PATH INTL CTRI FINAL PAPER 2025/2026 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A++
✔✔Pace - ✔✔A two-beat gait in which the lateral limbs strike the ground
simultaneously. There is a lateral base of support and a period of suspension with all
four feet off the ground occuring between each beat.
✔✔Participant - ✔✔A general description of the persons who take part in equine-
assisted activities and therapies at a PATH Intl. Center for their benefit; also called
riders, drivers, vaulters, students or clients. There will be varied usage depending on the
discipline. For instance, in a therapy setting, it is appropriate to use client; in a school
setting, one may use the term student.
✔✔Posting Diagonal - ✔✔When traveling on the rail in the arena or when working in a
curved line, the rider rises (posts) when the horse's outside shoulder moves forward.
✔✔Postural corrections - ✔✔Corrections made by the CTRI to the position in which the
rider's body is aligned while riding. Posture is habitual; therefore, ongoing correction is
essential to riding skill development.
✔✔Rein back - ✔✔Backward movement in which hooves are raised and set down
almost simultaneously by diagonal.
✔✔Rhythm - ✔✔The regularity of footfalls within each gait.
✔✔Rollback - ✔✔A series of movements that blend together to look like one movement;
incorporates a run or lope, a balanced stop, a fast, smooth 180-degree pivot and a fast
break out of the rollback into a run or lope on the proper lead.
✔✔Serpentine - ✔✔Series of equal curves from one line of the centerline to the other,
changing the direction of the turn each time the horse passes over the centerline.
✔✔Shoulder in - ✔✔The horse is slightly bent round the inside leg of the rider, and its
inside legs pass and cross in front of the outside legs. The horse is looking away from
the direction in which it is moving.
✔✔Side Pass - ✔✔A movement in which the horse goes straight and sideways; the
horse's outside leg should cross over in front of the supporting leg. This movement has
a slight degree of forward motion. Side passing lets you move the horse over to open
and close a gate easily when mounted, helps in suppling and in preparing for flying
changes.
✔✔Sidewalker - ✔✔these people walk next to the equine and rider to ensure safety and
to help the student to participate in class to the best of the individual's ability. Some
, participants require two while others need only one. More independent riders do not
require them.
✔✔Simple change of lead - ✔✔Change of lead performed by breaking gait to the trot.
✔✔Skill progression - ✔✔Systematic building of skills upon a foundation. The CTRI
should teach skills in an order that will most effectively advance the rider to the best of
their ability.
✔✔Snaffle bit - ✔✔A bit that works by direct action in the horse's mouth.
✔✔Specific praise - ✔✔A positive statement intended to reinforce the desired behavior
of an individual that acknowledges the individual by name (or in a manner in which they
know who is being praised), specifically describes/identifies the individual's behavior
and incorporates a term of praise.
✔✔Stride - ✔✔The distance covered by one foot when in motion.
✔✔Supple - ✔✔An equine's ability to remain relaxed, flexible and easily bend and turn.
✔✔Tack - ✔✔Equipment used in riding and driving horses, such as saddles, bridles,
harness, etc.
✔✔Therapeutic Riding - ✔✔Therapeutic horsemanship that involves mounted activities,
including traditional riding disciplines or adaptive riding activities conducted by a
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International certified instructor.
✔✔Throat latch - ✔✔The narrow strap of the bridle or headstall that goes under the
horse's throat and is used to secure the bridle or headstall to the head.
✔✔Topline - ✔✔goes from the hip, over the loin, through the back and through the
neck. It consists of the muscles the horse uses to carry itself through the gaits,
especially in transitions. A strong topline has to be developed for a horse to have self-
carriage; it's how you know whether or not a horse is balanced.
✔✔Transition - ✔✔Change of gait or speed.
✔✔Trappy - ✔✔A short, quick, choppy stride, usually seen in horses that have short
and steep pasterns and straight shoulders.
✔✔Travers - ✔✔Haunches in. The horse is lightly bent around the inside leg of the
rider. Its outside legs pass and cross in front of the inside legs. The horse is looking in
the direction in which it is moving. Performed along the wall or on the center line, at an
angle of about 30 degrees to the direction in which the horse is moving.
AND ANSWERS GRADED A++
✔✔Pace - ✔✔A two-beat gait in which the lateral limbs strike the ground
simultaneously. There is a lateral base of support and a period of suspension with all
four feet off the ground occuring between each beat.
✔✔Participant - ✔✔A general description of the persons who take part in equine-
assisted activities and therapies at a PATH Intl. Center for their benefit; also called
riders, drivers, vaulters, students or clients. There will be varied usage depending on the
discipline. For instance, in a therapy setting, it is appropriate to use client; in a school
setting, one may use the term student.
✔✔Posting Diagonal - ✔✔When traveling on the rail in the arena or when working in a
curved line, the rider rises (posts) when the horse's outside shoulder moves forward.
✔✔Postural corrections - ✔✔Corrections made by the CTRI to the position in which the
rider's body is aligned while riding. Posture is habitual; therefore, ongoing correction is
essential to riding skill development.
✔✔Rein back - ✔✔Backward movement in which hooves are raised and set down
almost simultaneously by diagonal.
✔✔Rhythm - ✔✔The regularity of footfalls within each gait.
✔✔Rollback - ✔✔A series of movements that blend together to look like one movement;
incorporates a run or lope, a balanced stop, a fast, smooth 180-degree pivot and a fast
break out of the rollback into a run or lope on the proper lead.
✔✔Serpentine - ✔✔Series of equal curves from one line of the centerline to the other,
changing the direction of the turn each time the horse passes over the centerline.
✔✔Shoulder in - ✔✔The horse is slightly bent round the inside leg of the rider, and its
inside legs pass and cross in front of the outside legs. The horse is looking away from
the direction in which it is moving.
✔✔Side Pass - ✔✔A movement in which the horse goes straight and sideways; the
horse's outside leg should cross over in front of the supporting leg. This movement has
a slight degree of forward motion. Side passing lets you move the horse over to open
and close a gate easily when mounted, helps in suppling and in preparing for flying
changes.
✔✔Sidewalker - ✔✔these people walk next to the equine and rider to ensure safety and
to help the student to participate in class to the best of the individual's ability. Some
, participants require two while others need only one. More independent riders do not
require them.
✔✔Simple change of lead - ✔✔Change of lead performed by breaking gait to the trot.
✔✔Skill progression - ✔✔Systematic building of skills upon a foundation. The CTRI
should teach skills in an order that will most effectively advance the rider to the best of
their ability.
✔✔Snaffle bit - ✔✔A bit that works by direct action in the horse's mouth.
✔✔Specific praise - ✔✔A positive statement intended to reinforce the desired behavior
of an individual that acknowledges the individual by name (or in a manner in which they
know who is being praised), specifically describes/identifies the individual's behavior
and incorporates a term of praise.
✔✔Stride - ✔✔The distance covered by one foot when in motion.
✔✔Supple - ✔✔An equine's ability to remain relaxed, flexible and easily bend and turn.
✔✔Tack - ✔✔Equipment used in riding and driving horses, such as saddles, bridles,
harness, etc.
✔✔Therapeutic Riding - ✔✔Therapeutic horsemanship that involves mounted activities,
including traditional riding disciplines or adaptive riding activities conducted by a
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International certified instructor.
✔✔Throat latch - ✔✔The narrow strap of the bridle or headstall that goes under the
horse's throat and is used to secure the bridle or headstall to the head.
✔✔Topline - ✔✔goes from the hip, over the loin, through the back and through the
neck. It consists of the muscles the horse uses to carry itself through the gaits,
especially in transitions. A strong topline has to be developed for a horse to have self-
carriage; it's how you know whether or not a horse is balanced.
✔✔Transition - ✔✔Change of gait or speed.
✔✔Trappy - ✔✔A short, quick, choppy stride, usually seen in horses that have short
and steep pasterns and straight shoulders.
✔✔Travers - ✔✔Haunches in. The horse is lightly bent around the inside leg of the
rider. Its outside legs pass and cross in front of the inside legs. The horse is looking in
the direction in which it is moving. Performed along the wall or on the center line, at an
angle of about 30 degrees to the direction in which the horse is moving.
