Classical Or Competitive?

Has competitive dressage deviated from its classical roots, and on which side of the fence do you sit? Alice Collins investigates what divides and unites the two forms

- Alice Collins

Classical dressage was born from the fancy footwork required of horses on the battlefield, which then evolved into an art form and a show, particularly when horses moved from necessity to luxury with the rise of mechanisation. But we no longer ride horses bred for battle and the dressage landscape has changed. Has the modern, competitive version of the sport embraced the founding principles showcased in the courts of old and evolved and refined them, or has it deviated from its roots in a way that should concern riders and fans?

Gareth Hughes, who was the top-scoring member of the British team at the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam — finishing 10th with plus-80% aboard Classic Briolinca — believes it is more a question of adaptation rather than separation.

“All sports evolve over time, and dressage is no different,” he says. “The breeding and type of horse we’re on has changed, but most of us still respect the classical principles and use them to help us guide our training.”

So what exactly is classical dressage?

“Different people have different ideas of what being classical means,” continues Gareth. “Personally, I think of the horse’s carriage and mechanics, but others may think of something else, such as the nose being in front of the vertical. Classical just means correct. And that’s the impression we, as competitive dressage riders, are trying to create throughout all the movements in any test.”