Difference between Hunt Seat EQ and English Pleasure?

Question

What is the difference between Hunt Seat EQ and English Pleasure? What is the differnce between how you ride, saddles, posture, and movements of the horse?

I want to get started in one of these classes so any help or advice would be great!

Answer 1

Hunt Seat EQ-pattern class (the judge picks the pattern) and is judged on you-your position, seat, and abilitly to control the horse. same saddle as english pleasure. at the end of the pattern (when everyone's done) you do some rail work for about two minutes. sometimes you have to drop your stirrups in higher level shows during rail work (judge's decision). you need to sit up, look forward, smile, heels down, shoulders back, hands still (hold them like you're holding a tray, at a 90 degree angle), and shoulders square. your horse will have to do simple/flying lead changes, back up, trasition gaits nicely, do pivots and pull turns. depends on the pattern. no jumps. your reins will be a bit tighter b/c you need control over the horse to do the required acts. make sure to not rush through your pattern. this is a formula for disaster. don't take toooo long or else the judge will mark you down some.



English Pleasure (Hunter Under Saddle)-class that requires you to walk, trot, canter, and back up. it's not like hunter hack at all. it's a flat class. you need to sit back more in this class (but not a whole lot more) and your horse's head needs to be level with it's withers. the flater the knee, the longer the stride, and the elegance of the ride the better. same english saddle as in hunt seat eq. consistency is key.

here's a pic of it-http://www.talkoftheparty.net/sitebuilder/images/And_rightly_So-395x317.jpg

http://geneparkerfarms.com/images/skysblueboy.jpg

(the trot ^)



Edit: haha ya, me neither. there's absolutely no jumps at all...

Answer 2

Hunt Seat- this is normally a pattern class, possibly with some rail work one direction. It is an equitation class, and therefore judged on the rider. You need to sit up straight, flat back, legs underneath you, heels down, shoulders back, head up, arms at a bit more than a 90 degree angle (put your arms out at a 90 degree angle from the elbow, then lower your lower arm just a few inches). The horse will normally be a bit slower for this class, but not much, and will keep the standard english style movement.



Hunter Under Saddle (English Pleasure)- Most people lean forward more in HUS, because this class is judged just on the horse's quality of movement, nothing else. The saddle is the same, and again, minus leaning forward a bit more (and this is a choice not a requirement) the rider's position remains the same). The horse should be a bit more forward. This doesn't mean lapping everyone, this means that the horse reaches further with their legs.



EDIT: Neither of these classes have jumps, so I have no idea what that first person was talking about O.o

Answer 3

When you ask "What is Hunt Seat?" Hunt Seat flat classes come in 3 basic types, Equitation, Pleasure and the Engish version of the western trail classes, Hunter Under Saddle or Bridle Path Hack (Same class basically, different name). Hunt Seat Equitation is judged primarily on the rider, the horse is second. He's looking at how well this rider handles their horse and their turn out. Judged on a walk, trot, canter, both directions and backing up in the line up. English Pleasure is just the reverse, this time it's the horse's turn the judge is looking for manners, way of going and turnout. Judged on a walk, trot, canter, both directions and backing up in the line up. Hunter Under Saddle/Bridlepath Hack is basically, judged upon a walk, trot, canter, HAND GALLOP, stopping and sometimes lead changes (Depending upon if a judge needs a tie breaker.). Then there's Hunter Hack... This is handled like an English Pleasure class with two differences: The first there are two fences 2'6" to 2'9" that are taken one at a time after the line up. Secondly, the horse is then asked for a Hand Gallop, a stop and then asked to back and return to line quietly. When you say "English Showing" do you mean "Saddle Seat"? That's the Park Horse, like your Saddlebreds, Morgans, TWHs and Arabians. These come in Pleasure and Equitation and Country Pleasure classes. If you want to know the difference between Jumpers, Conformation Hunters and Working Hunters, e-mail me.

Answer 4

You are asking two different questions here-the difference between EQ and pleasure, and the difference between Hunt Seat and English.



The basic difference between EQ and pleasure is that in EQ, your position is the focus, and in pleasure, your horse is. Not to say there isn't a degree of crossover between the two-you have to be riding well to show your horse off in pleasure, and your horse has to be going well to best demonstrate your skills in EQ.



Now for the difference between Hunt Seat and English. English is a broad term that encompasses all English styles of riding from Hunt Seat to Saddle Seat.



If you are going to an Arab, Saddlebred, or Morgan show, English is saddleseat, and pretty big trotting saddleseat at that. There are three levels to "English riding" at these shows-Country English, English, and Park, with each having progressively more powerful and high stepping gaits.



Hunt seat is typically what you think when you think of English style riding and what is looked for in a hunter horse varies by the breed. I can give you some specifics if you let me know what type of show you are talking about.

Answer 5

No difference. Both require good position but the Hunt seat will require galloping and jumping. English pleasure is a bit more sedate.