Dressage Levels

Dressage consists of a range of experience levels that require testing to be promoted to the next level. Here is a summary of dressage levels.

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.

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