Levels of Horse Trials
* Added -
Beginner or Pre-novice - X-C and Stadium fences 2 ft 7 in, ditch 4 ft, drops 3 ft 3 in, 300-350 m/min (meters per minute) on cross country. For dressage beginner novice asks for a lower training level test than novice and training. The test is simple, asking for walk, trot, canter, some diagonals, and 20 meter circles. The jumps are lower, more inviting, and less difficult at this level. Beginner Novice is really the introduction to eventing.
1.
Novice - The Novice Level is an introduction to Horse Trials, combining dressage, cross-country, and jumping tests. It is designed for competitors and horses that have already had experience in schooling competitions in all three disciplines. Competitors need to be prepared to do a walk, trot, and canter dressage test with 20-meter figures and a halt. The cross-country should be a variety of introductory obstacles, including an inviting bank, ditch, drop, and a double. It is intended to be a positive experience, involving galloping in balance and jumping out of stride. The jumping course will include a double and a variety of straight and spread fences, which may include a triple bar.
2.
Training - The Training Level is a basic examination of competitors and horse with some experience and training. The dressage test may ask for further development of the basics, including lengthenings of the trot and canter, as well as 10-meter trot and 15-meter canter figures. The cross-country should be include obstacles formed of two, or possibly three, elements involving the previously introduced banks, drops, and ditches. Jumps into or out of water and narrow fences should be introduced. While these questions are becoming more sophisticated, they must remain positive and inviting in nature. The jumping course shall include two doubles or a triple, a variety of turns, and sequences of various types of obstacles.
3.
Preliminary - The Preliminary Level is a moderate examination of competitors and horses in a regular training program preparing for One Star Events. The dressage test may include medium paces at the trot and canter, as well as the introduction of leg yielding, shoulder in, rein back, and changes of lead through the trot. The cross-country should include tests of accuracy, agility, boldness, control, judgment, and jumping ability. Obstacles may now include angled lines, corners, simple bounces, slopes, and combinations involving water or narrow fences. The jumping course shall include two doubles, or a double and a triple. It will emphasize quickness of recovery, and may require lengthening or shortening stride.
4.
Intermediate - The Intermediate Level is an examination of increasing technical difficulty, preparing competitors and horses for Two Star Events. The dressage test may include canter to halt and walk to canter transitions, as well as turns on haunches, simple changes, and counter canter. The cross-country should now combine in more elaborate settings the tests introduced at Preliminary Level, such as combinations with more than one question to be solved. Obstacles to be expected include banks, ditches, or water, with narrow elements, a bounce combined with other elements, or corners in a combination. The jumping course will include more related distances, and emphasis will be placed on lines of obstacles.
5.
Advanced - Advanced is the highest national level of Horse Trials. It offers test of significant difficulty designed to prepare competitors and horses for either Three of Four Star Events. The dressage test may include extensions in all three paces, half pass at the trot and canter, and single flying changes. The cross-country should clearly be a test of boldness and scope as it now combines size with technical difficulty. Combinations with multiple questions are expected, such as bounces into water, coffins with short distances or significant slopes, and bending lines or related distances between narrow questions. The jumping course will similarly relate virtually all obstacles, distances, and turns.
Specifications for Horse Trials
Novice
Novice Dressage Test - Novice Test C or D
Cross-Country Distances - 1600-2000m
Cross-Country Speeds - 350-400mpm
Efforts - 16-20
Heights
Fixed - 2'11"
Brush - 3'7"
Spreads
Highest Point - 3'3"
Base - 4'11"
Without Height - 6'7"
Drops - 3'11"
Training
Training Dressage Test - Training C or D
Cross-Country Distances - 2000-2400m
Cross-Country Speeds - 420-470mpm
Efforts - 20-24
Heights
Fixed - 3'3"
Brush - 3'11"
Spreads
Highest Point - 3'11"
Base - 5'11"
Without Height - 7'11"
Drops - 4'7"
Preliminary
Dressage Test - Preliminary C or D
Cross-Country Distances - 2200-2800m
Cross-Country Speeds - 520mpm
Efforts - 24-48
Heights
Fixed - 3'7"
Brush - 4'3"
Spreads
Highest Point - 4'7"
Base - 6'11"
Without Height - 9'2"
Drops - 5'3"
Intermediate
Dressage Test - Intermediate D or E
Cross-Country Distances - 2600-3200m
Cross-Country Speeds - 550mpm
Efforts - 28-32
Heights
Fixed - 3'9"
Brush - 4'5"
Spreads
Highest Point - 5'3"
Base - 7'11"
Without Height - 10'6"
Drops - 5'11"
Advanced
Dressage Test - Advanced C or D
Cross-Country Distances - 3000-3800m
Cross-Country Speeds - 570mpm
Efforts - 32-40
Heights
Fixed - 3'11"
Brush - 4'7"
Spreads
Highest Point - 5'11"
Base - 8'10"
Without Height - 11'10"
Drops - 6'7"
Jumping Specifications
Novice
Lengths - 350-450m
Speeds - 300 mpm
Efforts - 9-11
Heights - 2'11"
Spreads
Highest Point - 3'3"
Base or Triple Bars - 4'11"
Training
Lengths - 350-450m
Speeds - 325 mpm
Efforts - 10-12
Heights - 3'3"
Spreads
Highest Point - 3'9"
Base or Triple Bars - 5'5"
Preliminary
Lengths - 350-450m
Speeds - 350 mpm
Efforts - 11-13
Heights - 3'7"
Spreads
Highest Point - 4'3"
Base or Triple Bars - 5'11"
Intermediate
Lengths - 450-500m
Speeds - 350mpm
Efforts - 12-14
Heights - 3'11"*
Spreads
Highest Point - 4'9"
Base or Triple Bars - 6'5"
Advanced
Lengths - 450-550
Speeds - 375mpm
Efforts - 13-15
Heights - 5'3"*
Spreads
Highest Point - 5'3"
Base or Triple Bars - 6'11"
* - At the Intermediate and Advanced Levels, only two obstacles may be at maximum height and these obstacles may not be included in a combination. The remaining obstacles must be lower.
Thanks so much to the United States Eventing Association for all their wonderful, helpful information!
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