Written by Dana Bright (ADS Vice President, ADS/USEF Judge, Clinician, Trainer, Competitor)

The best way to structure your training program is by using the dressage training scale, which describes skills/qualities that a horse needs to have as you work towards the goal of teaching a confident and happy athlete.
The competition levels of Training, Preliminary and Intermediate (and Advanced) are not separate boxes. Each one tests the basic skills of:

• Rhythm

• Suppleness

• Contact

• Impulsion

• Straightness

• Collection

All progressive training works with these principles as a check list. A horse at any level can have problems with any of these skills.

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