AQHA Queen Quiz: Show Rules 200+

The jog:

❌ jog: cannot perform a two-beat gait and has no flow or balance in the motion.
❌ jog - hesitates in the motion, does not keep an even and balanced motion or a level top-line. May appear to shuffle.
❌ jog - average motion but has negative characteristics such as walking with the hind legs, dragging the rear toes, or taking an uneven length of stride with the front and rear legs.
❌ jog - has a two-beat gait, a level topline, and a relaxed appearance.
❌ jog - has an average motion with positive characteristics such as balance and self- carriage while taking the same length of stride with the front and rear legs.
❌ jog - is comfortable to ride while having a consistent two-beat gait. The horse guides well, appears relaxed and has a level topline.
❌ jog - effortless and very efficient motion. Swings the legs yet touches the ground softly. Confident yet soft with its motion while being balanced and under control. Moves flat with the knee and hock and has some cushion in the pastern. Has a bright and alert expression and exhibits more lift and self-carriage than the very good jog.

Moderate extended jog:

❌ extended jog - never lengthens the stride and may appear rough to ride.
❌ extended jog - moves up in its pace and appears smooth to ride.
❌ extended jog - has an obvious lengthening of stride with a slight increase in pace while exerting less effort and appears smooth to ride.

The lope:

❌ lope: does not have a three-beat gait. Has no flow, rhythm or balance. Uncomfortable to ride.
❌ lope: appears to have a three-beat gait but has no lift or self-carriage. The horse shuffles, has no flow and bobs his head, giving the appearance of exerting a great deal of effort to perform the gait. Also may appear uncomfortable to ride.
❌ lope: has an average motion but exhibits negative characteristics like head bobbing, not completing the stride with the front leg and leaving the outside hock well behind the horse's buttocks.
❌ lope: has a true three-beat gait with a level topline and very little head an neck motion. He is relatively straight (not over-canted), guides well and has a relaxed appearance.
❌ lope: has an average motion but exhibits positive characteristics in his performance like self-carriage, a steady topline, relaxed appearance and is responsive to the rider's aids.
❌ lope: has more lift and flow than the average horse. He has a strong but smooth drive from behind. He may bend his knee slightly yet still has a level top-line while exhibiting self-carriage with a relaxed appearance. Appears comfortable to ride.
❌ lope: has a round back with an effortless strong, deep stride with the rear legs and a flat swing with the front legs. He keeps a level topline, a relaxed yet alert and confident appearance and is correct but soft. A special horse with a great degree of lift and self carriage.

The Trot:
❌ Trot - This is a horse that cannot seem to do a two beat
gait and appears very uncomfortable in his attempt to accomplish it. He does not have any flow or balance in his motion and appears uncomfortable to ride. He may be weak
and sloppy in his hocks causing a loss of forward motion or use his hocks loosely or too
far back causing a loss of cadence and rhythm. This also could be a horse that is misbehaving and is unwilling to perform the gait properly and therefore is not exhibiting
acceptable motion.
❌ Trot - This is a horse that may have an uneven cadence or be
unwilling to go forward. He may not keep an even and balanced motion with a level top
line. This horse may appear quick legged or seem to move in an up and down fashion or
may be on the muscle looking nervous and tense or he may be on a loose and sloppy rein
causing a lack of collection or to travel heavy on the forehand. He may cover the ground
by taking more frequent steps instead of correctly increasing the length of the strides.
❌ Trot - This is a horse with an average motion, exhibiting negative characteristics in their performance. For example, this horse may have an average trot
gait but have a dull, unhappy or resentful expression. SHW332.2.4 ❌ Trot - This horse has a two beat diagonal gait in
which the left front and right hind foot touch the ground simultaneously and the right
front and left hind do so also. This is the standard trot and a horse MUST have a true
two beat gait to be “average” or any of the levels higher than “average”. He has a level top line, with a relaxed appearance and pleasant expression, is shown on light contact
and appears to go in a forward, obedient manner.
❌ Trot - This is a horse with an average motion, exhibiting positive
characteristics in their performance. For example this horse may have an average trot
gait but have excellent manners and expression with ears forward and appearing bright
but relaxed and calm.
❌ Trot - This is a horse that appears very comfortable to ride,
always has a consistent rhythmic cadenced two beat gait, is guiding well and has a
relaxed and level top line. He has a good forward stride with balance and impulsion.
Compared to the excellent horse he may not have as much stride as he may not have the degree of drive off the hindquarters or as much reach with his shoulders. He may
bend his knees or flex his pasterns a little but he is still obviously soft, smooth and
relaxed. He has an attentive and calm appearance with a pleasant expression and
maintains light bit contact.
❌ Trot - This horse’s motions seem effortless and efficient. He
utilizes his top line by rounding his back and driving evenly off his hind legs creating
impulsion and suspension while still remaining soft and controlled. He takes long
ground covering steps with deliberate full strides and stays close to the ground. He
reaches from his shoulder and is flat with his knee and extends his leg forward and
seems to enter the ground toe first, even though it actually lands flat. His drive from his
hocks allows his hind leg to step into or in front of where his front foot left the ground
using full extension of the stride. This horse is balanced, has a level top line and has an
even rhythm and cadence. He has excellent manners and great expression appearing
relaxed and happy, soft in his poll, jaw and mouth and is shown on light contact.

SHW332.4 The Canter
SHW332.4.1 ❌ Canter - This is a horse that does not have a true three
beat gait. He has no cadence, no rhythm, and no balance, appears out of sync and
obviously is not comfortable to ride. This may also be a horse that is misbehaving and
unwilling to perform the gait properly and therefore is not exhibiting acceptable motion.
SHW332.4.2 ❌ Canter - This is a horse that may appear to have a three beat
gait but lacks self carriage. He may be flat in that he has either not rounded his back,
or failed to engage his hindquarters and therefore lacks drive, impulsion and suspension.
He may be weak hocked causing him to pull himself forward with his front end or
he may not be balancing off his hindquarters causing him to be heavy on his forehand.
This horse may lack forward motion, smoothness of gait, or consistency of speed. He
may not use his shoulders properly causing excessive knee action. He may be showing
on loose reins and be strung out and lacking collection or be nervous and on the muscle
causing a shortening or quickening of stride.
SW332.4.3 ❌ Canter - This is a horse with an average motion, exhibiting negative characteristics in his performance. For example, this horse may have an average canter
but be lacking in expression or lack consistency in his top line.
SHW332.4.4 ❌ - This horse has a true three beat gait with
a level top line, and a comfortable motion. This is the standard canter and a horse
MUST have a true three beat gait to be considered “average” or any of the levels higher
than “average”. He is shown on light contact and is responsive to his rider and has a
relaxed appearance with a pleasant expression. SHW332.4.5 Good Canter - This is a horse with an average motion, exhibiting positive characteristics in his performance. For example, this may be a horse with an average
canter gait but has great expression, consistency and lovely manners.
SHW332.4.6 ❌ Canter - This is a horse that has more style, drive, impulsion
and suspension than the average horse. He has a strong but smooth drive from behind.
He may bend his knee a little or not have quite the length of stride of the excellent horse, yet he still has a level top line and relaxed appearance, is correct and appears to
be comfortable to ride. He has a pleasant expression and is responsive to his rider and
shown with light bit contact. SHW332.4.7 ❌ Canter - This is a horse that utilizes his top line by rounding
his back, engaging his hindquarters to drive his hind legs deep underneath him creating
impulsion and suspension in his motion. He has a strong, deep, forward stride behind
and an equally forward, flat-kneed reach with his front legs. He appears effortless and
totally in control of his motion with great self carriage. He creates energy yet stays soft
and responsive to his rider. His weight is distributed properly onto his hindquarters and
he moves with long, slow strides. He gives the appearance that, if asked, he could easily
lengthen his stride and correctly perform a hand gallop. This horse has a great
degree of suspension, impulsion and elasticity to his movement. He has great expression
with ears forward and is consistent, relaxed and confident with light bit contact.
SHW332.4.8 ❌ - should be a definite lengthening of stride with noticeable
difference in speed. Horses should be under control at all times and be able to
pull-up (not a sliding stop). If asked to pull-up, after the halt, riders must relax the reins
and the horse must stand quietly

SHW333.1 ❌ - a natural, flat-footed, four-beat gait. Loss of forward rhythmic movement
shall be penalized.
SHW333.2 ❌ - a forward, free-flowing, square trot with impulsion. Loss of forward, rhythmic movement or jogging shall be penalized.
SHW333.3 ❌ - an extended trot showing a definite lengthening of stride, with a
noticeable difference in speed. Short, quick, animated strides and/or excessive speed shall
be penalized.

❌ showmanship, including body position and presentation of horse. Completes pattern accurately, quickly, smoothly and precisely; demonstrates a high level of professionalism.
❌ performance in execution of the pattern as well as correct showmanship and presentation of horse. Excellent showman that commits a minor fault.
❌ pattern execution and average showmanship; lacking adequate style and professional presentation to merit elevating to the next scoring range.
❌ pattern that lacks quickness or precision. Horse with consistently unwilling attitude or handler with obvious position and/or presentation faults that prevents effective showmanship. A good showman that commits one minor fault or excellent showman that commits a major fault.
❌ One major fault or multiple minor faults in the performance or presentation or position of the exhibitor that demonstrates a lack of handling ability and knowledge of correct body position.
❌ Severe fault, two or more major faults, or multiple minor faults in the performance or the execution of the pattern and demonstrates a lack of handling ability and knowledge of correct body position.
❌ Exhibitor commits more than one severe fault or multiple major faults in performance or position but completes the class and avoids disqualification.