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221. Western Dressage

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  1. Requirements for rider attire and mule equipment are the same as all western performance classes.
  2. Judges shall follow current USEF/WDAA scoring and procedures.
  3. Tests: Current WDAA tests shall be used. Show premium shall state which tests will be used for all classes. Novice shall use any Introductory test, Green mules shall use any Basic level test, Bridled mules shall use Basic level test 3 or 4, or Level 1 or 2 test. Amateur shall use Basic level test 3 or 4, or Level 1 test 1 or 2. Youth shall use any Basic level test.
  4. Show management shall draw for ride time prior to the show date and make them available to competitors.
  5. Competitors may have a “reader”. Readers will only be allowed to read the instructions once, they are not allowed to repeat a directive or communicate with the rider.
  6. Voice: Quiet use of the voice including soft “clucking” is permitted.
  7. Definition of gaits
    1. The walk is a well-marked four-time beat marching gait in a regular cadence and with equal intervals between each beat. This regularity combined with full relaxation must be maintained through-out all walk movements. The following walks are recognized: Collected walk, Working walk, and Free walk. There should always be a clear difference in the attitude and tracking in these variations.
    2. The jog is a two-beat gait of alternate diagonal legs (left fore and right hind leg and vice versa) separated by a moment of suspension. Excessive speed or slowness will be penalized. The following jogs are recognized: Collected jog, Working jog, Lengthening of Strides, and Free jog.
    3. The lope is a gait with three equal, regular beats with time of suspension after the third beat. One stride equals 3 beats or three footfalls. This gait may be demonstrated on right or left lead. The following lopes are recognized: Collected lope, Working lope, Lengthening of Strides, and Counter lope.
  8. Faults: Faults of gaits include crookedness, loss of rhythm; tight and tense back with short stiff neck; horse on forehand and/or leaning on the bit; nose consistently behind the vertical; raising of the head to avoid collection, changing tempo; and evasion of contact which can come from improper training, too harsh a bit, or bad hands. In all cases faults will be penalized.
  9. Tack and Equipment
    1. Western-type headstall must be used.
    2. A western cavesson (pencil bosal, braided or plain) is allowed.
    3. Hackamores (Bosal) are permitted on a mule of any age at any level. Mechanical hackamores are not allowed.
  10. Reins
    1. Romal reins may only be used with a curb bit and can only be ridden with one hand.
    2. A rider can ride with two hands only with split reins, connected reins, or mecate type reins (without the popper such as in Romal reins).
  11. Bits
    1. Bits must be AMA-approved western curb bit or snaffle bit. Snaffle bits may be used on a mule of any age being ridden at any level.
    2. Kimberwicke bits are not allowed.
  12. Saddle
    1. A standard western or stock saddle, national, working saddle, Aussie, native or western side saddle is to be used but silver equipment will not count over a good working outfit.
    2. A horn is not required, but western style fenders are required.
  13. Whips: One whip no longer than 47.2 inches (120 cm) including lash, is permitted in all tests.
  14. Illegal Equipment
    1. Martingales and tie-downs.
    2. Mechanical hackamore.
    3. Kimberwicke bit.
    4. Flash, figure 8, and dropped nosebands.
  15. All tests can be found at Western Dressage Association. It is the competitor’s responsibility to obtain current tests