Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings

Dressage has been around for as long as people have been riding horses. In simple terms, it represents the art of training the horse to show its full potential. Today, dressage has become one of the strictest disciplines in equestrian sports. Dressage is a series of horse movements that are prompted by the rider's signals and that give the impression of a horse dancing with its rider. The elements of dressage can be attributed to the settling of the horse, riding at an accelerated trot; among the fairly advanced elements, we should mention pirouette, half-pirouette and a change of legs in a gallop.

The dressage competition is divided into three classes: class "L", class "M" and class "S". Basic dressage is usually referred to as the elementary "L" class.

Steps

1. 1 Get to know your horse well before you start competing with it or just practice dressage for fun, so you can be sure the horse knows and trusts you. You must also trust your horse. If you think that you or your horse are incapable of doing something, then don't do it.
2. 2 Work your horse on basic riding patterns. There are only three of them: stride, trot and gallop. They should be clear and consistent. Both you and your horse need to feel confident in all types of riding under all circumstances.
3. 3 Work on transitions. The transitions between different types of riding in one direction and the other should be smooth as the horse moves. The horse must maintain balance, must not fall over on his head, and must not pull on the reins. Ideally, the transitions should be controlled solely by the foot and the saddle position with a minimum of hands. Transitions must be timely and made exactly at the moment when the rider decides to change the type of ride.
4. 4 Make sure your horse moves in contact with the bit. At the entry level, judges are less concerned with collecting the horse, which is one of the characteristics of dressage. Instead, the judges look at the predecessor of collection - the horse's desire to make contact and relax in the bridle. How can you determine the relaxation of a horse in the bridle? When you hold the reins calmly, you should be able to touch the horse's mouth without having to hang on the reins. When pulling the reins forward, the horse should maintain contact and follow you, not lose contact and pull on the reins.
5. 5 Work on your position in the saddle. Always keep your heels down. Adjust the stirrup height so that an 80-degree angle is formed in the bend of the knees. The heels should rest on the stirrups. Sit upright in the saddle without stiffness. Work on your balance.
6. 6 Teach your horse to bend around turns. Encourage the horse to bend its body in all turns by supporting the leg and ischial bone on the inside of the turn. Be careful that the horse does not start to bend unnecessarily. When viewed from above, the arch of the horse's body should be in line with the arc of the turn or circle being made.
7. 7 Practice doing dressage tests. Memorize and practice the test presentations (gather additional information about this). Do them with an experienced instructor, or just ask him for some tips on what to work on.
8. 8 Come on! This is the most interesting part. Find out about entry-level competitions in your area and sign up as a participant. After your speech, you will receive the judges' opinion on what you did well and what did not do well. Try to value the criticism sensibly, because the judge took his time to give you his opinion. Remember that your first show may not go as smoothly as you want it to.

Tips

• Always keep your heels in the stirrups.If you lower your feet in the stirrups to your toes and they slide off the stirrups, the horse may get scared and you will not be able to stay on it.
• * It is impossible to learn horseback riding by reading articles. Consider hiring an instructor to help you and your horse succeed.

Warnings

• Always wear appropriate protective equipment when riding and working with a horse.