American Trakehner Association |
|
Mare and Riding Horse Performance Test
|
Score |
Description |
10 |
Excellent |
9 |
Very Good |
8 |
Good |
7 |
Fairly Good |
6 |
Satisfactory |
5 |
Marginal |
4 |
Insufficient |
3 |
Fairly Poor |
2 |
Poor |
1 |
Very Poor |
0 |
Not Performed |
Each test component is weighted as shown in the table below. The judges’ scores for each feature are summed and the average is calculated. The end result is expressed by a total score. The total score is calculated to two decimal points.
Basic Gaits |
Percentage |
Walk |
10% |
Trot |
10% |
Canter |
10% |
Rideability |
40% |
Free-Jumping |
30% |
Total |
100% |
Basic gaits are judged to include a four-beat walk, a two-beat trot and a three-beat canter ideally displaying rhythm, suppleness, balance and ground-covering strides.
Rideability is the ability of the horse to be ridden in an uncomplicated, relaxed and cooperative manner that shows suppleness, contact and a lack of resistance. Ideally, the horse displays a willingness to perform these basic gaits when asked by the rider.
Free-jumping is judged on the aptitude of the horse to willingly jump obstacles with relaxation, fore and hind leg technique, bascule to the topline as well as power and scope.
8. Test Protocols:
Horses will be allowed to warm up in the test arena for approximately ten minutes before their group’s under-saddle phase to familiarize themselves with the arena. Any additional warm up should be done outside of the arena in designated warm-up areas. At the inspectors’ discretion, if a horse is not in the arena at the designated time for her group’s under-saddle phase, she will be considered as having not completed the test, and there will be no refund of any fees paid.
The under-saddle phase will be held before the free-jumping phase. There will be a rest and relaxation period of at least 30 minutes before the free-jumping phase.
For the under-saddle phase, horses will be asked to perform at the walk, trot and canter in a group of up to three horses, grouped by age when possible. One of the inspectors will direct the under-saddle test. Horses as a group will be asked to perform 20-meter circles and changes of direction across the diagonal at the trot. Horses may be asked to trot around the entire arena. At the canter, horses will be asked as a group to perform 20 meter circles and to canter around the entire arena. Horses will be asked to show a free walk on a long rein and a medium walk before transition to the trot. Horses four years old and older will be asked to show a lengthening of stride at the trot and canter. The inspectors will observe the horse’s willingness to work, tractability, temperament, and way of going under saddle.
Any horse or rider who is disruptive to others in the group to a degree that may be compromising other horses’ performance, may be excused from the arena by the inspector directing the under-saddle phase. If this should occur, the excused horse will be considered as having not completed the test, and there will be no refund of any fees paid. An excused horse may repeat the test at a later date.
The free-jumping protocol will be the same as that for ATA stallion approval and is posted on the ATA website. No changes may be made to the free-jumping chute or protocol. It is recommended that the hosts allow for free-jumping practice the day before the performance test. Each horse, without a rider, must pass at least three times through the jumping chute which is set up in the same manner as for the stallion testing.
9. Drug Policy, Health Certificates and Liability Waivers:
No drugs or medications are permitted, except those allowed by the FEI’s Clean Sport Policy. More information can be found at www.feicleansport.org. If due to illness or injury, a mare receives any prohibited drugs or medications in the ten days prior to her horse performance test, the drugs or medications must have been administered by direction of a licensed veterinarian and a certificate signed by such veterinarian indicating what drugs were administered, when administered and why they were administered must be presented to the inspectors prior to the start of the under-saddle phase. Horses may be subject to drug testing. Any samples for drug testing will be collected by a licensed veterinarian immediately following the mare’s under-saddle phase. Any horse testing positive for a prohibited substance without having submitted a veterinarian’s certificate will be considered as having not completed the test, scores will not be recorded, any ribbons or prizes received must be returned to the ATA, and there will be no refund of any fees paid.
Participating horses, where required, must provide evidence of all required immunizations and a health certificate issued within 30 days of the test. Handlers, riders and grooms must sign hold-harmless liability waivers.
10. Passing Score and Publication Policy:
To pass the test successfully, a horse must achieve a total score of 6.0 with no other category score below 5. If a total score of 6.0 is not attained, a horse may repeat the test once at a later date. If repeated, the latter total score is the final test score. All scores will be made public including the scores of horses that did not achieve a passing score.
11. Performance Premiums
Completion of the Mare and Riding Horse Performance Test with a score of 6.0 will be considered the first step in the ATA’s Exceptional Horses program and will be indicated by a “*P*” after the horse’s name. The test scores will be entered on the horse’s registration certificate and owners will be sent a copy of their horse's score sheet.
Any mare registered in the Official Stud Book or the Preliminary Stud Book having been inspected and approved with at least 54 inspection points, and completing the mare performance test with a score of 7.0 or better, will be awarded the Premium designation “Pr” after her name.
Alternatively, if such a mare receives an inspection score of at least 52 points and completes the mare performance test with a score of 7.5 or better, she also will be awarded the Premium “Pr” designation.
12. Fee and Application:
The application for the Mare and Riding Horse Performance Test is available on the ATA website and must be submitted by the announced deadline.
The fee for the Mare and Riding Horse Performance Test is $200. If the test is taken in conjunction with a mare’s Official Stud Book or Preliminary Stud Book inspection, the fee is $150 in addition to the inspection fee if submitted with all required documents to the ATA office by the pre-announced application deadline. If not submitted by the deadline there is no discount and the fee reverts to $200.
13. Discussion and Announcements of Scores:
At the end of the test, the horse should be presented centered in the arena, with a side view to the spectators, standing still.
· The inspector announces the name of the horse, age, the breeder, and the owner.
· The inspector then announces the scores of the horse and whether the horse has passed the performance test or not. The inspector then usually makes comments on the horse, and congratulates the breeder and owner if the horse has achieved a passing score.
14. Awards:
Neck sashes will be awarded to the horse with the overall High Score and the horse that is the Best Free-Jumper at each testing site. A successful completion ribbon will be given to each participant that scores a total of 6.0 or higher.