Freestyle Dressage to Music

Have you ever wanted to try Dressage to Music?

Would you like to show off your moves with your favourite tunes?

Would dressage to music help show off your horses character and personality and add an element of fun and pizazz to your dressage?

Would you like the opportunity to create your own floor plans and add some artistic flair to your Dressage?

We offer from Intro to Medium Levels.
Simply follow our guidance below to help you get started.

• Remember  Freestyle allows you to choreograph your own test to bring out the best in your horse or pony.
• Choose your Level.
• Make sure you include all the compulsory movements listed for the level in test.
• Choose your Music… remember the tempo needs to match the movement of your horse/pony.
• Remember you are responsible for ensuring you have the right to use any music included with your test.  Dressage Addict take no responsibility or accept any liability for any breach of copyright laws.
• Think about the lyrics…… the music may have an awesome beat to match your horse but are the lyrics appropriate….. those of you who are of a certain age will recall when the Frankie Goes to Hollywood track was banned!!   Is the music uplifting, do you enjoy riding to it.
• The Judge not only wants to see lovely movements, they also want to be entertained, your freestyle test gives you the opportunity to emphasise your best bits and use your imagination, creativity and artistic flair.
• Timing: this runs after the first halt until the last halt. There is a time limit for the tests with a minimum and maximum duration so make sure you keep within this.
• The music can start after the first halt.  However, an introductory piece starting before you enter at A adds a little more to the performance.  
• Ideally this shouldn’t be for more than 20 seconds.
• Filming:  Start before entering at A  until five seconds after your final halt.
• Music needs to be played at the time of filming and not added afterwards.
  Make sure your music is close enough to the camera so it can be heard clearly on the video when submitted.

Judging criteria:

Freestyle dressage to music tests are marked differently to standard BD tests with two marked categories.
These are Technical and Artistic

• Each level has compulsory movements.
  It is the compulsory movements that earn technical marks in line with BD judging guidelines.
• The difference with Freestyle to music is that you are awarded Artistic marks rather than collective marks as a summary of your performance.

Artistic marks are split into four sections:

• Harmony: between rider & horse
• Rhythm, energy & elasticity
• Music and interpretation of the music –
• Choreography, use of arena, inventiveness. (Degree of difficulty)
• The Artistic Mark makes up 50% of your overall score!

Try and plan your test to show off your best bits.

Above all have fun and enjoy your Dressage and you Horse

Our Freestyle classes are run in line with BD guidelines.

• Please follow link for more information: Dressage To Music British Dressage