NFDA Summer Show Series Information - click here
* Walk - Trot - Canter - Half Halt - Half Pass - Flying Changes - Pirouette - Piaffe - Passage *
NFDA Dressage
The mission of the Northeast Florida Dressage Association is to promote the sport of dressage in our region by organizing clinics, schooling shows, recognized National Dressage Federation Shows, and promote social networking among our members and community at large.
The program of the association is educational and is designed primarily to offer a framework in which individuals can progress with the schooling of themselves and their horses throughou the training spectrum from Introductory to Grand Prix.
Dressage - is a French term meaning "training". Schooling in Dressage is the gradual, harmonious development of the horse's physical and mental condition with the aim to improve it's natural gaits and develop a perfect understanding with it's rider. Progression through the levels of Dressage requires years of training and dedication to the development strength, balance and agility of both the horse and rider. Once mastered, graceful, complex movements appear effortless.
Dressage is the largest FEI discipline within the sport-horse category in the United States and has enjoyed the title of the fastest growing discipline (English or Western) in the U.S.
The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is the governing body of Dressage in the United States and boasts a national membership of 45,000. Approximately 35% of that membership reside in Region 3, which includes Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee.
The program of the association is educational and is designed primarily to offer a framework in which individuals can progress with the schooling of themselves and their horses throughou the training spectrum from Introductory to Grand Prix.
Dressage - is a French term meaning "training". Schooling in Dressage is the gradual, harmonious development of the horse's physical and mental condition with the aim to improve it's natural gaits and develop a perfect understanding with it's rider. Progression through the levels of Dressage requires years of training and dedication to the development strength, balance and agility of both the horse and rider. Once mastered, graceful, complex movements appear effortless.
Dressage is the largest FEI discipline within the sport-horse category in the United States and has enjoyed the title of the fastest growing discipline (English or Western) in the U.S.
The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) is the governing body of Dressage in the United States and boasts a national membership of 45,000. Approximately 35% of that membership reside in Region 3, which includes Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Tennessee.
THE SPORT OF DRESSAGE
Dressage Training Level Progression:
Introductory
Training
Level I
Level II
Level III
Level IV
Prix St. George
Intermediare I
Intermediare II
Grand Prix
* Freestyle - all levels; movements coordinated to musical accompaniment
Introductory
Training
Level I
Level II
Level III
Level IV
Prix St. George
Intermediare I
Intermediare II
Grand Prix
* Freestyle - all levels; movements coordinated to musical accompaniment
What is Dressage?
(below information taken from: Dressage Priority Points by Richard Davidson C. 1995)
- Way Of Going -
The natural rhythmic action expressed with power and control, balance and suppleness, confidence and harmony. These basic requirements must be maintained while performing with ease, exercises of varying degrees of difficulty. They are summed up in the collective marks given by the judge at the end of the score sheet.
Aim/Look For - Regular, rhythmic gaits - showing correct, natural sequence
Forward activity - Lively impulsion, which is contained, controlled energy
Elastic Suppleness - Longitudinally, over the back from the tail to the pool, and laterally in the form of sideways bend
Engagement - When the horse's hind legs step well underneath his body
Balance - The "uphill" appearance of the horse due to his carrying more weight on the hind legs
Obedience - The instant and correct response of the horse to rider's signals. He must appear confident and willing.
Harmony - The ease and elegance expressed with both horse and rider work as a team.
- The Walk -
What is it? - A pace of four-time. There are four beats to one stride. The sequence being: near hind, near fore, off hind, off fore.
Variations - medium, collected, extended and free walk.There is no movement of suspension in the walk sequence
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above), Four equally spaced beats. Active and purposeful, yet calm. Correct mode (collected, medium, etc).
- The Trot -
What is it? - A pace of two time. The horse moves in diagonal pairs with an important movement of suspension, when all four legs are off of the ground.
Variations - There are four modes to the trot - working, collected, medium and extended. Working is the basis of the trot work for young or novice horses. It is also used for warming up and cooling down older, more experienced horses.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above), Uphill balance. Active hind leg stepping energetically under the horse's body. Supple top line "over the back and on the bit". Correct type/mode ie: collected, extended, etc.
- The Canter -
What is it? - A pace of three-time. In the right lead canter, the sequence is initiated with the left hind leg touching the ground first, followed by the diagonal pair of the right hind leg and left front leg and then the leading foreleg. This sequence of leg movements is then followed by the important movement of suspension, when all four legs are of of the ground at the same time.
Variations - As with the trot, there are four variations of canter: working, used for establishing the early training work and warming up, collected , medium and extended.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above), correct three beat sequence, clean and expressive movement of suspension, ability to transfer the weight back on well-flexed hind legs, nice height to the front leg reaction through a well-bent knee joint. Appropriate type/mode ie: collected, extended, etc.
- Half Pass -
What is it? - When the horse moved forward and sideways diagonally across the arena. He is bent into the direction of the movement and keeps his body almost parallel to the long side of the arena. In tests, it is required in trot and canter. The steeper, more acute the angle, the greater the difficulty.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above). Correct and even bend into the outside rein contact. Fluent steps with regular rhythm. Accurate execution, starting and finishing at the required markers. Maintenance of a gymnastic and balanced pace. Horse remaining almost parallel to the long side of the arena. Controlled and balanced beginning
and end of movement.
- Flying Changes -
What is it? - When the horse changes from one lead canter to the other in a single moment of suspension. Flying changes are performed individually or in a sequence
often called 'tempo changes.' At Prix St. George, changes every four and three strides are required. Intermediare I every three and two strides, while at the highest standard, Grand Prix, changes every second and every stride, called one time changes, are required.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above). Horse must change front legs and hid legs at the same time, in the same moment of suspension. During the flying change, the horse should spring expressively off of the ground. The uphill balance of the horse should be maintained. However, in order to encourage big forward changes, the collection is allowed slightly more freedom. In tempo changes, the correct number of changes and the correct number of strides in between each change must be performed. The horse must do straight changes on a straight line. The changes must be accurately placed a the given marker or spaced evenly across the diagonal line. The rider's signals should be almost imperceptible but the horse should react immediately to the aid.
- Pirouette -
What is it? - Where the horse moves the forehand in a circle around its hind legs, which canter more or less on the spot. In Prix St. George only half pirouettes (180 degrees) are required, while from Intermediare upwards, full (360 degrees) ones are demanded.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above). Lowering of hindquarters, producing a sitting effect. Size of circular tract of hind legs, ideally around a 30cm diameter. Correctness of canter sequence maintained. Speed of the turning on the front legs matching the normal controlled canter rhythm speed. The number of strides should be 3-4 in half and 6-8 in full pirouettes. Maintenance of correct bend into the direction of movement.
- Piaffe -
What is it? - When the horse trots, almost on the spot. It is introduced to tests at Intermediare II level where horses are permitted to travel 1 meter forward in 7/8 steps.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above). Diagonal beat. Lowering of the hindquarters towards a sitting posture. The correct placing, never backwards, but creeping onlcentimeters forward with each step. Regular rhythm. Active, lively impulsion with the horse springing from step to step. Even height and placing of hind feet. Good height and equally flexed front legs.
- Passage -
What is it? - A highly elevated, dancing trot.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above). Regular, even rhythm. Equal spring from active, flexed hind legs. Good height to well bent front legs. Expressing engagement with the hind legs stepping well under the horse. The horse remaining straight. Performed at Grand Prix level
- Way Of Going -
The natural rhythmic action expressed with power and control, balance and suppleness, confidence and harmony. These basic requirements must be maintained while performing with ease, exercises of varying degrees of difficulty. They are summed up in the collective marks given by the judge at the end of the score sheet.
Aim/Look For - Regular, rhythmic gaits - showing correct, natural sequence
Forward activity - Lively impulsion, which is contained, controlled energy
Elastic Suppleness - Longitudinally, over the back from the tail to the pool, and laterally in the form of sideways bend
Engagement - When the horse's hind legs step well underneath his body
Balance - The "uphill" appearance of the horse due to his carrying more weight on the hind legs
Obedience - The instant and correct response of the horse to rider's signals. He must appear confident and willing.
Harmony - The ease and elegance expressed with both horse and rider work as a team.
- The Walk -
What is it? - A pace of four-time. There are four beats to one stride. The sequence being: near hind, near fore, off hind, off fore.
Variations - medium, collected, extended and free walk.There is no movement of suspension in the walk sequence
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above), Four equally spaced beats. Active and purposeful, yet calm. Correct mode (collected, medium, etc).
- The Trot -
What is it? - A pace of two time. The horse moves in diagonal pairs with an important movement of suspension, when all four legs are off of the ground.
Variations - There are four modes to the trot - working, collected, medium and extended. Working is the basis of the trot work for young or novice horses. It is also used for warming up and cooling down older, more experienced horses.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above), Uphill balance. Active hind leg stepping energetically under the horse's body. Supple top line "over the back and on the bit". Correct type/mode ie: collected, extended, etc.
- The Canter -
What is it? - A pace of three-time. In the right lead canter, the sequence is initiated with the left hind leg touching the ground first, followed by the diagonal pair of the right hind leg and left front leg and then the leading foreleg. This sequence of leg movements is then followed by the important movement of suspension, when all four legs are of of the ground at the same time.
Variations - As with the trot, there are four variations of canter: working, used for establishing the early training work and warming up, collected , medium and extended.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above), correct three beat sequence, clean and expressive movement of suspension, ability to transfer the weight back on well-flexed hind legs, nice height to the front leg reaction through a well-bent knee joint. Appropriate type/mode ie: collected, extended, etc.
- Half Pass -
What is it? - When the horse moved forward and sideways diagonally across the arena. He is bent into the direction of the movement and keeps his body almost parallel to the long side of the arena. In tests, it is required in trot and canter. The steeper, more acute the angle, the greater the difficulty.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above). Correct and even bend into the outside rein contact. Fluent steps with regular rhythm. Accurate execution, starting and finishing at the required markers. Maintenance of a gymnastic and balanced pace. Horse remaining almost parallel to the long side of the arena. Controlled and balanced beginning
and end of movement.
- Flying Changes -
What is it? - When the horse changes from one lead canter to the other in a single moment of suspension. Flying changes are performed individually or in a sequence
often called 'tempo changes.' At Prix St. George, changes every four and three strides are required. Intermediare I every three and two strides, while at the highest standard, Grand Prix, changes every second and every stride, called one time changes, are required.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above). Horse must change front legs and hid legs at the same time, in the same moment of suspension. During the flying change, the horse should spring expressively off of the ground. The uphill balance of the horse should be maintained. However, in order to encourage big forward changes, the collection is allowed slightly more freedom. In tempo changes, the correct number of changes and the correct number of strides in between each change must be performed. The horse must do straight changes on a straight line. The changes must be accurately placed a the given marker or spaced evenly across the diagonal line. The rider's signals should be almost imperceptible but the horse should react immediately to the aid.
- Pirouette -
What is it? - Where the horse moves the forehand in a circle around its hind legs, which canter more or less on the spot. In Prix St. George only half pirouettes (180 degrees) are required, while from Intermediare upwards, full (360 degrees) ones are demanded.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above). Lowering of hindquarters, producing a sitting effect. Size of circular tract of hind legs, ideally around a 30cm diameter. Correctness of canter sequence maintained. Speed of the turning on the front legs matching the normal controlled canter rhythm speed. The number of strides should be 3-4 in half and 6-8 in full pirouettes. Maintenance of correct bend into the direction of movement.
- Piaffe -
What is it? - When the horse trots, almost on the spot. It is introduced to tests at Intermediare II level where horses are permitted to travel 1 meter forward in 7/8 steps.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above). Diagonal beat. Lowering of the hindquarters towards a sitting posture. The correct placing, never backwards, but creeping onlcentimeters forward with each step. Regular rhythm. Active, lively impulsion with the horse springing from step to step. Even height and placing of hind feet. Good height and equally flexed front legs.
- Passage -
What is it? - A highly elevated, dancing trot.
Aim - Correct Way of Going (see above). Regular, even rhythm. Equal spring from active, flexed hind legs. Good height to well bent front legs. Expressing engagement with the hind legs stepping well under the horse. The horse remaining straight. Performed at Grand Prix level
