Kentucky and the art of equestrian sport..........Dressage Competitions

Dressage competitions are held regularly in Louisville, three of four times a year. Many of the spectators have stayed with me here at the Inn, which is very close to where the competitions are held. Dressage is the highest expression of horse training, and is considered to be the art of equestrian sport. It is used as the groundwork for all the other disciplines. Its beginnings can be traced back to the 17th century courts of Renaissance Europe and today, interest in dressage continues to grow throughout the world as a sport and a pastime. Dressage is also one of the three disciplines in competition at the Olympic Games, the other two being Jumping and Eventing.

In modern competitions, horse and rider are expected to perform from memory a series of predetermined movements, known as figures (volte, serpentine, figure of eight). The completely flat arena, measuring 60 x 20 m., is skirted by a low rail along which 12 lettered markers are placed symmetrically indicating where movements are to start, where changes of pace or lead are to occur and where the movements are to end.

In all competitions, the horse has to show three paces: walk, trot and canter as well as smooth transitions within and between these paces. Many people have seen Olympic or Grand Prix dressage on television. The horse appears to do intricate maneuvers as the ride sits almost motionless. But, dressage isn't just fancy moves with hard to pronounce names. The horses are trained to carry the rider with increasingly more ease and respond to subtle aids.aids. The horse is being taught to be supple, balanced and responsive.

A kur is a dressage test ridden to music. You are given a set of required elements and create your own test to instrumental music you choose. Some tests can be ridden in pairs or teams.The horse appears to be dancing, as with the Fresians in the video.The goal of dressage training is to develop a horse's flexibility, responsiveness to aids and balance. This makes the horse stronger and more pleasurable to ride.

If you compete you will always be competing against yourself, as well as others taking the test. The goal in competition is to always improve on your own score. The goal of dressage training is to develop a horse's flexibility, responsiveness to aids and balance. This makes the horse stronger and more pleasurable to ride. If you compete you will always be competing against yourself, as well as others taking the test. The goal in competition is to always improve on your own score.