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Spectator's Guide to Horse Trials (1 of 3) Welcome to the sport of Horse Trials. We hope that this guide will help you to understand the various aspects of the sport and increase your enjoyment.
The sport as we know it bas come a long way since the days of "the Military" - a competition for army chargers. The perfect cavalry horse was expected to be relaxed and obedient on parade, to be responsive to his rider during battle, to be fit enough to travel across all types of terrain, sometimes at speed, and to be able to jump any obstacle in his path. After such strenuous activity horses had to be fit and ready to carry out further duties the following dasy. Soundness and courage were essential - and so it is in modem day Horse Trials. Horse Trials offers you, the spectator, so much - the elegance of Dressage, the excitement of Cross- Country and the entertainment of Show Jumping. Each Horse Trials is made up of three different tests: Dressage, Cross Country and Show Jumping, the scores from each test combining to produce an overall total - rather like a pentathlon in Athletics. In equestrian sport men and women compete on equal terms. As it is the horses that are graded, not the riders, you will often see well known riders competing to bring on their less experienced horses at Novice Events. Imagine going to a local cricket match and being able to watch Ian Botham or David Gower playing! (Words and Images re-produced by kind permission
of British Eventing.) |
The
sport of Horse Trials is complex embracing as it does so many different
disciplines, each with its own specific objective. Put these together
to create an overall test of horsemanship - and it is little wonder that
those not directly involved find it all a bit baffling!
 © Longleat Horse Trials 2008 |