Dressage
Oscar Williams, dressage editor | email Oscar | Facebook: H&H Dressage
Dressage top stories
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News
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News
Badminton and Burghley winner embracing new career with 13-year-old rider
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News
Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin’s Olympic hopefuls back in action as new prizegiving format tested
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Dressage
‘We need to change’: top judge calls for action on the future of dressage
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Features
How to watch Royal Windsor Horse Show live
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Features
16-year-old autistic rider overcomes mental health struggles to impress at Area Festival Championships
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Opinion
Anna Ross: ‘Radical new thoughts for dressage’s future’
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Features
‘Girl from nowhere’ stars on World Cup Final stage: ‘I’m the driver, the rider, the groom and the coach!’
Dressage opinion from H&H columnists
Tack and clothing
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Technical stirrups — what’s on the market?
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Great stirrup options for flatwork and dressage
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What to wear at dressage competitions
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10 stylish pairs of men’s competition breeches to suit all budgets
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8 half pads to consider to help perfect your saddle setup
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A selection of dressage squares for competition and everyday training
Training tips
All about dressage
The sport of dressage involves horse and rider performing a pre-set pattern of movements appropriate to their current level of training. In freestyle competitions riders have to perform set movements, but can do so in any order and at any place in the judging arena and this is set to the rider’s choice of music.
In order to compete successfully in dressage, the horse must be expressive yet obedient and able to maintain the correct body form without any signs of stiffness. The sport has been described by the layman as ‘equine ballet’ and ‘dancing horses’.
Competition in the UK, which is overseen by governing body British Dressage, starts at intro level, where only walk and trot movements are performed, right through to grand prix, which is the level seen at the Olympic Games.
There are dressage competitions available for disabled riders, although some of the top para dressage riders also compete in able-bodied competitions. Britain has an outstanding record in international para dressage championships.