courbette

horsemanship

Also known as: courvet, curvet

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June 25, 2026

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The term "courbette" refers to a specific maneuver in horsemanship, particularly within the advanced training of dressage, known as haute école. It is essentially a jump forward performed in the levade position, where the horse balances on its hind legs with its forelegs drawn in. This maneuver, along with others like the piaffe and passage, represents a highly specialized and perfected form of horse training aimed at developing the horse's physique and ability to achieve a harmonious partnership with the rider. The courbette is a demonstration of the horse's balance, suppleness, and obedience.12

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horsemanship
Dressage
…its forelegs drawn in; the courvet, which is a jump forward in the levade position; and the croupade, ballotade, and capriole, a variety of spectacular airs in which the horse jumps and lands again in the same spot.
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…its forelegs drawn in; the courvet, which is a jump forward in the levade position; and the croupade, ballotade, and capriole, a variety of spectacular airs in which the horse jumps and lands again in the same spot.
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dressage
…hind legs; the courvet (courbette), a jump forward at the levade; and the capriole, in which the horse jumps straight upward, with its forelegs drawn in, kicking back with its hind legs horizontal, and lands again in the same spot from which it took off.
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…hind legs; the courvet (courbette), a jump forward at the levade; and the capriole, in which the horse jumps straight upward, with its forelegs drawn in, kicking back with its hind legs horizontal, and lands again in the same spot from which it took off.
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