Dressage for All: Your Complete Guide to Competing in 2025

Dressage rose to national prominence after Team GB's stunning team gold medal in the London 2012 Olympics, highlighted by Charlotte Dujardin's remarkable individual Freestyle to Music performance. But is dressage a pursuit only for elite riders, or can it be thoroughly enjoyed by equestrians of all levels? This comprehensive 2025 guide equips both newcomers and enthusiasts with essential knowledge to confidently participate in dressage within the UK.

What is Dressage?

Dressage is often described as "horses that dance" or ballet on horseback. It is considered a highly skilled classical art that demands years of dedicated training, with roots dating back centuries to European classical riding schools. The sport's fundamental goal is to develop a horse's suppleness, obedience, and balance through precise, harmonious movements.

Importantly, dressage is accessible at many levels, from entry Intro tests with no canter to the Grand Prix seen internationally. The ability to participate and enjoy dressage grows with your horsemanship and training journey.

Key Elements of Dressage

Dressage promotes the following core traits in the horse:

• Suppleness
• Forward movement
• Straightness
• Balance
• Flexibility
• Obedience
• Regularity

Dressage tests consist of a sequence of predetermined movements marked by letters placed around the arena, performed consistently by every competitor. Riders are judged on each movement, awarded marks, and ranked by overall percentage score.

Levels and Tests

Tests range from Introductory levels (Intro and Prelim) through Novice, Elementary, Medium, Advanced and up to International Grand Prix levels, each suitable for different stages of training and experience. Test sheets are colour-coded by level—blue for Prelim, green for Novice, and so forth—and updated annually by British Dressage to keep the sport dynamic and challenging.

Preparing For Your Dressage Competition

Step 1: Learn Your Test

Thoroughly memorise the movements and layout of your chosen test, which is crucial for precision during your performance. Practice transitioning smoothly through movements and knowing where each letter is placed in the arena.

Step 2: Check the Rules and Equipment

Familiarise yourself with the latest British Dressage 2025 rules and the Approved Tack and Equipment Guide. Using permitted tack and adhering to dress codes ensures compliance and promotes horse welfare. For example, double bridles become compulsory from Advanced level, while certain nosebands and bits have specific regulations.

Step 3: Develop a Warm-Up Routine

Work with your instructor to devise a warm-up strategy for both horse and rider, including stretches, trot and canter activations, focusing on strengthening weaknesses such as wobbles on the centre line or halts. This prepares you physically and mentally for the test.

Step 4: Visit the Venue

If possible, visit the competition arena beforehand to acclimatise your horse to the surroundings, reducing anxiety from new stimuli on the day.

Step 5: Plan Logistics

Prepare transport, tack checks, and your schedule well in advance to avoid stress. Arrive early to allow time for settling and final preparations. Having a friend or support person can be helpful for managing equipment and encouraging nerves.

What to Expect on Competition Day

The dressage arena is marked by low white boards, sized either 20 x 40 metres for short arenas or 20 x 60 metres for international competitions. Test sheets specify the arena size and movements expected.

All entries must be pre-booked; rider times will be published prior to the event. Once your time arrives, you begin warming up within the arena's perimeter. Start your test promptly when the judge signals with a bell or car horn (in outdoor grass arenas).

After your ride, the judge provides marks and detailed written comments, including "collectives" assessing the horse's way of going and the rider's effectiveness. Scores are given as percentages to rank competitors.

Dress Code and Tack in 2025

British Dressage maintains a traditional yet updated dress code:

• Riders may wear short jackets, tweed coats, or tailcoats depending on the level. British team jackets are reserved for official team members.
• Protective hats that meet current safety standards are mandatory.
• Gloves should be neutral coloured, with white being common.
• Snaffle bridles are allowed at lower levels; double bridles are compulsory from Advanced upward.
• Boots or bandages may be worn in warm-up but must be removed before entering the arena.
• A white square saddle cloth is standard, paired with straight cut dressage saddles designed for rider influence and security.

In addition, a new FEI-approved noseband tightness measuring device will be introduced during 2025, ensuring welfare standards are met and enforced consistently.

Insider Tips to Boost Your Confidence

If you're new to dressage, attending competitions as an observer before competing can provide valuable insight into the atmosphere and test flow. Volunteering to write for judges offers a unique perspective to understand scoring and improve your test rides.

Remember, dressage is as much about harmony and partnership with your horse as technical skill. Approaching training and competition with patience and kindness to your horse maximises satisfaction and results.

How Dressage Is Scored and What Judges Look For

Each movement in a dressage test is scored on a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 means the movement was not performed and 10 represents an excellent, faultless execution. Scores of 6 and above indicate a satisfactory or above-average performance, while 4s and 5s suggest the movement was performed but with significant errors or tension.

At the end of every test, judges award collective marks — a separate set of scores covering the horse's paces, impulsion, submission, and the rider's position and effectiveness. These collectives can represent a substantial portion of the total marks, so riders who present a consistently harmonious picture will score well even if individual movements are not perfect.

Judges look for regularity and quality of the paces above all else. A horse that moves with clear rhythm, genuine relaxation, and an honest connection to the rein will always score better than one who is technically accurate but tense. Free, swinging movement through the back and a consistent tempo are the hallmarks of a well-trained dressage horse at any level.

The Scales of Training Explained

The Scales of Training form the foundation of classical dressage and describe the progressive development of the horse. The six scales, in order, are: rhythm, relaxation (looseness), contact, impulsion, straightness, and collection. Each scale builds on the one before it, and problems at a higher level are almost always rooted in an unresolved issue lower down.

Rhythm refers to the regularity and tempo of each gait — a consistent four-beat walk, two-beat trot, and three-beat canter. Relaxation (the German term is Losgelassenheit, meaning looseness) describes physical and mental suppleness, visible as a swinging back and a softly chewing mouth. Contact is the elastic, consistent connection between the rider's hand and the horse's mouth through a soft rein.

Impulsion — which appears only in trot and canter — is the stored energy that results from engagement of the hindquarters, distinct from mere speed. Straightness describes the horse's ability to track up correctly on both reins, with equal bend through the body. Collection, the highest scale, involves the horse taking more weight behind, elevating the forehand and demonstrating carrying power. No horse can be collected without first achieving the preceding five scales.

British Dressage Membership and Affiliated Competitions

British Dressage (BD) is the national governing body for the sport in the UK. There are several membership tiers available, from a free Fan Membership that gives access to results and content, up to full Senior Membership which allows competitors to ride in affiliated competitions and accumulate qualification points.

Affiliated competitions are judged to a higher standard than unaffiliated showing and require horses to be registered with BD. They offer a pathway from Introductory level through to Grand Prix, with qualifying rounds leading to regional and national championships. For riders new to the sport, unaffiliated competitions offer an accessible entry point — scores still follow the same test structure, but registration is not required.

Entering a BD competition is done via the BD website, where you can search for local venues, check schedules, and submit entries. Most venues require entries several weeks in advance, and you will need to declare your horse's BD registration number at entry.

What level should a beginner start dressage?

Most beginners in the UK start at Introductory level, which requires only walk and trot work and no canter. The Intro tests are designed to be accessible and forgiving, focusing on basic straightness, transitions, and rhythm. Once comfortable at Intro, the next step is Preliminary, which introduces canter work and slightly more technical movements. There are no strict prerequisites — if you and your horse can walk, trot, and maintain a reasonable outline, you have enough to enter an Intro test. The goal is simply to gain experience in the arena and receive constructive feedback from a judge.

How long does it take to learn dressage?

Honestly, dressage takes years rather than months to develop properly, and most experienced riders would tell you it is a lifelong pursuit. Reaching a basic level of competence where you can confidently ride a Preliminary test and score above 60% typically takes one to two years of regular lessons with a good coach, assuming you ride at least a couple of times per week. Progressing beyond Elementary requires a horse with natural ability and considerable training investment. The partnership between horse and rider is central to the sport, so progress depends as much on the horse's training journey as the rider's. Patience and consistency matter more than natural talent at every level.