What is Dressage?

 Competition
Dressage competitions may begin in local communities with Introductory level classes where riders need only walk and trot. Horses and riders advance through a graduated series of levels, with tests of increasing difficulty at each level, until the most accomplished horse and rider teams compete at the Grand Prix levels and international competition, such as the Olympic games.

Dressage consists of the lower levels: First, Second, Third and Fourth. Introductory and Training levels prelude First level in the United States. In Australia the levels are as follows Prep, Preliminary, Novice, Elementary, Medium and Advanced. The FEI (Federation Equestrian International) levels: Prix St. Georges, Intermediare I, Intermediare II and Grand Prix.

Apart from competition, there is a tradition of classical dressage, in which the tradition of dressage is pursued as an art form. The traditions of the masters who originated Dressage are kept alive by the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria and the Cadre Noir in Saumur, France.

 
 
 Rider clothing

Dressage riders, like their horses, are dressed for formality. In competition, they wear white breeches, that are often full-seat leather to help them "stick" in the saddle, with a belt, and a white shirt and stock tie with a gold pin. Gloves are usually white, although less-experienced riders or those at the lower levels often opt for black, as their hand movement is not as noticeable. The coat worn is usually solid black with metal buttons, although solid navy is also seen. In upper-level classes, the riders wear a shadbelly with a yellow vest or vest points instead of a plain dressage coat.

Riders usually wear tall dress boots, although field boots may be worn by riders at the lower levels. Spurs are required at the upper levels. A whip may be carried in any competition except in a CDI or a national championship, and the length is regulated.

If the dressage rider has long hair, it is typically worn in a hair net. The hair net is carefully selected to blend in with the rider's hair color. Lower-level riders may use a derby, hunting cap, or ASTM/SEI-approved Equestrian helmet. At the upper levels, a top hat that matches the rider's coat is traditionally worn, though in some competitions, an ASTM/SEI approved helmet is show legal.

  Tests
Dressage tests are the formalized sequence of a number of dressage movements used in competition, wherein the horse and rider team are judged both against a common standard, and against other competitors.

At the upper levels, tests for International competitions, including the Olympics, are issued under the auspices of the Federation Internationale Equestre. At the lower levels, and as part of dressage training each country authorizes its own set of tests. In the USA it is the The United States Equestrian Federation and the United States Dressage Federation. Pony Clubs also produce basic walk/trot tests. The British Dressage Federation has similar rules.

Each test is segmented into a number of sequential blocks which may contain one or more movements. Each block is generally scored between one and ten on the following scale:

10 Excellent
9 Very good
8 Good
7 Fairly good
6 Satisfactory
5 Sufficient
4 Insufficient
3 Fairly Bad
2 Bad
1 Very bad
0 Not executed
In addition to marks for the dressage movements, marks are also awarded for more general attributes such as the horse's paces, submission, impulsion and the rider’s performance. Some segments are given increased weight by the use of a multiplier, typically 2, which then doubles the marks given for that segment.

 Scribing
Scribing (also known as Penciling) is the writing down of the scores and comments of Judges at dressage events, so that the Judge is able to concentrate on the performance. In addition to this the scribe should check the identity of each competitor, and ensure that the test papers are complete and signed before handing them to the scorers. The scribe should have some knowledge of dressage terminology, be smartly dressed and have legible handwriting. The scribe should also be professional in manner, neutral and not engage in small talk or make comments. It is permissible to use abbreviations provided they are accepted and intelligible