Watch: A full pirouette in dressage
In a full pirouette, the horse pivots on the inside hind foot to make a full circle on two tracks. It is usually done at a walk or canter, taking six to eight strides to make the full turn. (A half pirouette uses the same movements to turn a half circle.)
-
Courtesy of Northwestern University (A Britannica Publishing Partner)Synchronized team skating, a women's sport at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Learn more about the history and rules of the sport of cricket.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.From the basic defensive position (knees bent, feet spread, one foot slightly in front of the other), the outstretched arms are brought together while the athlete lunges toward and under the ball in order to pop it back into the air with the hands or arms. If sprawling is necessary, the athlete follows through with a dive or a roll and quickly regains a standing position.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Gallop
The fastest natural gait is the racing gallop, which has a four-beat pace (such as right hind, left hind, right fore, left fore). The gallop stride is not used in dressage competition.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Even tug-of-war once held its own as a respected Olympic sport.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Piaffe
The piaffe is a high-stepping trot (two-beat pace on alternate diagonal legs) executed on the spot with prolonged suspension. The transfer between the piaffe and other movements should be smooth and without change in tempo.
-
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.Trot
The trot is a swinging, two-beat pace on alternate diagonal legs (such as right fore and left hind, then left fore and right hind) with a moment of suspension (none of the horse's feet touching the ground) between the alternate steps.
