​The World of Dressage

Modern Dressage

Military Tactic Turned Civilian Sport

 

When militaries of the world turned away from cavalries due to the new sophisticated weaponry of the early-20th century, dressage transitioned into a competative sport open to civilians.

 

Five Equestrian events were introduced to the Paris Olympics in 1900: Jumping, High Jump, Long Jump, Hacks and Hunters

Combined, and Mail Coach. Belgium, the United States, Italy, France, and Russia competed to win the first equestrian Olympic Medals. 

 

Equestrian events were not included again in the Olympic games until 1912 in Stockholm, where the program was changed to only include Dressage, Show Jumping and Eventing. These are the three events that are still showcased today in the Summer Olympics.

 

Before 1951, all competative riders were officers in the military and were required to ride in an informal uniform. However, the restriction was lifted and in 1952 Helsinki Olympics, women and civilians were allowed to compete.

 

The tasks asked of the dressage horse in the 1912 Olympics differ greatly from those asked today, and even more so from the horses in cavalries. Today the dressage horse is no longer to required to jump over obsticles nor are they given a separate obedience test. These horses are also no longer asked to perform the Airs Above Ground due to the physical limitation of most competative dressage horses. Instead, the focus began to shift from the high levels of collection power to the elasticity and fluidty of the movements. More lateral work was incorperated, such as the half pass, and the top level of collection and power extended only to the passage and piaffe.

 

With the pivot of Modern Dressage shifting, so did too the conformation of the horse. Rather than a bulky, heavy set horse (optimal for wielding armor and high levels of collection), a more athletic streamlined horse became desirable. Emphasis was put on the "uphill build" of a horse (shoulders higher than haunches) as well as a laid back shoulder angle. However, most importantly, the pelvis of the horse must be built at an angle where the horse can easily reach under his body with his hind legs and push off of the ground with grace and power.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although the journey Modern Dressage from the 1912 Olympics spans quite a distance from today's Olympic requirments, the way the horses are judged is relatively the same.

 

A standardized list of required movements (in a specific order) is given to the riders to perform in front of a judge.  This series of movements is known as a "test." Each movement required of the horse is given a score between zero and ten (zero being "movement not shown" and ten being "excellent" while six being the most common score of "satisfactory"). At the end of the test, the total amount of points scored are tallied and divided by the total amount of possible points scored. This results in a percentage; the highest percentage wins. Because the most common score is a six, scores in the 60's are well respected. Scores in the 70's are most desirable and speak greatly to the mastery of the rider and horse to the movements required of them.

 

Each test introduces new concepts to the horse which build upon themselves as one progresses through the levels. These tests are designed to verify the horse's training, ever trying to reach the power and balance of the original war horses.  

 

It is commonly taugh that there is a basic training scales that also aligns with the levels of competition. This scale, shaped like a pyramid, demonstrates the interconnectedness of the different stages of the scale. Until the horse masters each subject of training, he cannot truely progess to the next subject. 

 

However, within the competative world, this training pyramid is often left with holes, resulting from rushed training to reach a more "prestegious" level.

 

The competative world of dressage consists of two categories: the National and International competition. In both, levels are designated to test the advancement of the horses training.

 

The National levels of competition vary on titles and exact sequence of movements, however they are fairly similar throughout the world.  In the United States, the National competitions include Introductory Level, Training Level, First, Second, Third and Fourth Level, all of which are governed and regulated by The United States Dressage Federation (USDF)  which is a branch of The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF).

 

Unlike the National level of competition, the International level is a standardized group of levels and tests that are identical throughout the world. These levels include: Prix St. Georges, Intermediate I, Intermediate II, and Grand Prix -- the highest level of competition in existance. These tests, rules and regulations are governed by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (International Federation of Equestrian Sports, FEI).

 

With the intensity of the competition rising, certain training methods have become questionable at best, and often the well-being of the horse is overlooked. Too often is a horse physically repremanded for his mistakes rather than positively rewarded for his good behavior.  This causes extreme mental strain on the horse, who is also enduring great athletic strain as well. Although Classical Dressage is the basis of Modern Dressage, it sometimes seems as though the training of the horse has drifted far away from the original philosophy of Xenophon.