfortable for riding and very difficult to sit, because the rider is moved rapidly from side to side. The motion feels somewhat as if the rider is on a camel , another animal that naturally paces. However, a camel is much taller than a horse and so even at relatively fast speeds, a rider can follow the rocking motion of a camel. A pacing horse, being smaller and taking quicker steps, moves from side to side at

303-526: A Dutch Harness Horse's name corresponds to his year of birth. Daughters are often given only a very slight variation of the dam's name, for example: 1988 was the "G" year, so the daughter of a mare named "Zilvia" was "Gilvia". The Dutch have a strong tradition of breeding driving horses , and during the late 19th century and early 20th century, these horses were known as "luxury horses." They consisted of two separate breeds: northern Groningens which were heavier and primarily dark colors, and Gelderlanders from

404-411: A balanced saddle seat with long stirrups in a "classical" position (legs balanced under the rider, not sitting too far back on the horse's loins), are able to properly ride their horses, encouraging the animals to step under themselves and collect, raising their backs, elevating their necks, and working off their hindquarters. Poorly made saddles of this style can be unbalanced and an improper seat leads to

505-429: A degree of collection and balance in the horse. The switch from one lead to another without breaking gait is called the "flying lead change" or "flying change". This switch is also a feature of dressage and reining schooling and competition. If a horse is leading with one front foot but the opposite hind foot, it produces an awkward rolling movement, called a cross-canter, disunited canter or "cross-firing". The gallop

606-448: A false tail added. False tails are not allowed in Morgan or Arabian competition. When used, false tails attempt to not appear obviously fake; they are matched to the horse's natural hair color and flow into the natural tail. Tail setting is a controversial subject. This is primarily because a common way of creating the set look is a tail "nicking" operation, in which the retractor muscles on

707-406: A few months. Because it could be dangerous to turn a horse out in a tail set, horses in active competition are generally stalled while wearing their tail sets. Many horses only wear their sets at shows and for a day or two prior, while others wear their sets for the entire competition season. Between shows, in the off season, and of course after retirement, a horse does not wear its tail set and even

808-411: A flatter English show saddle was developed from the tradition of riders who would often show off their flashiest, highest-stepping horses by riding them in city parks on Sundays. Hence, the term "park horse" is still used today to describe competitions in which the action of the horse is of paramount importance. In the northern United States, showing high-stepping horses in a flat park-style saddle at fairs

909-457: A higher proportion of pacers among their get than pacing sires do of trotters. A slow pace can be relatively comfortable, as the rider is lightly rocked from side to side. A slightly uneven pace that is somewhat between a pace and an amble is the sobreandando of the Peruvian Paso . On the other hand, a slow pace is considered undesirable in an Icelandic horse , where it is called a lull or

1010-445: A hollow-backed horse who does not have properly engaged hindquarters, with a superficially correct front-end position that is achieved by improperly forcing the horse's head and neck up and in, usually by means of leveraged training aids. The saddle seat horse traditionally wears a double bridle (full bridle), with both a curb bit and a bradoon . A pelham bit is also legal for pleasure classes, though not common. The double bridle

1111-406: A horse's legs follow this sequence: left hind leg, left front leg, right hind leg, right front leg, in a regular 1-2-3-4 beat. At the walk, the horse will alternate between having three or two feet on the ground. A horse moves its head and neck in a slight up and down motion that helps maintain balance. In detail, a horse starts a walk by lifting its left front leg (the other three feet are touching

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1212-627: A jump to strike off into the next stride. The pace is a lateral two-beat gait. In the pace, the two legs on the same side of the horse move forward together, unlike the trot, where the two legs diagonally opposite from each other move forward together. In both the pace and the trot, two feet are always off the ground. The trot is much more common, but some horses, particularly in breeds bred for harness racing , naturally prefer to pace. Pacers are also faster than trotters on average, though horses are raced at both gaits. Among Standardbred horses, pacers breed truer than trotters – that is, trotting sires have

1313-405: A manner that causes the horse physical pain. Devices used include stretchies (elastic rubber tubing attached to the front legs by fleece-covered leather half-hobbles, used to provide resistance training), weighted rattles (large beads) or chains placed around the fetlock, and "shackles" or a "running-W", devices composed of pulleys and ropes that help increase the horses' range of motion. Depending on

1414-475: A moderately paced gallop for longer distances before they become winded and have to slow down. The gallop is the gait of the classic race horse . Modern Thoroughbred horse races are seldom longer than 1.5 miles (2.4 km), though in some countries Arabian horses are sometimes raced as far as 2.5 miles (4.0 km). The fastest galloping speed is achieved by the American Quarter Horse , which in

1515-523: A much lesser extent, it is ridden with American horse breeds in Europe and Australia. The goal of the saddle seat riding style is to show off the horse's extravagant gaits, particularly the trot. It is not to be confused with the various hunt seat disciplines. Saddle seat riding began as a distinct style within the broader group of English riding disciplines developed in the United States. The first source

1616-462: A nicked tail will drop to some degree; many returning to a completely normal appearance and even regaining their ability to clamp down. If the horse is shown again at a later time, many horses with nicked tails need only wear the tail set for a few days before a show to re-stretch the tail muscles into the correct position. The horse's legs are trimmed, and the chestnut cut close to the skin. The only exception to this tradition of closely trimmed legs

1717-465: A rate that becomes difficult for a rider to follow at speed, so though the gait is faster and useful for harness racing, it becomes impractical as a gait for riding at speed over long distances. However, in the case of the Icelandic horse, where the pace is known as the skeið, "flying pace" or flugskeið , it is a smooth and highly valued gait, ridden in short bursts at great speed. A horse that paces and

1818-676: A result of specialized training by humans. Gaits are typically categorized into two groups: the "natural" gaits that most horses will use without special training, and the " ambling " gaits that are various smooth-riding, four-beat footfall patterns that may appear naturally in some individuals. Special training is often required before a horse will perform an ambling gait in response to a rider 's command. Another system of classification that applies to quadrupeds uses three categories: walking and ambling gaits, running or trotting gaits, and leaping gaits. The British Horse Society dressage rules require competitors to perform four variations of

1919-434: A rider may opt to wear protective headgear in any class without penalty. In small, unrated, "academy" or "schooling" shows, classes for people new to saddle seat may relax the dress requirements and allow exhibitors to show without a costly show jacket, and simply wear Kentucky jodhpurs, boots, a long sleeve button down shirt, sometimes a vest, and an equestrian helmet instead of a derby. Show ring grooming and "turnout" of

2020-412: A rider must spend long periods of time in the saddle. There are two basic types: lateral, wherein the front and hind feet on the same side move in sequence, and diagonal, where the front and hind feet on opposite sides move in sequence. Ambling gaits are further distinguished by whether the footfall rhythm is isochronous (four equal beats in a 1–2–3–4 rhythm) or non-isochronous (1–2, 3–4 rhythm) created by

2121-414: A rider to wear formal attire , which is based on formal menswear fashion and usually consists of a black or dark navy blue long coat with matching satin lapels, top hat, vest or cummerbund, bow tie, white gloves and matching jodhpurs with matching satin strip on the outside of the pant leg. No formal attire can be worn in pleasure or pleasure equitation classes, (except for Morgan horse ) competition, but it

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2222-405: A short sprint of a quarter mile (0.25 miles (0.40 km)) or less has been clocked at speeds approaching 55 miles per hour (88.5 km/h). The Guinness Book of World Records lists a Thoroughbred as having averaged 43.97 miles per hour (70.76 km/h) over a two- furlong (0.25 miles (402 m)) distance in 2008. Like a canter, the horse will strike off with its non-leading hind foot; but

2323-427: A slight pause between the ground strike of the forefoot of one side to the hind foot of the other. Not all horses can perform an ambling gait. However, many breeds can be trained to produce them. In most "gaited" breeds, an ambling gait is a hereditary trait. A 2012 DNA study of movement in Icelandic horses and mice have determined that a mutation on the gene DMRT3, which is related to limb movement and motion, causes

2424-446: A thorough vet check. Any horse with defects of the genitalia or bite , sub-par semen analysis, or any evidence of a congenital disorder or defect is not permitted to breed. A horse which has had surgery to correct a congenital abnormality is likewise culled. Furthermore, the stallions and elite performance mares must undergo a thorough radiographic exam of their joints. Horses with evidence of OCD lesions do not pass. For these reasons,

2525-461: A variation of the gallop. All four gaits are seen in wild horse populations. While other intermediate speed gaits may occur naturally to some horses, these four basic gaits occur in nature across almost all horse breeds. In some animals the trot is replaced by the pace or an ambling gait. Horses who possess an ambling gait are usually also able to trot. The walk is a four-beat gait that averages about 7 kilometres per hour (4.3 mph). When walking,

2626-437: Is a harness -like device with straps that loop from the chest of the horse to the back of the tail to support a spoon crupper that actually holds the tail itself. A tail set holds the tail up and stretches the muscles and ligaments of the tail, preventing it from gradually sinking down. Once healed, the tail will still retain most of its movement and function, such as swatting flies, but can no longer be clamped down hard against

2727-404: Is a controlled three-beat gait that is usually a bit faster than the average trot but slower than the gallop. The average speed of a canter is 16–27 km/h (10–17 mph), depending on the length of the stride of the horse. Listening to a horse canter, one can usually hear the three beats as though a drum had been struck three times in succession. Then there is a rest, and immediately afterwards

2828-470: Is a two-beat gait that has a wide variation in possible speeds and averages about 13 kilometres per hour (8.1 mph). A very slow trot is sometimes referred to as a jog. An extremely fast trot has no special name, but in harness racing , the trot of a Standardbred is faster than the gallop of the average non- racehorse . The North American speed record for a racing trot under saddle was measured at 48.68 kilometres per hour (30.25 mph) In this gait,

2929-852: Is also governed by breed: some breeds and divisions either prohibit pads altogether or only allow minimal pads. Other breeds, such as the American Saddlebred allow a 1-inch wedge pad, while at the extreme, 4-inch "stacks" are seen on certain Tennessee Walking Horses . In Country Pleasure competition for Saddlebreds and flat shod divisions for Tennessee Walkers, built-up shoes and pads are not allowed, all action must be produced from natural ability. In saddle seat breed competition for Morgans and Arabians, pads and slightly weighted shoes are allowed, but with strictly enforced limits on overall toe length and shoe weight. The exact combination of elevation (knee height) and extension (how far out in front

3030-456: Is an international competition held biannually. It is the highest level of competition for saddle seat equitation riders and is competed in by the national saddle seat equitation teams from many countries around the world. The Saddle Seat Invitationals, held on the off years, are competed in by the Young Rider teams from various countries. Other national saddle seat equitation competitions include

3131-438: Is asked to perform the "big lick", exaggerated action of the front legs, especially in the running walk, where the horse both lifts its feet very high and reaches them out in front as far as possible. Many saddle seat horses also wear certain devices to increase their action while in training. Use of these devices is controversial, though when used correctly, they are said to help develop necessary muscles and should not be used in

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3232-439: Is called a "gallop in hand" or a hand gallop . In complete contrast to the suspended phase of a gallop, when a horse jumps over a fence, the legs are stretched out while in the air, and the front legs hit the ground before the hind legs. Essentially, the horse takes the first two steps of a galloping stride on the take-off side of the fence, and the other two steps on the landing side. A horse has to collect its hindquarters after

3333-428: Is commonly seen in evening equitation championships, and in "park" style riding and Driving classes for American Saddlebreds and Arabians . In a few breed disciplines, though never in equitation, wearing flashy, brocaded coats in a formal class in lieu of a matching suit is occasionally fashionable, usually depending on parallel styles in the world of men's fashions. Under United States Equestrian Federation rules,

3434-506: Is for breeds such as the Friesian where feathers on the fetlocks is a desired, breed specific, trait. The head is also trimmed closely, paying special attention to the jaw, muzzle, ears (including the inside), and eyes. In the saddle seat world, the entire face often is clipped so the hairs are short, especially on a horse with a winter coat, and sometimes the entire horse is bodyclipped for an even finer appearance. The Saddle Seat World Cup

3535-532: Is generally considered to be the most prized gait. The 2020 United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) rule book defines movement for American Saddlebred and Half-American Saddlebred horses to be "clean, rhythmic and fluid action which is straight and true". Saddle seat horses should appear to be energetic and pleasant, while responsive to the exhibitor. In the United States, the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) creates and maintains

3636-436: Is not trimmed or pulled. Tennessee Walking Horses , five-gaited American Saddlebreds , three-gaited pleasure, and park Saddlebreds, and other gaited breeds that adhere closely to their traditions, are usually shown with a full mane and forelock, though the forelock and the first lock of the mane may be braided with satin ribbon, which is color-coordinated with the browband of the bridle and the rider's outfit. (In recent years,

3737-408: Is not used in harness is often taught to perform some form of amble, obtained by lightly unbalancing the horse so the footfalls of the pace break up into a four beat lateral gait that is smoother to ride. A rider cannot properly post to a pacing horse because there is no diagonal gait pattern to follow, though some riders attempt to avoid jostling by rhythmically rising and sitting. Based on studies of

3838-624: Is preferred (and mandatory in most equitation classes) because it allows more fine-tuning of the horse's head and neck position, though a pelham can be used in a few specialized classes such as Saddlebred Pleasure Equitation. A single curb bit is used for gaited horses such as the Tennessee Walker and Missouri Fox Trotter. The shanks of the curb bit are often longer than those found on the Weymouth style double bridle used in dressage , often 7 inches in overall length (some breeds have length limits in

3939-496: Is still a problem for the industry. Correct saddle seat attire differs from that of western or hunt seat disciplines. For both men and women, it is closely modeled on men's business suits and/or the tuxedo , with variations in styling designed to improve the rider's appearance on horseback. Fashion in saddle seat disciplines changes with changes in menswear fashions, reflected in collar styles, shirt and tie designs, and sometimes in length of coat and color of linings . According to

4040-416: Is the main way horses travel quickly from one place to the next. Depending on the horse and its speed, a trot can be difficult for a rider to sit because the body of the horse drops a bit between beats and bounces up again when the next set of legs strike the ground. Each time another diagonal pair of legs hits the ground, the rider can be jolted upwards out of the saddle and meet the horse with some force on

4141-410: Is tightened over time to raise the tail. This method is uncommon since it is more time consuming and yields a "tighter" tail that is physically more difficult to brace. If an upright tail position is desired, a humane brace can be used in the show ring to avoid physically altering the tail. This is a wire attachment that sits on top of the tail to give the appearance of a brace. False hair is used to cover

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4242-472: Is very much like the canter, except that it is faster, more ground-covering, and the three-beat canter changes to a four-beat gait. It is the fastest gait of the horse, averaging about 40 to 48 kilometres per hour (25 to 30 mph), and in the wild is used when the animal needs to flee from predators or simply cover short distances quickly. Horses seldom will gallop more than 1.5 to 3 kilometres (0.9 to 2 mi) before they need to rest, though horses can sustain

4343-472: The Saddlebred . The neck is set on quite high, and the shoulders are uniformly long and powerful. The carriage of the head and the level croup with high-set tail distinguish the harness horses from their riding-type relatives. The longer back, more open loin, and flatter croup enable the hindlegs and forelegs to work independently and with great action. By comparison, the harness horse appears to stand higher off

4444-529: The United States Equestrian Federation , conservative solid colors must be worn, such as black, navy blue, brown, dark green or gray. Pinstriped fabrics and other fabric textures that appear solid at a distance are also acceptable. However, in some classes, it is also legal to wear a "day coat", which is a coat that is of a contrasting color from the rider's trousers. In all classes, riders wear Kentucky jodhpurs (sometime nicknamed "jods"), which are close-fitting pants with knee patches and bell-bottoms that go over

4545-536: The "amble". In the United States, horses that are able to amble are referred to as "gaited". In almost all cases, the primary feature of the ambling gaits is that one of the feet is bearing full weight at any one time, reflected in the colloquial term, "singlefoot". All ambling gaits are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter. They are smoother for a rider than either a trot or a pace, and most can be sustained for relatively long periods, making them particularly desirable for trail riding and other tasks where

4646-477: The "high action" classes, including park, three-gaited, five-gaited, and fine harness competition. Set tails are not allowed in Saddlebred or Tennessee Walking horse pleasure classes or in most flat shod classes, though a horse which has previously been shown with a set tail may be allowed in some classes if its tail has been taken down and allowed to return to its natural position. Other saddle seat breeds, such as

4747-450: The Arabian, Racking Horse and Morgan, prohibit tail-setting altogether. It is important to note that all American Saddlebred horses can compete with a natural, unset, and/or unbraced tail regardless of the division without penalty. The upright set tail shortens the length of the rest of the tail by several inches. Therefore, horses with set tails, particularly if thin or slow-growing, may have

4848-401: The Icelandic horse, it is possible that the pace may be heritable and linked to a single genetic mutation on DMRT3 in the same manner as the lateral ambling gaits. There are a significant number of names for various four-beat intermediate gaits. Though these names derive from differences in footfall patterns and speed, historically they were once grouped together and collectively referred to as

4949-585: The Morgan, Arabian, National Show Horse and others, also sponsor National Championship Saddle Seat Equitation competitions restricted to riders of horses of each particular breed. Crabtree, Helen. Saddle Seat Equitation. DoubleDay; Revised edition, 1982. ISBN   0-385-17217-6 Lampe, Gayle. Riding for success: Both in and out of the showring. Saddle & Bridle, Inc.; Revised edition, 2013 ISBN   096555015X Horse gait Horses can use various gaits (patterns of leg movement) during locomotion across solid ground , either naturally or as

5050-879: The NHS Good Hands Finals and the USEF (US Equestrian Federation) Finals held at the American Royal Horse Show in November. The NHS Good Hands Finals, UPHA Challenge Cup Finals, and USEF Medal Finals are considered the jewels in the Saddle Seat Equitation Triple Crown. This is frequently called the Saddlebred Equitation Triple Crown, which is incorrect as it is open to all breeds. However, usually only Morgan and Saddlebred riders are seen competing. Individual breed associations, such as

5151-737: The Netherlands or KWPN was founded in 1969 and from the beginning featured a distinct studbook for driving horses. Much of the development from heavy carriage horse to fine driving horse was completed within the native horse populations, however the influence of the Hackney stallion Cambridge Cole significantly helped the gene pool. Also influential was the chestnut American Saddlebred stallion, Immigrant ( American Saddlebred Horse Association name Callaway's Mardi Gras), born in 1990. In comparison to his Dutch peers, his gaits were not considered impressive, but he did contribute his good character and dry type to

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5252-495: The United States have a short bridle path (a bridle path less than six inches long or equal in length to the height of the horse's ear is a common rule of thumb ), saddle seat horses often have a bridle path 8 to 12 inches long, depending on current fashion. There are variations in bridle path lengths: Arabian horse exhibitors are particularly prone to shaving extremely long bridle paths, while exhibitors of American Saddlebreds less so, and Morgan horse exhibitors typically fall in

5353-415: The ankle (similar to "paddock boots" sometimes worn in other disciplines), a hat (usually a derby for women and a fedora for men), a vest, tie, and dark gloves. In some breeds, riders have coat linings made in a contrasting color to add extra flash, though colored linings go in and out of style. In equitation classes, in which the rider is judged, the coat and jods must match. In performance classes, in which

5454-402: The boots, usually with a strap that goes under the boot to keep them from riding up. A long, fitted coat is also required. For men, the coat length usually stops just above the knee. For women, depending on height, the coat may be below the knee, though exact length varies from year to year as show ring fashions change. The outfit is complete with the addition of jodhpur boots that come just over

5555-478: The breed is healthy, sound, and long-lived. The primary concern facing the breed is inbreeding , due to the small size of the gene pool. Saddle seat Saddle seat is a style of horse riding within the category of English riding that is designed to show off the high action of certain horse breeds . The style developed into its modern form in the United States, and is also seen in Canada and South Africa. To

5656-478: The breed, some devices may be used in the warm-up area but not the show ring, while other breeds ban them from the show grounds entirely. The most controversial practice used on some saddle seat horses, primarily the Tennessee Walking Horse , is soring: the placing of a caustic ointment on the coronary band and pastern of the horse, to cause pain so that the horse picks up its feet as quickly as they touch

5757-408: The buttocks. In the show ring, the tailsetting harness is removed, but the tail is often tied or put into a tail brace to hold it in place. It is possible to achieve the same look without the horse having to go through the nicking procedure. It is possibly to stretch the tail muscles by hand on a regular basis by pulling the tail up over the back. In conjunction with this, a tail set is also used that

5858-407: The colors black , brown, bay and chestnut are most common, there are greys , true roans , and creme dilutes . Tuigpaarden are often very well-marked, and many have extensive sabino or rabicano markings. There are even some tobianos , though they are rare. The expressive head is made up of straight lines and distinctly warmblood in type. It is usually narrow, long and quite dry, similar to

5959-480: The correct lead provides the horse with better balance. The rider typically signals the horse which lead to take when moving from a slower gait into the canter. In addition, when jumping over fences, the rider typically signals the horse to land on the correct lead to approach the next fence or turn. The rider can also request the horse to deliberately take up the wrong lead (counter-canter), a move required in some dressage competitions and routine in polo , which requires

6060-455: The counter-canter, it is desirable for a horse to lead with its inside legs when on a circle. Therefore, a horse that begins cantering with the right hind leg as described above will have the left front and hind legs each land farther forward. This would be referred to as being on the "left lead". When a rider is added to the horse's natural balance, the question of the lead becomes more important. When riding in an enclosed area such as an arena,

6161-446: The first documented example of high-speed photography and they clearly show the horse airborne. According to Equix , who analyzed the biometrics of racing Thoroughbreds, the average racing colt has a stride length of 24.6 feet (7.5 m); that of Secretariat , for instance, was 24.8 feet (7.6 m), which was probably part of his success. A controlled gallop used to show a horse's ground-covering stride in horse show competition

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6262-444: The following criteria: Saddle seat riders use a special saddle not seen in other English riding disciplines. These saddles have a cut-back pommel, which is set back several inches (usually four) to allow for the higher withers and neck set of the horse. The saddle has little padding, a very flat seat, and is placed further back on the horse to allow the extravagant front end movement of the horse. This saddle also deliberately places

6363-629: The fourth beat. Contrary to the old "classic" paintings of running horses, which showed all four legs stretched out in the suspension phase, when the legs are stretched out, at least one foot is still in contact with the ground. When all four feet are off the ground in the suspension phase of the gallop, the legs are bent rather than extended. In 1877, Leland Stanford settled an argument about whether racehorses were ever fully airborne: he paid photographer Eadweard Muybridge to prove it photographically. The resulting photos, known as The Horse in Motion , are

6464-410: The gaits, extended gaits, and sometimes for any specialized gaits. Any of the breeds used for saddle seat competition may also be shown in driving classes in harness , usually called " fine harness " or " pleasure driving ", usually requiring a walk and two speeds of trot. Rules for horse grooming and handler attire parallel saddle seat rules. In any competition, classes may be broken down by any of

6565-667: The gene pool. Other Hackneys to cover Dutch Harness Horse mares were Marfleet Raffles and his son Grants Hornet, and Brook Acres Silversul. Currently the Hackney Horse stallions GTF Maker's Mark and Plain's Liberator are approved for use in Dutch Harness Horse breeding. A palomino American Saddlebred stallion, originally named Denmark's Golden Playboy, stood in the Netherlands as Holland's Golden Boy. While most Tuigpaarden are shown in special fine harness competitions, they have also made their mark in combined driving . Several of

6666-473: The ground). It then lifts its right hind leg (while being supported by the diagonal pair right front and left hind). Next, the left front foot touches the ground (the horse is now supported by all but the right hind leg); then the horse lifts its right front leg (it is now supported laterally on both left legs), and shortly afterwards it sets down the right hind leg (only the right front leg is now lifted). Then it lifts its left hind leg (diagonal support), puts down

6767-416: The ground. Strict selection procedures mean that the Dutch Harness Horse is reasonably uniform in type and motion, and also means that the gait qualities of the horses are inherent. As the show horses are not asked to canter in harness, this gait receives less attention. The walk is diligent, but the trot is the true show gait. The forelegs are typically longer than the hindlegs - by design - and as such

6868-632: The ground. Because of the pain it causes to animals, soring has been banned by federal law, enforced by the United States Department of Agriculture as part of the Horse Protection Act of 1970 . However, enforcement is spotty amongst show-sanctioning organizations, and funds are not sufficient for the USDA to inspect all horse shows. Therefore, even though the practice is widely condemned and illegal, with possible criminal penalties possible, it

6969-471: The hoof, shoes on high-action breeds are often held in place with a metal band, as well as with clinches, because of their weight. Longer toes and heavier shoes encourage a saddle seat horse to lift its feet and knees higher, or reach them out farther, with more "snap" and flash. Toe length and shoe weight therefore is an often controversial issue among saddle seat competitors. Toe length and, at times, shoe weight, are often measured at sanctioned shows. Pad height

7070-412: The horse is judged, a matching equitation-style suit is appropriate, or riders, particularly women, may wear a day coat. Riders usually carry a longish whip, usually black, that is similar to that used by dressage riders. English-style spurs are optional. Technically a white-handled whip is only carried after 6:00 pm, but that particular tradition is widely ignored. After 6:00 p.m., some classes allow

7171-433: The horse moves its legs in unison in diagonal pairs. From the standpoint of the balance of the horse, this is a very stable gait, and the horse need not make major balancing motions with its head and neck. The trot is the working gait for a horse. Horses can only canter and gallop for short periods at a time, after which they need time to rest and recover. Horses in good condition can maintain a working trot for hours. The trot

7272-491: The horse reaches with its feet) is determined to some extent by breed and fashion. However, for the health of the horse, specialized shoeing should not change the hoof angle to any significant degree, as more than a 3 degree alteration may lead to lameness. The balance of the shoe can alter action: The three-gaited American Saddlebred and the Hackney Horse have the highest knee action, while the Tennessee Walking Horse

7373-507: The horse will "sink" in the back and rise in the front. This quality is responsible for the powerful, active hind end and the great freedom in the forehand. These horses usually have a metronomic trot and ample suspension. In comparison to the riding horse type , the Tuigpaarden are more hot and sensitive to the energy of a crowd. However, with the control of the stallion inspections , bad-tempered horses or those with poor constitutions are at

7474-411: The horse's hips as each hind leg reaches forward. The fastest "walks" with a four-beat footfall pattern are actually the lateral forms of ambling gaits such as the running walk, singlefoot, and similar rapid but smooth intermediate speed gaits. If a horse begins to speed up and lose a regular four-beat cadence to its gait, the horse is no longer walking but is beginning to either trot or pace. The trot

7575-792: The horse. Horse breeds usually shown saddle seat style typically have upright necks and free-moving, animated gaits. Several breeds do well in this discipline, with the most well-known being the American Saddlebred . Other breeds commonly exhibited in saddle seat style include Arabians , Morgans , Tennessee Walking Horses , and assorted partbred or crossbreds derived from these breeds, such as Spotted Saddle Horses , National Show Horses , and Racking Horse . In addition, Hackneys , Dutch Harness Horses , Paso Finos , Missouri Foxtrotters , and Rocky Mountain Horses are sometimes shown in this discipline. Less often, Friesians and Andalusians are exhibited. The trot or gait for applicable breeds and divisions

7676-413: The lines of the neck and head. For all other breeds, only part of the mane is trimmed. This area, called the bridle path (the area of the mane just behind the horse's ears, where the bridle lies across the top of the horse's head), is often trimmed farther down the neck than in other disciplines in order to show off the clean throatlatch, length, and elegance of the horse's neck. While most show horses in

7777-597: The middle. The tail is left long, and often the bottom of it is kept wrapped up at the stable so that it grows long enough to skim or even drag on the ground as the horse moves, and only taken down for show. Formerly, the upper portion of a three-gaited horse's tail was shaved to balance the look of the roached mane and remains legal for show, but in recent decades the trend has been to keep a normal tail. Classes for three-gaited horses with full manes and tails are also offered. The American Saddlebred and Tennessee Walking Horse are shown with an artificially positioned tail in

7878-439: The next beat the horse catches itself on the left hind and right front legs while the other hind leg is still momentarily on the ground. On the third beat, the horse catches itself on the left front leg while the diagonal pair is momentarily still in contact with the ground. The more extended foreleg is matched by a slightly more extended hind leg on the same side. This is referred to as a " lead ". Except in special cases, such as

7979-453: The position of the rider reflects the desired position of the horse. The rider must make the riding look effortless, and stay still and well-formed on the horse, sitting upright, with shoulders back and posting that is graceful and quiet. In saddle seat, high-stepping gaits are required of the horses shown, and the rider's position, behind the center of balance of the animal, allows the riding aids to be used to encourage front leg action in

8080-405: The rider slightly "behind the motion", which makes it easier to influence both the headset of the horse and the animal's gaits. Due to the cutback pommel, these saddles are usually a few inches longer than other English saddles. Even a properly balanced saddle seat saddle is quite flat and places the rider farther back on the horse in a position that feels less secure. However, good riders that ride

8181-473: The right front (lateral support), lifts the left front, puts down the left hind, and the pattern repeats. Ideally, the advancing rear hoof oversteps the spot where the previously advancing front hoof touched the ground. The more the rear hoof oversteps, the smoother and more comfortable the walk becomes. Individual horses and different breeds vary in the smoothness of their walk. However, a rider will almost always feel some degree of gentle side-to-side motion in

8282-520: The rules for most breeds shown in saddle seat competition. Classes under saddle may include: Class terminology varies between breeds. For example, Saddlebreds may be shown in "English Show Pleasure" or "English Country Pleasure". Morgans have Park, English Pleasure , and "Classic" Pleasure classes. Arabians have Park, English Pleasure , and "Country" Pleasure classes. Tennessee Walkers exhibit in three categories: Flat shod, Plantation Pleasure, and Performance. Each class may ask for different variations of

8383-492: The rules). The browband is commonly brightly colored leather or vinyl, red being the most common color. The cavesson is sometimes plain leather, and sometimes colored to match the browband, depending on breed and fashion trends in tack. Junior classes, limited to horses under four or five years old, may allow horses to wear a snaffle bit . The use of martingales with snaffle bits in the show ring varies by breed, but setups for junior horses and other horses in training may include

8484-416: The saddle seat horse is intended to emphasise elegance and grace. There are noticeable variations in grooming style between breeds, and sometimes within different disciplines of the same breed. Therefore, it is often quite easy even for newcomers to tell which breed is being shown by the observing the way the horses are groomed. Horses shown saddle seat generally are left with a very long, flowing mane that

8585-401: The second stage of the canter becomes, in the gallop, the second and third stages because the inside hind foot hits the ground a split second before the outside front foot. Then both gaits end with the striking off of the leading leg, followed by a moment of suspension when all four feet are off the ground. A careful listener or observer can tell an extended canter from a gallop by the presence of

8686-471: The shoes must be within a certain width and thickness and no pads are allowed. This insures that the breed is sound and able to trot so spectacularly on its own accord, not because of special shoeing. Of late, Dutch Harness Horses have been crossbred with Arabians in the United States to produce a more powerful horse for half-Arabian Saddle seat -style English pleasure , fine harness and "park" classes. Prior to licensing, Tuigpaard stallions must undergo

8787-405: The south which were taller, leggier, and usually chestnut. They were elegant, though heavy, carriage horses which could work on the farm too. Naturally, horse owners felt competitive about whose horse or horses were the finest and most showy. This was not forgotten when mechanization made agricultural horses obsolete and the driving horses needed a new occupation. The Royal Warmblood Horse Studbook of

8888-455: The teams at the 2006 FEI World Equestrian Games were Dutch Harness Horses. A few have distinguished themselves in sport, rather than show, though they are the exception. Some of the successful sport Dutch Harness Horses include Constance Menard 's Lianca and Anneke Muilwijk's Atuur, both of which compete in dressage . The Dutch Harness Horse is unique from other high stepping trotting breeds in that it has strict shoeing rules for competition,

8989-416: The three-beat occurs again. The faster the horse is moving, the longer the suspension time between the three beats. The word is thought to be short for "Canterbury gallop". In the canter, one of the horse's rear legs – the right hind leg, for example – propels the horse forward. During this beat, the horse is supported only on that single leg while the remaining three legs are moving forward. On

9090-409: The trend amongst Saddlebred exhibitors is to clip off the forelock.) On the other hand, Arabian and Morgan horses show with a full mane and tail with no additions; exhibitors are specifically prohibited from braiding or adding ribbons to their horses. American Saddlebreds shown specifically in three-gaited competition are shown with a roached (entirely clipped off) mane and forelock, to accentuate

9191-478: The trot are specially trained in advanced dressage horses: the piaffe and the passage . The piaffe is essentially created by asking the horse to trot in place, with very little forward motion. The passage is an exaggerated slow motion trot. Both require tremendous collection, careful training and considerable physical conditioning for a horse to perform. The canter, or Lope as it is known in Western circles of riding,

9292-418: The trot is such a safe and efficient gait for a horse, learning to ride the trot correctly is an important component in almost all equestrian disciplines. Nonetheless, "gaited" or "ambling" horses that possess smooth four-beat intermediate gaits that replace or supplement the trot (see " ambling gaits " below) are popular with riders who prefer for various reasons not to have to ride at a trot. Two variations of

9393-408: The trot. Most riders can easily learn to sit a slow jog trot without bouncing. A skilled rider can ride even a powerfully extended trot without bouncing, but to do so requires well-conditioned back and abdominal muscles, and to do so for long periods is tiring for even experienced riders. A fast, uncollected, racing trot, such as that of the harness racing horse, is virtually impossible to sit. Because

9494-482: The underside of the dock are partially cut (the tail is not broken, as some people believe). The USEF permits, in American Saddlebred and Half American Saddlebred horses "surgical release of only the ventral sacrocaudal muscle is allowable if performed by a licensed veterinarian ". The tail is then placed into a tail set so that when the muscles and ligaments heal they are longer than they were initially. A tail set

9595-408: The use of a running martingale , a German martingale, or draw reins . These tools are commonly used in training. High action is prized in the saddle seat horse. Therefore, many horses used in saddle seat are allowed to grow longer feet than in other disciplines and are shod with pads and special shoes. While ordinary horseshoes are usually held on with horseshoe nails clinched on the outside wall of

9696-452: The very least identified, if not culled outright. A dangerous stallion would never obtain breeding permission in the first place, and so the breed is reactive and courageous, but pleasant and kind. Branding is now illegal in the Netherlands, so the lion-rampant brand of the KWPN appears on the left thigh of only older horses. Today, KWPN horses are microchipped instead. The letter which begins

9797-400: The walk, six forms of the trot, five leaping gaits (all forms of the canter ), halt, and rein back , but not the gallop. The British Horse Society equitation examinations also require proficiency in the gallop as distinct from the canter. The so-called "natural" gaits, in increasing order of speed, are the walk, trot, canter, and gallop. Some consider these as three gaits, with the canter

9898-472: The way back down. Therefore, at most speeds above a jog, especially in English riding disciplines, most riders post to the trot, rising up and down in rhythm with the horse to avoid being jolted. Posting is easy on the horse's back and once mastered is also easy on the rider. To not be jostled out of the saddle and to not harm the horse by bouncing on its back, riders must learn specific skills in order to "sit"

9999-401: The wire attachment. Humane braces are uncommon since they are difficult to stabilize on the tail, especially in riding horses. Set tails require much effort on the part of the groom. If the tail set shifts off center, the tail can become permanently crooked or skin damage can occur. If the set tail is not taken care of appropriately, even a nicked tail will drop down to a more normal position in

10100-431: Was one way breeders would promote their horses. Saddle seat is a style of English riding that differs considerably from other styles such as hunt seat and dressage . To the casual observer the rider sits well back in the saddle, carrying his or her hands higher than in other disciplines. Riders in equitation classes are penalized for leaning forward to any significant degree. However, like any other riding discipline,

10201-508: Was the Plantation tradition of the American South , where smooth-moving, high-stepping horses were used by plantation owners and overseers to travel across the fields. The horses had to be smooth riding and comfortable enough for hours of riding while overseeing the plantation, but the owners also preferred an impressive, high-stepping horse for riding in town. A second influence was European:

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