What
is Dressage?
Dressage is a French term meaning "training." Although the discipline has its roots in classical Greek horsemanship, dressage was first recognized as an important equestrian pursuit during the Renaissance in western Europe. The great European riding masters of that period developed a sequential training system that has changed little since then and is still considered the basis of modern dressage.
The fundamental purpose of dressage is to develop, through standardized progressive training methods, the horse's natural athletic ability and willingness to perform, thereby maximizing its potential as a riding horse.
Judges evaluate each movement on the basis of an objective standard appropriate to the level of the test and assign each movement a score from 0 to 10 - zero being "not executed" and 10 being "excellent." A score of 9 (or "very good") is considered a particularly high mark.
The dressage tests performed at the Olympic Games are those of the highest level-Grand Prix. This level of test demands the most skill and concentration from both horse and rider.
Dressage horses also compete in freestyles. When riders and horses perform to specially choreographed patterns to music it is called "freestyle". At this level, the freestyle tests may contain all the Grand Prix movements, as well as double canter pirouettes, pirouettes in piaffe, and half-pass in passage. For the freestyle, judges award technical marks for the various movements, as well as artistic marks.