Welcome to our virtual Working Equitation community designed for you to Train. Improve. Compete.
We offer training exercises and competition experience to help you learn and grow in the sport of Working Equitation, following New Zealand rules. With a range of levels available, you can build your skills step by step, from beginner through to advanced refinement.
International riders are welcome to train or compete and be part of our community.
Our next competition is in the planning stages, scheduled for late August 2026.
Prepare for the competition with tailored exercises below. You can submit these for feedback on your training.
Or visit our training page for ideas to keep progressing.
✉️➕ Sign up for email updates to stay informed about training tips and upcoming competitions.
- Gate Obstacle with Guiding PolesTraining ideas provided by Maree McAteer. We’re continuing to add more training videos to Virtual Working Equitation to help inspire and support your progress with each obstacle. Our latest videos focus on the Gate obstacle, demonstrating how to set it up using poles as guides and offering a variety of exercises you can practice both… Read more: Gate Obstacle with Guiding Poles
- Two Barrels (Figure 8)Maree explains how to do the Two Barrels within a square exercise for June 2026.
- June 2026 – Exercise 1✨ Try our first set of obstacles for refining your skills leading up to competition #15 ✨ Exercise #1 will be based on the Two Barrels, Gate, and the Kiwi Pickup – with extras to help your training. Use what you have on hand to replicate the design – Maree has designed these using poles,… Read more: June 2026 – Exercise 1
New to Working Equitation?
Tack and Attire
Western, English, or Traditional attire and tack is acceptable. Bitless or bitted bridles are acceptable (but there are types of tack not allowed in the WENZ rules including some bits). Blunt spurs may be worn and whips may be carried. Please check with us if you are unsure.
Phases
Flatwork (Dressage)
For all tests and classes, the Flatwork is to be done in a 20×40 area that is marked at the corners (with poles, ropes or wood sides etc) and clear of other objects. Markers (to represent the Dressage letters) are to be placed in the normal positions as reference for distance and transition points.
Please film from C or if that is not possible then a position where the rider will be in full view at all times. Use of the camera zoom is encouraged when the rider is in the furtherest part of the arena, but preferably taking up no more than 1/3 of the camera view.
Ease of Handling
The Ease of Handling is also done in a 20×40 area that is marked at the edges. A course map, course measurements, and course walk videos will be provided. The viewpoint to film the Ease of Handling will be marked by a camera icon on the course map. The course directives in the course map must be followed to qualify as course completed. Please also note that in the WENZ rules, you must go through the start and finish flags in the direction marked on the course map, otherwise you will not have completed the course. A salute to the judge prior to the start and after completion (before the flags at the start and after the flags at the end) is also expected and there will be small penalty in the scoring if either salute is missed. All obstacles must be completed in order according to the course map directives to avoid disqualification.
Speed
The speed round may be part of some virtual competitions. It uses the same course as the Ease of Handling with adjustments to the requirements (such as removal of some obstacles or requirements for halting at obstacles). The rounds are timed with penalty time points for incomplete or missed steps.
Classes
LEAD-LINE / LIBERTY
The horse is on a lead or in-hand or directed at liberty through the tests by a non-riding handler. It can be completed in walk only, or adding in trot between obstacles. Note that this class is not part of the WENZ rules.
INTRODUCTORY
The horse is ridden in mostly walk and some trot for Flatwork and Ease of Handling. A minor child, adult or para rider may also be riding the horse with an adult present on the ground either leading the horse or accompaning as assistance.
PREPARATORY
The horse is ridden in walk and trot for Flatwork and Ease of Handling.
PRELIMINARY
The horse is ridden in walk and trot for Ease of Handling obstacles with canter between obstacles. Flatwork introduces working canter, reinback and leg-yield.
NOVICE
The horse is ridden in walk and canter for Ease of Handling obstacles, with the exception of the slalom which is trotted if 7 poles or cantered if 5 poles. Canter lead changes must be done with canter/walk/canter or canter/trot/canter. Flatwork introduces lateral work with leg yield, turn on the haunches.
ELEMENTARY
The horse is ridden in walk and canter for all Ease of Handling obstacles, with canter between obstacles. Canter lead changes can be done with canter/walk/canter or flying changes. Ridden predominately two-handed with some optional one-handed riding allowed. Flatwork introduces collected and medium canter with half pass and shoulder-in.
MEDIUM
This is the highest level under WENZ rules, designed to prepare riders for entry into WAWE Masters level. It builds on the technical skills introduced at Elementary level, with additional requirements such as riding one-handed between obstacles and performing flying lead changes. Riding one-handed within obstacles may also be included as an optional element to further support Masters-level preparation.
Filming and Upload
It’s best if you have a tracking camera or ask a friend to film you. We will accept a non tracked video from a static point, but it won’t be as easy for the judges/coach to give you accurate feedback, and for fairness, if something is not visible easily then it won’t be scored to the maximum possibility. Please check lighting and that the video is in focus the majority of time.
Videos need to be uploaded to your YouTube account before filling out the entry form. Please set the video visibility to either Public or Unlisted.