Dressage is about showing the judge that you can get your pony to do what you want him to do, when you want him to do it. You and your pony have to follow a set of instructions laid out in the dressage test.
A judge marks the test. They give you a mark out of ten for how well you carry out each instruction. At the end of the test the marks are added up and the winner is the horse and rider with the highest score.
The good news is that you have probably already started doing some Dressage! When you are riding at home and getting the pony to do the things that you want him to do you are already practising the basics of dressage.
To improve you and your pony, you might want to have lessons with an instructor. This includes the lessons that you have at a rally, where you will get help with your riding which will make the pony behave better and listen to you more.
As you and your pony get better and your confidence grows you may want to take part in a competition. If you cannot remember your dressage test, don’t worry as someone can read the test out loud to you (apart from at Area Competitions and the Championships).
Check out what Events and Competitions you can enter through our Calendar.
Each Nations team (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland) is made up of five members, two Open level riders, two Intermediate level riders, and one Novice level rider. Members are selected by the Pony Club Dressage Committee based on their score at the previous Pony Club Dressage Championships.
The Dressage Championships are the top event in The Pony Club’s Dressage calendar. They form part of The Pony Club Championships and see the top Pony Club Dressage combinations from across the UK competing across multiple classes, having qualified at an area level.
This is a fun competition that anyone can try. You ride a dressage test along to music. The test has to include walk, trot and canter on both reins but you can choose what order to put them in. This competition can also be done in Pairs!
www.dressage-master.com – Provides audio versions of all Pony Club dressage tests for downloading to MP3 players or Smartphones, for learning or revising them anywhere, even while riding the test through. The tests, called in real time, are accompanied by the beat of a metronome. This allows the movements and timing of the tests to become synchronised in the sub-conscious, ready for easy recall, at the right time and place as the test is ridden.
www.dressageanywhere.com – Allows to you to practise your Pony Club Dressage Tests at home before a live competition. Enter a Pony Club class online, upload a video of yourself performing your test and have it judged by a top level judge.
www.dressagediagrams.com – Offer diagrams of the movements to go with all Pony Club Tests.
Please see the contact details to the right.