Ekidemy

At Galop 2 you learnt to ride in all three gaits and to pop over a small fence. Now you do it with precision and on your own: a transition at the marker you chose, a strike-off on the lead you asked for, a tight curve that stays tight, a speed suited to whatever comes next.

What you will be able to do

• In the saddle

  Steer and control

  Rise on the diagonal of your choice and change it, strike off on the correct lead, speed up and slow down in all three gaits, jump a single fence of about 60 cm, ride a sequence of fences of about 50 cm, ride out over varied ground.

• On foot

  Lead with precision

  Link tight curves on both reins, back up straight, move the shoulders or the quarters over several steps.

• Care

  Look after the horse

  A full grooming, the hind feet, hosing the legs, hoof oil, bedding, the drinker, adjusting the tack, cleaning the bridle.

• Knowledge

  Understand

  Life in the wild and in the herd, the parts of the body and of the hoof, the walk and the trot, markings, whorls, coat colours, breeds, how the aids work, the equestrian sports.

How the exam works

The Galops^® of the French Equestrian Federation (FFE) are signed off by a qualified instructor who holds an examiner’s code. They may assess you at an exam session or by continuous assessment, lesson by lesson. Galop 3 is made up of three modules, passed together or separately:

• Module 1 — the specific part: riding, adjusting the tack and the bridle, and the rider’s own knowledge — the aids to turn, the canter strike-off with diagonal aids, the approach to a fence, half-voltes, position and seat, changing the diagonal. It includes a Galop 3 test course.
• Module 2 — common module A: groundwork and care.
• Module 3 — common module B: knowledge of the horse and general knowledge.

The two common modules are the same for every FFE Galop 3 — Pleine Nature (trail riding), Meneur (driving), Voltigeur (vaulting), Westerner (western riding): pass them once and they count for all of them. A module you pass stays yours while you work on the others, and the full Galop then goes on your licence for good. Under 18, you can only pass the specific part once Galop 2 is complete. In the saddle, a hat that meets current safety standards is compulsory.

How to use these pages

The pages follow the official programme, one topic at a time. The “Remember” boxes give the essentials, “Safety” the rules never to forget, “Common mistake” what examiners see most often. Read the practical pages before your lesson and again afterwards; the last page gathers a crib sheet, a quiz and a checklist.