CEF Rules

a. GENERAL:
1. Performance of the horse shall be paramount and in no way overshadowed by equipment turnout. Competitors should strive to present an appropriate turnout indicating the balance and pleasing appearance of the combination of horse and vehicle.
2. Safety should be foremost in all minds.
3. Large classes will be divided by show management or the judge if conditions warrant.
4. MAIDEN HORSE/DRIVER — has not aver won a first in that class.
NOVICE DRIVER — has not won three firsts in that class.
GREEN HORSE/DRIVER — has never been out.
5. Pleasure qualities are paramount.
TO BE JUDGED: 70% manners, performance, condition and style: 20% fit and appropriateness of harness and vehicle, 10% conformation of horse and neatness of driver.
6. Neatly attired header must enter ring at line up to assist in parking horse or in the event of an unsafe situation.

b. APPOINTMENTS
i. Harness is light, single and MUST be leather. It is traditionally black leather with square, blinkers, snaffle bridle with side chock or overcheck, branching, and running martingale. It should be in good shape, clean, and fit the horse properly.
2. Whip to be of a length that reaches the horses’ shoulder.
3. Vehicle may be of 2 or 4 wheels and of suitable appearance and safety.
4. In all classes, the driver shall wear a hat, an apron or knee rug and gloves. Ladies should wear conservative dress, blouse, and skirt; shirt and jodhpurs with apron; Saddle Suit or day coat and jods. Man should wear business suit, Saddle Suit, or sports jacket and slacks.
c. CLASS SPECIFICATIONS
TWH PLEASURE DRIVING: OPEN or GREEN HORSE and/or DRIVER, or MAIDEN DRIVER or NOVICE DRIVER or JUNIOR HORSE — Horse to enter to the right and work both ways of ring at Flat Walk and Running Walk. Reverse to be executed on the diagonal at a walk. The horse is to line up, stand quietly, and back readily. TO BE JUDGED: as described in Section 7, rule 5 above.

TWH ANTIQUE PLEASURE DRIVING: This class must use an antique buggy, safe and in good repair. The Driver’s attire is to be appropriate to the style of the buggy (Southern Belle, Period etc.) TO BE JUDGED: 50% manners and performance, 50%. appointments of driver and vehicle.

TWH OBSTACLE DRIVING: OPEN or GREEN HORSE and/or DRIVER, or MAIDEN DRIVER or NOVICE DRIVER — to be shown and judged as described in CEF Rule Book Pleasure Driving: Part VIII Obstacle Driving. No martingale.

TWH REINSMANSHIP: OPEN or GREEN DRIVER or MAIDEN DRIVER or NOVICE RIDER — a class which is judged primarily on the ability and skill of the driver. To be shown both ways of the ring at a flatfoot walk and running walk. Required to rein back. All drivers chosen for a workout must be worked both ways of the ring at any gait requested by the Judge and may be asked to execute a figure might or any other appropriate tests.
TO BE JUDGED: 75% on the handling of reins and whip, control. posture and overall appearance of driver, and 25% on appointments.

SECTION 8: TWH SIDESADDLE

a. Sidesaddle entries are allowed in any TWH performance class and will be judged in accordance with the rules for the class.
b. When numbers warrant it is recommended that sidesaddle classes be divided into English and Western. If not divided, Judges shall give equal consideration to both styles of attire.
c. A Sidesaddle class is not a costume class or a Southern Belle class.
d. Rider’s attire to be appropriate to the type of saddle used: ENGLISH a sidesaddle habit and English tack as defined in PART IV, Section 2, Rule a or PART IV, Section 3, Rule a. Western: coat or vest, and skirt or dress, divided shirt or apron, hat and boots or appropriate shoes. Western tack as defined in PART IV, Section 5, rule a. Pantaloons optional.
a. TO BE JUDGED: 85% manners, performance, quality, and conformation; 15%. appropriateness of fittings.
f. CLASS SPECIFICATIONS: Any class may also be specified as sidesaddle classes. These may be designated as 2 or 3 gait classics and defined according to OPEN or ADULT or YOUTH or MAIDEN HORSE and/or RIDER, or NOVICE HORSE and/or RIDER.

SECTION 9: EQUITATION (HORSEMANSHIP)

a. GENERAL
1. While this is traditionally a youth class, the CWHAR strongly advises that adult equitation classes be offered.
2. Whenever possible youth classes should be split into ago categories. Suggested categories are 1i years old and younger, 12 years to age 13 years, ages 14 years to 17 years.
3. The rider must remain on the same mount throughout all phases of an equitation class until the judge requests a change. No rider shall be asked to perform a test on another mount before ha has performed the same test on his own mount.
4. When additional tests are required the judge’s instructions shall be publicly announced.
5. Tests from which Judges must choose may be performed either individually or as a group, and should be asked for after the entire class is lined up after performance both directions of the ring. Additional teats may include:
a. Gather the reins.
b. Back the Horse.
c. Questions (identical for each rider).
d. Work at the rail individually.
a. Ride without stirrups at any or all gaits.
f. Change canter or lope loads down Centre of ring. Whether this is a simple or flying change is left to the judge.
g. Perform serpentine at any or all gaits.
h. Perform figure night at any or all gaits.
i. Mount and dismount.
j. Exchange mounts. This should be the last test called. It should not be used for young competitors .

b. TO BE JUDGED. Riders will be judged on seat, hands, appointments of the horse and rider, suitability of horse to rider, and performance of horse. Results as shown by the performance of the horse are NOT to be considered more important then the method used in obtaining them. It should be stressed that Walking Horse equitation is a natural, coordinated, and comfortable riding position and should in no way be rigid or exaggerated. A rider should convey the impression of effective and easy control, with the general appearance of being able to ride for a considerable length of time with pleasure. To show a horse wall, ha should show himself to the best advantage. Show etiquette shall be taken into consideration by the judges. The appearance, presentation, and alertness of the rider and his mount make the over-all picture of utmost importance.

c. WALKING SEAT EQUITATION

1. PERSONAL
Exhibitors and judges should bear in mind that at all times entries are being judged on their skill and form on the horse. The horse and the rider should be groomed to meticulous perfection, The rider should exercise good taste right down to the smallest, most minute detail The rider is required to choose a neat, wall, fitting, conservative Saddle Suit. Riding suits should be neatly pressed and jodhpur boots polished and in good condition. Careful attention should be given to the fit of the habit with moderate fullness better then too snug a fit. Coats should be at least finger-tip length when standing, and jodhpurs should be no more then one inch above the boot heel when mounted. Jodhpur straps should always be used. A matching or coordinated snapbrim or derby to be worn. English type spurs (either blunt or small rowelled) and riding whip are optional for exhibitors 15 years and over. Nothing should distract from the genuine beauty of a well-trained horse and skilled rider.

2. TACK
English type headstall with a snaffle bit or Walking Horse bit with the shanks not to exceed 5 inches when measured from the mouthpiece to the and of the shank. Colored brow bends are appropriate. Any English type saddle other then forward seat may be used. Braids should be neatly attached at the top of the mane and the forelock. The colour should blend well with the rider’s habit and brow’ bend. Tack should be neat and clean and in good repair. All metal parts should be bright.

3. CLASS PROCEDURE
a. MOUNTING and DISMOUNTING
To mount, take up reins in left hand and place hand on withers. Grasp stirrup leather with right hand and insert left foot in stirrup and mount. To dismount, rider may either step down or slide down.
b. HANDS
The hands should be held in an easy position, neither perpendicular nor horizontal to the saddle, and should show sympathy, adaptability, and control. The height the hands are held above the horse’s withers is a matter of how and where the horse carries his head. The elbow should fall directly below the shoulder. Hands and wrists should be flexible and held so that from the rider’s view the hands and arms from the elbow form a V shape with the thumbs close enough to touch when opened away from the reins. The fingers should be closed over reins, firm but not rigid with the pressure between thumb and index fingers to secure ands. Both hands are on the reins, and the bight of the rein should be on the off side.
c. BASIC POSITION
lt. is understood that the saddle should fit both horse and rider. The position of the saddle should be comfortable for horse and rider and allow for the proper performance of the TWH gaits. The position of the rider that is most apt to give the desired results is in no way exaggerated, but is thoroughly efficient and most comfortable for riding the horse at any gait for any length of time. To obtain proper position, rider should place himself comfortably in the middle of the saddle and find his Centre of gravity by sitting with a slight bend at the knees, without use of irons. While in this position adjust stirrup leather to fit so that irons will be under bell of foot with even pressure on entire width of sole and Centre of iron. The thigh and knee are rolled inward, the lower lag will be held naturally against the horse (for use in driving the hind and wall under for maximum reach), and the foot will b~ held directly below the knee with the too neither extremely in nor out and heel slightly lower then toe.

4. POSITION IN MOTION
The position in motion should be natural, coordinated, and graceful. attained only with practice. FLAT WALK: light bit pressure with required leg aids to drive hind and for maximum reach. Close scat with only enough motion to move with the horse’s stride, not busy. RUNNING WALK. proper bit pressure to help in collection of individual mount. Scat smooth in the saddle with required leg aids to drive the horse on. Rider should be supple, but alert when horse is in correct four-corner gait. CANTER: hands quiet. Close seat, going with roll of horse. Very little motion of rider necessary. Pumping of the reins to be penalized. PARK: rider to sit quietly in saddle with horse to stand on all four feat with front and rear feet even, head up, neck crested, and jaw flexible. BACK: should be smooth, quiet, and straight using light bit pressure and leg aids. Horse should be moved forward from the park position before and after backing.

STOCK SEAT EQUITATION
Refer to CEF RULE book under WESTERN, l Section 6 Western Horsemanship for a description of this class. In all. cases, the Running Walk will be substituted for the jog. TO BE JUDGED: as described in rule b above. Special notice should be taken that only one hand may be used on the rein in a Stock Seat Equitation class even if the horse is a Junior Horse.