C2 · 50 words
Riding in Spanish
The gaits, the aids, the tack and the horse's own day.
Practise this list
From these 50 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
Riding has a vocabulary older than most sports and it moves in two directions at once: half of it describes the horse and half of it describes what the rider does about it. The sixth entry, el ritmo constante del aire, carries the word this list turns on. El aire is the air one breathes — and it is also, in Spanish, the name for a way of moving: el paso, el trote and el galope are los tres aires, and cambiar de aire on horseback means changing gait. It reaches beyond the stable. Anda con un aire muy suyo says somebody walks in an unmistakable way, and se da un aire a su hermano says she looks a little like her brother. English splits the job four ways — « air », « gait », « bearing », « resemblance » — and only the dressage term « airs above the ground » still remembers that they were once the same thing.
The words
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Phrase (43)
el trote de trabajothe working trotPhraseC2
El trote de trabajo es donde se corrige casi todo.The working trot is where most of the training happens.
el galope reunidothe collected canterPhraseC2
El galope reunido acorta la zancada sin perder impulso.The collected canter covers less ground with more height.
la reunión del caballothe collection of the horsePhraseC2
La reunión del caballo no se consigue tirando de las riendas.The collection of the horse is asked for, never pulled out.
el ritmo constante del airethe even rhythm of the gaitPhraseC2
El ritmo constante del aire es lo primero que se juzga.The even rhythm of the gait is the first thing a judge looks for.
la elasticidad del movimientothe elasticity of the movementPhraseC2
La elasticidad del movimiento aparece cuando el ritmo se asienta.The elasticity of the movement shows in the back before the legs.
la ayuda de piernathe leg aidPhraseC2
La ayuda de pierna pide movimiento hacia delante.The leg aid asks; it does not push.
la ayuda de manothe rein aidPhraseC2
La ayuda de mano recibe, no tira.The rein aid receives what the leg has sent.
la ayuda de asientothe seat aidPhraseC2
La ayuda de asiento es la más difícil de aprender.The seat aid is the one the spectators cannot see.
la media paradathe half-haltPhraseC2
La media parada recoge la atención sin frenar.The half-halt rebalances without stopping anything.
la transición entre airesthe transition between gaitsPhraseC2
La transición entre aires revela el nivel del jinete.A transition between gaits is judged as closely as the gaits themselves.
el cambio de manothe change of reinPhraseC2
El cambio de mano se hace por la diagonal larga.The change of rein crosses the arena on a set line.
el cambio de pie en el airethe flying changePhraseC2
El cambio de pie en el aire exige un galope muy equilibrado.The flying change happens in the moment of suspension.
la espalda adentrothe shoulder-inPhraseC2
La espalda adentro endereza al caballo doblándolo.In shoulder-in the horse looks away from where it is going.
la cesión a la piernathe leg-yieldPhraseC2
La cesión a la pierna se enseña antes que cualquier lateral.The leg-yield moves sideways and forwards at once.
el círculo de diez metrosthe ten-metre circlePhraseC2
El círculo de diez metros muestra si el caballo está recto.A ten-metre circle asks more than a twenty-metre one.
la pista de domathe dressage arenaPhraseC2
La pista de doma mide veinte por sesenta metros.The dressage arena measures twenty metres by sixty.
la letra de la pistathe marker letter in the arenaPhraseC2
Cada letra de la pista marca el punto exacto de la figura.Each marker letter in the arena names a place, not a movement.
la reprise de domathe dressage testPhraseC2
La reprise de doma se aprende de memoria.A dressage test is ridden from memory or read aloud.
el recorrido de saltothe show-jumping coursePhraseC2
El recorrido de salto se camina antes a pie.The show-jumping course is walked before it is ridden.
la distancia entre obstáculosthe distance between fencesPhraseC2
La distancia entre obstáculos se cuenta en zancadas.The distance between fences decides how many strides fit.
el derribo de una barrathe knocked-down polePhraseC2
El derribo de una barra cuesta cuatro puntos.A knocked-down pole costs four faults and no argument.
el rehúse ante el obstáculothe refusal at the fencePhraseC2
El rehúse ante el obstáculo suele venir de la mano del jinete.A refusal at the fence is a question the rider failed to answer.
la batida antes del saltothe take-off before the jumpPhraseC2
La batida antes del salto decide todo lo que sigue.The take-off before the jump is decided several strides earlier.
la recepción tras el saltothe landing after the jumpPhraseC2
La recepción tras el salto carga una sola mano.The landing after the jump carries more weight than the take-off.
la embocadura simplethe plain snafflePhraseC2
La embocadura simple actúa sobre las comisuras.A plain snaffle acts on the corners of the mouth.
la silla de montar ajustadathe saddle that fitsPhraseC2
La silla de montar ajustada evita la mitad de los problemas de espalda.A saddle that fits is measured on the horse, not in the shop.
el estribo de seguridadthe safety stirrupPhraseC2
El estribo de seguridad suelta el pie en una caída.A safety stirrup lets the foot out if the rider falls.
la protección de la cañathe protection of the cannon bonePhraseC2
La protección de la caña evita golpes del otro casco.Protection of the cannon bone matters most over fences.
el casco del jinetethe rider's helmetPhraseC2
El casco del jinete se sustituye tras cualquier golpe.The rider's helmet is replaced after any real fall.
la doma del potrothe breaking in of the young horsePhraseC2
La doma del potro empieza desde el suelo.Breaking in the young horse takes longer than anybody wants.
el trabajo a la cuerdathe work on the lungePhraseC2
El trabajo a la cuerda no dura más de veinte minutos.Work on the lunge shows the rider what the horse does alone.
el trabajo en libertadthe work at libertyPhraseC2
El trabajo en libertad enseña a leer al caballo.Work at liberty needs a voice the horse already believes.
la desensibilización progresivathe step-by-step desensitisingPhraseC2
La desensibilización progresiva evita reacciones de pánico.Step-by-step desensitising goes only as fast as the calmest try.
el herrado del caballothe shoeing of the horsePhraseC2
El herrado del caballo se renueva cada seis semanas.The shoeing of the horse follows the growth, not the calendar.
el aplomo de las patasthe stance of the legsPhraseC2
El aplomo de las patas se juzga en terreno llano.The stance of the legs is read from in front and from behind.
la cojera intermitentethe intermittent lamenessPhraseC2
La cojera intermitente es la más difícil de localizar.An intermittent lameness is the hardest kind to film.
la ración de forrajethe ration of foragePhraseC2
La ración de forraje se reparte en muchas tomas.The ration of forage comes before anything else in the bucket.
el pienso concentradothe concentrated feedPhraseC2
El pienso concentrado se ajusta al trabajo real.Concentrated feed is given in small amounts and often.
la cama del boxthe bedding in the boxPhraseC2
La cama del box se retira entera una vez por semana.The bedding in the box is judged by the air above it.
la salida al pradothe turnout in the fieldPhraseC2
La salida al prado importa tanto como el entrenamiento.Turnout in the field does more for the legs than any bandage.
la vida en grupo del caballothe horse's life in a herdPhraseC2
La vida en grupo del caballo reduce los vicios de establo.A horse's life in a herd settles questions no training can.
el enfriamiento tras el trabajothe cooling down after workPhraseC2
El enfriamiento tras el trabajo dura diez minutos al paso.Cooling down after work is walked, not stood still.
la relación de confianza con el animalthe relationship of trust with the animalPhraseC2
La relación de confianza con el animal se construye en el suelo.A relationship of trust with the animal is built where nobody is watching.
Noun (m) (3)
Grammar for these: Masculine or feminine · The plural
el pasothe walkNoun (m)C2
El paso tiene cuatro tiempos y ningún momento de suspensión.The walk has four beats and hides nothing.
el sudaderothe saddle clothNoun (m)C2
El sudadero se levanta sobre la cruz.The saddle cloth is washed more often than anything else in the tack room.
el cólicothe colicNoun (m)C2
El cólico es la urgencia más frecuente en un establo.Colic is a name for many things and an emergency in all of them.
Noun (f) (4)
Grammar for these: Masculine or feminine · The plural
la impulsiónthe impulsionNoun (f)C2
La impulsión viene de atrás y llega a la mano.Impulsion is forward energy, not speed.
la bridathe bridleNoun (f)C2
La brida solo se usa en niveles avanzados.The bridle is fitted to the head before anything else is tried.
la muserolathe nosebandNoun (f)C2
La muserola debe dejar pasar dos dedos.The noseband is checked with two fingers underneath.
la cinchathe girthNoun (f)C2
La cincha se aprieta en dos veces.The girth is tightened in stages and checked again from the saddle.
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This list belongs to Free time and sport — 13 lists and 591 words that can also be practised as a whole.