NATRC CTR - The Basics: What do the Horsemanship Judges Look For

Presentation/Trot Out
Competitive trail riding is not a race. During the course of the competition, the judges will be watching you and critiquing many things about you and your horse. If you want to place well, you need to pay attention to many little things. One of the most important aspects of the ride is the in-hand presentation and trot out. Veterinary judges monitor the horses to see what the effects of the ride are on the horse. Notes are made on the horse before the ride, during the ride, and after the ride. Doing a good job of presenting the horse to the veterinary judge is very important for a good evaluation. You will be asked to do this at least twice during each competition.

Presenting your horse to the judges is your opportunity to show your horse at his very best. Your horse should be well-groomed, sweat marks brushed away, hooves cleaned out, and dirt removed from around eyes and nostrils. Make sure your horse’s feet are in good shape and his shoes, if he wears them, are secure and in good condition. Check to make sure the halter is fitted well and all the ends are tucked away. Although this is not a showmanship class, a neat and tidy appearance will go a long way to making a good first impression.

As you approach the judge, for safety, make sure both hands are on the lead rope. It should be figure-eighted (not looped) in one hand. The other hand should be grasping the lead rope close to the halter for ready control. You do NOT want to grab the halter and accidentally slip a finger through the ring. Stand beside your horse and pay attention to the veterinarian judge. You should always be on the same side of your animal as the vet judge to maintain control and protect the judge. Never stand directly in front of your horse.

Follow the directions you are given to trot out. Usually you will be asked to trot away from the judges, circle your horse once in each direction, then return back to the judge. Practice this at home with some variations. Judges have been known to ask for something different. We need to de-emphasize “gotchas.” At the ride is NOT the place to teach your horse to trot out. Some people prefer to lunge their horses in a circle for the judges, while other lead their animals. The Rule Book says they have to allow either. You want to make large, smooth circles for the judge to show your horse off to his best advantage. Regardless of which method you choose, you need to always keep both hands on the lead rope.

The most common mistakes made during the trot out are letting the rope drag the ground or get tangled around your feet, looking back at your horse while you are running, getting in front of the horse and blocking the judge's view, and in the case of gaited horses, not maintaining a constant "gait" through the entire exercise. Practicing your presentation at home until you and your horse are relaxed and confident will pay off handsomely on your scorecards later. One horsemanship judge said it best... "It's not practice that makes perfect, it's PERFECT practice that makes perfect."

Equitation
The primary concern of proper equitation is to make the horse's job of carrying a rider over long distances as efficient as possible. The key is to ride balanced and light in the saddle at the walk, trot, or canter. A vertical line should pass through your center of gravity and continue through your foot. Ideally, if the horse were to suddenly evaporate from under you, you would land upright, on your feet. Leg contact with the horse should support you without tension or stiffness. If you are riding light, you will appear to be almost floating with the horse. How high you might be off the horse’s back depends on the footing, the gait of the horse, and the grade of the land. If you are too high, you sacrifice stability. Use your legs and ankles as shock absorbers. Don't sacrifice proper support from the lower legs by bracing your legs out to the side. (Hint: Riding bareback may help you understand the benefits of proper leg position and contact.)

Much of competitive trail riding is done at the trot. If you post, don't rise on the same diagonal all the time or your horse will get sore on one side. Similarly, be sure the horse doesn't always use the same lead at the canter. Don't lean so far forward over the horse's neck that you place extra weight on its forehand.

Going Up and Down Hills
Sometime during every ride, you will be faced with doing a judged climb or decent. Regardless of whether it is a mountain side or a creek bank, the judges will be looking for the same things. The horse's job is fairly simple. He should do the slope with calm deliberation at a slow pace, carefully placing his feet and going straight up or down the trail when asked. The veterinary judge will usually fault the horse for: "crabbing" sideways going down, rushing the obstacle, crowding another rider, excessive nervousness, and head tossing.

For the rider, the ascents and descents present a multitude of ways to shine. Going uphills, there is a “window” of good upper body position. If you lean too far back or are too far forward over the neck, you will make the horse’s job more difficult. If you are too far out of the saddle, you sacrifice stability and safety. You should fold slightly forward from the hips in an amount appropriate for the slope of the hill and the speed of the horse. Support yourself by rolling up onto your inner thighs so you can have your seat lightly off the saddle to make it easier for the horse to get its rear legs under him for upward push. It is all right to take a handful of mane to steady yourself as long as it doesn’t interfere with the rein control. The reins should be short enough to guide your horse easily, but long enough that he can get his head down for balance on the climb. Maintain your form and control to the top of the hill. It takes muscles and coordination that come only with practice. The judge will interpret how well you’re moving with your horse.

Maintain your balance going down hills. Don’t lean back; this makes it harder for the horse to use his hindquarters to “brake” himself. Don’t grab the back of the saddle to stabilize yourself. Doing so puts you off balance and twists you in the saddle. One of the most common faults is “body sway” which is the rolling of your upper body from side to side as the horse descends. This not only makes it very difficult for the horse to stay in balance, it can cause saddle rubs. Imagine going down a flight of stairs with a small child on your shoulders while the child is rocking side to side, attempting to touch the stair walls. This is a very hard habit to correct by yourself as you really need a spotter riding behind you critiquing you until you have it under control.

Whenever you have an uphill/downhill combination obstacle, you can bet the judge is watching your transition. If you are balanced and moving as one with you horse, you should not get thrown off-balance or put behind the action of the horse as he makes the transition. If possible, take a moment in the middle to collect yourself and gather up your horse. Make sure you allow the rider ahead of you enough time to clear the obstacle before proceeding. As with any other NATRC obstacle, you will be heavily penalized for crowding another rider. Practicing this skill can only be done on the trail as few arenas are so unlevel as to allow for real hill work. Ups and downs are best done with a buddy, taking turns going first while the other waits and critiques. This lets the first rider know what they are doing right/wrong and the second horse gets practice waiting its turn. Don't expect instant perfection; this requires excellent muscle control for both horse and rider.
In the drawing, the rider going uphill is doing one of the most common mistakes: flanking her horse. Her lower body has pivoted around her hips, and her heels will be in the horse's flanks as he reaches forwards with his hind feet. If her horse disappeared, she would land on her hands and knees.

The rider in the downhill drawing is leaning too far back which interferes with the horse efficiently using its hindquarters. Also, the right elbow sticking out behind her seems to indicate she is twisting in the saddle and her reins could show a little slack.

Judged Mount
One of the judges' favorite obstacles seems to be the mount. Rarely a ride goes by where you aren't asked to demonstrate your abilities (or lack of), in front on the judges. We have really been trying to educate the judges that it’s better for the horse – puts less torque on the back – to use some sort of terrain to mount. We are really trying to discourage flat-ground mounts.

The horse's job in performing this task is easy: stand perfectly still and not walk off until the rider has asked him to. This means no reaching down to snatch grass or bushes; no side-passing to get under the rider; and certainly no moving off until the rider is secure in the saddle and has given the command. The rider's task is equally as straightforward: get yourself up in the saddle, quickly and cleanly. Sounds pretty easy doesn't it?

As with the other challenges the judges present to you, this one has lots of ways for you to do your best. One of the most common mistakes riders make is dwelling in the stirrup too long. Each judge refers to this in their own particular way, but it boils down to a couple of things. One - the rider has stuck a foot in the stirrup, then gathered up the reins, jerked the horse and grumbled "whoa" then proceeded to bounce 7-10 times on one foot before heaving themselves up and into the saddle. Or the rider has gotten half-way on and stands with one foot in the stirrup on one side of the horse for a long time. You need to settle your horse before committing your foot to the stirrup. Once it is in place, bounce once or twice to get up, then swing your leg over the saddle and lightly settle.

Each judge has their own favorite way they like to see riders mount, but you will not lose points under any of them if you do it as described below. It is not the way most people normally do it and feels awkward at first, but as with most things, gets easier with practice. Make sure your reins are even and have a just bit of slack in them. Grasp them and some mane in your left hand about two-thirds of the way down your horse's neck. With your right hand steadying the stirrup, put your left foot in place. Take your right hand and place it over the saddle and on the pommel on the side opposite you are standing. (Note: this might be difficult or impossible for small children depending on the size of the animal.) The reason for grabbing the saddle there and not on the horn or cantle is you are much less likely to pull the saddle over while you mount. Instead, you are pressing it against the horse's withers; where it is much less apt to shift. If you always have to "shift your saddle back" once you get mounted, you will find this technique a great help.

Once you are in position, bounce once or twice and lift yourself up, swinging the right leg cleanly over the horse's butt. Kicking him in the flanks or dragging your leg over his rump will cost you points in horsemanship even if your horse doesn't move. Settle lightly in the saddle; lowering yourself down instead of just dropping. If you see "heavy in saddle" you know you need to work on improving.

Sometimes judges have you perform your mount with a nearby ditch, stump or rock. Do not be shy about using the terrain to assist your mount. It is better for the horse. If you have any questions, simply ask the judge "May I use that rock/stump/ditch to mount?" and follow their instructions. It is not uncommon for the judge to ask you to step your horse's front legs over a log and for you to mount off the log. You may also be asked to position your horse next to a rock or stump and mount off of that.

Open riders (and occasionally Novice riders) may be asked to do an "offside mount". In this case, you need to do everything as described above but as a mirror image: right hand on reins/mane, right foot in stirrup, left hand on pommel. Don't be surprised if the first time you try to do it, you feel like you are trying to rub your stomach and pat your head. After a few attempts, your body will be much better coordinated.

Another part of this skill that riders may loose points on is preparation. If you are told to "take your horse in-hand to the judge" while you are on trail (usually after a P&R stop), you can be pretty sure you are about to be asked to mount. While you are waiting your turn, make sure your girth is snug, breast collar and crupper are reattached, saddle packs are snugged down and the reins are attached to the bit (if you use a halter bridle). Lead your horse up to the judge when it is your turn, and when instructed, put the reins back over his neck and mount. Do not make the judge wait while you fiddle with equipment and do last minute tack adjustments.

Some people train their horses to "park out" while they mount. This not only gets the horse in a position when he is less likely to move/walk off during the mount, but also usually lowers the stirrup and makes it easier for the rider to get mounted.

Since horseback riding always entails getting on your horse, this particular obstacle should be practiced at every opportunity and can be mastered in front of the barn, in the arena, and definitely on trail. You never know when you will be called to get off your horse and then get back in the saddle... or who may be watching and scoring you. Do it right every time!

Water and Log Crossing
Next to the "dreaded judged mount," crossing logs and water seem to be the favorite thing for judges to critique, and our trails give them endless possibilities and combinations. Judging is by nature subjective, and nowhere will you find that more evident than on your scorecards over this type of obstacle. It is a source of frustration for new riders to try and figure out exactly what each different judge is looking for. Most experienced NATRC riders soon learn what works best for them and their horse and stay close to that ideal.

Under most circumstances, crossing logs and crossing water is pretty much the same. The horse should cross both without hesitation, paying attention to where he puts his feet and the rider's aids. If there have been instructions, follow them as closely as possible. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Some judges will permit a horse to stop and drink when crossing water. Other times it will hold up the other riders, so they ask that you complete the obstacle first, and then move to a different spot to let your horse drink.

Most veterinary judges like to see a horse cross logs without touching them. It shows that the animal is focused and aware of its surroundings. The horsemanship judges are looking for riders to be attentive, balanced in the saddle and guiding their horses over the safest route. To stay balanced, do not look down as you cross the obstacle. This will move your weight over to the side you looked down and can cause your horse to stumble. Size up the obstacle BEFORE you begin, then keep your eyes focused ahead as you proceed through. This follows the same concept as jumping. Never look down at the jump as you go over.

Photo by Ric Tinker

Fortunately for most of us, Mother Nature has given us lots of material with which to practice these obstacles at home. Ice storms, snow storms and high winds provide plenty of downed trees and branches on our trails. Instead of looking at them as a nuisance, consider them opportunities to practice your NATRC trail skills. For times when you can't get out on trail, use logs or small jumps set up in a pasture or arena to train your horse. Be creative... the judges certainly are!

Backup and Sidepass
A good trail horse is much more than one who will go forward over obstacles, willingly; a good trail horse needs to be able to backup and move over just as easily as he goes forward. Along with exhibiting your horse's willingness to obey, these types of obstacles demonstrate your ability to control and direct your horse's hindquarters. Needless to say, backup obstacles are one of the most common for NATRC judges to request you to perform.

Since backing up does not require any special props, such as logs or water, the judges may ask it anywhere. The simplest approach to this obstacle is for the judge to stop you on trail and request you back your horse a designated number of steps. Collect your horse, glance back to make sure the space is clear, take a deep breath and ask your horse to back. Back ONLY the number of steps requested; do not make the mistake of thinking more is better! It is a good idea to count the steps out loud so both you and the judge are in synch.

There can be lots of variations on the backup obstacle. Depending on what is available, the judge might ask you to back between two trees, back between two logs laid on the ground, back OVER a log on the ground, back through some water, back up an incline or even back in an L-shaped pattern. Regardless of what you are asked to back through or over, the judges will be looking for an animal that backs straightly, smoothly, and willingly. These types of obstacles highlight your horse's trust in you and your ability to guide him using your seat and legs.


Photo by Peggy Johnson

While Novice riders are rarely asked to sidepass (leg yield), knowing how to do so can really make a difference on your score cards. This move comes in very handy if you are asked to open/close a gate, tie a ribbon, or pick up something lying over a fence. One of the most basic sidepass obstacles is sidepassing down a log. You will be asked to step your animal's front legs over a log and then sidepass left (or right), then back off or ride forward. Another common request would be to take a ribbon from the judge, then move over several steps to a tree and tie the ribbon. This last can often be done without sidepassing, but you can be sure you'll earn a better score if your horse sidepasses smoothly.

Be sure in practicing these types of obstacle at home that you don't forget to do them from the ground as well. Most of the time, you will be asked to perform these moves from the saddle, but occasionally you will be asked to do them while leading your horse. Luckily these obstacles require no special equipment and can be easily practiced anywhere, even in an arena. Once your horse backs up and sidepasses willingly for you, you will find more and more occasions to use these new abilities. Saddle up and Ride!

Trailer Check
Since an important part of NATRC is camping safely with your horse; most horsemanship judges take the trailer check very seriously. They want to make sure that you have safe and comfortable stabling for your horse during the competition weekend. How you will secure your horse and care for his needs should be thought of before you ever leave home. Rings, bucket brackets and other modifications may be needed to make the trailer your horse's "home away from home".

At most NATRC rides, your horse will be tied to the trailer while not being ridden or walked. He should have water available to him at all times. In the summer months, some competitors even hang two water buckets to insure their horse never gets thirsty. It is a good idea to mount the buckets up over the wheels or at chest level on the trailer side, to prevent a horse from pawing and accidentally catching his foot in the bucket. You will also need to devise a way to hang a hay bag within your horse's reach. Make sure it is tied up high and in such a way it will not droop too low when it gets empty and entangle your horse if he were to paw at it. Most horses will stand quietly tied to the trailer if they have a constant supply of hay and ample water.

The next thing you need to check for is any protrusions, hooks or latches where the horse could catch or cut himself. The most common one is the back door latch on most 2-horse bumper pulls. Unless your horse is tied at midpoint on those trailers, they can usually stretch around and get their halter caught under the door latch while scratching their faces. You can take a tennis ball and wedge it under, securing it with some duct tape for the duration of the ride. You will also need to fill up the V-shaped well where the fenders curve down to meet the frame (by the taillights). The angle iron usually found there makes it possible for a horse to snag a hoof in the pocket. Another common problem is protruding license plates. Ideally they should be relocated permanently, but you can always wrap a towel around it and again, secure with duct tape for the duration of the ride.

If you have unhitched your trailer for the weekend while you are competing, you should always have the wheels chocked so your horse cannot move it if he were to pull back. A panicked horse can drag a trailer a lot farther than you would think, if it is unhitched. Make sure the blocks are back under the tires and don't stick out where the horse will be standing.

Since an important part of NATRC is camping safely with your horse, most horsemanship judges take the trailer check very seriously. They want to make sure that you have safe and comfortable stabling for your horse during the competition weekend. How you will secure your horse and care for his needs should be thought of before you ever leave home. Rings, bucket brackets and other modifications may be needed to make the trailer your horse's "home away from home".

At most NATRC rides, your horse will be tied to the trailer while not being ridden or walked. He should have water available to him at all times. In the summer months, some competitors even hang two water buckets to insure their horse never gets thirsty. It is a good idea to mount the buckets up over the wheels or at chest level on the trailer side, to prevent a horse from pawing and accidentally catching his foot in the bucket. You will also need to devise a way to hang a hay bag within your horse's reach. Make sure it is tied up high and in such a way it will not droop too low when it gets empty and entangle your horse if he were to paw at it. Most horses will stand quietly tied to the trailer if they have a constant supply of hay and ample water.

The horse should be tied with a panic snap or with a "NATRC knot." The knot is a slip knot with the tail pulled back thru the loop to "lock it down" in case the horse grabs it with its teeth and pulls. It is a good investment to get a nylon adjustable cross-tie and keep it in your trailer specifically for your trailer tie. Clip it to the ring where you intend to tie your horse and adjust it so the clip dangles 3-4 inches from the ground. If you tie with an extra lead rope, check the length during the weekend as they will tend to stretch and get too long. The halter should fit fairly snug and should not be loose enough for the horse to peel off over his head in a panic. If he is blanketed, check to make sure the leg straps are adjusted correctly. If, you bring more than one horse, make sure they are not tied too close together. Ideally they should be on opposite sides of the trailer, but some people carry portable panels to divide horses that must be tied on the same side of the trailer.

Stallions will need to be double tied to two different rings. Check the NATRC rule book if you plan to bring a stallion for more details on how stallions should be tied.

As with any sort of stabling, keeping it cleaned and picked up is expected. Do not leave brushes, rakes or tack lying within your horse's reach. Follow the ride manager's orders on manure and hay disposal. At some rides you may scatter it neatly away from the horses and others demand you bag it for hauling out. Make sure your rider number is taped to the trailer over where your horse is tied and your horse has his halter tag number securely fastened.

Once you are at a ride, take a break and walk about; inspect other people's rigs and ask questions. Most NATRC people will be happy to share their knowledge with you and give you ideas for improving your set up. You will find that you become a lot more confident and safety conscious while camping with your horse. That is what NATRC is all about... fun and safety! Come Ride with Us.