We take a look at the equestrian sport of dressage, which earned the nickname ‘sport of the dancing horses’ in 2012

By countryfile

Published: Tuesday, 19 December 2023 at 12:15 PM

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Dressage is an equestrian sport that tests a horse’s suppleness, obedience, accuracy and paces – think of it as ballet or gymnastics on horseback. According to British Dressage, it developed as a sport in the 19th century.

“The concept of producing obedient, supple and responsive mounts was essentially a military idea – the better schooled your horse, the better he would be in battle,” says British Dressage.

“However, this was also combined with a desire by the nobility to be seen ‘about town’ on magnificent steeds with exaggerated movement, which clearly demonstrated their ability as horsemen. And so ‘dressage’ was born.”

Horse and rider usually perform a dressage test (series of movements) in a dressage arena, which for the beginner levels measures 20×40 metres and for the more advanced 20×60 metres. Each movement is marked out of ten by the judges.

Dressage levels range from preliminary to Grand Prix. At the beginner/preliminary level, horse and rider are just tested on simple movements within the three paces of walk, trot and canter – for example, a 20-metre circle at trot or transitions between the paces.

But at the higher levels dressage can get much more demanding as riders have to ask horses to perform more complicated movements, such as moving sideways (half pass) or a rein back.

At the top grand prix level of dressage it is even more exacting. Here, horses are asked to trot on the spot (piaffe), do a very slow, elevated trot (passage), do one-time changes in canter (when the horse looks like it is skipping), and even a pirouette – a turn on the spot at speed, more or less where the horse’s front legs move round its hind limbs at canter.

One of the most popular dressage classes is when riders have to set the required moves to music.