FITE

Working equitation

Droits FFE DR

Working equitation is a discipline intended to preserve and develop equestrian skills related to driving and sorting cattle. It is an equestrian discipline practiced in a large number of European countries as well as in Asia and South America. This very broad geographic scope should be a major development factor.

Working equitation has a number of different objectives :

1. a breeding promotion objective

Helping to select and give value to the best suited horses for professional usage in the cattle

working sector.

2. a cultural objective

Passing on and promoting horse riding and training techniques used to drive and sort cattle;

3. an economic objective

Promoting the sale of horses in France, Europe and the rest of the world by developing equestrian activities based on working equitation techniques and by encouraging the use of horses in society.

The common riding skills in the various countries concern areas such as:

1 Specific horse training techniques

2 Riding a horse with one hand and simultaneously using a specific cattle sorting tool (garocha,etc).

3 Interpreting and anticipating the herd's behavior in order to separate one or more of its

members.

The cultural dimension of the discipline and the various countries in which this activity is

practiced are expressed in terms of:

1 professional techniques passed down from generation to generation

2 horse breeds that are specifically bred for this job in the countries concerned

3 the use of tack and equipment that is a characteristic feature of the culture in the considered country

4 specific dress for each country

5 specific language when working the cattle.

The concern to preserve professional techniques and cultural practices has led to the creation of sports events intended to allow riders to compete on both sports and cultural terms and display the intrinsic qualities of their horses and the skills of their riders.

Over the past ten years, successive organizers of international meetings have carried out a

considerable amount of abstraction relative to the reality of this practice in their country in order to gradually allow this discipline to be molded into a "sport".

The intrinsic qualities sought in the horses are:

1 Calmness

2 Balance

3 Impulsion

4 Submission

5 Boldness

6 An aptitude for working cattle

The skills sought in the riders are:

1 General ease

2 Coordination skills

3 Discretion in the use of aids

4 Handling of specific equipment

5 Perception of situations

6 Correct interpretation

7 Correct actions

The events making up these competitions are:

1 A dressage phase

2 Obstacle course phases

3 A cattle sorting phase

Movements :

1 The straight movings in pace and in gallop
2 The stop on the posteriors from gallop
3 Retreat
4 The lateral movings
5 The variances of amplitude
6 The about-turn on the hips in gallop and in pace
7 The curves and inversion of curves
8 The changes of feet in gallop

The valuation is resting on :

1 The control of the put in hand in the different exercices
2 The quality of the moving (rythm, regularity, franchise)
3 The respect of technical agreement related to the movements
4 The general ease of the pair in the chain
5 The précision

Technical handiness

this is a test of dressage with clearing obstacles. The obstacles symbolize the difficulties, natural or not, subject to be met in working equitation (gate, trunk, gap, footbridge, …)

The performance of the competitors are estimated and noted with de same way than for de test of dressage . It is an appreciated event. The criterions selected have to permit the valuation according to the professionnal efficacity.

Time handiness

This is the same event but measured in an objective way by the use of a chronometer. The goal is to promote the horses most manageable. The routes and the penalties applied for the obstacles demolitions, must be such as to prevent any attempt to « passing with force » which promote the tip speed,and  not the handiness and would be contrary to the spirit of the discipline.

The constraints of the test have to impose :

1 An approach of the cattle  in the calm

2 The isolation and the sorting of the cattle in respect of the integrity of the herd

3 Conduct of cattle sorted efficiently and accurately

4 Teamwork

The various parameters of constraint test on which we can step in to increase or decrease the difficulties are :

1 The grounds size

2 The size of the parking areas for cattle

3 The inclusion of passages required

4 The number of animals in the herd

5 The psychological disposition of the cattle and their age

6 The time allowed

The definition of the contraints of the test must be such that the criteria of accomplishment  above are absolutely respected. All sportive result showing the opposite, would be a sign of inadequacy of the regulation to the spirit of the discipline.