Introduction to Equestrian Sports

Book excerpt: This is not another "how to ride" book, its purpose is to help parents and riders who are new to the world of equestrian sports or those changing from one type of competition to another. The major disciplines are covered in four separate chapters: hacking/showing, dressage, showjumping and eventing. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction to the discipline showing how it originated and its current status. A detailed description of the discipline follows including types and classes of horses, types and levels of competition, who runs the competitions, which rules apply and how the competition is judged. At the end of each chapter is a section on the "ground rules" which is really a distillation of the author's own experience which takes the mystery and worry out of the whole experience. It covers topics such as how to find out what competitions are taking place and how to enter, which dressage tests apply, what to wear, what to do when you arrive, where best to park, where you can and cannot warm up, checking your gear and reporting to the judge. The appendices at the end of the book contain illustrations of arenas and the different types of bits and saddles, website links and examples of competition programs.