Samenvatting

This study explored how dressage judges focus their attention on different parts of horse-rider performances during competitions. By using eye tracking technology, we analyzed where judges look and how long they focus on specific areas. We included twenty judges with varying levels of experience and recorded their eye movements as they assessed Grand Prix dressage tests on video. We found that all judges mostly looked at the front of the horse compared to the rider or other parts of the horse. However, advanced level judges paid more attention to the horse’s feet, while judges engaged at the lower level of the sport looked more at the rider. These patterns suggest that judges concentrate on a few highly relevant areas, depending on the underlying criteria for evaluating performances. Understanding judges’ visual patterns and how they interpret what they see can help improve judging, making it more accurate and transparent, ensuring more consistent evaluations in competition and improving equine welfare.