Heir to the classical equitation which came to us from Italy during the Renaissance, dressage has become a competition discipline through the International Equestrian Federation whose objective, as noble as it is ambitious, is recalled in article 419 of its rules for this discipline. In creating an international dressage competition in 1929, the F.E.I.’s aim was to preserve the art of horsemanship from the alterations to which it may be exposed, and to preserve it in the purity of its principles to transmit it intact to future generations of competitors.
The rules of the game for international and national competitions are contained in the dressage regulations, which are regularly updated by the appropriate commission of the F.E.I. It is one of the best known disciplines, along with eventing and show jumping.
The main part, which is to say the philosophy of the action, can be found in the article 401 which deals with “aims and general principles”. To keep the competition on track, and to guarantee its coherence as well as its feasibility, this article must be applied by all parties involved in the competition: riders, coaches, and judges.
Each country publishes its own dressage rules, but when an international competition is held, the international rules are applied.
How dressage competitions are run
The program on which the competition is held, whether at the national or international level, is called the dressage test. It consists of either compulsory or free figures. Depending on the number of figures, it lasts five to eight minutes. Each figure is scored from 0 to 10. A reprise also gives rise to overall marks in which the quality of the gaits, the harmony of the presentation and the tact of the rider are appreciated. In Germany, the dominant country in this type of competition, the work of two tracks and the canter in the wrong direction are only required. The ranking is given by the arithmetic sum of the points of all the judges. The number of judges varies according to the level, the type of competition and the era. It is currently 5, placed outside the ring, for the international compulsory rounds.
The competition takes place on a rectangle of 20 m x 60 m, marked out by 20 letters placed all around. They are used as reference for the rider to execute the different figures. The nature of the ground is not specified, except for the Olympic Games and the Senior Dressage Championships where it must be sand.
What is dressage?
The competitions are mixed and without age limit, except for the international events for which the riders must be at least 16 years old. For horses, the minimum age is 6 years old, knowing that the entry to the Grand Prix of Dressage is not allowed before the age of 7.
Dressage is very demanding in terms of physical and mental qualities and cannot be approached with the same chances of success for all horses. The ideal horse is elegant, harmonious in conformation, naturally balanced, moving in three good gaits that are wide, elastic, and regular. Its flexibility allows it to easily modify its attitude according to its rider’s wishes. Calm, it has a good character, but it handles energetically.
These last characteristics are difficult to combine: the peaceful horses can lack energy and those which are vigorous, showing easily irritable. Therefore, the dressage horse is rare and expensive. At the beginning of this century, it is easier to find them in German, Dutch, and Russian farms. Some Trakehners or Anglo-Arabs can do very well even if they are delicate to undertake because of their vivacity. The same is true of the akhal-tekés, whose character is sometimes difficult and who often lack power in the hindquarters. But we will not forget “Absent”, brilliant winner at the Olympic Games in Rome. Very fashionable nowadays, the Iberian horse is not well equipped to develop its gaits which do not always have the desired
the desired bounce. However, it is appreciated for its suppleness, comfort, docility, and ability to collect.
Who is the best in dressage?
The study of the results of the wonderful world confrontations shows that certain countries have, in turn, done well since the competitions existed.
Thus, Sweden imposed itself, at the beginning and during almost half a century, before playing a more effaced role even if it is still regularly in the places of honor nowadays. The influence of Stromsholm, the military cavalry school created in 1868, was the reason for this period of success. It became a civilian school a hundred year later and now trains riding instructors. We will not forget that the commander of Reverony Saint Cyr, double Olympic champion in 1952 and 1956, had prepared himself in Saumur under the direction of the chief squire Margot.
Regularly in the places of honor in the first half of the last century, France owed its success to its military riders. The gold medal of Major Lesage and that of Major de Taine in Los Angeles remain a glorious moment for our country. The presence of our colors at the elevated level of competition has since been ensured, with varying degrees of success, by different civilian and military riders. It is necessary to note the remarkable assiduity of Dominique d’Esmé, fifteen times champion of France and who ensured our representation in the big meetings since the Games of Montreal until those of Atlanta, as well as the exceptional performances of Margit Otto-Crépin and Corlandus, who’s stable was a model of organization and effectiveness. Sick of the equestrian sport, the dressage in France now seems to be in a lethargy from which we hope very much that a benevolent fairy will bring it out.
Extracting themselves from the Soviet gangue which nailed them at home, the Russian riders offered, in the sixties, a riding of finesse in the lightness which brought S. Filatov, I. Kalita, I. Kisimov and E. Petouschkova on the high steps of the podium of Olympic Games, World Championships and European Championships. Directly inherited from James Fillis, chief equestrian in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the century, this type of riding does not seem to be fashionable in the Urals anymore. Does this explain the current fading of this country?
One only must look at the results of the Olympic Games, which are confirmed by the results of other major world meetings, to see that Germany has dominated this discipline since before the Second World War.
The German riders are too numerous to have shone so that one can draw up the list without fear of forgetting some. Among them, the Neckermann, Schultheiss, Lisenhoff, Boldt, Klimke and the two young women: Nicole Uphoff and Isabelle Werth, have dominated and still dominate the list of winners. With its adapted breeding, its culture of rigorous work, discipline and perseverance in effort, this country is not ready to pass the baton. Switzerland, however, has brought him an appreciable resistance with Gustav Fischer and Henri Chammartin, respectively silver and gold medal in Rome and Tokyo. Then from 1976, with Christine Stuckelberger and her famous Granat, merrily trained by George Wahl, former head squire of the Spanish School of Vienna. Finally, Holland gives him emotions since Ankh Van Grunsven appears as the most serious competitor of Isabelle Werth, Olympic champion, in the top tests.
Dressage today
At the beginning of this century, a new period is undoubtedly beginning. With 250,000 followers from 125 nations affiliated to the F.E.I., dressage is seeing more competitors coming to it. And the competition appears more open. The example of Spain is significant in this respect. A few years ago, this country did not appear in official competitions, but it has now come closer to the podiums in record time. It owes this in large part to its Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, born of the will of Alvaro Domecq, thirty years ago, and which has undergone a meteoric development.
Dressage is the most important discipline because it is both athletic and artistic, and it highlights the horse in all its power, nobility, and beauty. It is undoubtedly the only one that can make the poetry of horsemanship blossom. May the dressage competition always stick to this cardinal mission of preservation of the equestrian art that the F.E.I. has set for itself. Beyond the blossoming that the rider will find in the ever-renewed joy of making his mount dance, it is the horse that will come out the winner of the adventure.
The great dates of dressage
- 1912 First Equestrian Olympic Games in Stockholm;
- 1921 Creation of the International Equestrian Federation;
- 1930 First F.E.I. dressage championship, in Lucerne;
- 1960 First World Championships, in Bern;
- 1963 First European Championships, in Copenhagen;
- 1981 Creation of the “young riders” category for young people from 16 to 21 years old;
- 1982 Creation of the World Cup with Nashua as sponsor;
- 1986 First World Cup Final in Hertogenbosh (Holland);
- 1988 Creation of a “development” circuit for countries coming to this discipline; circuit sponsored by Samsung;
- 1990 First World Equestrian Games, in Stockholm.
French dressage facing the international scene
Dreaded by some who fear the danger of the erasure of cultures and national identities; desired by others who see the benefit of permanent recompositions by the “reappropriation” of elements from outside, globalization seems inescapable.
Should equestrianism be worried or happy about it? This is the important question that arises at the beginning of a century marked by the acceleration of exchanges.
And if the danger comes from America, as we seem to fear, Natural Horsemanship reassures in an amazing way. This horsemanship infiltrates the different continents while it has matured in a country without equestrian tradition where the horse was used for utilitarian purposes before being recently, also oriented towards sport.
She presents the horse as a partner to be reassured, to be understood more and who will obey all the better if he evolves in a playful context. She explains that the respect of the man by his mount is a prerequisite to obtain the impulse. But weren’t these prescriptions in the precepts of the ancients since Pluvinel?
It makes the lateral work in lead rein, continued mounted, the most effective way to be with his horse by obtaining the “mental gathering”. What a disturbing analogy with the shoulder in of La Guérinière!
It prescribes working each movement of an exercise separately, not the whole exercise. How different is this from the Baucherist “decompose the force and the movement”? Finally, it makes the apology of the lightness, of the obedience of the horse to the lightest indications of its rider. Europe is rich in the fabulous heritage of several centuries of research by its masters. Will it be able to preciously preserve the principles which, on both sides of the Rhine, led to the flexibility equitation on which, fifty years ago, the writers of the F.E.I. dressage regulations agreed? Because from being firmly assured of one’s roots one cannot move forward.
One could dream that the experience of the ones and the others leads to the fusion of the key notions of impulse and submission in a concept of availability, representing the normal state of the relationship of the horse with the man, suitable as well to facilitate the equestrian practice as to raise the performance.
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