Dressage
Oscar Williams, dressage editor | email Oscar | Facebook: H&H Dressage
Dressage top stories
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Features
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Features
Horses’ instincts, saddles and cooling down: 13 training tips from Ingrid Klimke
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Opinion
Laura Tomlinson: ‘Online abuse tears the whole sport down’
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News
‘A grave error to think this is just a dressage problem’: new forum agreed to help tackle welfare concerns
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News
‘Not an attempt to censor or prevent transparency’: FEI responds to outcry over rules on filming at major shows
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Features
What you can compromise on – and what you can’t: Ingrid Klimke on choosing young horses
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News
Charlotte Dujardin’s latest star wins as Becky Moody and Jagerbomb pipped at the post
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News
Top horse returns from injury to target Paris Olympics: ‘He’s full of himself’
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
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‘The more we reward, the more we’re going to get back’: Cathrine Laudrup-Dufour’s top training tips
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10 commandments for competition riders
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‘Remember you’re dealing with an unpredictable animal’ — how top riders cope when things go wrong
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Master the 10m loop to improve your horse’s balance and earn higher dressage marks
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.