The object of dressage, which means “training” in French, is for a rider to work with the horse in harmony to achieve a partnership that is calm, supple, loose, flexible, attentive and keen.
The senior major Championships cycle over a four-year Olympiad – an Olympic Games, a World Equestrian Games, and European Championships in the two years in between. The youth teams (young rider, junior and pony) compete at European Championships each year.
The dressage tests are performed in a 60m x 20m all-weather arena and are a predetermined set of movements, except in the freestyle competition where riders decide their own test (including compulsory movements) and perform it to music. Five judges, at different positions in the arena, mark the movements independently, with each movement receiving a mark out of 10 that is then converted to a percentage score. The competition consists of three ‘rounds’ – the Grand Prix (team test), the Grand Prix Special and the Freestyle.
Riders compete for team and individual medals. For World and European Championships there are medals for each of the Grand Prix Special and the Freestyle; in an Olympic Games only one set of individual medals is awarded – combining the scores from the Special and the Freestyle.
The Team
Meet the British Dressage squad