Five Horses to Follow at The Fork at Tryon

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 79.930% claimed last year's trophy. Two of this year's contenders have already scored higher.

Caroline Pamukcu and HSH Blake on the US Equestrian Open Graphic 

The Open Weekly: Burghley Podium, Farrington Opens in Toronto, & a Chance to Test Yourself

You have read the guides. You have watched the freestyles. And you are pretty sure you know the difference between a piaffe and a passage. Here is your chance to test your knowledge. Below are ten dressage terms, described the way you would watch them in the arena. Read each one, make your guess, then click to see if you got it right.
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<summary style="cursor: pointer; list-style: none; font-weight: bold; color: #001c54; font-size: 16px;">▸The horse trots on the spot keeping cadence and elevation while staying more or less in one place. What movement is this?</summary>
Piaffe
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<summary style="cursor: pointer; list-style: none; font-weight: bold; color: #001c54; font-size: 16px;">▸The horse trots in slow motion, with huge elevation and a long, floating moment of suspension between steps. What movement is this?</summary>
Passage
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<summary style="cursor: pointer; list-style: none; font-weight: bold; color: #001c54; font-size: 16px;">▸The horse turns a full 360 degrees almost on the spot at canter, hind legs make a tiny circle while the front end circles around them. What movement is this?</summary>
Pirouette
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<summary style="cursor: pointer; list-style: none; font-weight: bold; color: #001c54; font-size: 16px;">▸The horse travels forward and sideways at once, crossing the arena while bent in the direction it is going. What movement is this?</summary>
Half pass
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<summary style="cursor: pointer; list-style: none; font-weight: bold; color: #001c54; font-size: 16px;">▸Several half passes strung together, switching direction with a flying change in between, repeating in a symmetrical pattern down the arena. What movement is this?</summary>
Zig-zag
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<summary style="cursor: pointer; list-style: none; font-weight: bold; color: #001c54; font-size: 16px;">▸At the canter, the horse swaps which front leg leads in the split second all four feet are off the ground. What movement is this?</summary>
Flying change
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<summary style="cursor: pointer; list-style: none; font-weight: bold; color: #001c54; font-size: 16px;">▸Flying changes ridden on a set count, every single stride, with fifteen in a row required at the Grand Prix level. Done well, it looks like the horse is skipping across the arena. What are these called?</summary>
One-tempi changes, or "ones"
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<summary style="cursor: pointer; list-style: none; font-weight: bold; color: #001c54; font-size: 16px;">▸A horse learns to carry more of its weight on its hind legs, lowering the back end and lifting and lightening the front. What is this called?</summary>
Collection
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<summary style="cursor: pointer; list-style: none; font-weight: bold; color: #001c54; font-size: 16px;">▸A quick, near-invisible rebalancing where the rider asks the horse to shift its weight back and gather itself without actually slowing down. What is this called?</summary>
Half-halt
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<summary style="cursor: pointer; list-style: none; font-weight: bold; color: #001c54; font-size: 16px;">▸The horse lengthens its frame and reaches for maximum ground cover, releasing the energy forward while the weight stays back over the hindquarters. What is this called?</summary>
Extended trot
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Felicitas Hendricks and Drombush OLD half passing at trot

How Well Do You Know Dressage? Test Yourself

Boyd Martin winning the US Equestrian Open Final last year

Boyd Martin gained 125 points last September. This year he only needs 50 more to take the Series lead.

US Equestrian Open 2026 Finals

Wellington CSI5* Grand Prix

Morven Park CCI4*‑L

Desert CDI5* Freestyle

Five Horses to Follow at The Fork at Tryon

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79.930% claimed last year's trophy. Two of this year's contenders have already scored higher.

Five Horses to Follow at The Fork at Tryon

The Open Weekly: Burghley Podium, Farrington Opens in Toronto, & a Chance to Test Yourself

How Well Do You Know Dressage? Test Yourself

Boyd Martin gained 125 points last September. This year he only needs 50 more to take the Series lead.

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