Tips for performing the IPHDA patterns
And 
Maneuver descriptions

Riding the patterns:

Markers:

Markers in the pattern description are for general locations of where in your arena/ riding area that you are supposed to perform the specified maneuvers.
i.e. if the pattern says go past the end marker to perform a stop, stopping anywhere in the end of the arena is acceptable. If the pattern says change leads at a certain marker changing leads in the general area is acceptable.

The only exception to this is the reference to the center marker, you set the center of the arena with the circles in each pattern where your Left and right circles meet will be the center of the arena.

Circles:

Left Circles and right circles should meet in the center, If they do not the judge will consider that lack of guiding.


Maneuver descriptions:

Circles are to be round and at the speed, gait, and size dictated by the pattern, Circles are judged on the ability to maintain an arc in your horses body that matches the arc of the circle ridden.  Circles should be ridden as small as possible to show the most amount of arc you can maintain in your horse for the gait stated. 

Stops are to be from the gait dictated by the pattern,  IPHDA judges do not take into consideration the style of the stop, the only part of the stop that is judged, is the willingness of the horse to transition to a stop from the gait or speed dictated by the pattern.

180 and 360 degree turns  are to be performed on the hind quarters with forward motion.

A half pass is performed with as much lateral motion as it has forward motion, a half pass is to be performed with an arc in the horses body in the direction of travel.

Half Pass demonstration