Dressage question?

Question

Ok, so I am a western person, but this question has come up few times ...
So how many Levels are there? 1-4? more? up to 10?
Are the ones with the names (ie Pre St George), have a level # attached to them also??
When do you get to move on from the snaffle? Is it an age thing or a level thing??
Do you ever post the trot? when?

Thanks

Answer 1

I have only one thing to add to the descriptions already given of what's required at each level- at 4th level and above, the horse wears a double bridle. There are a total of 9 levels in the sport, starting with Training and ending with Grand Prix. The FEI ( or Federation Equestre Internationale) levels are called Prix St.Georges, Intermediaire I, Intermediaire II, and Grand Prix. Closely allied with Grand Prix is the Grand Prix Special.



Below 4th level, horses wear a snaffle in competition, regardless of their age or the age of the rider. Dressage riders post or rise to the trot at all levels, but the majority of trot work is done sitting at the upper ones. This is a sport in which the horse and rider progress at their own pace, with the tests gradually increasing in difficulty as the pair moves through the levels. The introductory levels mentioned by one of the other writers are something which exist in the US only-most other countries do not have them, and they do not count towards championship points or medals. The FEI does not recognize them, although the USDF does. Their purpose is to provide riders who are new to the sport, and new to riding, with a chance to compete and show off their new skills.



I used to work for a dressage judge, and I remember when the introductory levels first came along- there were a lot of people who were opposed to the idea, including my former employer, who felt they were not appropriate because they put unnecessary pressure on people who were only just starting out in the sport. I am inclined to agree with her, at least to a degree- I too believe that it's not really fair to ask someone who has only just started riding to try to win a class which may be full of people who have been riding for years, and are only using the class as a way to start a young horse in competition. Since riders who compete at the introductory level are not eligible for other classes, this can present a problem for those who may want to ride a different horse on another level. This is part of what turns some people off to the sport as a whole. Dressage is all about the elusive search for perfection- getting it and keeping it.



Hope this helps.

Answer 2

The levels go from 1-4 and then you have the F.E.I. levels from there on up. You start with PSG(Prix. St. George), go to Intermediare I, Intermediare II, and finally to Grandprix.



You do not get to move to the double bridle until you are third level or up, you are required to wear spurs with the double bridle as well.



Of course dressage riders post the trot. Generally, horses that are more advanced that are being ridden by advanced riders can be sat because the horse has been taught to balance and the rider has learned to sit. However lower levels such as 2nd and below often find posting quite acceptable because the horse has not reached the peak amount of balance. Posting is used to lighten the load on the back and people riding at higher levels, although not neccessarily using it in competition obviously school the posting trot-alot of people I know will post in the warm up ring to free up the horse's back and let them loosen up.



Edit;



Whoops, forgot training level.



The horse and rider are allowed to progress as slowly or quickly as they'd like, there is not any pressure to rush-you can actually get penalized for having the horse on the vertical in the 1st and training level tests-they just want them to begin to work from behind and round slowly.

Answer 3

Xocassandra already gave you all the levels, so I will just fill in some information. There are 6 levels of tests administrated by the USDF - Intro, Training, First, Second, Third and Fourth. The tests administrated by the FEI (international level tests) are Prix St. George, Intermediare, and Grand Prix. Prix St. George is about equivalent to fourth level, but it falls under FEI rules instead of USDF. The FEI level tests do not have a level number attached to them. (USDF is the governing body for dressage in the US. FEI is the governing body for horse sports internationally.)



The double bridle is a level thing. It is optional at Third Level, but I think its required at Fourth, and for all FEI tests.



You can post or sit the trot in any test unless the test specifically states "rising" or "sitting."

Answer 4

In Australia we have:

Preliminary 1.1

Preliminary 1.2

Preliminary 1.3

Preliminary 1.4

Novice 2.1

Novice 2.2

Novice 2.3

Novice 2.4

Elementary 3.1

Elementary 3.2

Elementary 3.3

Elementary 3.4

Medium 4.1

Medium 4.2

Medium 4.3

Medium 4.4

Advanced 5.1

Advanced 5.2

Advanced 5.3

Advanced 5.4

And then there is the FEI tests that some people have already posted.

If by saying moving on from the snaffle, you mean using a double bridle, it's more like a level thing. It's also a good idea to get lessons from someone who knows how to use them, and your horse also needs to get used to the bridle, so it might be good to get some lessons on a horse who is used to it before using your own horse.

As someone posted above, you do trot in sitting and rising. You also do extended trots, medium trots and lengthened trots.

At the walk you let your horse walk on a long rein, and at more advanced levels you perform an extended walk.

In the canter you also do extended, medium and lengthened canters.

In dressage tests you also perform canter pirouettes, half passes, shoulder-ins, trot pirouettes, flying changes, and more advanced moves in the FEI tests.

Answer 5

lol you hav a lot of learning when it comes to Dressage.. go to ur horse master and sit down with him/her and talk to them about all this u need to talk to someone in the flesh than get answers over the internet. you could end up getting hurt or ur horse could which is horrid! and costs soo much money!



my horse master helped me and i'm winning cups every month now!

Answer 6

Intro Level

Consists of tests 1 and 2 only. Intro level requires only walk and trot, no canter. Movements: 20 meter circles in the trot. All trot work is trot rising, Develop the medium and free walk, and halt.



Training Level

This level has 4 tests. This and all of the following levels require walk trot and canter. Movements: All of the above plus 20 meter circles in the trot and canter, halt, free walk, medium walk, change rein across the diagonal in the trot, trot rising and sitting, and serpentines on the centerline in the trot.



1st Level

First level has 4 tests. Movements: All of the above plus halt, medium walk, free walk, halt to medium walk, 10 meter circle in the trot, lengthen stride in trot sitting and rising, full arena serpentines in the trot, leg yielding, lengthen stride in canter, 15 meter canter circles, change of leads through trot, and serpentines on the center line in the canter (counter canter).



2nd Level

This level has 4 tests. Movements: All of the above plus working, collected, and medium trot, shoulder-in, halt, rein-back, working, collected and medium canter, walk to canter, 10 meter circles in canter, travers, 1/2 turn on haunches in the walk, and transition of canter to walk to canter.



3rd Level

3rd level has only 3 tests. Movements: All of the above plus, regular, medium and extended walk, collected, extended and medium canter, full arena serpentines with no change of lead, canter half pass, a flying lead change, collected, medium and extended trot, trot half pass, and 8 meter circle in trot.



4th Level

This level has 3 tests. Movements: All of the above plus, medium to collected to medium trot, Halt-back-trot, half pirouette in the walk, collected walk, serpentine in the canter with flying lead changes, counter canter, flying lead changes every 4th stride, flying lead changes every 3rd stride, 1/4 and 1/2 canter pirouettes.



FEI Prix ST. George

This level has 1 test. Movements same as above plus, collected-extended-collected trot and halt to canter (canter depart).



FEI Intermediate I

This level has 1 test. Movements: All of the above plus, Zig zag half pass in trot, 5 loop serpentines with flying lead changes, and Canter pirouette.



FEI Intermediate II

This level also has only 1 test. Movements: All of the above plus, Passage, 7-8 steps of piaffe, flying changes of lead every 2nd stride and transitions of piaffe to passage and passage to piaffe.



FEI Grand Prix

Grand prix has only 1 test. Movements All of the above plus, all gaits completely collected and extended, full pirouettes in trot and canter, Passage, piaffe, Flying lead changes every stride, zig-zag half passes in trot and canter, at this level the horse and rider should be in complete harmony with each other.



i'm not a dressage person, but i don't believe you post ever.



i hope that helps