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JUNE 2006 • VOLUME 10 • ©HORSES For LIFE™ Magazine
The FEI - Fulfilling its own commitment?
"The FEI instituted an international dressage event in 1929 in order to preserve the equestrian art from the abuses to which it can be exposed and to preserve it in purity of its principles, so that it could be handed on intact to generations of riders to come." (article 419)
Fédération Equestre Internationale
FEI Dressage Objective
Article 401 Object and General Principles
| | 1. The object of Dressage is the harmonious development of the physique and ability of the horse. As a result it makes the horse calm, supple, loose and flexible, but also confident, attentive and keen, thus achieving perfect understanding with his rider.
2. These qualities are revealed by:
2.1. The freedom and regularity of the paces
2.2. The harmony, lightness and ease of the movements
2.3. The lightness of the forehand and the engagement of the hind quarters, originating in a lively impulsion
2.4. The acceptance of the bridle, with submissiveness throughout and without any tenseness or resistance
3. The horse thus gives the impression of doing of his own accord what is required of him. Confident and attentive, he submits generously to the control of his rider, remaining absolutely straight in any movement on a straight line and bending accordingly when moving on curved lines.
4. His walk is regular, free and unconstrained. His trot is free, supple, regular, sustained and active. His canter is united, light and cadenced. His quarters are never inactive or sluggish. He responds to the slightest indication of the rider and thereby gives life and spirit to all the rest of his body.
5. By virtue of a lively impulsion and the suppleness of his joints, free from the paralysing effects of resistance, the horse obeys willingly and without hesitation and responds to the various aids calmly and with precision, displaying a natural and harmonious balance both physically and mentally.
6. In all his work, even at the halt, the horse must be "on the bit". A horse is said to be "on the bit" when the neck is more or less raised and arched according to the stage of training and the extension or collection of the pace, and he accepts the bridle with a light and soft contact and submissiveness throughout. The head should remain in a steady position, as a rule slightly in front of the vertical, with a supple poll as the highest point of the neck, and no resistance should be offered to the rider.
7. Cadence is shown in trot and is the result of the proper harmony that a horse shows when it moves with well marked regularity, impulsion and balance.
Cadence must be maintained in all the different trot exercises and in all the variations of trot. 8. The rhythm that a horse maintains in all his paces is fundamental to Dressage.
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Fédération Equestre Internationale
Lateral Movements FEI
Article 412 The Lateral Movements
| | 1. The additional aim of lateral movements is to develop and increase the engagement of the quarters and thereby also the collection.
2. In all lateral movements - shoulder-in, travers, renvers, halfpass -the horse is slightly bent and moves with the forehand and the quarters on two different tracks (see fig. page 23 and 24).
3. The bend or flexion must never be exaggerated so that it impairs the balance and fluency of the movement concerned.
4. At the lateral movements the pace should remain free and regular, maintained by a constant impulsion, yet it must be supple, cadenced and balanced. The impulsion is often lost, because of the rider's preoccupation mainly in bending the horse and pushing him sideways.
5. At all lateral movements the side to which the horse should be bent is the inside. The opposite side is the outside.
6. Shoulder-in. The horse is slightly bent round the inside leg of the rider. The horse's inside foreleg passes and crosses in front of the outside leg; the inside hind leg is placed in front of the outside leg. The horse is looking away from the direction in which he is moving. Shoulder-in, if performed in the right way, with the horse slightly bent round the inside leg of the rider, and on the correct tracking, is not only a suppling movement but also a collecting movement, because the horse at every step must move his inside hind leg underneath his body and place it in front of the outside, with a lowering of his inside hip (see fig. 1).
7. Travers. The horse is slightly bent round the inside leg of the rider. The horse's outside legs pass and cross in front of the inside legs. The horse is looking in the direction in which he is moving (see fig. 2).
8. Renvers. This is the inverse movement in relation to travers, with the tail instead of the head to the wall. Otherwise the same principles and conditions are applicable as at the travers (see fig. 3).
9. Half-pass. This is a variation of travers, executed "on the diagonal" instead of "along the wall". The horse should be slightly bent round the inside leg of the rider in order to give more freedom and mobility to the shoulders, thus adding ease and grace to the movement, although the forehand should be slightly in advance of the quarters. The outside legs pass and cross in front of the inside legs. The horse is looking in the direction in which he is moving. He should maintain the same cadence and balance throughout the whole movement. In order to give more freedom and mobility to the shoulders, which adds to the ease and grace of the movement, it is of great importance, not only that the horse is correctly bent and thereby prevented from protruding his inside shoulder, but also to maintain the impulsion, especially the engagement of the inside hind leg (see fig. 4).
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Fédération Equestre Internationale
Walk FEI
Article 403 The Walk
| | 1. The walk is a marching pace in which the footfalls of the horse's feet follow one another in "four time", well marked and maintained in all work at the walk.
2. When the foreleg and the hindleg on the same side move almost on the same beat, the walk tends to become an almost lateral movement. This irregularity, which might become an ambling movement, is a serious deterioration of the pace.
3. It is at the pace of walk that the imperfections of dressage are most evident. This is also the reason why a horse should not be asked to on the bit" at the early stages of his training. A too precipitated collection will not only spoil the collected walk, but the medium and the extended walk as well.
4. The following walks are recognised: Collected walk, Medium walk, Extended walk and Free walk.
4.1. Collected walk. The horse, remaining "on the bit", moves resolutely forward, with his neck raised and arched and showing a clear self carriage. The head approaches the vertical position, the light contact with the mouth being maintained. The hindlegs are engaged with good hock action. The pace should remain marching and vigorous, the feet being placed in regular sequence. Each step covers less ground and is higher than at the medium walk, because all the joints bend more markedly. In order not to become hurried or irregular, the collected walk is shorter than the medium walk, although showing greater activity.
4.2. Medium walk. A clear, regular and unconstrained walk of moderate lengthening. The horse, remaining "on the bit", walks energetically but calmly, with even and determined steps, the hind feet touching the ground in front of the footprints of the fore feet. The rider maintains a light, soft and steady contact with the mouth.
4.3. Extended walk. The horse covers as much ground as possible, without haste and without losing the regularity of his steps, the hind feet touching the ground clearly in front of the footprints of the forefeet. The rider allows the horse to stretch out his head and neck without, however, losing contact with the mouth.
4.4. Free walk. The free walk is a pace of relaxation in which the horse is allowed complete freedom to lower and stretch out his head and neck.
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Fédération Equestre Internationale
Trot FEI
Article 404 The trot
| | 1. The trot is a pace of "two time" on alternate diagonal legs (left fore and right hind leg and vice versa) separated by a moment of suspension.
2. The trot, always with free, active and regular steps, should be moved into without hesitation.
3. The quality of the trot is judged by the general impression, the regularity and elasticity of the steps - originating from a supple back and well engaged hind quarters - and by the ability of maintaining the same rhythm and natural balance, even after a transition from one trot to another.
4. The following trots are recognised: Collected trot, Working trot, Medium trot and Extended trot.
4.1. Collected trot. The horse, remaining "on the bit", moves forward with his neck raised and arched. The hocks, being well engaged, maintain an energetic impulsion, thus enabling the shoulders to move with greater ease in any direction. The horse's steps are shorter than in the other trots, but he is lighter and more mobile.
4.2. Working trot. This is a pace between the collected and the medium trot, in which a horse, not yet trained and ready for collected movements, shows himself properly balanced and, remaining "on the bit", goes forward with even, elastic steps and good hock action. The _expression "good hock action" does not mean that collection is a required quality of working trot. It only underlines the importance of an impulsion originating from the activity of the hind quarters.
4.3. Medium trot. This is a pace between the working and the extended trot, but more "round" than the latter. The horse goes forward with clear and moderately lengthened steps and with obvious impulsion from the hind quarters, always keeping the same character as in the working trot. The rider allows the horse, remaining "on the bit", to carry his head a little more in front of the vertical than at the collected and the working trot, and allows him at the same time to lower his head and neck slightly. The steps should be even, and the whole movement balanced and unconstrained.
4.4. Extended trot. The horse covers as much ground as possible. Maintaining the same cadence, he lengthens his steps to the utmost as a result of great impulsion from the hind quarters. The rider allows the horse, remaining "on the bit", without leaning on it, to lengthen his frame and to gain ground. The fore feet should touch the ground on the spot towards which they are pointing. The movement of the fore and hind legs should be similar (parallel) in the forward moment of the extension. The whole movement should be well balanced and the transition to collected trot should be smoothly executed by taking more weight on the hind quarters.
5.All trot-work is executed "sitting", unless otherwise indicated in the test concerned.
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Fédération Equestre Internationale
FEI Canter
Article 405 The Canter
| | 1. The canter is a pace of "three time", where at canter to the right, for instance, the footfalls follow one another as follows: left hind, left diagonal (simultaneously left fore and right hind), right fore, followed by a moment of suspension with all four feet in the air before the next stride begins.
2. The canter, always with light, cadenced and regular strides, should be moved into without hesitation.
3. The quality of the canter is judged by the general impression, the regularity and lightness of the three time pace - originating from the acceptance of the bridle with a supple poll and in the engagement of the hindquarters with an active hock action - and by the ability of maintaining the same rhythm and a natural balance, even after a transition from one canter to another. The horse should always remain straight on straight lines.
4. The following canters are recognised: Collected canter, Working canter, Medium canter and Extended canter.
4.1. Collected canter. The horse, remaining "on the bit", moves forward with his neck raised and arched. The collected canter is marked by the lightness of the forehand and the engagement of the hind quarters: i.e. is characterised by supple, free and mobile shoulders and very active quarters. The horse's strides are shorter than at the other canters, but he is lighter and more mobile.
4.2. Working canter. This is a pace between the collected and the medium canter, in which a horse, not yet trained and ready for collected movements, shows himself properly balanced and, remaining "on the bit", goes forward with even, light and cadenced strides and good hock action. The _expression "good hock action" does not mean that collection is a required quality of working canter. It only underlines the importance of an impulsion originating from the activity of the hind quarters.
4.3. Medium canter. This is a pace between the working and the extended canter. The horse goes forward with free, balanced and moderately extended strides and an obvious impulsion from the hind quarters. The rider allows the horse, remaining "on the bit",to carry his head a little more in front of the vertical than at the collected and working canter, and allows him at the same time to lower his head and neck slightly. The strides should be long and as even as possible, and the whole movement balanced and unconstrained.
4.4. Extended canter. The horse covers as much ground as possible. Maintaining the same rhythm, he lengthens his strides to the utmost, without losing any of his calmness and lightness, as a result of great impulsion from the hind quarters. The rider allows the horse, remaining "on the bit", without leaning on it, to lower and extend his head and neck, the tip of his nose pointing more or less forward.
4.5. The cadence in the transitions from medium canter as well as from extended canter to collected canter should be maintained.
5. Counter-Canter This is a movement where the rider, for instance on a circle to the left, deliberately makes his horse canter with the right canter lead (with the right fore leading). The counter-canter is a balancing movement. The horse maintains his natural flexion at the poll to the outside of the circle, and the horse is positioned to the side of the leading leg. His conformation does not permit his spine to be bent to the line of the circle. The rider, avoiding any contortion causing contraction and disorder, should especially endeavor to limit the deviation of the quarters to the outside of the circle, and restrict his demands according to the degree of suppleness of the horse.
6. Simple change of the leg at canter This is a change of leg where the horse is brought back immediately into walk and, after three to five steps, is restarted immediately into a canter with the other leg leading.
7. Flying change of leg or change of leg in the air This change of leg is executed in close connection with the suspension which follows each stride of the canter. Flying changes of leg can also be executed in series, for instance at every 4th, 3rd, 2nd or at every stride. The horse, even in the series, remains light, calm and straight with lively impulsion, maintaining the same rhythm and balance throughout the series concerned. In order not to restrict or restrain the lightness and fluency of the flying changes of leg in series, the degree of collection should be slightly less than otherwise at collected canter.
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Fédération Equestre Internationale
Passage FEI
Article 414 The Passage
| | 1. This is a measured, very collected, very elevated and very cadenced trot. It is characterised by a pronounced engagement of the quarters, a more accentuated flexion of the knees and hocks, and the graceful elasticity of the movement. Each diagonal pair of feet is raised and returned to the ground alternately, with cadence and a prolonged suspension.
2. In principle, the height of the toe of the raised foreleg should be level with the middle of the cannon bone of the other foreleg. The toe of the raised hind leg should be slightly above the fetlock joint of the other hind leg.
3. The neck should be raised and gracefully arched with the poll as the highest point and the head close to the vertical. The horse should remain light and soft "on the bit" and be able to go smoothly from the passage to the piaffe and vice-versa, without apparent effort and without altering the cadence, the impulsion being always lively and pronounced.
4. Irregular steps with the hind legs, swinging the forehand or the quarters from one side to the other as well as jerky movements of the forelegs or the hind legs or dragging the hind legs are serious faults.
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Fédération Equestre Internationale
Piaffe FEI
Article 415 The Piaffe
| | 1. The piaffe is a highly collected, cadenced, elevated diagonal movement giving the impression of being in place. The horse's back is supple and elastic. The quarters are slightly lowered, the haunches with active hocks are well engaged, giving great freedom, lightness and mobility to the shoulders and forehand. Each diagonal pair of feet is raised and returned to the ground alternately, with an even cadence.
2. In principle, the height of the toe of the raised foreleg should be level with the middle of the cannon bone of the other foreleg. The toe of the raised hind leg should reach just above the fetlock joint of the other hind leg.
3. The neck should be raised and arched, the head vertical. The horse should remain light "on the bit" with a supple poll, maintaining a light and soft contact on a taut rein. The body of the horse should move up and down in a supple, cadenced and harmonious movement.
4. The piaffe must always be animated by a lively impulsion and characterised by a perfect balance. While giving the impression of being in place there may be a visible inclination to advance, this being displayed by the horse's eager acceptance to move forward as soon as he is asked.
5. Moving even slightly backwards, irregular steps with the hind legs, crossing either the fore - or hind legs or swinging either the forehand or the quarters from one side to the other are serious faults. A movement with hurried and unlevel or irregular steps without cadence, or spring cannot be called a true piaffe.
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Fédération Equestre Internationale
FEI Rein Back
Article 406 The rein back
| | 1. The rein back is an equilateral, retrograde movement in which the feet are raised and set down by diagonal pairs. The feet should be well raised and the hind feet remain well in line.
2. At the preceding halt as well as during the rein back the horse, although standing motionless and moving backwards respectively, should remain "on the bit", maintaining his desire to move forward.
3. Anticipation or precipitation of the movement, resistance to or evasion of the hand, deviation of the quarters from the straight line, spreading or inactive hind legs and dragging fore feet are serious faults.
4. If in a dressage test a trot or canter is required after a rein back, the horse should move off immediately into this pace, without a halt or an intermediate step.
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Fédération Equestre Internationale
Collection FEI
Article 416 The Collection
| | 1. The aim of the collection of the horse is:
1.1. To further develop and improve the balance and equilibrium of the horse, which has been more or less displaced by the additional weight of the rider.
1.2. To develop and increase the horse's ability to lower and engage his quarters for the benefit of the lightness and mobility of his forehand.
1.3. To add to the "ease and carriage" of the horse and to make him more pleasurable to ride.
2. The best means to obtain these aims are the lateral movements, travers, renvers and, last but not least, shoulder in as well as half-halts .
3. Collection is, in other words, improved and effected by engaging the hind legs, with the joints bent and supple, forward under the horse's body by a temporary but often repeated action of the seat and legs of the rider, driving the horse forward towards a more or less stationary or restraining hand, allowing just enough impulsion to pass through. Collection is consequently not achieved by shortening of the pace through a resisting action of the hand, but instead by using the seat and legs to engage the hind legs further under the horse's body.
4. However, the hind legs should not be engaged too far forward under the horse, as this would shorten the base of support too much, and thereby impede the movement. In such a case, the line of the back would be lengthened and raised in relation to the supporting base of the legs, the stability would be impaired and the horse would have difficulty in finding a harmonious and correct balance.
5. On the other hand, a horse with a too long base of support, unable or unwilling to engage his hind legs forward under his body, will never achieve an acceptable collection, characterised by "ease and carriage" as well as a lively impulsion, originated in the activity of the quarters.
6. The position of the head and neck of a horse at the collected paces is naturally dependent on the stage of training and, in some degree, on his conformation. It should, however, be distinguished by the neck being raised unrestrained, forming a harmonious curve from the withers to the poll, being the highest point, with the head slightly in front of the vertical. However, at the moment the rider applies his aids in order to obtain a momentary and passing collecting effect, the head may become more or less vertical (compare Articles 401.6, 402.1 and 408).
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Fédération Equestre Internationale
Submission/Impulsion FEI
Article 417 The submission / The impulsion
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1. Submission does not mean a subordination, but an obedience revealing its presence by a constant attention, willingness and confidence in the whole behaviour of the horse as well as by the harmony, lightness and ease he is displaying in the execution of the different movements. The degree of submission is also manifested by the way the horse accepts the bridle, with a light and soft contact and a supple poll, or with resistance to or evasion of the rider's hand, being either "above the bit" or "behind the bit" respectively.
2. Putting out the tongue, keeping it above the bit or drawing it up altogether, as well as grinding the teeth and swishing the tail are mostly signs of nervousness, tenseness or resistance on the part of the horse and must be taken into account by the judges in their marks for the movement concerned as well as in the collective mark for "submission" (No. 3).
3. Impulsion is the term used to describe the transmission of an eager and energetic, yet controlled, propulsive energy generated from the hind quarters into the athletic movement of the horse. Its ultimate _expression can be shown only through the horse's soft and swinging back to be guided by a gentle contact with the rider's hand.
4. Speed, of itself, has little to do with impulsion; the result is more often a flattening of the paces. A visible characteristic is a more pronounced articulation of the hind leg, in a continuous rather than staccato action. The hock, as the hind foot leaves the ground, should first move forward rather than being pulled upwards, but certainly not backwards. A prime ingredient of impulsion is the time the horse spends in the air rather than on the ground; in other words, an added _expression within the paces, always provided that there is a clear distinction between the collected trot and the Passage. Impulsion is, therefore, seen only in those paces that have a period of suspension.
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June 2006 • Volume 10
HORSES FOR LIFE™
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