What Are the Different Types of Showing for a Horse?
I have only been to a few horse shows, but the ones I go to I show in English Pleasure and Equitation. If someone asked me what type of showing I did how would I answer?
Because today a girl got asked if she shows her horse. And she said yes. And the lady said do you do dressage or jumping? and she said jumping. So i got a little confused if the rest is called dressage or if it is just English Pleasure and Equitation.
Thanks for all the help!!
Dressage is a specific English discipline that is judged on how well the rider and horse work together. The rider’s cues should be very subtle and the horse should perform "effortlessly".
English Pleasure and Equitation is also an English flat class, but they are not considered dressage. Dressage involves more complex manuevers such as sidepassing, collected and extended trots, etc. Most local shows will have English Pleasure and Equitation classes.
English pleasure is judged on how well the horse performs the basic gaits (walk, trot, canter). English Equitation is judged on how well the rider rides and controls the horse.
Overall, no, English pleasure and equitation are not considered dressage. Apparently, the lady was assuming that the girl rode one of those two disciplines. If someone were to ask you what kind of riding you would do, it would be correct to say English Pleasure, or just English.