Dressage is one of the most beautiful equestrian disciplines in the world, and requires a great deal of communication between horse and rider.
Just about any horse trainer you meet will tell you that dressage isn’t for everyone. If you don’t have a great deal of patience, or if you don’t enjoy the minutiae of mastering very specific movements, you won’t enjoy this equestrian discipline. However, if you want to improve the way your horse carries himself, this is a great way to accomplish that.
The Arena
The dressage arena is much different from any other medium of equestrian discipline. The small arena is 20 meters by 60 meters, and is surrounded by 8 letters: All King Edward’s Horses Can Move Beautifully Forward. At the very center of the dressage arena is the letter X. When you ride a dressage test, which is what the pattern is called, you follow commands based on the arrangement of the letters.
The Test
A test is conducted in the dressage arena, and consists of a series of movements upon which your horse is scored from 1 to 10. In dressage, the higher the individual score, the better, but you want your ending score to be as low as possible, which is the product of how the test is scored. For lower levels, dressage tests may consist of only fifteen or so movements, and you may not have to do anything but walk, trot and canter.
The Rules
Rules for dressage tests are quite simple, but they must be followed exactly. For example, when you first enter the dressage arena, you must wait for the judge to blow the whistle, at which point you will enter down the center line. In most cases, you will be required to halt your horse at X and salute the judge.
Your horse must never step out of the dressage arena at any time, and he should obey the rider’s commands at all times. A lame horse will be disqualified at the judge’s sole discretion, the rider must have his or her test memorized and cannot have it called, and the horse must always be in a snaffle bit at the lower levels.
Additionally, the tack used for dressage is intended to promote free movement, and cannot restrict the horse in any way. Aids such as crops, martingales, wraps, splint boots, bell boots and draw reins are prohibited. The goal of dressage, after all, is to demonstrate communication between horse and rider.
The Movements
Dressage movements can range from the very simple to the very complex, but beginning levels of dressage are fairly simple. Riders might be required to perform fifteen- or twenty-meter circles, perform stretching circles, canter the corners, sit the trot, and salute the judge. At higher levels, however, movements such as extended trot, extended canter, half-pass, side-pass and shoulders-in may be requested.
The Scoring
Movements in dressage are scored based on several criteria:
Rhythm & Regularity. This refers to the way in which the horse approaches every movement, and requires him to maintain the same rhythm and regularity throughout the dressage test. If he speeds up, slows down or falters unnecessarily, points will be lost.
Contact. In dressage, the horse should always be “round”, which means that he comes up into the bridle from the hind end, lifting the shoulders and back for maximum contact between horse and rider.
Relaxation. Dressage should never be a forced equine discipline, and the horse should always appear at ease with himself and with his rider.
Impulsion. Related to contact, impulsion means that the horse drives all of his movements from the hind end, remaining light on the front end, and moving with ultimate power reserved for each of the movements.
