The gallop 4
As an ambitious rider, you have the duty to pass the 7 gallops. This allows you to access the professional phase of riding and to participate in all the competitions of your choice. The gallop 4 has its particularities. To discover them, this information is opportune.
Preparations for gallop 4
Preparations for gallop 4 concern both theory and practice. It is by adapting to all the required circumstances with his mount that the good rider succeeds in passing this stage with flying colors. It is therefore wise to resume lessons with an instructor for the season in order to better master his mode of operation. With such an expert, failures are quickly noticed and the rider has tips to at least perfect his posture or his gesture on the horse at a specific moment.
A priori, it is with the horse that the rider works. He must then learn to communicate his instructions to him even on foot in front of him, both by the bridle and by a slight pressure on the lunge line. In this way, he begins another level of complicity with his mount. It is imperative that he be a good rider on a good mount. For the preparations, he must therefore spend more time on his horse so that the two merge and become one on the day of the exam and after. Taking care of the horse is also part of the requirements of the gallop 4 tests.
For theory, the bend, the curve, the usual snaffle bits, the agreement of aids and the safety rules are the big topics on which the professional will be questioned. He will then do his best to reread the guide or the manual of the federation.
Gallop 4: The Exam
On the day of the gallop 4 test, the rider is alone with his horse on the course. He must then equip it in front of the entire audience for a work session. He must dress it completely without forgetting an ounce of equipment. He must establish the usual diagnosis by doing the routine check before mounting the horse. On foot, for the rest, the two companions will do a course on foot, overcoming small pitfalls and accelerating from time to time. The objective is to show the mastery of the mount and its advanced practice thanks to its rider.
Once this step is completed, you have to saddle up for the majority of the exam. At this stage, strides at three different gaits are required. The rider must get his horse to change pace or gait as he wishes while maintaining the correct posture himself. He is also asked to vary the amplitude at the gallop. For him, making simple but aesthetic and logical gestures is mandatory. The most stressful part of the whole process is the obstacle course. You have to overcome at least 8 obstacles placed on the path to reach the drop point in a short period of time. To do this, the mount and the rider must trust each other completely and be in symbiosis.