Dressage
Dressage is the Olympic discipline in which horse and rider perform a set sequence of movements from memory, judged on accuracy, rhythm and the harmony between them.
At a glance
| Governing body | Federation Equestrian International (FEI) internationally; national federations run affiliated levels. |
|---|---|
| Olympic status | One of the three Olympic equestrian disciplines, contested individually and as a team. |
| Arena | Ridden in a 20 by 60 metre or 20 by 40 metre marked arena with lettered markers. |
| Highest level | Grand Prix, which includes movements such as piaffe, passage and the one-tempi flying changes. |
A dressage test is a fixed pattern of movements ridden from memory. Judges sitting at the markers score each movement out of ten for accuracy, the horse's rhythm and suppleness, and the near-invisible aids of the rider.
The sport is organised as a training scale that rises from rhythm and relaxation through contact, impulsion and straightness to collection. Riders progress up graded levels, from introductory tests through to Grand Prix, the level used at the Olympic Games and the World Championships.
Sources: Federation Equestrian International (FEI) ยท British Equestrian