Horse Grading

The Horse Grading System consists of a series of grades to assess the performance and skills of the horse. Each subsequent grade will test the next logical step in the various categories of the Eurasian Warhorse Education System, on which this grading system is built. Each grade involves skills that are generally useful for horses to perform in equestrian martial arts activities, though specific exercises are used to assess these skills. Certain grades provide a means for people to assess the development of their horses, and they can also be used to ensure that a horse can perform adequately for the demands of certain competitions.

Each individual grading task, as part of each grade, must be undertaken in a single attempt per day. If some runs are successful and others are not, the grading attempt for that individual task starts again from zero. Separate grading tasks may be achieved on different attempts and days if desired. Each attempt must be nominated in advance as an official grading attempt. Further grades will be added as the system develops.

The Horse Grading System details are outlined below (please refer to the Discipline Styles page to see the track details):

Horse Grade 0 (H0a-c)

These three H0 subgrades are for the purpose of providing recognition for those training horses at the more elementary levels, whether young horses, rescues, reschooled horses, etc. This encompasses both grades with entirely non-mounted components (H0a) and those with walk/trot mounted components. Unlike the subgrades in other grades, where one can choose any subgrade to do, the subgrades here are to be completed in order (H0a, H0b, H0c). One must complete H0a to be able to be assessed for H0b, and H0b to be assessed for H0c. One can also complete the requirements for all of these in one go.

Horse Grade 0a (H0a)

Aids, biomechanics and horsemanship
Requirements		Assessment
Stands still without someone holding them in an arena, so that a person can walk around them, to and from them		Discretionary

Desensitisation
Requirements		Assessment
Horse stands quietly and is comfortable (e.g. no spooking, head-tossing, frozen state, etc.) with use of the following on foot: 1) Archery equipment a) Bow i) Shooting in all directions (front, side, back, offside, downward) and on both sides b) Arrows i) Full process of nocking in different styles ii) Rattling in quiver iii) Accidentally touching neck, flank, dropping to both sides of horse c) Quiver i) Desensitised to at least one type of quiver 2) Targets of various size and shape a) Sight, sounds, motions of accidentally falling b) Sounds of arrows hitting targets		Discretionary

Horse Grade 0b (H0b)

Aids, biomechanics and horsemanship
Requirements		Assessment
Maintains consistent tempo and direction in a straight line at walk/trot while mounted.		Discretionary, on an area (e.g. field, etc.) or track with barrier one side maximum (i.e. one side or no barriers), at least 40m long.

Desensitisation
Requirements		Assessment
Horse is comfortable (e.g. no spooking, head-tossing, frozen state, etc.) with use of the following while mounted, and maintains consistent pace and direction at all gaits while mounted: 1) Archery equipment a) Bow i) Shooting in all directions (front, side, back, offside, downward) and on both sides, at all gaits ii) Desensitise to potential emergency situation: bow looped over bow arm, both hands on reins b) Arrows i) Full process of nocking in different styles ii) Rattling in quiver iii) Accidentally touching neck, flank, dropping to both sides of horse c) Quiver i) Desensitised to at least one type of quiver 2) Targets of various size and shape a) Sight, sounds, motions of accidentally falling b) Sounds of arrows hitting targets		Discretionary

Horse Grade 0c (H0c)

Aids, biomechanics and horsemanship
Requirements		Assessment
Needs to have basic balance on both sides and be able to work well on circles in trot while mounted		2 runs of Chogān field training track in trot: horse must never diverge from the line of the track (two hands are permitted on the reins at any given time), maintains consistent pace in trot and must not break gait to walk or speed up to canter (Note: a shot must be attempted at all targets)

Desensitisation
Requirements		Assessment
Stands quietly and is comfortable (e.g. no spooking, head-tossing, frozen state, etc.) with use of the following on foot, and maintains consistent pace and direction at walk/trot while mounted and is comfortable (e.g. no spooking, head-tossing, frozen state, etc.) with use of the following: 1) Sounds of shooting at qabaq and other loud targets (gong, etc.) 2) Shooting with blunt arrows at knock-down targets 3) Resistance bands for shooting exercises a) Bands that are fairly quiet when released b) Bands that make a loud snap when released		Discretionary

Horse Grade 1 (H1)

Aids, biomechanics and horsemanship
Requirements		Assessment
1) Stands still without someone holding them in an arena, so that a person can walk around them, to and from them		1) Discretionary
2) Ability to have basic balance on both sides, to obtain and maintain sustained canter on both leads, and be able to work well on circles in canter		2) Ability to perform correct canter lead first time asked and maintain canter without breaking to trot throughout, performing one of the following: a) 4 runs of any Furūsiya track (2 in each direction) or any other Furūsiya track b) OR: 4 runs of Basic Hunt track (cantering continuously except for simple lead changes), 2 in left-handed direction, 2 in right-handed direction c) OR: 4 runs of any Chogān or Serpentine track (cantering continuously except for simple lead changes), 2 in left-handed direction, 2 in right-handed direction d) OR: 2 runs of any of the above tracks and 2 runs of any other of the above tracks, in each set doing 1 in left-handed direction, 1 in right-handed direction

Intermittent Reinless Riding
Requirements		Assessment
1) Maintains consistent pace throughout a track at canter		1) Discretionary: Maintains consistent pace (does not suddenly speed up/slow down within canter) throughout each run of 4 runs total of any size Furūsiya track, Basic Hunt track, Serpentine, or Chogān track (this can include a mix of runs from any of the two tracks)
2) Starts in canter and returns to walk with minimal pressure		2) Discretionary

Desensitisation
Requirements		Assessment
Horse is comfortable (e.g. no spooking, head-tossing, frozen state, etc.) with use of the following on foot and while mounted, and maintains consistent pace and direction at all gaits while mounted: 1) Archery equipment a) Bow i) Shooting in all directions (front, side, back, offside, downward) and on both sides, at all gaits ii) Desensitise to potential emergency situation: bow looped over bow arm, both hands on reins b) Arrows i) Full process of nocking in different styles ii) Rattling in quiver iii) Accidentally touching neck, flank, dropping to both sides of horse c) Quiver i) Desensitised to at least one type of quiver 2) Targets of various size and shape a) Sight, sounds, motions of accidentally falling b) Sounds of arrows hitting targets (including loud sounds with blunts, e.g. qabaq, gong, or similar)		Discretionary

Horse Grade 2 (H2)

*Horse has performed at two club-level (e.g. 1 star) or higher competitions

Aids, biomechanics and horsemanship
Requirements		Assessment
1) Ability to do simple canter lead change fluidly		1) 2 runs of a Serpentine full track (or 4 runs of a Serpentine short track), or 2 runs of Basic Chogān (or 4 runs of the short track version), or 2 runs of Chogān field training track, or 2 runs Chogān arena training track: horse must perform all simple changes with enough time left for the rider to shoot when crossing a centreline of the curve even with the target (Serpentine tracks) or before crossing the pole on the circle where correct canter lead is assessed (Chogān tracks).

Intermittent Reinless Riding
Requirements		Assessment
1) Tempo versatility in separate runs		1) Horse must do (just one of the following, all during one attempt): • 2 runs at 22-25 seconds and 2 runs at 27-30 seconds in Furūsiya-100 postal track • 2 runs at 42-52 seconds and 2 runs at 55-62 seconds in Basic Hunt track • 2 runs at 47-57 seconds and 2 runs at 63-75 seconds in a Serpentine full track • 2 runs at 28-34 seconds and 2 runs at 38-45 seconds in a Serpentine short track • 2 runs at 68-82 seconds and 2 runs at 88-106 seconds in a Basic Chogān full track • 2 runs at 36-44 seconds and 2 runs at 48-58 seconds in a Basic Chogān short track
2) Turning with minimal pressure as necessary, prioritising leg and seat aids and with only one hand on the reins permitted, at walk		2) 2 runs of Basic Chogān (or 4 runs of short track versions), Chogān field training track, or Chogān arena training track at walk: horse must never diverge from the line of the track, only one hand on the reins permitted at any given time. Note: a shot must be attempted at all targets)

Desensitisation
Requirements		Assessment
Maintains consistent pace and direction at all gaits and does not react (e.g. spooking, head-tossing, etc.) with use of the following while mounted: • Comfortable with shots from bow hand and from draw hand • Comfortable with the different types of quiver (hip, thigh, back) • Empty and full bowcase brushing against them • Shooting in qabaq position • Sounds of shooting at qabaq and other loud targets (gong, etc.) • Shooting with blunt arrows at knock-down targets • Rider holding long stick for exercises • Resistance bands that are fairly quiet when released • Resistance bands that make a loud snap when released		Discretionary

Horse Grade 2a (H2a)

This is an optional add-on subgrade, which may be used to assess horses that are to be used at a facility for regular trainings or periodic workshops involving the specified activity. It is not required in order to advance to Horse Grade Level 3.

Desensitisation
Requirements		Assessment
Tennis balls a) tossing in the air and catching by rider alone b) tossing to and from rider		Discretionary
Medicine balls a) tossing in the air and catching by rider alone b) tossing to and from rider		Discretionary

Horse Grade 3 (H3)

This grade includes add-on sub-grades (H3a, H3b, H3c, H3d) that are optional and any of them can be done individually as additional horse qualifications, and can be used to assess capability of a horse for events doing these activities. Only the basic requirements (not those of the sub-grades) are required to advance to Horse Level 4.

Aids, biomechanics and horsemanship
Requirements		Assessment
1) Walk to canter transition		1) Horse must perform walk to canter transition on correct lead 2 times on each lead (4 times total) when entering any of the HEC core styles
2) Turn on haunches		2) Horse must correctly perform 90º turn on haunches 50% of possible times each run in 2 runs of Advanced Chogān I track (or 4 runs for short track version)
3) Ability to do simple change within three seconds of transitioning to trot		3) Horse must perform all of simple lead changes each run within 3 seconds of transitioning to trot in 2 runs of: a) Serpentine full track (or 4 runs of short track version) b) OR Chogān arena training track c) OR Basic Chogān full track (or 4 runs of short track version) d) OR Chogān field training track/Chogān Diamond track

Intermittent Reinless Riding
Requirements		Assessment
Turning with minimal pressure, prioritising leg and seat aids with only one hand on the reins, at trot		1 run of Basic Chogān at trot (or 2 runs of short track versions): horse must not diverge from the line of the track, only one hand on the reins permitted (limited to 4 attempts on full track / 6 attempts on short track per occasion)–Note: a shot must be attempted at all targets

Desensitisation
Requirements		Assessment
3D targets in field		1) Discretionary

Horse Grade 3a (Mogu) [H3a]

Intermittent Reinless Riding
Requirements		Assessment
Horse must gallop at consistent pace in an open field without barriers, in the company of other horses, must start and stop without issue in the field		Horse must adequately perform 4 runs in Mogu on 2 separate occasions The horse does not overtake the lead horse over the course of the runThe horse stops safely without risk of running into barriers (fence, etc.) around the Mogu area

Desensitisation
Requirements		Assessment
Horse must be used to all aspects of the Mogu ball in motion, and must maintain appropriate distance from other horses, the ball, and the rope coming from it. The horse must be used to and not react to (suddenly shying, spooking, etc.) blunt arrows bouncing off a moving target on the ground.		Discretionary

Horse Grade 3b (Barrierless Courses) [H3b]

Intermittent Reinless Riding
Requirements		Assessment
Horse must gallop at consistent pace in an open field and woodland without any artificial barriers that rise up to block the horse from taking a different path (poles lying on the ground, cones, and similar demarcation components are permitted)		Horse must adequately perform in a barrierless course in 2 separate competitions

Horse Grade 3c (Combined Weapons Events) [H3c]

Intermittent Reinless Riding
Requirements		Assessment
1) Basic lateral movement at canter		1) Horse must adequately perform in a 3m wide combined weapons track so rider can achieve all targets with sabre or spear, with one hand on the reins
2) Turning with minimal pressure, prioritising leg and seat aids, with only one hand on the reins, at canter		2) 2 runs of Basic Chogān at canter (or 4 runs of short track versions): horse must never diverge from the line of the track, only one hand on the reins permitted (Note: a shot must be attempted at all targets)

Desensitisation
Requirements		Assessment
1) Tentpegging activities and other cuts with sabre (catching rings and ground pegs, cutting bottles or hitting knockdown targets) 2) Tentpegging activities and other cuts with spear (catching rings and ground pegs, hitting bottles, or thrusting or cutting at knockdown targets) 3) Riding with sabre and spear while using bow 4) Rider collecting sabre and spear from hanging rack or straw bale		Discretionary Horse should: 1) Not change speed when preparing to hit targets with sabre, spear, etc. 2) Not change speed/shy away when hitting targets with sabre, spear, etc. 3) Be comfortable with and not react to all possible positions of sabre and spear while rider is using bow or collecting from hanging rack or straw bale

Horse Grade 3d (Hunt track with jumps) [H3d]

Intermittent Reinless Riding
Requirements		Assessment
1) Jumping harmonically without reins		1) Hunt track: horse must harmonically jump all jumps without use of the reins within 5 metres of the jump on both sides (the jump must be smooth enough to not significantly unbalance the rider, and allow the rider to perform a shot with good technique)
2) Ability of horse to handle a hunt track without constant use of reins, ideally including wooded sections and/or some other XC features (e.g. water features/ditches/banks/etc).		2) Hunt track: horse must participate in a hunt track in two different competitions

Horse Grade 4 (H4)

Intermittent Reinless Riding
Requirements		Assessment
1) Simple lead change reinless: ability to do canter to trot transition reinless and pick up canter on correct lead reinless		1) Horse must perform simple canter change reinless at least 50% of possible lead changes* each run on 1 run of a Serpentine full track (or 2 runs of a short track version) and 1 run of Basic Chogān full track or Chogān field training track (or 2 runs of a short track version). To fulfil this requirement, the changes must include minimum one right-to-left change and one left-to-right change. 100% of lead changes in each run must be achieved on the first attempt (each trot-canter transition must be on the correct lead), though 50% can be achieved with some use of the reins (Note: the horse must not diverge from the track when completing this assessment) *if there is an odd number of possible changes, then the horse will be required to perform 50% of the total number of lead changes over the course of the total number of runs (for example, if 3 possible changes in a run, and 2 runs are required, then the horse must perform 3 changes throughout those 2 runs, either 2 changes in the first run and 1 change in the second or vice versa)
2) Turning with minimal pressure, prioritising leg and seat aids, with only one hand on the reins, at canter		2) 1 run of Basic Chogān full track or Chogān field training track at canter (or 2 runs of short track versions): horse must not diverge from the line of the track, only one hand on the reins permitted (limited to 4 attempts on full track / 6 attempts on short track per occasion). Note: a shot must be attempted at all targets

Horse Grade 4a (Bridleless) [H4a]

Intermittent Reinless Riding
Requirements		Assessment
Ability to do an entire course bridleless		Horse must complete 3 runs of a Serpentine or Chogān track and 1 hunt track bridleless (cordeo or similar permitted)

Horse Grade 5 (H5)

Aids, biomechanics and horsemanship
Requirements		Assessment
1) Canter to walk transition one-handed		1) Horse must perform canter to walk transition with only one hand on the reins when finishing the track in 4 runs of any of the HEC core styles
2) Flying change		2) Horse must perform flying change 50% of possible lead changes* each run on 2 runs of Serpentine tracks or Basic Chogān (or 4 runs of short track versions) on two separate occasions (4 runs total for full tracks, 8 runs total for short tracks). To fulfil this requirement, the changes must include minimum one right-to-left change and one left-to-right change. *if there is an odd number of possible changes, then the horse will be required to perform 50% of the total number of lead changes over the course of the total number of runs (e.g. if 3 possible changes in a run, and 2 runs are required, then the horse must perform 3 flying changes throughout those 2 runs, either 2 changes in the first run and 1 change in the second or vice versa)

Intermittent Reinless Riding
Requirements		Assessment
1) Walk to canter transition reinless		1) Horse must perform walk to canter transition on correct canter lead without use of reins 2 times on each lead (4 times total) when starting in one of the HEC core styles
2) Turning reinless at canter		2) 2 runs of full track or 4 runs of short track of Basic Chogān at canter: rider must not diverge from the line of the track, without use of the reins on the circles and no more than one hand at any point (limited to 4 attempts on full track / 6 attempts on short track per occasion)–Note: a shot must be attempted at all targets

Accelerated Grading Information:

In general, all requirements for all grades must be fulfilled in order to be awarded a higher grade than level 1. However, one can progress immediately to a higher grade than Rider Grade 1 or Horse Grade 1 in one ‘attempt’; for example, one may do a few runs of a few tracks to complete all requirements for R1-R3. If the same exercise is required at different gaits for different grades, then doing the same exercise just at a faster gait can fulfil the requirement for all grades that utilise that exercise. For example, the following R3 assessment {1 run of Basic Chogān at trot (or 2 runs of short track versions): rider must not diverge from the line of the track, only one hand on the reins permitted (limited to 4 attempts on full track / 6 attempts on short track per occasion)} can fulfil the equivalent in R2: {2 runs of Basic Chogān or Chogān arena training track at walk (or 4 runs of short track versions): horse must never diverge from the line of the track, only one hand on the reins permitted at any given time}.

Below are the two sets of requirements where such substitutions are permitted:

H2/R2 Requirement	H3/R3 Requirement
	(can fulfil H2 Req)
1 run of a Serpentine full track (or 2 runs of a Serpentine short track) and 1 run of Basic Chogān (or 2 runs of a Chogān short track): horse/rider must perform all simple changes with enough time left for the rider to shoot when crossing a centreline of the curve even with the target (Serpentine tracks) or before crossing the pole on the circle where correct canter lead is assessed (Chogān tracks).	Horse/rider must perform all of simple lead changes each run within 3 seconds of transitioning to trot in 1 run of: Serpentine full track (or 2 runs of short track version) OR Chogān arena training track AND 1 run of: Basic Chogān full track (or 2 runs of short track version) OR Chogān field training track

H2/R2 Requirement	H3/R3 Requirement	H4/R4 Requirement	H5/R5 Requirement
	(can fulfil H2 Req)	(can fulfil H2 and H3 Reqs)	(can fulfil H2, H3, and H4 Reqs)
2 runs of Basic Chogān or Chogān arena training track at walk (or 4 runs of short track versions): horse must never diverge from the line of the track, only one hand on the reins permitted at any given time. Note: a shot must be attempted at all targets)	1 run of Basic Chogān or Chogān field training track at trot (or 2 runs of short track versions): horse must not diverge from the line of the track, only one hand on the reins permitted (limited to 4 attempts on full track / 6 attempts on short track per occasion). Note: a shot must be attempted at all targets	1 run of Basic Chogān or Chogān field training track at canter (or 2 runs of short track versions): horse/rider must not diverge from the line of the track, only one hand on the reins permitted (limited to 4 attempts on full track / 6 attempts on short track per occasion). Note: a shot must be attempted at all targets	2 runs of full track or 4 runs of short track of Basic Chogān at canter: horse/rider must not diverge from the line of the track, without use of the reins on the circles and no more than one hand at any point (limited to 4 attempts on full track / 6 attempts on short track per occasion). Note: a shot must be attempted at all targets

Grades may be submitted via the following forms:

Note: there is a fee of €10 per grading attempt, which may be made via PayPal to hec.trainers@gmail.com (please email us if you need to pay via another method). Grades will not be confirmed until payment has been made. A Horse and Rider Grade requirements fulfilled in a single grading attempt may be applied together with a single fee.

There are also grading sheets available to print out, either for the candidate’s own reference while grading or for coaches/assistants to help track the candidate’s progress while they are completing assessments: