“Dressage” comes from a French term often translated as “to train a horse to high collection.” The strength, training and development of the top dressage horses often take as long as five years. Top horse and rider pairs are expected to perform a series of predetermined movements in front of a panel of three to five judges placed at different places around the arena, memorized from one of the FEI Grand Prix tests. Wellington attracts quite a few of the top riders in the sport; athletes who use the warm climate to build confidence and strength in their horses to prepare for big championships like the Olympics, the World Equestrian Games and the annual indoor World Cup competitions. 2018 is a big year for dressage riders who seek to qualify to represent their country at September’s World Equestrian Games. On the following pages, we highlight a few of the Faces of Dressage who compete here in Wellington.
