Activity – energy, especially of hind legs

Balance – (longitudinal and lateral balance), distributing weight equally on all 4 feet

Basics – gait quality, horse physique, rideability, attitude, beat: walk 4, trot 2, canter 3

Behind the Leg – horse evades contact with the bit, avoid stepping forward into contact

Bend – curved shape of horse’s body from poll to tail

Cadence – expression, elasticity

Collection – horse “gathered” together, shorter strides, higher in front coming out of lifted withers, uphill balance

Connection – energy from behind flows through horse’s body into contact (bit), elastic “feel” in reins from bit to hands/arms/back/seat/legs of rider

Contact – stretch of reins, elastic feel in hands/wrists/elbows/shoulders of rider through the movement of the horse, goal is a light contact with “feel”

Elevation – rising head/neck freely from lifted withers

Engagement – increased flexion of hind leg joints (pelvis/stifles/hocks/fetlocks) during weight bearing phase, lowered croup, lighter forehand, carrying more weight behind

Figures – geometric shapes (ex. Circles, serpentines)

Long and Low – horse lowers/stretches head/neck reaching forward/down into longer rein

On the Bit – supple/quiet acceptance of contact (bit/rein)

On the Forehand – too much weight on forehand, picks up feet late in front, not bearing enough weight behind

Overtrack – placement of hind feet in front of front feet prints

Relaxation – mental/physical state of horse (calm, no anxiety, relaxed muscles except those needed for carriage), mental/physical state combined

Rhythm – even sequence of footfalls for each gate

Roundness – convex profile of horse’s topline

Swinging Back – energy from hind legs moving through elastic back/top line

Self Carriage – horse carries itself without support of rider’s hands, balanced

Tempo – beats per minute

Throughness – supple/elastic/connection of horse’s muscles, allows for unrestricted flow of energy from back to front

Uphill – higher in forehand relative to croup