Hunt seat

On the flat, or when used on course between jumps, the two-point position allows the horse to have a great deal of freedom of movement because the rider's weight is lifted off its back.

Hunter riders generally have a very upright two-point, as they usually show on very level footing and at slower speed.

Hunt seat competitions are generally divided into three horse show categories, hunters, equitation, and jumpers.

Jumpers are judged by how quickly a horse can complete a course of jumps with the fewest errors, called faults.

These activities are all differentiated from saddle seat-style English riding, which is an American-based discipline confined to the flat, developed for high-action show horses that are not intended to be shown over fences.

Although a somewhat different style of horse than the classic hunter may be shown, the goals of good manners, performance, quality, and conformation are still emphasized.

Horses shown hunt seat may be of any breed, although those of Thoroughbred and Warmblood type are most common, except in pony classes.

Regardless of breed, the horse should have a long stride with very little knee action, good jumping form with correct bascule, and should be well-mannered.

It is rare for a horse to perform both as a hunter and as a jumper as temperament and style of movement are markedly different.

Hunt seat equitation classes judge the rider only, including his or her position on the flat and over fences and overall effectiveness while riding.

Therefore, it is not imperative that the horse has perfect movement or jumping form, but it needs good manners and an attractive way of going that does not detract from the rider's performance.

However, a show jumper is not ideal either, as the horse may be less smooth in its way of going and too excitable in temper for the rider to maintain steady and correct form over a course.

The movement of the equitation horse is generally more collected than the show hunter, which allows the rider to better adjust the stride for tricky combinations.

Show jumping courses include combination fences, sharp turns and several changes of direction, all requiring adjustability and athleticism.

Show hunter courses include smoother lines, fewer combinations, and wider turns, reflecting the fox hunting tradition and the cadence needed for riding in large fields.

They look like a hunter course, but contain more technical elements, such as intermediate difficulty combinations, tight turns, and difficult distances between fences, which are often seen in show jumping.

The poles and standards of the fences are usually natural wood or painted a conservative color, such as white or brown.

Equitation and show hunters are judged subjectively based on ability and form (of the rider) and elegance, cadence and style (of the horse).

In most horse shows, four over-fence rounds (one often containing a 25% conformation component) and one flat class make up each hunter section.

Certain mistakes like refusals will lead to drastic penalties, while minor errors like a soft rub on a rail are slightly penalized, at the judge's discretion.

Because style is never taken into account, the horse may jump in unorthodox form, take off from a poor spot, or rub a rail without any penalty.

This objective scoring makes show jumping easy to follow though sometimes both horses and riders may exhibit unorthodox and even unsafe form without penalty.

Pelham bits which include a curb chain and require two sets of reins are also legal and are particularly popular in equitation.

According to the 2007 USEF Rule Book for the Hunter division, "Martingales of any type are prohibited in Under Saddle, hack and tie-breaking classes.

In some competitions, the show management may choose to waive the jacket requirement if the heat and humidity is very high.

However, in some places and at some types of less formal competition, particularly for children, pastel-colored shirts are popular, coordinated with the colors in the hunt coat.

This is a black coat cut short on the front midsection but worn long with tails in the back.

In some places, particularly breed-specific shows where tradition is not as strong, different colors of jackets and shirts are seen: riders sometimes wear tan, teal, light grey, or even dark violet coats with shirts in more vivid shades like green, orange, pink, lavender, and blue.

Newer designs are characterized by a broader visor, a contrasting ventilation strip down the center, and, for women, a hair-catching cloth at the back.

Riders 13 years or older generally wear tall, black field boots with breeches.