What does capriole mean?
A capriole is a spectacular controlled leap performed by a highly trained horse, most famously as one of the 'airs above the ground' of classical dressage and haute école riding. In executing it, the horse launches itself vertically from all four legs and, at the height of the jump, kicks both hind legs backward in a powerful, simultaneous thrust before landing. The movement demands extraordinary strength, balance, and trust between horse and rider, and it remains a centerpiece of displays at institutions such the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. Beyond the stable, the word is occasionally used figuratively to describe any playful, goat-like bound or exuberant spring. Derived ultimately from Latin words meaning 'goat,' capriole carries connotations of agility and spirited energy, making it a vivid choice whenever language needs to capture an animal — or a person — caught mid-leap in a moment of pure exuberance.
A leap made by a trained horse in which it springs upward from all four legs and kicks its hind legs backward at the height of the jump; by extension, any playful or extravagant leap.
"The stallion's capriole brought gasps from every corner of the arena."
Chiefly used in dressage and classical horsemanship; figurative uses are literary.
To perform a capriole; to leap or spring playfully.
"The young horses caprioled about the paddock in the morning light."
The verbal use is rare and chiefly found in older or literary prose.
Standard regular plural; commonly used when describing repeated movements in a dressage test or display.
"The routine ended with three consecutive caprioles down the center line."
The word for a horse's show-stopping kick literally means 'little goat' — because the leap reminded early riders of a frolicking kid.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of capriole
Capriole entered English in the late sixteenth century from French, which took it from Italian capriola, meaning 'leap' but literally 'little roe-goat,' a diminutive of capriolo (the roebuck). The Italian term descends from Latin capreolus, itself derived from caper, the Latin word for goat. English speakers would have encountered the word through Renaissance treatises on horsemanship, where it named the equestrian leap still performed today. Its cousin cabriole, borrowed through French for both the ballet step and the curved furniture leg, shares the same goat-derived root.
How capriole is actually used
Primarily a technical term in classical horsemanship and haute école dressage, where it is counted among the airs above the ground. Outside that specialist context it appears mostly in literary or figurative writing to describe exuberant leaping. It is formal rather than colloquial in register.
Easily confused with capriole
"Cabriole" refers to a ballet leap in which the dancer's legs beat together mid-air (or to a curved furniture leg), while "capriole" is the corresponding equestrian leap performed by a horse kicking its hind legs backward.