The passage is a movement seen in upper-level

dressage Dressage ( or ; a French term, most commonly translated to mean "training") is a form of horse riding performed in exhibition and competition, as well as an art sometimes pursued solely for the sake of mastery. As an equestrian sport defined by ...

, in which the horse performs a highly elevated and extremely powerful

trot The trot is a ten-beat diagonal horse gait where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time with a moment of suspension between each beat. It has a wide variation in possible speeds, but averages about . A very slow trot is someti ...

. The horse is very collected and moves with great

impulsion Impulsion is the movement of a horse when it is going forward with controlled power. Related to the concept of collection, impulsion helps a horse effectively use the power in its hindquarters. To achieve impulsion, a horse is not using speed, ...

. The passage differs from the working, medium, collected, and extended

in that the horse raises a diagonal pair high off the ground and suspends the leg for a longer period than seen in the other trot types. The hindquarters are very engaged, and the knees and hocks are flexed more than the other trot types. The horse appears to trot in slow motion, making it look as if it is dancing. The passage is first introduced in the dressage intermediaire test II. A horse must be well-confirmed in its training to perform the passage, and must be proficient in collecting while remaining energetic, calm, and supple. The horse must also have built up the correct muscles to do the strenuous movement.

External links

Olympic Ferro performing the passage

Analysis of the ideal Passage
Dressage terminology Riding techniques and movements