| At the lowest levels, dressage tests are very | | | | heart and soundness - all attributes needed |
| simple, with the emphasis on basic training. | | | | in dressage. However, Dressage is an |
| At its basic level, if you make your horse | | | | egalitarian sport in which all breeds are |
| move forward, or stop, you have performed | | | | given an opportunity to compete successfully. |
| dressage movements. | | | | |
| | | | Competition Dressage |
| The ancient Greeks were the first to practice | | | | |
| dressage in preparation for war. Developed by | | | | Like figure skating's compulsory figures, |
| the Greeks for cavalry officers, dressage | | | | dressage tests require movements and gaits to |
| evolved as a means of controlling the horse | | | | be performed in certain sequences. The object |
| in battle. Dressage was well rooted in the | | | | of dressage is the harmonious development of |
| military world of horsemanship, as the value | | | | the physique and ability of the horse. |
| of this training method was recognized by the | | | | Competitive dressage is designed to show the |
| cavalry. Later, dressage was used on the | | | | horse carrying out, on request, the natural |
| medieval battlefields of Europe and as a form | | | | movements that it performs without thinking |
| of art and entertainment in the courts of | | | | while running loose. All the movements |
| Renaissance nobility. The marriage of the two | | | | performed in dressage are natural to the |
| most powerful families in Europe during the | | | | horse. Both horsemanship and the basics of |
| Baroque period secured the future of | | | | riding should be mastered before attempting a |
| dressage. Prior to the French Revolution, | | | | dressage competition. At the more advanced |
| dressage was expressed in ways that | | | | levels, horses and riders have usually begun |
| emphasized extreme collection and agility. | | | | to specialize in dressage competition as a |
| | | | separate discipline. |
| Dressage competitions evolved as early as | | | | |
| 1806 to test the ability of cavalry officers. | | | | The standard arena is 20 m by 60 m, and is |
| | | | used for upper-level tests in both dressage |
| Cavalry officers in the modern military also | | | | and eventing. The small arena is 20 m by 40 |
| practiced dressage as recently as the 1940's. | | | | m, and is used for the lower levels of |
| Consequently, because the Andalusian had | | | | dressage and three-day eventing dressage. The |
| always been a cavalry horse, he had always | | | | invisible letter X is always in the center of |
| been a dressage horse. | | | | the dressage arena. The dressage tests are a |
| | | | prescribed series of movements that each |
| Types of Dressage Horses: Although any breed | | | | horse must perform. Dressage patterns are |
| is acceptable for dressage, thoroughbreds or | | | | performed one rider at a time. Judged |
| warmbloods (any of the larger or | | | | subjectively, dressage relies on a body of |
| European-descended horses) are preferable. | | | | dedicated judges positioned at designated |
| While warmbloods have dominated the Dressage | | | | points around the dressage arena. As in any |
| scene for several decades, riders are | | | | dressage show, each rider receives an |
| increasingly seeking a more rideable horse. | | | | individual score. Each rider is given a copy |
| Athletically and in temperament, the Morgan | | | | of their test along with the judge's |
| horse is also well suited to the rigors of | | | | comments. |
| Dressage. The Iberian's success in dressage | | | | |
| was pretty much preordained by the history of | | | | A goal of dressage is to restore this |
| the development of the breed. As a breed they | | | | naturalness under a rider, and to create an |
| have athleticism, superb dispositions, great | | | | alert, supple and responsive animal. |