Baroque Equestrian Games
Competition Rules & Documents
“A horse that does not go well upon his haunches, can never do well in the Manage”
William Cavendish
A General System of
Horsemanship, 1658 AD
Baroque Equestrian Games
Pattern Documents
All Patterns have been updated as of 2015
"I concentrate mainly on exercising his mind and his memory, in such a way that I achieve what I want: so that it is the horse’s mind which I work the most: the mind of the rider must work perpetually as well, in order to detect all kinds of opportunities to arrive at his goal, without letting any movement pass unnoticed, nor any opportunity unused."
Antoine de Pluvinel
Maneige Royal, 1623 AD
Ground Work
Section Pattern Documents
To give the young un-started horse a fundamental understanding of balance, suppleness and responsiveness to the aids. Circles and transitions bring greater balance, spirals increase engagement of the horse’s hind legs as well as increase suppleness and collection.
PDF - Ground Work Section Information Material.
Goals, Glossary of Paces & Figures.
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Pattern One - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
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Pattern Two - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
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Pattern Three - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
"In order to place a horse on his haunches and cure him of the fault of being on his shoulders, horsemen have found a cure in the lesson of the halt, the half-halt and the rein back."
Francois Robichon
De La Gueriniere.
Ecole de Cavalerie, 1733 AD
"It is a principle to which all experienced masters subscribe that a horse should never be galloped before having been suppled with the trot so that it neither bears on the hand nor pulls at the reins."
Francois Robichon
De La Gueriniere
Ecole de Cavalerie, 1733 AD
Classical Schooling
Section Pattern Documents
Initiate Phase
Square turns, rein backs and transitions will produce lateral and longitudinal balance introducing the horse to collection. Demi-Voltes into the corner and quarter turns around the forehand will create bending in the horse’s body. Riding 20M circles and changes of direction will help to establish suppleness (pliability). All these exercises will encourage the horse and rider to find fluidity, grace & harmony.
PDF - Initiate Phase Information Material.
Goals, Glossary of Paces & Figures.
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Pattern One - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
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Pattern Two - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
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Pattern Three - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
Equilibre Phase
The horse finds a degree of collection to allow clear balance at the walk, trot, and canter. Loops and counter bends will confirm bending in the horse's body. The lateral exercises in this phase of training should render the horse more flexible allowing the horse to sustain a higher degree of collection with ease.
Gracefulness will become second nature to both horse and rider .
PDF - Equilibre Phase Information Material.
Goals, Glossary of Paces & Figures.
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Pattern One - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
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Pattern Two - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
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Pattern Three - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
"In order to attain this cadenced and collected canter, one must carefully examine the nature of each horse, in order to properly provide the lessons which are suited to him."
Francois Robichon
De La Gueriniere.
Ecole de Cavalerie, 1733 AD
Rassembler Phase
Now that collection has been confirmed, the horse can maintain balance independently from the rider, as a result the horse becomes pleasant and effortless to ride. The rider will use lateral exercises to increase flexibility and begin to create expressiveness in the horse’s gaits. By releasing the reins at the halt, the rider demonstrates correct communication between horse and rider along with the proof of collection without tension. Gracefulness becomes effortless as horse and rider begin to crate art.
PDF - Rassembler Phase Information Material.
Goals, Glossary of Paces & Figures.
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Pattern One - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
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Pattern Two - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
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Pattern Three - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
"The nice canter must be shortened in the forehand and be active in the haunches. This definition is for the school canter which we are speaking about here, because the hunt or hacking canter must be extended."
Francois Robichon
De La Gueriniere.
Ecole de Cavalerie, 1733 AD
Haute Ecole Phase
Piaffer, Passage and Canter Pirouettes will refine the horse's balance into full collection.
Full collection will allow the rider to use the seat to balance and the legs to guide the horse. Full collection gives the horse and rider the freedom to express themselves through movement. A high degree of flexibility must be evident in the execution of Full-Passes and Square Voltes. A high degree of collection and flexibility creates a graceful living work of art.
PDF - Haute Ecole Phase Information Material.
Goals, Glossary of Paces & Figures.
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Pattern One - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
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Pattern Two - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
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Pattern Three - PDFs.
Video of Pattern Movements
(Coming Soon)
"The piaffe is a sustained and elevated action of the shoulder with the forehand high in the air and bent at the knee, which gives much grace to a horse"
Francois Robichon
De La Gueriniere.
Ecole de Cavalerie, 1733 AD
"These principles, regularly practiced have contributed greatly to the regularity of military movements: and it will appear that every air of the manege is practiced in the evolutions of cavalry."
Francois Robichon De La Gueriniere.
Ecole de Cavalerie, 1733 AD
Mounted Maneuvers
Section Pattern Documents
These maneuvers provide “real-life” testing of the principles learned in the Classical Schooling Section. The thoroughness of the horse’s schooling and your proficiency as a rider will be tested. Scoring is based on maintaining a graceful, balanced and effortless manner, as well as accuracy in performing the maneuvers. The rider must show gracefulness in handling the sword and completing the challenges.
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Initiate Phase - PDFs.
(Coming Soon)
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Rassembler Phase - PDFs.
(Coming Soon)
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Equilibre Phase - PDFs.
(Coming Soon)
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Haute Ecole Phase - PDFs.
(Coming Soon)
Musical Presentation
Section Pattern Documents
The classical schooling section creates the qualities for graceful riding and the mounted maneuvers will test these qualities. In the Musical Presentation Section the rider will focus on the emotion and artistry of riding. Riders may choose any theme, any music, and any choreography, provided they incorporate the movements from the the Classical Schooling Pattern in their corresponding Phase of Training
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Initiate Phase - PDF.
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Rassembler Phase - PDF.
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Equilibre Phase - PDF.
& Required Movements
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Haute Ecole Phase - PDF.