Dressage is not just about riding movements for the sake of riding movements. Some people think that's the way it is, but really each dressage movement is a gymnastic exercise that improves the horse’s balance or suppleness and body awareness and straightness in some way. We choose our movements and also turns and transitions that we ride and put them together into exercises that improve the horse in whatever area there is a deficit. There are exercises that target specific muscle groups and joi

From intro to grand prix: the dressage levels explained