About Dressage
ART OF MOVEMENT
LEVELS OF DRESSAGE
DRESSAGE'S FOUNDATION
Dressage represents the art of
movement and communication
between horse and rider as they
work together as a harmonious
team. At the peak of a dressage
horse's gymnastic development,
the horse responds smoothly to
a skilled rider’s ‘invisible’ cues -
think ballet, but for horses.
There are a total of nine
progressive levels of dressage
competition in which a horse
and rider partnership perform
a test, which the rider will
have previously memorized.
Every test is composed of a
series of movements, each of
which is graded by a qualified
judge or panel of judges.
Dressage is a horse sport which
provides the foundation for all
equestrian sports. It is the
precise training of a horse’s
movement through obedience,
balance, and flexibility. The
International Equestrian
Federation defines dressage
horse and rider pairs as the
highest expressions of horse training.