2001 Northeast Junior/Young Riders Dressage Championships

The Beauty and Power that is Dressage

Dressage is an equestrian discipline that has as its goal the ultimate athletic development of the horse and of a two-way communication between horse and rider, regardless of the work (jumping, reining, driving or trail riding) that the horse will perform. The word dressage is derived from a French term meaning training. This quiet and intensely focused discipline traces its history to the times of the ancient Greeks. The most important fundamental principles were described by the Ancient Greek historian, philosopher and general Xenophon in his writings, "The Duties of a Horseman" and "About Horsemanship." The latter title is still in circulation. Through the most subtle, virtually invisible use of aids (the rider's seat, weight, legs and hands), riders engage horses to execute a specific sequence of movements in prescribed patterns that increase in difficulty as they advance through ten skill levels, with the Grand Prix level representing the pinnacle of achievement.