Glossary of Freestyle Judging Terms

Question 1

BALANCE (IN DESIGN)

Answer 1

Fairly even use of right and left rein work.

Question 2

CHOREOGRAPHY

Answer 2

Arrangement of gaits, paces, movements, figures, transitions, combinations and patterns that comprise a program.

Question 3

COMBINATION

Answer 3

Direct connection of any movement or figure with another movement or figure.

Question 4

CREATIVITY

Answer 4

Elements are combined in imaginative ways; interesting or uncommon lines or patterns are used; not test-like.

Question 5

DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY

Answer 5

How movements, transitions and configurations in the Freestyle relate to those of the current standard tests of the same level.

Question 6

DESIGN COHESIVENESS

Answer 6

Logical, coherent, recognizable construction of the choreography.

Question 7

ELEMENTS

Answer 7

Basic components that may be included in freestyle choreography, such as the movements, figures, and transitions.

Question 8

HARMONY

Answer 8

The willing and un-coerced cooperation and partnership between horse and rider; the ability to accomplish the choreographic patterns with ease.

See also Harmony in main Glossary.

Question 9

MOVEMENT

Answer 9

1. The manner in which the horse moves over the
   ground; way of moving.
2. Test movement: a section of a dressage test to be
   evaluated with one score on a score sheet.
3. Dressage Movements: these are: leg-yield, rein
   back, shoulder-in, travers, renvers, turn on
   haunches, half pass (trot or canter), flying
   change(s), pirouette (walk or canter), piaffe, and
   passage.

For the purpose of the current freestyle tests, forbidden movement(s) refers to #2.

Question 10

PATTERN

Answer 10

Geometric design formed in the arena when movements, figures and transitions are combined.

Question 11

TEST-LIKE

Answer 11

Directly repeating a combination or pattern from the current standard tests with no variation in its pattern or location.

Question 12

USE OF ARENA

Answer 12

Utilizing the dressage arena space in its entirety; distributing the elements throughout the arena.

Question 13

BEAT

Answer 13

The underlying pulse of the music (which corresponds to the emphasized beat(s) of the stride).
Expressed musically, the walk has two beats per stride, the trot has two beats per stride, and the canter has one beat per stride

Question 14

COHESIVENESS

Answer 14

Music is linked by genre, theme or instrumentation.

Question 15

DYNAMICS

Answer 15

Variations in the intensity of sound.

Question 16

GENRE

Answer 16

Category of music marked by a distinct style such as jazz, baroque, rock, etc.

Question 17

INTERPRETATION

Answer 17

Appropriateness of the rhythm and tempo of the music to the gaits of the horse; choreography reflects the dynamics and phrasing of the music.

Question 18

LYRICS

Answer 18

Use of words in a song.

Question 19

MUSIC EXPRESSES GAITS

Answer 19

Each music selection gives the impression of the gait it accompanies; the tempo of the music matches the footfalls of the horse.

Question 20

ORCHESTRA

Answer 20

Large group of musicians playing together on various instruments, including strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion.

Question 21

ORCHESTRATION

Answer 21

Arrangement of music for performance by an orchestra, or smaller groupings of instruments.

Question 22

PHRASING

Answer 22

The way sequences of notes are grouped together to form units of melody, the expression of musical sentences so that the choreography reflects
changes in the music.

Question 23

RHYTHM

Answer 23

The repeated pattern or grouping of musical beats. Also Rhythm in Main Glossary.

Question 24

SEAMLESSNESS

Answer 24

Cuts and transitions are smooth and create an overall flow of the music.

Question 25

STYLE

Answer 25

Distinctive and identifiable form used in artistic expression.

Question 26

SUITABILITY

Answer 26

Appropriateness of the music to the type and character of the horse.

Question 27

SYMPHONY

Answer 27

Many sounds playing together; a major work for orchestra; large orchestra.

Question 28

SYNCOPATION

Answer 28

Shift in accent that occurs when a normally weak beat is stressed.

Question 29

TEMPO

Answer 29

Measured by a metronome, the rate of repetition of the stride (in canter) or the rate of repetition of the emphasized beats of the stride (in walk and
trot). See also Beat and Tempo in Main Glossary.

Question 30

THEME

Answer 30

Distinct, recurring and unifying quality or idea.

Question 31

VOCAL

Answer 31

Human voice used as an instrument.