The Discipline
Dressage — from the French word meaning "training" — is one of the oldest equestrian arts. At its heart, it is a conversation between horse and rider expressed through precise, flowing movement.
Riders guide their horses through a series of predetermined movements called a test, performed in an arena. Judges score each movement on a scale of 0–10, rewarding harmony, rhythm, suppleness, and correctness.
Dressage dates back to classical Greek horsemanship. The earliest work on training horses was written by Xenophon, a Greek Military Commander born around 400BC. Dressage continued to be developed by the military and during the Renaissance; European aristocrats displayed their highly trained horses in equestrian pageants. The Imperial Spanish Riding School of Vienna was established in 1572 and dressage training today is based around many of the principles from this era.
Dressage became an Olympic Sport in the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm with only military officers eligible to compete until 1953 when the rules evolved to allow both civilian men and women to compete.
The ideal starting point for young horses and new sim riders. Tests are ridden at walk and trot only, focusing on relaxation, rhythm, and basic obedience.
Introduces the canter and asks the horse to move forward freely with a steady contact. The horse should show suppleness and acceptance of the aids.
The horse begins to show the first steps of collection and impulsion. Transitions become more precise and lateral work is introduced.
Collection becomes a consistent requirement. The horse is asked to carry more weight behind and demonstrate clear lateral suppleness.
Half-passes and flying changes mark this level as a significant step up. The horse must show true engagement, self-carriage, and suppleness through demanding movements.
The final national level before FEI. Horses demonstrate well-established collection, consistent flying changes, and the beginnings of piaffe and passage work.
The first FEI level, requiring confirmed collection and established upper-level movements. A gateway to the international arena.
Increases the demands of collection and expression. Horses must show brilliant, expressive gaits and confirmed piaffe and passage.
A Young Horse pathway test focusing on quality of gaits and trainability rather than full FEI demands. Ideal for talented horses developing toward the top levels.
A stepping stone between Intermediaire A and Grand Prix, asking for more advanced collection and confirmed tempi changes.
The penultimate FEI level. Horses must show power, brilliance, and complete harmony with the rider through the most demanding movements short of Grand Prix.
The pinnacle of dressage. Grand Prix horses are athletes at the height of their training, demonstrating the ultimate expression of collection, power, and harmony.