follow the movements in the order laid down in the Test
it is the moment when the rider's body is above this letter that the movement must be executed
there are no penalties for time - if a time appears on a sheet it is for the organisers guidance only
make sure you have a copy of the test on a dressage sheet

 

Score	What it means
10	Excellent
9	Very Good
8	Good
7	Fairly Good
6	Satisfactory
5	Sufficient
4	Insufficient
3	Fairly Bad
2	Bad
1	Very Bad!
0	Not performed

Scoring

At one end of the Arena will be a judge who will watch your dressage test and award up to 10 marks for each movement.

It is very rare if you get 10 in a movement, in fact you've done well if you score above 6!

Finally, collective merks are calculated on the judge's impression of the test for Paces, Impulsion and Submission of the horse and a mark for the Riding.

No one has ever scored full marks for the complete test.

 

Penalties

Penalties are deducted from the score awarded by the judge from the test. They include:

1. Errors of Course - if a competitor takes the wrong turn, omits a movement etc. the Judge warns them by sounding the bell. The Judge will then show them, if necessary, the point at where where they went wrong and the next movement to be executed. If the mistake is minor, like performing a movement at the wrong letter, the Judge may allow the competitor to continue
   Deductions:
• First Error - 2 marks
• Second Error - 4 marks
• Third Error - 8 marks
• Fourth Error - Elimination
  (after the fourth error the competitor may continue his performance to the end, the marks being awarded in the ordinary way)
  
  
2. Leaving the Arena - riders must leave the arena at A at the end of the Test
• Any horse leaving the arena out of control will be eliminated
• Where the arena is marked by a line only or intermittent boards, it is left to the discretion of the Judges as to the marks deducted
• Horses leaving the arena other than at A at the end of the test will have two marks deducted
  
  
3. Use of voice - is prohibited and will be penalised by the loss of two marks
   
   
4. Dismounting/Falls - the judge will deduct marks from the movement and cumulative marks
   
   
5. Resistance
   a) Any horse failing to enter the arena within 60 seconds of the bell being sounded shall be eliminated
   b) Any horse refusing to continue the test for a period of 20 consecutive seconds during the course of a test shall be eliminated.

Finally

The total of the marks and the percentage of the total score will be displayed on the score board - with the highest mark best.

In the event of equality of total marks, the collective marks should be added together and the competitor with the higher collective marks shall take the higher placing.
If the total of the collective marks is also equal the competitors concerned shall be give the same placing.

Team competitions for team competitions points are awarded to each competitor depending on their placing in their arena. (1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points... ) the best three placed team members points are then added together. The winning team will be the one with the lowest points.
In Equality of marks the 3 highest placed team members collective marks are totalled.

Click here for a summary of Rider & Horse Dress Code

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