Dressage, which comes from the French word meaning training, and is pronounced to rhyme with visage, trains horses to be active, obliging, flexible and receptive. It is called "Horse Ballet" by many of its followers. Perhaps, this is so because ballet asks the same, flexibility, smoothness and vitality of its performers as does dressage of its horse and riders.

Horse and rider must both couple together to produce such charm and artistry that is the hallmark of high quality dressage. Both the horse and rider must be fully in touch with each other and as such it can be seen as the pinnacle of team sport. Dressage at all levels improves balance, suppleness, and obedience with the purpose of improving and facilitating the horse's performance of normal tasks.

Dressage dates back to the horsemanship seen in ancient Greece, and the work done by Xenophon. Western Europe during the period of the renaissance discovered the power of dressage in the training of horses. Western European riding experts utilised a step by step training guide during that period that is today still recognised as the building blocks for dressage.

Dressage as a very formal event and normally this is recognised by tack being black or sometimes very dark brown. Riding dressage utilises an English-style saddle, which is known as a dressage saddle and is produced solely for dressage. It has been developed with a plumb and large saddle flap, the leg of the rider is echoed by the length and the slight curve at the knee.

Although very formal there are many competitions in dressage throughout the world, these cater for all abilities.AWith all this it is perhaps a surprise to discover that all over the globe there are hundreds of minor dressage events. The standards of riding and training took and great leap forward with the introduction of dressage in the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games. Within the Olympics today dressage is included with eventing and jumping, all three going together for the three day event.

For dressage a rectangular arena, 20 meters wide and three times as long is used. In addition letters are spaced out to highlight specific spots. Riders use the letters to assist in judging distances but their primary purpose is to show specific locations for movements to be attempted. At the peak of a dressage horse's gymnastic development, it can smoothly respond to a skilled rider's minimal aids by performing the requested movement while remaining relaxed and appearing effortless.

Movements such as the piaffe, passage, half-pass, pirouette, and tempi changes are what is required to succeed in competitive dressage. Competitive dressage differs from classic dressage in this respect as it does not include the aires above ground, as the majority of horses can not execute even when well trained. The highlight of a dressage competition is the Musical Freestyle in which the rider creates and choreographs to music an original ride of compulsory figures and movements. The tests within dressage represent an overall judgement; the purpose of dressage training is to enhance the horse physically and mentally, in total alignment with his normal methods of moving and thinking, and these tests are "reviews" to ascertain the standard of balance, power and compliance the training has brought him to.

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