A meeting about horse disciplines is best when you have access to a projector. If that’s not possible, at least have a laptop or two that the kids can sit around to see a video of each riding discipline. Riding disciplines, also known as Equestrian Sports, are sports that use horses as a main part of the sport. Either a rider is on the horse during the sport or the horse is pulling a horse-drawn vehicle.
Some of the most common equestrian sports are in the list below. I’ve included videos of each one so that you can easily play each one during the meeting. Make sure you have a good internet connection before you go to the meeting or your meeting might end up very short if you aren’t able to play the videos.
- English Pleasure
- Western Pleasure
- Dressage
- Western Dressage
- Harness Racing
- Saddle Seat
- Parade Horse
- Hunter/Jumper
- Hunter Pleasure
- Carriage Pleasure Driving
- Vaulting
- Reining
- Para-Equestrian
- Cross Country Jumping
- Eventing
- Endurance
- Combined Driving
You can go through all of them or let the kids pick out the ones they want to see and learn about.
Short Descriptions of the Horse Riding Disciplines
Use these descriptions for a little more discussion or let the kids use them when making a horse booklet if they’d like to make it about equestrian sports.
English Pleasure
English Pleasure horses walk with a brisk, animated stride. They move forward with grace and authority. Pleasure horses have a smooth, balanced cadence that comes from the impulsion that’s created by the hindquarters.
Western Pleasure
Western pleasure horses move in a slow, relaxed fashion. The gait they exhibit has a collected cadence, along with a calm and responsive disposition. A pleasure horse should appear to be a “pleasure” to ride.
Dressage
The word dressage means “training” in French. This sport involves the execution of precise movements by a trained horse in response to barely perceptible signals from its rider. Dressage horses perform specialized movements along with specific walks, trots and canters.
Western Dressage
Western dressage is an equestrian sport that combines dressage and the use of western tack. Riders wear western show attire, such as button-up shirts, boots and jeans. There are no specific breed requirements for western dressage.
Harness Racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing. The horses race at either a trot or a pace while pulling a sulky occupied by a driver.
Saddle Seat
Saddle seat is a form of English riding style of horse riding that shows off the high action of certain horse breeds such as Saddlebreds. The style developed into its modern form in the United States.
Hunter Jumper
Hunter Jumper is a jumping discipline scored by a judge’s subjective score on the horse’s form and manners going around a course of jumps. The courses are made to resemble classic fox hunts with fences resembling natural terrain.
Hunter Pleasure
The hunter pleasure horse should stand quietly and back readily. They are judged on performance, quality, suitability as a hunter, manners and conformation. Hunter pleasure horses are shown at a walk, trot, canter and hand gallop both directions of the ring.
Carriage Pleasure Driving
Pleasure Driving is a carriage driving sport. Horses and ponies are hitched to a two or four-wheeled cart. The horses are shown at a walk, a working trot and a strong trot, The emphasis is on manners of the horse, their performance and confirmation.
Vaulting
Vaulting consists of a horse cantering on the lunge on a 15-meter circle while either an individual, pair, or team perform a series of set movements. The routines should exhibit the teams acrobatic and artistic skills.
Reining
Reining is a western riding competition for horses where the riders ride the horses through a pattern of circles, spins, and stops.
Para Equestrian
Para-Equestrian is an equestrian Sport for people with a classifiable physical or visual impairment.
Cross Country Jumping
Cross-country jumping is on a course through forests and fields. It’s a test of endurance and skill. The horse and rider have to navigate through natural obstacles like ditches, logs, streams, streams, hills, and fences.
Eventing
Eventing is a three-day equestrian event that combines dressage, cross-country, and show jumping into one competition.
Endurance
Endurance riding is an equine event that takes place over a long distance and demands great physical stamina of both horse and rider.
If you’re able to show the videos during the meeting, there might not be much time left afterwards for a horse related craft so this might be a good meeting to talk about educational posters.
Please see the horse craft section for instructions on how to make one!