WHAT ARE DRESSAGE TESTS AND LEVELS?
Dressage offers a specific plan of learning. Whether
you plan to show or just pursue the discipline as a
learning experience, it is not something that will ever
be mastered. Instead it should be viewed as a journey
of lifelong learning. There are multiple levels and each
level has multiple tests. On an individual test, the rider
will be judged on a series of specific maneuvers which
must be performed in a specific order. Each maneuver
will receive a score and possibly a comment from
the judge if there is something specific they want to
encourage or praise.
Watching Olympic dressage on TV or social media
is probably where most equestrians experience
dressage. Aspiring to that level is on the same lines
as someone wanting to play in the Super Bowl or
World Series. It is probably not going to happen, but
what a great experience for your body and mind to learn,
practice, study and improve your skills in the sport. Truth is, everyone starts in the
Tee Ball version of dressage. The introductory level tests are to establish forward relaxation and
steady tempo while the rider maintains quiet, steady hands and a properly balanced seat.
There are no fancy maneuvers or airs-above-the-ground. It is all about quiet, consistent motion.
As the horse and rider team progresses through the tests in every level, a new element is
added while including all of the previous elements. Each test builds on the last all the way
through to the levels we see in the Olympics. I love this part of dressage. It is truly a road map
of “Best Practices” for introducing new lessons to the horse and rider. I also love that a horse
and rider is never truly competing against another horse and rider. They are competing against
themselves and all of the previous times they have ridden a particular test.
When I get my test back after a show, I look at each of the categories for the score and
comment. This tells me exactly what I need to work on and what is going well. I think riding for
feedback is one of the best opportunities for growth.
WHAT ARE ALL THOSE LETTERS SET UP AROUND THE RING ABOUT?
The letters around the dressage ring are simply markers to help the rider know where they are
in the ring as it relates to a maneuver they are performing. As to why they have no apparent
reason for order is not truly known, but has plausible theories. The most widely accepted is that
they were the first letters of German words used once the training was moved into a ring. For
us English speaking folks, we just have to memorize where they are on the rail! There are also a
set of invisible letters going right down the center of the length of the arena. They do not come
into play too much until upper levels except at the beginning and ending halts of the lower
level tests. You can take comfort in knowing that even though the letters seem to have no
order, they are consistent regardless of where in the world the dressage test is taking place.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM DRESSAGE?
Every single rider and every single horse can benefit from the principles of dressage. I cannot
think of any riding style that doesn’t need control, willingness, accuracy, responsiveness,
strength and all of the others outcomes of the dressage journey. Stepping out of the box –
even a bronc rider needs to stay balanced and flexible above their horse = Dressage 101.