365
Days in Horse Country – The Art of Dressage
Dressage is
among the oldest riding disciplines in the world, dating back to ancient
Greece. Classical dressage is still
practiced much in the way it was originally performed in ancient times, while a
more modern version of the discipline is also practiced. The sport has long been popular Europe, and
it has gained a lot of fame in North America over the past two decades.
Dressage consists of a series of movements that emphasizes the horse’s natural carriage at various gates. The horse and rider team performs in a rectangular-shaped arena market with block letters around the perimeter that serve as targets for particular movements during a dressage test.
Horse and rider teams compete at different levels, depending on their training. They are scored on how close to perfect they perform each movement. Though riders are technically competing with each other in dressage tests, most are primarily concerned with improving their individual score from one test to the next. The exception to this would be an international competition where winning with the best score would be the priority.
Dressage training is an excellent foundation for any horse, regardless of what you plan to do with him. Riders trained in dressage learn to have an independent seat, and they can become very skilled at communicating with their horse.
Michael