🚀How horses travels to international competitions🚀
✋️While the following FEI Events have been cancelled in view of the current regional security situation and recent developments in the Middle East:
CSI5* GCT/GCL, CSI3* and CSI1* in Doha, Al Shaqab (AQT): 4-7 March 2026
CSI2* in Al Ain (UAE): 4-8 March 2026
🐎Lets remember that Dubai has one of the largest airports in the world fully equipped for horses transportation as well for marine life and birds (falcons are very frequent flyers by the way)
🏆So during Tokio Olympic in 2023, most of the horses travelled from Europe to Dubai and then to Tokio
🏆In 2028 horses will flight to Los Angeles Airport to come to Equestrian Olympics in Santa Anita Park
✋️While the following FEI Events have been cancelled in view of the current regional security situation and recent developments in the Middle East:
CSI5* GCT/GCL, CSI3* and CSI1* in Doha, Al Shaqab (AQT): 4-7 March 2026
CSI2* in Al Ain (UAE): 4-8 March 2026
🐎Lets remember that Dubai has one of the largest airports in the world fully equipped for horses transportation as well for marine life and birds (falcons are very frequent flyers by the way)
🏆So during Tokio Olympic in 2023, most of the horses travelled from Europe to Dubai and then to Tokio
🏆In 2028 horses will flight to Los Angeles Airport to come to Equestrian Olympics in Santa Anita Park
🎓What does "not fit for the level" mean?🎓
🐴Horse athlete as well as human athlete is developing step by step, level by level
👶So if you ask very young horse to jump 1.6m course or to do dressage test with passage and piaffe, it definitely goes beyond the horse's current skills level, even this horse is able to jump easily single 1.6m obstacle without rider or has very expressive gaits
❗This is the reason why FEI stated the minimal age requirements for Horse/Pony Athlete for the participation in competitions, for example in Dressage:
📌In National competitions (in Young Horses classes) horses could participate from age of 4 years
📌In International competitions - from age of 5 years
📌In Children and Pony tests - from age of 6 years
📌In Grand Prix tests - from age of 7 years
❗This does not mean that any horse of 7+ years automatically has all the necessarily skills for competing in Grand Prix level. Dressage tests are distributed from the easiest to the most difficult ones (two different tracks for riders and horses - see in next post🔜), starting from the almost natural horse posture to the more and more collection
🚫So if Horse is not showing required level of preparation and especially collection (for Juniors, Prix Saint Georges etc) throughout the test, such a pair could be eliminated for the reason Not fit to the Level (Article 5.7.1. Other Reasons for Elimination)
#dressage #feidressage
🐴Horse athlete as well as human athlete is developing step by step, level by level
👶So if you ask very young horse to jump 1.6m course or to do dressage test with passage and piaffe, it definitely goes beyond the horse's current skills level, even this horse is able to jump easily single 1.6m obstacle without rider or has very expressive gaits
❗This is the reason why FEI stated the minimal age requirements for Horse/Pony Athlete for the participation in competitions, for example in Dressage:
📌In National competitions (in Young Horses classes) horses could participate from age of 4 years
📌In International competitions - from age of 5 years
📌In Children and Pony tests - from age of 6 years
📌In Grand Prix tests - from age of 7 years
❗This does not mean that any horse of 7+ years automatically has all the necessarily skills for competing in Grand Prix level. Dressage tests are distributed from the easiest to the most difficult ones (two different tracks for riders and horses - see in next post🔜), starting from the almost natural horse posture to the more and more collection
🚫So if Horse is not showing required level of preparation and especially collection (for Juniors, Prix Saint Georges etc) throughout the test, such a pair could be eliminated for the reason Not fit to the Level (Article 5.7.1. Other Reasons for Elimination)
#dressage #feidressage
🐴Levels of difficulty for Horses🐴
🎓Dressage levels used by FEI
📌Children/Pony Riders (FEI)
📌Juniors (FEI)
📌Young Riders (FEI)
📌Seniors categories (like Prix Saint Georges) are the levels of 🏇Riders' progression🏇
🐴 Horses in FEI Dressage have their own way to progress, so they have the dressage tests designed to assess only 🐴horse🐴, not the Rider-Horse combination (while these tests are performed with the Rider, not be the Horses themselves):
📌Test for 4-year old horses
📌Tests for 5-year old horses
📌Tests for 6-year old horses
📌Tests for 7-year old horses
👯The levels for🦄 young horses (YH)🦄 have very similar logic as Riders' levels:
📌YH 4-year old test (national competitions only) - no halt at the beginning, only working trot/canter, basic transitions (trot-walk, trot-canter), natural gaits are required and no collection required. Horses of 3 years old could be also allowed to compete nationally, and they could go to the arena in small groups (of 2 or 3 rider-horse pairs🐴🐴🐴)
Rider of such a Horse should use only rising trot and snaffle bit.
📝Difficulty level is similar to Cyprus Development Category
📌YH 5-year old tests - collected trot is introduced, turns on haunches, counter canter and simple changes are introduced. No collected walk and collected canter, just preparation for collection.
📝Difficulty level is similar to Children FEI category
📌YH 6-year old tests - collected canter and walk is introduced, lateral movements like half-passes and flying changes (colleted canter is required for good flying change!).
📝Difficulty level is similar to Juniors FEI category
📌YH 7-year old tests - more collection required, canter half-pirouettes are introduced, flying changes in every 4 and 3 stride (=tempi changes)
📝Difficulty level is similar to Young Riders FEI category
🌍Not all the countries have dressage competitions for Young Horses, but FEI young horses tests give a general understanding how the young dressage horse is developing for sport according to the age, or how many years it could take at minimum to progress between levels for the horse
👒To judge FEI Young Horses tests all the dressage judges need to pass YH examination and receive a special YH judging category
#dressage #feidressage
🎓Dressage levels used by FEI
📌Children/Pony Riders (FEI)
📌Juniors (FEI)
📌Young Riders (FEI)
📌Seniors categories (like Prix Saint Georges) are the levels of 🏇Riders' progression🏇
📌Test for 4-year old horses
📌Tests for 5-year old horses
📌Tests for 6-year old horses
📌Tests for 7-year old horses
👯The levels for
📌YH 4-year old test (national competitions only) - no halt at the beginning, only working trot/canter, basic transitions (trot-walk, trot-canter), natural gaits are required and no collection required. Horses of 3 years old could be also allowed to compete nationally, and they could go to the arena in small groups (of 2 or 3 rider-horse pairs🐴🐴🐴)
Rider of such a Horse should use only rising trot and snaffle bit.
📝Difficulty level is similar to Cyprus Development Category
📌YH 5-year old tests - collected trot is introduced, turns on haunches, counter canter and simple changes are introduced. No collected walk and collected canter, just preparation for collection.
📝Difficulty level is similar to Children FEI category
📌YH 6-year old tests - collected canter and walk is introduced, lateral movements like half-passes and flying changes (colleted canter is required for good flying change!).
📝Difficulty level is similar to Juniors FEI category
📌YH 7-year old tests - more collection required, canter half-pirouettes are introduced, flying changes in every 4 and 3 stride (=tempi changes)
📝Difficulty level is similar to Young Riders FEI category
🌍Not all the countries have dressage competitions for Young Horses, but FEI young horses tests give a general understanding how the young dressage horse is developing for sport according to the age, or how many years it could take at minimum to progress between levels for the horse
👒To judge FEI Young Horses tests all the dressage judges need to pass YH examination and receive a special YH judging category
#dressage #feidressage
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🎶How free is Dressage Freestyle?🎶
📌The level of Ride-Horse pair is important, especially in Dressage Freestyles
📌This is why each level of Freestyle has the list of 🚩prohibited movements🚩 from the next level🔝 - see here
📌But not only flying changes in Pony Freestyle or 4-tempi changes in Juniors Freestyles are not allowed (and would be penalized), but also your Freestyle should be not overloaded with:
📌Too many repetitions (of allowed movements)
📌Too many changes of directions which could over fatigue the horse
📌Too sharp bends and turns (like ten circles of 8m of canter and counter canter in Pony Freestyle)
🚫Avoid circuslike sequences and overasking like on the video above - this would result in lower harmony (and penalized in artistic markings by the judges)
Credit to Black Horse One for the video
#dressage #dressagefreestyle
📌The level of Ride-Horse pair is important, especially in Dressage Freestyles
📌This is why each level of Freestyle has the list of 🚩prohibited movements🚩 from the next level🔝 - see here
📌But not only flying changes in Pony Freestyle or 4-tempi changes in Juniors Freestyles are not allowed (and would be penalized), but also your Freestyle should be not overloaded with:
📌Too many repetitions (of allowed movements)
📌Too many changes of directions which could over fatigue the horse
📌Too sharp bends and turns (like ten circles of 8m of canter and counter canter in Pony Freestyle)
🚫Avoid circuslike sequences and overasking like on the video above - this would result in lower harmony (and penalized in artistic markings by the judges)
Credit to Black Horse One for the video
#dressage #dressagefreestyle
❗What about "not fit to the level" rule in showjumping?❗
🎓Currently FEI Showjumping Rules have similar rules
📌263.2 The President of the Ground Jury (or, in their absence, their designee Ground Jury member) may ring the bell... to Eliminate an Athlete/Horse Combination while a round is ongoing if the President of the Ground Jury... decides that this would be in the best interest of the wellbeing and/or safety of the Horse and/or Athlete…
📌263.4 The Ground Jury must Eliminate an Athlete/Horse Combination in the following circumstances:
263.4.27 if the Ground Jury feels that for any reason Horse or Athlete is unfit to continue in the Competition
❗But there are still many discussions on Jumping rules due to wellbeing is a hot topic, while the rules are not so specific:
🚩If rider-horse combination is knocking down the whole course/half of the course and they are allowed to finish (of horse is not showing obvious refusal to jump) - is it against the welfare and safety of the horse?
🚩What if it happens on the 1.6m course, where we can see huge number of penalty points?
📌There are also debates on the qualifications for higher classes - should it be some stricter rules in place to allow combinations to jump in higher classes until they are able to show stable clear rounds in their current class
#showjumping
🎓Currently FEI Showjumping Rules have similar rules
📌263.2 The President of the Ground Jury (or, in their absence, their designee Ground Jury member) may ring the bell... to Eliminate an Athlete/Horse Combination while a round is ongoing if the President of the Ground Jury... decides that this would be in the best interest of the wellbeing and/or safety of the Horse and/or Athlete…
📌263.4 The Ground Jury must Eliminate an Athlete/Horse Combination in the following circumstances:
263.4.27 if the Ground Jury feels that for any reason Horse or Athlete is unfit to continue in the Competition
❗But there are still many discussions on Jumping rules due to wellbeing is a hot topic, while the rules are not so specific:
🚩If rider-horse combination is knocking down the whole course/half of the course and they are allowed to finish (of horse is not showing obvious refusal to jump) - is it against the welfare and safety of the horse?
🚩What if it happens on the 1.6m course, where we can see huge number of penalty points?
📌There are also debates on the qualifications for higher classes - should it be some stricter rules in place to allow combinations to jump in higher classes until they are able to show stable clear rounds in their current class
#showjumping
❤1
Which thing is described in FEI Judging Manual as: "an almost simultaneous, coordinated action of the seat, the legs and the hands of the Athlete, with the object of increasing the attention and balance of the Horse before the execution of the movements o
Anonymous Poll
0%
Contact
0%
Retake the reins (in give and retake)
100%
Half-halt
0%
Rider's aids
📌Half-halts is a corect answer - while it's a basic thing in the dressage, there is no one single and easy explanation of the term and how to learn it!
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🗺En - Ελ - Ру🗺
📌Dressage - Ιππική Δεξιοτεχνία - Выездка
Basic figures:
📌The Serpentine - Η Σερπαντίνα - Серпантин
📌The Halt - Το Αλτ - Остановка
📌The Volte - Ο Μικρός Κύκλος - Вольт (6m-8m-10m)
📌The Circle - Ο μεγάλος κύκλος - Круг (>10m)
📌The Figure of 8 - Οκτάρι - Восьмерка
Basic paces:
📌The Walk - Το βάδην - Шаг
📌The Trot - Ο Τροχασμός - Рысь
📌The Canter - Ο καλπασμός - Галоп
📌The Counter-canter - Ο Αντικαλπασμός - Контргалоп
Figures:
📌Simple change of leg at the canter - Απλή αλλαγή καλπασμού - Простая перемена ноги
📌Flying change of leg - Εναέρια αλλαγή - Перемена ноги в воздухе
📌Dressage - Ιππική Δεξιοτεχνία - Выездка
Basic figures:
📌The Serpentine - Η Σερπαντίνα - Серпантин
📌The Halt - Το Αλτ - Остановка
📌The Volte - Ο Μικρός Κύκλος - Вольт (6m-8m-10m)
📌The Circle - Ο μεγάλος κύκλος - Круг (>10m)
📌The Figure of 8 - Οκτάρι - Восьмерка
Basic paces:
📌The Walk - Το βάδην - Шаг
📌The Trot - Ο Τροχασμός - Рысь
📌The Canter - Ο καλπασμός - Галоп
📌The Counter-canter - Ο Αντικαλπασμός - Контргалоп
Figures:
📌Simple change of leg at the canter - Απλή αλλαγή καλπασμού - Простая перемена ноги
📌Flying change of leg - Εναέρια αλλαγή - Перемена ноги в воздухе
🚫Dressage Round 3 Cancellation🚫
🌧️Due to the unfavorable weather forecast for this weekend the scheduled Dressage Competition Round 3 on 21-22 March has been 🚫cancelled🚫
#dressage
🌧️Due to the unfavorable weather forecast for this weekend the scheduled Dressage Competition Round 3 on 21-22 March has been 🚫cancelled🚫
#dressage
🗺En - Ελ - Ру🗺
The Pace - Ο βηματισμός - Аллюр
🐴Walk🐴
📌Medium walk - Το Μεσαίο βάδην - Средний шаг
📌Collected walk - Το Συσπειρωμένο βάδην - Собранный шаг
📌Extended walk - Το Εκτεταμένο βάδην - Прибавленный шаг
📌Free walk - Το Ελεύθερο βάδην - Свободный шаг
🦄Trot🦄
📌Sitting trot - σε εδραίο - Учебная рысь
📌Rising trot - σε ανακουφιστικό - Строевая рысь
📌Working trot - Ο Τροχασμός Εργασίας - Рабочая рысь
📌Lengthening of steps - Ο Έκταση βημάτων - Удлинение шагов
📌Collected trot - Ο Συσπειρωμένος Τροχασμός - Собранная рысь
📌Medium trot - Ο Μεσαίος τροχασμός - Средняя рысь
📌Extended trot - Ο Εκτεταμένος Τροχασμός - Прибавленная рысь
🏇Canter🏇
📌Working canter - Καλπασμός Εργασίας -Рабочий галоп
📌Lengthening of strides - Έκταση βημάτων - Удлинение шагов
📌Collected canter - Συσπειρωμένος καλπασμός - Собранный галоп
📌Medium canter - Μεσαίος καλπασμός - Средний галоп
📌Extended canter - Εκτεταμένος καλπασμός - Прибавленный галоп
👯Excercises👯
📌Stretching on a long rein- Τέντωμα με μακρά ηνία/Αφήστε τον ίππο να τεντωθεί με μακρά ηνία - Дать лошади потянуться за длинным поводом
📌Give and retake the reins - Δώσε & πάρε τα ηνία - Отдать и снова подобрать повод
The Pace - Ο βηματισμός - Аллюр
🐴Walk🐴
📌Medium walk - Το Μεσαίο βάδην - Средний шаг
📌Collected walk - Το Συσπειρωμένο βάδην - Собранный шаг
📌Extended walk - Το Εκτεταμένο βάδην - Прибавленный шаг
📌Free walk - Το Ελεύθερο βάδην - Свободный шаг
🦄Trot🦄
📌Sitting trot - σε εδραίο - Учебная рысь
📌Rising trot - σε ανακουφιστικό - Строевая рысь
📌Working trot - Ο Τροχασμός Εργασίας - Рабочая рысь
📌Lengthening of steps - Ο Έκταση βημάτων - Удлинение шагов
📌Collected trot - Ο Συσπειρωμένος Τροχασμός - Собранная рысь
📌Medium trot - Ο Μεσαίος τροχασμός - Средняя рысь
📌Extended trot - Ο Εκτεταμένος Τροχασμός - Прибавленная рысь
🏇Canter🏇
📌Working canter - Καλπασμός Εργασίας -Рабочий галоп
📌Lengthening of strides - Έκταση βημάτων - Удлинение шагов
📌Collected canter - Συσπειρωμένος καλπασμός - Собранный галоп
📌Medium canter - Μεσαίος καλπασμός - Средний галоп
📌Extended canter - Εκτεταμένος καλπασμός - Прибавленный галоп
👯Excercises👯
📌Stretching on a long rein- Τέντωμα με μακρά ηνία/Αφήστε τον ίππο να τεντωθεί με μακρά ηνία - Дать лошади потянуться за длинным поводом
📌Give and retake the reins - Δώσε & πάρε τα ηνία - Отдать и снова подобрать повод
🗺En - Ελ - Ру🗺
📌Reinback - Τα πίσω βήματα - Осаживание
📌Leg-yielding - Εκτός της πλαγιοκίνησης - Уступка шенкелю
📌Shoulder-in - Ώμος-εντός - Плечом внутрь
📌Travers - Κεφαλή στον τοίχο - Траверз
📌Renvers - Οσφύς στον τοίχο - Ранверс
📌Half-pass - Πλαγιοβηματισμούς - Принимание
#dressage
📌Reinback - Τα πίσω βήματα - Осаживание
📌Leg-yielding - Εκτός της πλαγιοκίνησης - Уступка шенкелю
📌Shoulder-in - Ώμος-εντός - Плечом внутрь
📌Travers - Κεφαλή στον τοίχο - Траверз
📌Renvers - Οσφύς στον τοίχο - Ранверс
📌Half-pass - Πλαγιοβηματισμούς - Принимание
#dressage
❤1
Guess the trot: The Horse, remaining “on the bit”, moves forward with the neck raised and arched. The hocks, being well-engaged and flexed, must maintain an energetic impulsion, enabling the shoulders to move with greater mobility
Anonymous Poll
0%
Working trot
40%
Collected trot
20%
Meduim trot
40%
Extended trot
0%
Rising trot
🎓The answer to the poll is🎓
🥕Collected trot
📌One of the difference between "collected" from "extended" is description of a frame:
to allow the Horse to lengthen the frame whilst controlling the poll - extended trot
📌Meduim and working paces are usually described as something between extended and collected with some collection (meduim pace) and no collection (working pace)
#dressage
🥕Collected trot
📌One of the difference between "collected" from "extended" is description of a frame:
to allow the Horse to lengthen the frame whilst controlling the poll - extended trot
📌Meduim and working paces are usually described as something between extended and collected with some collection (meduim pace) and no collection (working pace)
#dressage
As a dressage judge, what will you give this pony for an extended walk?
Anonymous Poll
0%
6.5 - Nice groundcover, more stretching downward
20%
5.0 - Lack of four-beat
80%
Below 5 - Depending on severity of pacing
👒Be a Judge - Answer👒
🥕Below 5 - Depending on severity of pacing, or lateral movement. Could be 4.0, 3.0 and even lower according to FEI Dressage Judging Manual
#dressage
🥕
#dressage
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CyDressage
👒Be a judge👒
🎸What kind of music does your horse like?🎸
🎶When talking about the Dressage Freestyles
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
We can also consider that music affects the horses too:
🥕 Familiar music helps horses to relax in stressful situations
🥕 Classical music of different tempo (low and moderate) increases serotonin levels and leads to a positive emotional state of horses
🥕 Even a positive effect of the music on the prizes won by the horses was found
🎓Some studies show that horses could have preferences in music styles, like classical🎻 and country🪕 music
🎶Nice thing to consider when selecting a music for the pastures, stables, transportation, trail rides, shows and freestyles!
🎶When talking about the Dressage Freestyles
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
We can also consider that music affects the horses too:
🥕 Familiar music helps horses to relax in stressful situations
🥕 Classical music of different tempo (low and moderate) increases serotonin levels and leads to a positive emotional state of horses
🥕 Even a positive effect of the music on the prizes won by the horses was found
🎓Some studies show that horses could have preferences in music styles, like classical🎻 and country🪕 music
🎶Nice thing to consider when selecting a music for the pastures, stables, transportation, trail rides, shows and freestyles!
For how long the Horse should keep immobility during the halt?
Anonymous Quiz
0%
Just for a moment
14%
1-2 sec
86%
At least 3 seconds
🎓Test your knowledge - answer🎓
📌The correct answer according to FEI Dressage Judging manual to the poll is
🥕At least 3 seconds
🐴If halt takes less than 3 seconds , you can receive marks lower than 5.0 with comments like halt very insecure or halt barely shown (depending on severity) or more immobility at halt
📌The same is applicable to the halt before the reinback!
🥕You can receive less that 5.0 for the ideal reinback in case of no immobility at halt before, or deduction up to 2 points if halt is short.
#dressage
📌The correct answer according to FEI Dressage Judging manual to the poll is
🥕
🐴If halt takes
📌The same is applicable to the halt before the reinback!
🥕You can receive less that 5.0 for the ideal reinback in case of no immobility at halt before, or deduction up to 2 points if halt is short.
#dressage