1. Judging Hunter Under Saddle

2. Hunter Under Saddle A popular show event Used to be called
Bridle Path Hack
English Pleasure
Similar to Western Pleasure ONLY in that the horses should be a pleasure to ride

3. Hunter Under Saddle SUITABLE to purpose
follow hounds cross country
Preliminary class for English riding disciplines

4. Hunter Under Saddle Contestants compete simultaneously
Travel around the perimeter of the arena
Walk, trot and canter
Both directions of the arena.
Change in termiology of gaits
E:\JUDGING THE PERFORMANCE HORSE.PPT

5. Criteria used to evaluate performance horses
Functional correctness
Quality of movement
Attitude and Manners
Head set and Head carriage

6. Functional correctness
Follows the rules!
Horse picks up and maintains proper gait
Each gait is correct and true
Proper upward and downward transitions
Maintaining a proper rate of speed
Soundness
Collection: the horse's frame is shortened and rounded with the hindquarters clearly coming up under the horse body
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7. Quality of Movement
Gaits must be performed with proper cadence and balance
Softness
Horse maintains a level top line
Horse maintains a collected frame

8. Attitude and Manners
Ask the question: Which horse is the steadiest, brokest, most consistent horse in the class?
Attitude and temperament
Prompt response with no resistance

9. Head set and Head carriage
Must be in front of the vertical
Must be level with the withers

10. A good hunter… Long, low strides reaches forward smoothly lengthens
relaxed, free-flowing movement
correctness in gaits
cadence

11. A good hunter… obedient bright expression alert ears
responsive to light hand/leg contact

12. A good hunter… responsive and smooth in transitions
extend in same flowing motion
poll level with or slightly above withers
face slightly in front of or on the vertical

13. Terminology: the Walk Natural, flat footed, four beat gait
Moves straight and true at walk
Alert
Stride of reasonable length in keeping with size of horse
LOSS OF FORWARD RHYTMIC MOVEMENT SHALL BE PENALIZED

14. Terminology: the Trot Two beat gait long low ground covering cadenced
balanced

15. Terminology: the Trot Smoothness is more essential than speed
Knees should remain relatively flat
knees exhibit minimal flexion
SHORT, QUICK STRIDES AND EXTREME SPEED SHALL BE PENALIZED
definite lengthening during extension

16. Terminology: the Canter
Three beat gait
smooth
free moving
relaxed
straight
long
low
ground covering

17. Terminology: the Hand Gallop
definite lengthening of the stride
noticeable difference in speed
horse under control
hand gallop to halt in smooth, balanced manner

18. Faults to be scored according to severity
Quick, short, vertical strides
Wrong lead
Wrong diagonal
Breaking gait

19. Faults to be scored according to severity
Excessive speed
Excessive slowness
Failure to take the appropriate gait when called for

20. Faults to be scored according to severity
Head carried too high
Head carried too low
Over-flexing, straining neck with nose behind vertical
Excessive nosing out

21. Faults to be scored according to severity
Failure to maintain light contact with horse’s mouth
Stumbling
Sullen, dull, lethargic, emaciated, drawn, overly tired
Tail: excessive movement/dead “tail”