Caracole

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈkæɹəkəʊl/

Definitions

1. A graceful spiral movement executed by a horse under rider direction is characterized by its elegance and precision
2. A sophisticated maneuver performed by a horse where it elegantly executes a circular or spiral movement under the direction of a rider
3. A controlled turning movement performed by a horse, typically involving a spiral or half-turn, guided by the rider

Etymology: The word "caracole" entered English from French, where "caracole" meant "snail's shell," a picture that a horse's tight spiralling turn was thought to resemble. The French verb "caracoler" took the same idea and applied it to a rider wheeling a mount in a circle or half-turn, a movement that gave the horse a showy, spiralling look. In English the word kept that equestrian sense. A caracole is a half-turn or wheel made by a horse, and as a verb it describes the horse making such a movement. The jump from a snail's shell to a horse's turn rests on a shape: both curl around a centre in a tight coil.

Synonyms: turn, curve