Understanding Dressage

By Benjamin Wise

An easy description of dressage is horse ballet. The aim of dressage is to develop the horse's natural ability and willingness to perform. At peak performance a dressage horse is relaxed whilst performing a movement requested by the rider. The overall picture of the horse should be effortless and the rider's aids appear minimal.

Dressage training and competitions take place in an arena. Generally there are two sizes; small (20 m by 40 m) and the standard arena which is 20 m by 60 m. Dressage movements are performed at specific positions around the arena. Letters are assigned or placed on the arena to know where the specific positions are.

Competitions in dressage are held from amateur levels to the Olympic Level. Lower levels of dressage competition may only require the rider to walk and trot. These shows are often held in your local area and should not be difficult to find in order to enter. As you compete and advance through the various levels, the dressage tests will increase in difficulty. Competitions require more movement and skill from the lower levels up to the final competition level which is Grand Prix and International Competitions.

A dressage training scale is used as a guide for training the horse. It is arranged in a pyramid fashion starting with "rhythm and regularity" at the bottom of the pyramid working it's way up to "collection" which is at the top of the scale. Each level is to be developed and improve on as the horse progresses in training. Thus a Grand Prix horse, competing at the top level of competition still needs to perform the bottom levels of the pyramid and not simply show and perform the highest level.

When competing at the lower levels of dressage you are judged on the basics. This is what the judges are looking for: your horse has what they call impulsion, this can be described as moving forward, starting to come up through his back and is accepting your (rider's) aids. He has a number of horses to look at in the competition and he is going to be looking for the horse and rider who have performed the basics the best.

As you progress through the levels of dressage your horse should be more supple and able to perform movements such as shoulder-in and haunches-in. No matter what level of dressage you enter, always train the correct way. Do not take short cuts so that your horse looks good, they will not serve you well in the end and you may have to retrain your horse from the start. Warm bloods are the type of horse that is mostly seen competing in the top levels of dressage.



Dressage is an equal sport in which all breeds are given an opportunity to compete successfully. The techniques and principles of dressage can be learned by any riding horse. .

Each country has a governing body over dressage and it is advisable to research the levels and tests pertaining to the country in which you live. That way you are fully prepared for the competitions in which you choose to partake. You will know the various levels of competition and what is required from horse and rider in each level.

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