Dressage - A Basic Introduction

Dressage, a French term meaning "training", teaches a horse to be obedient, willing, supple and responsive It is sometimes referred to as “Horse Ballet”. This is because many people compare the requirements of dressage and ballet, poise, pliability and force.

To be performed at its best dressage requires horse and rider to be as one, only then will its full elegance and refinement be achieved. In dressage the horse and rider need to be totally together to produce the perfect team. Dressage at all levels improves balance, suppleness, and obedience with the purpose of improving and facilitating the horse's performance of normal tasks.

Dressage as a discipline has its roots in classical Greek horsemanship, mainly through the influence of Xenophon. Horse trainers during the renaissance, in Western Europe, recognized how vital dressage could be. It was during the renaissance in Western Europe that the most important horse trainers implemented a training regime that moved from stage to stage for classical dressage that almost unchanged today is utilised for modern dressage training.

Tack used in dressage is mainly black, with dark brown figuring from time to time, reflecting the seriousness. An English-style saddle is required for riding dressage, specifically a "dressage saddle" which is modelled exclusively for the discipline. The saddle is tailored with a lengthy and straight flap, fitting the rider's leg, with a gentle curve in the knee, a low seat and usually a prominent knee block.

Despite this dressage is very much a competitive sport; there are hundreds if not thousands of small dressage competitions are being held all over the world. The biggest addition to dressage competitions was its entry into the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, this galvanised the levels of training and hence riding. The Olympics nowadays has three classes of riding with dressage, eventing and jumping.

The dressage arena measures 60 meters by 20 meters and has letters set out at various points. The letters are A-K-V-E-S-H-C-M-R-B-P-F. The letters designate where movements are to be executed; the letters also assist the rider in judging specific distances, such as the size of a circle. Once a horse has reached the required level, procedures should be undertaken easily and elegantly with only the merest assistance from the rider.

Movements such as the piaffe, passage, half-pass, pirouette, and tempi changes are what is required to succeed in competitive dressage. This is unlike classical dressage, which includes the aires above ground, which most horses can not perform well even with correct training, due to physical limitations. The highpoint of any dressage competition is when the rider develops a routine to music that includes certain pre-determined movements and figures; this is called the Musical Freestyle. The tests within dressage are not perverse; dressage training should be designed to develop the horse in both mind and body, in line with his normal methods of moving and thinking, and the tests are opportunities to display the level of stability, receptiveness and power achieved.

I trust your knowledge of dressage has been increased with this article and that your interest has been piqued to learn more.

Article Source: http://www.myaddirectory.com

Harvey Taylor is a prolific writer on eventing these can be found at myhorsenews.com

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