Some people are intimidated by dressage, perceiving it as difficult, but it is simply about the correct training of horses. Any horse, from New Forest to Thoroughbred, can perform well and from hacking to competition level, the EEC caters for all levels.

 

The history of the discipline originated from the Cavalry, who wanted to have an edge in combat. Dressage, a French term meaning training, really came into fashion in the 17th and 18th centuries, and nobility used to stage classical dressage like those still seen at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna.

 

Modern dressage evolved from the classical, although it is seen in a slightly different form to its ancestor. Competitive dressage is an international sport ranging from beginner levels to the Olympics. Its fundamental purpose is to develop, through standardized progressive training methods, a horse's natural athletic ability and willingness to perform, thereby maximizing its potential as a riding horse. At the peak of a dressage horse's gymnastic development, it can smoothly respond to a skilled rider's minimal aids by performing the requested movement while remaining relaxed and appearing effortless. Dressage is occasionally referred to as "Horse Ballet"