To the left you can choose to read about the different positions within the Knighthood.
Squire of the Academic Art of Riding.
The applicant must be recommended by a Knight and will be a Member without voting rights, at the Round Table of the Year. The Squires are in contact with the Knighthood through his/her Knight.
Squire examination
At the Examination the Squire rides with a cavesson added either to a curb or a snaffle bit. The reins may be held in two hands except from the curb reins.
When entering, the required way of greeting the Judge is as follows:
The reins and the whip is put into the left hand, the whip turned downward, while the right hand is stretched down and the rider nod with his/her head.
Examination
- Transition from free walk to working walk in collection and to free walk again. Showing the horse is supple, searching forward down to the hand with an easy overstride. To both left and right.
- Shoulder-in in walk and trot to left and right.
- Ouarter-in walk and trot to left and right.
- Renvers in walk and trot to left and right.
- Half-pass in walk and trot to left and right.
- ½ pirouette in walk to left and right.
- A few canter strides to left and right.
- Backing up a few steps
Honorary Member
All positions within the knighthood can be awarded to respected people.
Knight of the Academic Art of Riding
The Knight illustrates the ideal working rider, which is the basic handcraft of the Academic Art of Riding. He/she has earned the silver decoration for the wooden whip on a self-trained horse.
A Knight shows by completing the basic Examination that he has learnt the basic handcraft and wishes to develop into a level of artistry. It is expected that a Gold Ring will be reached within 5 years. Other wise he/she shall repeat the basic Examination to prove that at least the level of handcraft is still kept. If not he/she will be declared as a passive Member of the Knighthood. If the examination can not be ridden by the Knight he/she may ask for dispensation at the Round Table of the Year, in which the Examination should have been ridden. First when the Knightship reaches the level of a Master it can be kept for a lifetime. A passive Knightship will be reactivated by repeating the basic Exam or adding a Ring test. A passive Knight has no voting right and can not recommend Squires, but must still inform his/hers Squires of all news within the Knighthood.
The Knights meet at the Round Table of the Year; with the silver whip decoration on a short table whip for voting or having the right to speak. Only if no one votes against the Knightship of the applicant he/she can be a member of the Knighthood.
A Knight can enter him/herself into the respective Examinations for Gold Rings.
Knight Examination
Generall Information
The horse ridden in the Examination must be self-trained. If the horse was trained only partially by the rider, he/she must let the Judge know. The applicant can be accepted only if the Judge is convinced that the applicant is riding at a level showing that he/she could now train a horse completely on his/her own.
The training of the horse is more important than the quality of the performance in the Examination that day. Therefore, the effort put into training a difficult horse should be appreciated as much as a perfect Examination performance on a good horse.
The order in which the required movements of the Examination are ridden is up to the rider. The following movements must be part of the Examination. Additional movements are allowed but will not be scored.
The Examination consists of three parts:
First part - Lungeing
- Basic Examination, presenting the horse with the cavesson in ground/in-hand work and on the longeline, according to the principles of the Academic Art of Riding.
- With the horse standing show that the whole horse is bent and that the hip comes to the inside with the positioning of the horses head.
- Understride in walk
- Transitions on the circle; walk – halt, halt – walk, walk – trot, trot – walk, trot – halt, halt – trot, a few canter strides, change the lead through the circle.
- Everything shown both to the left and to the right.
Second part - Riding
When entering and leaving the required way of greeting the Judge is as follows:
The wooden whip is taken from its basic position vertically in front of the face, then on the heart, followed by a nod with the head, finally back to its basic position.
Squire examination +
- Flying changes from left to right and vice versa.
- Half pirouette in the canter to the left and right.
- Half-steps advancing at least one hoof print to the left and the right. Showing a greater degree of bending the haunches and activity from behind.
- All side movements in canter, to left and right.
- Halt from canter.
Third part - Theory
The theoretical part of the Examination is based on the videos and books by Bent Branderup, Guerinérè, Pluvinel and Steinbrecht.
Based on this theory the applicant must Judge his/her own as well as the horses strengths and weaknesses. Weaknesses in the practical part of the Examination can be made up by strengths in the theory.
The theoretical Examination should be viewed as conversation between the Judge and the applicant, giving the Judge the opportunity to get an impression of the applicant.
Equipment
- The reins to the regular, on one piece curb are held in the left hand. The right hand is only used to shorten the reins. A double bridle may be used but the snaffle reins must hang long.
- The right hand is holding the wooden whip straight up, with a slight angle going forward-left. The whip can be briefly used as an addition to the other aids and lifted up to its position again.
- Spurs must be worn but used as little as possible.
Further equipment, clothes and music are chosen by the applicant. (Not considered in the Judge's decision.)
Gold Ring Examinations
Generall Information
The movements may be shown:
- Under the saddle just like in the Knight examination.
- On a long rein (bridle with one bit and one pair of reins).
- In-hand (bridle with regular curb and/or snaffle and/or cavesson).
The Gold Ring Examinations may (but need not) be taken with the same horse. The piaffe is the basic for all other higher movements. Therefore, with the exception of the canter examination, it must be part of every Gold Ring examination.
The Knight must have taught the horse the movements on his/her own, or with the help of his/her Master, after the principles of the Academic Art of Riding.
Violation of these rules can lead to the loss of the Gold Ring.
Piaffe
Loose contact, the weight and impulsion carried on the bended haunches, rhythmical, elastic, to the left and right transitions from and to the walk, trot and canter. Straight on the centreline one unbended piaffe toward the Judge.
Passage
The weight and impulsion carried on the haunches, rhythmical, majestic, transitions from and to the Piaffe, 10 meter circle and halfpass, half pirouette in the piaffe Everything shown to the left and right.
Canter
Full pirouette, series changes in two tempi, all sidemovements; shoulder-in, travers, renvers, halfpass, collection and extension, everything shown to both left and right. Halt.
Levade
Presentation of a horse carried 100% on its haunches by lowering of the haunches from the piaffe. The forehand should be lifted as little as possible. (Below 45 degrees.) The horse should stay in the levade for at least 2 seconds. The underneck shall not be seen, both hindlegs and both front legs in the same height in the same angles. The hindlegs shall not be wide.
Alternativ: Terre à Terre
Originally the terre à terre was the war gait where the horse was movable in all directions and tempi. Transitions from and to piaffe, shoulder- in, travers, half pirouette, extention(carriere) and terre a terre on the place, everything shown to both sides.
Courbette
Developed from the piaffe, evolving into at least 3 jumps going forward on the hind quarters with the forehand not touching the ground. The lower the forehand is held, the better.
Ballotade/Capriol
Should be transitioned into from the piaffe to the terre a terre to the actual jump; in the Ballotade the horses feet are facing backwards; in the Capriole the hind feet are kicked out backwards. Landing on the hindlegs or at least on all 4.
Master
A Knight who has passed the Gold Ring Examinations piaffe, passage and canter, can take the Examination to be a Master of the Academic Art of Riding.
The Master Examination consists of three parts
- A freestyle with appropriate music, including all elements of the Knight Examination and the 3 first Golden Rings.
- A public 30 min lecture on a relevant theme chosen by the applicant himself/herself.
- The future Master must have coached at least 2 students all the way into a Knightship.
Should one or more of the movements fail, they can be repeated upon approval of the Judge. In addition the Judge can also ask for repetition of one or several movements at the end of the freestyle.
The Master Examination is judged by the Grand Master personally.
Table Master of the Academic Art of Riding
The Table Masters are chosen at the Round Table of the Year, to fulfil organizational tasks; for a period of 2 years representing the Academic Art of Riding in a certain country and have all rights of a Master for this period.
Supreme Master
Supreme Master of the Academic Art of Riding
A Knight who has passed all six of the Gold Ring Examinations and who is Master of the Academic Art of Riding, may use the title "Supreme Master of the Academic Art of Riding". The sixth Gold Ring has the shape of a horse iron crown. Along with the Grand Master a majority of the Supreme Masters can decide on awarding the honorary Knighthood of the Academic Art of Riding.
After the death of the Grand Master the current Supreme Masters meet to choose a new Grand Master from their midst, who must be below the age of 60. If there are less than 3 Superior Masters below 60 the Masters must be involved.
Grand Master
Grand Master of the Academic Art of Riding
The Knighthood of Academic Art of Riding belongs to the Grand Master. He/she is in charge of place(s) and time(s) of the Examinations and the Round Table of the Year. Chooses the Table Master and presents the silver whip decoration and the Gold Rings to the Knights, Masters and Superior Masters. The Grand Master himself/herself functions as a Judge at the Examinations or chooses Judges from the circle of Masters and Superior Master. He/she is supposed to listen to the Knights opinions in all matters, yet he/she is in the position to make his/her own decisions, even against the opinion of the Knights.
Prices 2006
Squire Examination - 300 Euro
Knight Examination - 600 Euro (300 Euro if the Squire Examination is done before)
Ring Examination - 300 Euro
Master Examination - 600 Euro
Updating the Knight Examination - 50 Euro
The Membership in the Academic Art of Riding is life long. The costs are therefore high to cover every Knights cost during his or her lifetime. The entrance in the Knighthood should be well considered, not just a momentary idea.
Do you reconcile with the basic principals of the Knighthood?
Next are the privileges of being able to use the Knighthood logos and Bent Branderups name for eventual PR of your self.
Leaving
If a Knight wishes to leave the Knighthood, the Knight sends his or her silver whip decoration and the silver pin to the Round Table of the Year together with a request for leaving the Knighthood. At the Round Table of the Year the Knight will be struck from the Book of Knights. The silver whip decoration and the silver pin´s value will be refunded a total of a 100 Euro and for each golden ring 40 Euro.
Exclusion
One reason for beeing excluded is provable animal cruelty. If there are well grounded suspicions or proof regarding animal cruelty, the accused Knight is summoned to the Round table of the Year. Here the Knight has the opportunity to defend his or her case. A united Table or the Grand Master can exclude the Knight. If excluded, the Knight must return his or her silver whip decoration and the silver pin at the Table and is struck from the Book of Knights. The silver whip decoration and the silver pin´s value will be refunded a total of a 100 Euro and for each golden ring 40 Euro.
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