Early European aristocrats displayed their horses' training in equestrian pageants, but in modern dressage competition, successful training at the various levels is demonstrated through the performance of "tests," or prescribed series of movements within a standard arena. 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 Arena
There are two sizes of arenas: small and standard. The small arena is 20 meters by 40 meters, and is used for the lower levels of dressage and 3-day eventing dressage. The standard arena is 20 meters by 60 meters, and is used for upper-level tests. Dressage arenas have a lettering system around their outside in the order (clockwise) A-K-E-H-C-M-B-F (small arena) and A-K-V-E-S-H-C-M-R-B-P-F (standard arena). At the start of the test, the horse enters at A. There is always a judge sitting at C (although for upper-level competition, there is generally more than one judge at a second or third place around the arena). The invisible letter X is always in the center of the dressage arena.
The dressage arena also has a centerline (from A to C, going trough X in the middle), as well as two quarter-lines (halfway between the centerline and long sides of each arena).
Olympic Level Dressage
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. Gaits and movements performed at this level include collected and extended walk, trot, and canter; trot and canter half-pass (almost a sideways movement); passage (a slow-motion trot); piaffe (a "trot in place"); one and two tempi changes (where the horse appears to skip as it changes leads in the canter); canter "zigzags"; and pirouettes (a 360-degree circle, in place, at the canter).
Tests ridden at the Olympic Games are scored by a panel of five international judges. Each movement in each test receives a numeric score and the resulting final score is then converted into a percentage, which is carried out to three decimal points. The higher the percentage, the higher the score.
Olympic team medals are won by the teams with the highest, second highest, and third highest total percentage from their best three rides in the Grand Prix test.
Once the team medals are determined, horses and riders compete for individual medals. The team competition serves as the first individual qualifier, in that the top 25 horse/rider combinations from the Grand Prix test move on to the next round. The second individual qualifier is the Grand Prix Special test, which consists of Grand Prix movements arranged in a different pattern. For those 25 riders, the scores from the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special are then combined and the resulting top 15 horse/rider combinations move on to the individual medal competition-the crowd-pleasing Grand Prix Freestyle.
For their freestyles, riders and horses perform specially choreographed patterns to music. 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. In the case of a tie, the ride with the higher artistic marks wins.
Apart from competition, there is a tradition of Classical Dressage, in which purists pursue the tradition of dressage as an art form, for its own joy and beauty. Dressage is also a part of the Portuguese and Spanish bullfighting exhibitions. The traditions of the Old Masters who originated Dressage are kept alive by the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria and the Cadre Noir in Saumur, France.
Breeds commonly used for competitive dressage are normally in the warmblood category, as these breeds have the vigorous, extended movement and strength necessary for the sport. However, Dressage is an egalitarian sport in which all breeds are given an opportunity to compete successfully. Iberian horses such as the Andalusian, Lusitano and Lippizanner are most popular among practitioners of Classical Dressage. These breeds excel in the collected movements of Classical Dressage.
Airs Above Ground
These are a series of higher-level dressage maneuvers where the horse leaps above the ground. These include the Capriole, Courbette, croupade, and Levade. They are performed with or without a rider.
The capriole is one of the "airs above the ground" in classical dressage. It is not seen in modern competitive dressage, but is performed by the horses of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and the Cadre Noir in Saumur.
In the capriole, the horse jumps from a raised position of the forehand straight up into the air, kicks out with the hind legs, and lands more or less on all four legs at the same time. It requires an enormously powerful horse to perform correctly.
The courbette is one of the "airs above the ground" of classical dressage. It is not seen in modern competitive dressage, but is performed by the horses of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna and the Cadre Noir of Saumur.
In the courbette, the horse raises his forehand off ground ground, tucks up his forelegs evenly, and then jumps forward, never allowing the forelegs to touch down, in a series of "hops". Extremely strong and talented horses can perform five or more leaps forward before having to touch down with the forelegs. It is more usual to see a series of three or four leaps.
The levade is one of the "airs above the ground" in classical dressage. It is not performed in modern competitive dressage, but can be seen performed by the horses of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and the Cadre Noir of Saumur.
In the levade, the horse rises on his haunches to an angle of approximately 35 degrees from the ground, with both forelegs tucked up evenly, and balances in that position. At the beginning of the movement, the hind feet come under the horse's centre of gravity with the hocks coming lower to the ground, so that the horse appears to sink down in back and rise in front. The position is held for a number of seconds, and then the horse quietly puts the forelegs back on the ground and proceeds at the walk, or stands at the halt.
The levade is a movement that requires enormous strength of the horse, and not many horses are capable of a good quality levade. The Lipizzans of the Spanish Riding School are particularly suited to the movement.
Welcome to Harley Equestrian inc Harley Racing. Visit our
online shop and
find products for both horse and rider. We cater for all forms of
equestrian
sports from Hunting, National Hunt Racing, Flat Racing, Dressage,
Showing through to Eventing. We specialise in the supply of all
equestrian related goods
from
children starting out at Pony Club right through to the needs of the
Professional Rider.
Equestrian Products from these Manufacturers
Aerborn
Airowear
Albion
Ariat
Bates Australia
Black Country
Caldene
Champion
Charles Owen
Colin Cook
Collegiate
Colorspin
Coolsport
Cuddly Pony
Dalmar
Dever Saddlery
Dublin
Equilibrium Products
Eskadron
Gatehouse
GFS
Good Hands
GPA
Griffin NuuMed
Harley
Harry Hall
Horseware
Hows Racesafe
Ideal
Jeffries
Kincade
Korsteel
Kyra K
Le Chameau
MacWet
Mark Todd
Mears
Neue Schule
New Equine Wear
Ornella Prosperi
Pikeur
Polly Products
Polypads
Prestige Italia
Pro Equine
Prolite
Puffa
Roma
Royal Rider
Saxon
Shires
Sprenger
SSG
Stubben
Take Out
Tally Ho
Toggi
Tredstep
Veredus
Weatherbeeta
Wintec
Woof Wear
Our extensive retail premises near Woodford Halse Northamptonshire is open seven days a week and we hold a vast range of equestrian products for the horse and rider. We also have a fully equipped saddlery fitting service on site and offer a mobile service within a 25 mile radius of our premises. Click here to view pictures of our equestrian store. You can also order direct over the phone using contact details above.
site design Daventrynet