Western dressage is an

equestrian The word equestrian is a reference to equestrianism, or horseback riding, derived from Latin ' and ', "horse". Horseback riding (or Riding in British English) Examples of this are: * Equestrian sports *Equestrian order, one of the upper classes i ...

sport that combines the principles of dressage riding and the use of western tack. Riders typically wear western attire, such as button-up shirts,

cowboy boots Cowboy boots are a specific style of riding boot, historically worn by cowboys. They have a high heel that is traditionally made of stacked leather, rounded to pointed toe, high shaft, and, traditionally, no lacing. Cowboy boots are normally m ...

and jeans. All horse breeds are permitted to compete in western dressage.

Description

Western dressage consists of a basic test performed by horse and rider. At lower levels, competitors must perform a walk,

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 ...

or jog, and

canter The canter and gallop are variations on the fastest gait that can be performed by a horse or other equine. The canter is a controlled three-beat gait, while the gallop is a faster, four-beat variation of the same gait. It is a natural gait po ...

or lope. Higher level tests include lateral work and

flying lead change Lead refers to which set of legs, left or right, leads or advances forward to a greater extent when a quadruped animal is cantering, galloping, or leaping. The feet on the leading side touch the ground forward of its partner. On the "left ...

s. Competitors are scored on how well they perform each movement within the test, by means of a score from 0 (not performed) to 10 (excellent). Riders typically wear western shirts, jeans or show pants, and cowboy boots. Chaps are allowed but not always worn.

Cowboy hat The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as the defining piece of attire for the North American cowboy. Today it is worn by many people, and is particularly associated with ranch workers in the western and southern Unit ...

s are traditionally worn, but some riders may choose to wear

equestrian helmet An equestrian helmet is a form of protective headgear worn when riding horses. This type of helmet is specially designed to protect the rider’s head in the event of falls from a horse, especially from striking a hard object while falling or bei ...

Horse tack Tack is equipment or accessories equipped on horses and other equines in the course of their use as domesticated animals. This equipment includes such items as saddles, stirrups, bridles, halters, reins, bits, and harnesses. Equipping a hors ...

typically consists of western saddles, western-style bridles, and

saddle blanket The terms saddle blanket, saddle pad (or numnah), and saddle cloth refer to blankets, pads or fabrics inserted under a saddle. These are usually used to absorb sweat, cushion the saddle, and protect the horse's back. There are lighter types ...

s. Either a curb or

snaffle bit A snaffle bit is the most common type of bit used while riding horses. It consists of a bit mouthpiece with a ring on either side and acts with direct pressure. A bridle utilizing only a snaffle bit is often called a "snaffle bridle", particu ...

may be used. Any breed of horse,

pony A pony is a type of small horse ('' Equus ferus caballus''). Depending on the context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. Compared ...

, or mule is allowed to compete.

Gaited horse Gaited horses are horse breeds that have selective breeding for natural gaited tendencies, that is, the ability to perform one of the smooth-to-ride, intermediate speed, four-beat horse gaits, collectively referred to as ''ambling gaits''. In mos ...

s may compete using their intermediate gait instead of the trot.

Organizations

In the United States, the Western Dressage Association of America is the largest group devoted to western dressage and is affiliated with the United States Equestrian Federation. North American Western Dressage offers western dressage tests and specializes in virtual competitions which allow people to submit videos of themselves riding in order to compete from home or a local barn. The sport has associations in other countries in the Western Style Dressage Association of Canada, and the Western Dressage Association of Australia.

References

{{Equestrian Sports Western-style riding Dressage Horse showing and exhibition