A leap or bound performed by a horse as a display of spirit and training, or in equestrian contexts, a specific haute école movement where the horse jumps with all four feet leaving the ground.
From French 'courbette,' diminutive of 'courbe' (curve). It refers to a curved or arched jump. This is a French riding term that entered English through equestrian vocabulary.
The courbette was a signature move of Spanish Riding School horses in Vienna—watching a 1,000-pound Lipizzaner stallion perform these explosive jumps in perfect synchronization with other horses is one of the most mesmerizing displays of animal training in the world.
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