What is Dressage

Often described as “horse ballet,” the horse and rider perform a predetermined pattern, or “test,” and perform gaits and movements, such as a walk, trot, canter, half pass, passage (slow-motion trot), piaffe (trot in place) and one and two tempi changes (where the horse appears to skip as it canters). The dressage tests performed at the World Equestrian Games are those of the highest level – Grand Prix.

Dressage is derived from the French term "dressur" meaning "to train" and is one of the Olympic equestrian disciplines. It involves subtle control from the rider and has compulsory movements where horse and rider perform a series of paces, halts, changes of direction, movements and figures. A kur is a dressage test that is generally ridden to instrumental music. Dressage tests the horse’s physique and ability, and the horse and the rider’s understanding of each other. Generally, it takes a minimum of 5 years to train a horse from the basic levels through to Grand Prix.