“If training has not made a horse more beautiful, nobler in carriage, more attentive in his behaviour, revealing pleasure in his own accomplishment...then he has not truly been schooled in dressage.” (Col. Handler – Spanish Riding School)
Quite simply, dressage means “training”. As described by the FEI: “Dressage, the highest expression of horse training, is considered the art of equestrian sport and is used as the groundwork for all the other disciplines.”
In modern day dressage competition, the horse and rider perform a test for a number of judges (up to five) to reflect the horse’s way of going and level of schooling. Competitions are ridden in a flat arena usually measuring 60m x 20m and surrounded by a low barrier behind which 12 lettered markers are placed from where specified movements start and end. There are various levels which riders compete at. Each movement is awarded a mark out of 10, & some more difficult movements have a coefficient X 2, the scores are totalled and shown as a percentage.
It is the aim of the competitors to produce a harmonious, elegant performance where the horse moves rhythmically with suppleness in a calm, confident way.
The elegant musical freestyle has a special appeal for general audiences. It is similar to freestyle dance, gymnastic and ice skating competitions in that horse and rider perform required movements within a set time, selecting music and choreography to complement the paces and character of the horse. The performance offers an artistic presentation and musical interpretation of the horse’s technical skill together with his rhythm and fluency.