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What dressage level do you ride at?

  • Introductory Level

    Votes: 7 15.2%
  • Training Level

    Votes: 9 19.6%
  • First Level

    Votes: 7 15.2%
  • Second Level

    Votes: 7 15.2%
  • Third Level

    Votes: 2 4.3%
  • Fourth Level

    Votes: 2 4.3%
  • International Level + beyond

    Votes: 5 10.9%
  • I'm working on the Training Scale

    Votes: 2 4.3%
  • I just ride dressage for the training benefits

    Votes: 4 8.7%
  • I don't practice "levels"

    Votes: 1 2.2%
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What Dressage Level Are You At?

6K views 35 replies 20 participants last post by  EventingDeva 
#1 ·
Hey everyone! I'm doing some reading in my dressage book and I'm coming to the section of dressage levels. I thought it'd be interesting to find out what level everyone on here--well, everyone who sees this--is at!

So pick your slot and I'd love for you to explain in a post what level you are and what not.

Bragging is allowed if you'd like! As well as pictures!

(If I didn't make a slot, I'm sorry but go ahead and post what you are.)
 
#2 ·
It can depend on the amount of training the horse has.

With Jesse, right now, I'm doing First Level. With Miss Kitty, our goal is Introductory.

With my last horse, however, we were training for FEI Childrens.
 
#3 ·
I am personally not at any level. Any horse I do get the chance to ride, I always practice a bit of dressage. :) I've never shown dressage but I really want to. As well as take some dressage lessons.
 
#5 ·
I currently am working on myself first. Once I am at a level of riding myself where I can control my own body, I aim to ride what would be first level. I hope to go on from there, but for now, small dreams :)
 
#6 ·
Only training level, but a lessons horse I sometimes ride I think is pushing Second Level.
My horse does Intro dressage because his canter circles are not so great right now :p
But then again, I'm not sure if training level is different for eventing and just straight up dressage..
 
#8 ·
So I'm in Germany so I'm not 100% positive if the levels are the same, but from what I've gathered on the forum I think it's about right. Anyway were training 3ed level now, but I put 2nd level, because that's as high as I've shown. I'm taking a break from showing now, because of collage, but I'm lucky enough to somehow manage to get a ride in almost every day, so I hope that once I have more time again I can get back into it.
But I've never been a real "show person", since I always have so much going on and shows do take up a lot of you time...
 
#11 ·
What are the levels in UK then?
 
#10 ·
I started dressage lessons for the training benefits only (after being told number of times that my horses are hopeless to be trained for anything :? ). However per my trainer we are on Introductory level at this point (were before the winter/ice hit the area :wink: ), and she really wants us to start competing this year. So will see how it'll go...
 
#12 ·
The levels in the UK go (with some of the movements required):

Introductory - these are walk & trot only tests
Preliminary - medium walk, working trot, working canter, 20m circles in trot and walk, free walk on a long rein and halting on the centre line
Novice - serpentines, half 15m circles in canter, a few steps of counter canter and medium trot.
Elementary - this is where lateral is introduced. medium canter, leg yield, shoulder-in, rein-back and simple changes, serpintines with 5 loops, some collected trot needed
Medium - it used to be that a double was required from here on up. half-pass, travers, extended walk, half pirouettes in walk and rein-back straight into canter
Advanced Medium - Half pass zig-zags, 8 metre circles in canter (collected),4 loop Serpentined in canter with flying changes
Advanced
Prix St Georges
Intermediare I
Intermediare II
Grand Prix

(i'm not sure exactly what is required in each level above advanced medium as i've never even looked at the tests)
PSG is an international level so I would assume that from PSG upwards it is the same as in america
 
#13 ·
Hmmmm.... I gonna leave it to professionals to explain. I did ask my trainer about Introductory and Training couple months back, and what she said was little different from what I just googled up (like Dressage Tests Intro are only A & B, while I was told there is also C, which includes canter). Very likely I understood something incorrectly. :shock:
 
#15 ·
Faye - I by means am a professional, but I'll do my best to explain the levels in the U.S and Canada for you :)

Introductory = Your Introductory
Training Level = Your Preliminary
1st Level = Your Novice
2nd Level = Your Elementary
3rd Level = Your Medium
4th = Your Advanced

But now I am confused, because I always assumed that 4th is pretty much Prix Saint George here in the U.S/Canad?
 
#16 ·
I'll try but the work is not in the same order/levels as in the tests in the US:

Introductory - these are walk & trot only tests
Like US 'Intro' level, except that an 'Intro C' was added this year that includes canter.

Preliminary - medium walk, working trot, working canter, 20m circles in trot and walk, free walk on a long rein and halting on the centre line
Like US Training Level.

Novice - serpentines, half 15m circles in canter, a few steps of counter canter and medium trot.
Like US First Level, if the counter canter is on a very easy line, like a shallow serpentine.

Elementary - this is where lateral is introduced. medium canter, leg yield, shoulder-in, rein-back and simple changes, serpintines with 5 loops, some collected trot needed
Um. In the US, leg yield is not introduced at the same level as shoulder in, simple changes and serp 5 loops (what is that 5 loop serp. in, canter or trot?). This would be something like second level.

Medium - it used to be that a double was required from here on up. half-pass, travers, extended walk, half pirouettes in walk and rein-back straight into canter
This would be kind of like third level.
Advanced Medium - Half pass zig-zags, 8 metre circles in canter (collected),4 loop Serpentined in canter with flying changes
This sounds kind of like third level. Are the zig zags at trot?
Advanced
I'm assuming this level is like our fourth level? What's required?
Prix St Georges
same. Though most are conducted under national rules, and only some under international (FEI) rules.
Intermediare I
same
Intermediare II
same
Grand Prix
same
 
#25 ·
Like US 'Intro' level, except that an 'Intro C' was added this year that includes canter.
Thank you! All google searches gave me just A and B. May be those just old publications.
 
#17 · (Edited)
For novice, the coounter canter is normaly after a half (i'm sure i've done one that was a half 10m circle but not done stressage for a good few years so struggling to remember) circle in canter then return to the track on a diagonal line, normaly you hit the track, show some counter canter and you should be at trot by the next marker. some of the harder tests call for shallow loops

For medium it is 5 loop serpintines in trot (just off the top of my head, will double check later)

I'm not sure with the zigzags, I've only seen them at trot on the tests but I only have one advanced medium test. I've not ridden to this level so not 100% sure

i've no idea about advanced as I have never seen the tests themselves as I've not ridden to that level.
 
#18 ·
i have done more than first level but that's really what my horse is at/able to show at. when we do XC though we're doing beg novice bc he needs to focus. he's a clyde-x and tends to get VERRRY distracted at shows so i drop him down a level and focus on getting him to just relax and listen to me.
 
#19 ·
I thought here in the U.S. that Prix St. Georges, Intermediate I and II, and Grand Prix were all under the International level or FEI?

That's while I grouped them together under the International level on this poll.
 
#22 ·
They are and they are not.

International is truly when you enter a class that is multi national or ride outside your country's boarders.

FEI is under international rules but you can easily have a competitor that does this level without ever competing against a competitor from another country, enter a multi national class or compete outside their home country.
 
#24 ·
Depends on how one defines 'international'.

For most people, it means, 'cool' or 'big horse show' or 'tougher competition'. For others, 'someone from another country is in the class', which might or might not have anything to do with how 'competitive' the class actually is.

There are shows in US and Canada where a very low score wins a PSG or GP class, and there may be only 1 person in that class. Or the other scores in the class might be very much lower. That's not a bad thing in and of itself. Many riders enjoy those classes and learn a lot. Not every class is the Olympics. But too, one needs to have some way of understanding which is which - often one can do so just by looking at the scores in the class.

I think that it's easier and more accurate, to just state if the class was conducted under FEI rules or not. Having riders from another country in the class doesn't necessarily mean anything at all. What is really important is what were the scores and who was judging.

In general, if the class was conducted under FEI rules, it represents a heck of a lot tougher competition with an awful lot higher score needed to even place.

We have both USEF-rules and FEI-rules FEI tests in the USA. In the USA, USEF rules allow more leeway in bitting etc. Generally the USEF-rules FEI classes are for those who score lower and aren't headed for team/international/the big huge big time. That's not a bad thing and includes most of the FEI riders in the US/Canada.
 
#27 ·
Having riders from another country in the class doesn't necessarily mean anything at all. .

The only thing I should have made clearer in my post was that riders from other countries that are REPRESENTING their country will make that class International and those classes are usually designated as such and will AUTOMATICALLY have a higher level judge.( I or O).

Just having a rider from another country does nothing as in these cases they represent themselves only.
 
#26 ·
Probably. Most internet information about dressage tests is not very accurate or up-to-date, you're always running a risk unless you go to the official source. The test writers are always trying to improve the tests and also are updating them to remove errors etc. The USEF or FEI website are the best places to get accurate information on what the current tests are.
 
#28 ·
The highest I've shown is 2nd Level, so I voted with that selection. However, I am beginning to learn more about training and riding the other movements such as half pass, walk and canter pirouettes, piaffe, flying changes, and passage. But like I said, I'm still learning. ;) If I were a horse I'd say I'm not confirmed at that level yet.
 
#30 ·
I do novice on my little mare Tess. We are doing so well with it and have a test tomorrow. Novice 2A. Although we are on our way to state for prelim 1c.
 
#32 ·
Currently schooling some 3rd level movements, and we have the 2nd level stuff pretty much down. Will hopefully do some shows at 2nd level later this year if all goes as planned and we have enough time between eventing horse trials.
 
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