Types of English Horse Shows: Defined

Types of English Horse Shows: Defined A horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, and sometimes longer for major, all-breed events or national and international champíonships. Most shows consist of á series of different performances, called classes, wherein a group of horses with similar training or characteristics compete against one another for awards and sometimes prize money. Hunters Show hunters, ideally, show qualities that were rewarded in the fox hunting field such as manners, fluid movement, and correct jumping style. Hunters typically participate over fences during a series of memorized courses, with á few additíonal classes offered for horses shown in-hand or on the flat. They are judged on correctness, fluidity of movement, suitability, appearance, and manners. Jumpers Jumping over a number of different heights over a timed course. Horse must "go clear" meaning they will receive points, also known as faults, for pulling any rails down during the course. The first round must be below the time limit with zero faults. Those who successfully make it through the first round then participate in the jump-off where the fastest round with the least amount of faults wins. Dressage Often referred to as "horse ballet," horse and rider are expected to perform a series of predetermined movements in a standard arena from memory. The rider should be relaxed and appear effort-free while the horse willingly performs the requested movement. Tests are scored in percentages. Eventing Eventing can be considered the triatholon of horse competitions. Spanning three different show competitions, eventing includes show-jumping, cross country, and dressage. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requíring mastery of severál types of riding and is also known as "hose trials" or "combined tests." When purchasing a show horse, there are a variety of things to consider. One must establish a budget and a list of wants/needs in a horse (accomplishments, size, age, training, etc.) Once a horse is chosen, a pre-purchase exam should be performed to ensure the horse is sound and represented accurately. If everything goes accordingly, an experienced equine lawyer should be contacted in order to draw up a contract. Call Catanese & Wells today at 818-707-0407 or visit CataneseLaw.com for more information. OW CATANESESWELLS A LAW CORPORATION Photo Credit (Left to Right): Perry Correll / Shutterstock.com, Perry Correll /Shutterstock.com, muzsy / Shutterstock.com, olgaru79/ Shutterstock.com