Dressage: Basics You Should Know

Apr 01, 2025

Dressage is a discipline that seeks perfection in the communication between rider and horse. The goal is for the horse to respond to the rider’s aids smoothly and almost imperceptibly, performing natural, soft, and rhythmic movements.

The horse should appear to perform the exercises on its own, demonstrating balance, cadence, and flexibility. This connection requires years of work, mutual respect, and systematic training.

Origin and history of Dressage

The origins of dressage date back to Ancient Greece, where horses were already trained for war. Xenophon, a Greek general and philosopher, was one of the first to write about the art of riding with harmony and respect for the animal.

Over time, this practice evolved in European courts, especially during the Renaissance. Institutions such as the Spanish Riding School of Vienna have preserved this legacy, maintaining an aesthetic and technical line that defines modern dressage today.

Basic principles and philosophy

In dressage, horse training follows a logical and gradual progression, summarized in the so-called training pyramid:

1. Rhythm: the horse should move with a constant and relaxed cadence.
2. Relaxation: the horse’s body should be loose and free of tension.
3. Contact: a light but steady connection between the rider’s hands and the horse’s mouth.
4. Impulsion: active energy from the hindquarters moving forward.
5. Straightness: the horse moves in a balanced and straight line.
6. Collection: the highest level, where the horse is balanced and elevated, with short but powerful strides.

These pillars ensure that the horse develops physically and mentally, and that the execution of exercises is harmonious and natural.

Necessary equipment

Dressage requires specific technical equipment for both the rider and the horse:

For the rider:

• Dressage saddle: deeper and with longer flaps, it facilitates an upright position.
• Tall boots: offer better grip and elegance.
• Dressage coat or tailcoat, stock tie or tie, gloves, and helmet: elegance, safety, and formality in competition.

For the horse:

• Double bridle or snaffle: depending on the level and competition rules.
• White saddle pad: discreet and functional.
• Leg wraps or boots: to protect the limbs during warm-up.

This equipment not only fulfills an aesthetic purpose, but also helps maintain the comfort and performance of the horse-rider pair.

Dressage levels

In riding schools, dressage is structured in progressive levels. Each level introduces more technical and advanced movements:

• Basic or beginner level: walk, trot, canter, smooth transitions, circles, and changes of rein.
• Intermediate level: lateral work begins (leg yields, shoulder-ins) and progressive collection.
• Advanced level: exercises such as piaffe, passage, canter pirouettes, and flying changes in sequence, culminating in Grand Prix tests.

How to get started in this discipline?

Getting started in dressage doesn’t require owning an Olympic-level horse. What’s essential is motivation, consistency, and a good instructor. Here are some key steps:

1. Find a specialized riding center: ideally with certified dressage instructors.
2. Learn groundwork basics: groundwork helps understand body language and equine psychology.
3. Work on rider’s position and balance: before asking for precision from the horse, the rider must be stable and clear with their aids.
4. Gradual progression: master the basics before moving on to more technical movements.
5. Observe and analyze: attending competitions, watching training sessions, or reviewing recorded tests is an excellent source of learning.

Dressage as a way of life

Dressage is a philosophy based on respect, patience, and technical excellence. Each session is an opportunity to connect more deeply with the horse, to understand its rhythm, body, and mind.

Regardless of your goal, dressage teaches you to ride with elegance, intelligence, and humility.