Tag: Word of the Week

WAGGING - The horse’s muzzle, head and/or neck moves left-and-right or in circles, indicating constraint or incorrect acceptance of contact/connection. Full glossary: http://bit.ly/2019USDFGlossary

FLEXION - In the limbs—articulation of a joint or joints so that the angle between the bones becomes smaller. At the poll, there are three...

BALANCE - Relative distribution of the weight of horse and rider upon the fore and hind legs (longitudinal balance) and the left and right...

STRUNG OUT - Outline too elongated -- horse sprawled out rather than gathered up into connection with good carriage and balance. Full glossary: http://bit.ly/2019USDFGlossary

WORKING (TROT OR CANTER) - A pace in which the horse goes forward energetically but calmly, with a length of stride between that of...

OUTLINE - The profile or silhouette of the horse, showing the horse’s carriage or posture. Full glossary: http://bit.ly/2019USDFGlossary

Above the Bit - A head position in which the horse avoids acceptance of the contact by putting the muzzle forward and upward, also...

PURITY - Referring to the gait, the correctness of the rhythm as determined by the sequence and timing of the footfalls and phases of...

TRAILING - 1. In half-pass and leg-yield, refers to lack of parallelism to the long axis of the arena (as in trailing haunches). 2. The...

SEAT - The rider’s trunk, which includes the pelvis, spine, and rib cage, with supporting musculature. The control of the seat determines the dynamic...