By Ellen Broadhurst
This article received first place in the 2024 GMO Newsletter Awards for general interest articles for GMOs with 75-174 members. It appeared in the August 2024 Lehigh Valley Dressage Association newsletter, Centerline News.
Stick with me here, my fellow amateur dressage riders, because for a small investment, you can create a lot of value in your Dressage Knowledge Bank!
“On the Levels” is a dressage video series produced by USDF that provides a ridden example with judging (each movement, and collective remarks) for each USDF Dressage test from Introductory through Fourth Level.
USDF has been producing “On the Levels” as part of the four year cycle of new test development for several new test cycles, with the 2023 tests having launched in December of 2022 to introduce the revised 2023 tests. Part of the objective of On the Levels is to provide background to what has changed from the previous tests. And while that specific information may seem dated at this point in the test cycle, “On the Levels” has a lot more to offer!
Specifically, if you school dressage, show dressage, and/or have an interest in learning more about judging dressage, “On the Levels” is a terrific, inexpensive foundation for visual learning. My only criticism of the format is that there is only one test demo ride at each level: I wish there were more!
I’ll start with the quick overview of where I think the value of “On the Levels” lies:
- As a test memorization tool: memory works differently for different people, but no matter how you memorize your tests, being able to watch someone else ride the geometry with judges commentary in the background is a bonus!
- To get an idea of the score associated with the quality of work: the tests presented are rides scoring in the high 60s. These scores are reasonably achievable by riders riding nice, but not necessarily international quality horses. The riders make geometry mistakes, there are not-clean flying changes, the quality of the work is very good, but also achievable.
- To deepen your own understanding of how the levels of dressage progress and to begin thinking about the quality of your own work in relation to the scores you are seeing on your tests.
And now we’ll dive a bit deeper: the 2023 version of “On the Levels” is hosted by FEI 5* Judge Michael Osinski and FEI 4* Judge Kari McClain, with support from Janet Foy, who provides insight into the Purpose of the Level for each level.
Test Memorization
I struggle to memorize tests. I am riding horses at First and Second Level this year and having the videos as support was key to linking the black and white letters on paper to the 3-D dressage ring. Watching riders navigate the canter serpentines is far more effective for me as a memorization tool than just mentally visualizing a ring while reading out “C-A Serpentine 3 equal loops, width of the arena, no change of lead.”
Quality of Work and Scores
Watching “On the Levels” as a memorization tool, I turned off the sound. I found the scores and comments distracting to the task at hand: memorizing the pattern. But like all curious dressage riders, it’s hard not to ‘judge’ what you are watching, and it’s irresistible after watching the videos on silent several times through to pop on the volume and hear what the judges have to say.
With a single test at each level, there isn’t enough “data” for comparative analysis – for example of a Second Level Test 3 that scores a 65% vs a 75% – but with three tests at each level, you can compare horses across the tests in the level.
I’ve spent a good bit of time with the First and Second Level test videos – obviously, concurrent levels – which turned out to be a terrific reminder of how the tests, both from level to level but also within the levels, are designed to test the horse (and rider!) to see if they are ready for what comes next.
First Level purpose requires basics, plus thrust, and the horse must be on the bit. Second Level is where the horse accepts more weight on the hindquarters and collected and medium gaits are introduced. Those are big differences!
I would love for my First Level horse to be doing Second Level next year, but what that really means is that my First Level horse needs to be accepting more weight on his hindquarters. And if he isn’t, he isn’t ready for Second Level, no matter how great his First Level scores are. Which leads us directly to:
Deepening Understanding
Listening to Janet Foy read the Purpose for each Level was a huge reminder that it all comes back to the basics. I even found her discussion of what changes were made from 2019 to 2023 helpful; dated, yes, because we’ll never go back to those 2019 tests, but, the reasoning behind the changes is educational.
For my First Level horse to be a Second Level horse next year, and my Second Level horse to move up to Third, they need to be confirmed and correct at the current level and ready to move up. What is being asked at First Level Test 1 is not the same as what is being asked at First Level Test 3. And Second Level Test 1 is a whole other kettle of fish. Blinding glimpse of the obvious, but having the tests sequentially in front of me and listening to Janet Foy’s commentary was a stark reminder that marching up the levels isn’t a given.
And here’s the most interesting thing that’s come from watching “On the Levels:” my intellectual curiosity has been positively ignited. Each viewing of a video gives me another insight, and I find myself ever more curious. I’ve watched all the tests at each level; I may never ride another Training Level test again, but it was still instructional to watch the Training Level videos, to see the quality of the work and to hear the judge’s comments was another small step in developing my “dressage eye.”
Watching the Third and Fourth level tests was inspirational, but also grounding. A Third Level horse isn’t just one that can “do a change,” Third level requires uphill balance and self-carriage. And these insights have resulted in more than a little self-reflection: are my goals in line with the work I’m currently doing?
I’ve found myself really inspired to deepen my knowledge base: I’ve spent hours studying videos on-line, seeking out additional resources. And in what turned out to be a really insightful exercise, specifically seeking out videos of tests at my level where riders are scoring 70%+ to see what that looks like.
I debated this spring of 2024 whether it was worth spending $15 on a video series that was designed to introduce Dressage riders to the “new” 2023 tests. In hindsight, that small investment has paid off tremendously; not only do I have a useful tool for the next several years for test memorization, but these videos and the commentary of respected US Dressage judges set me off on an education journey that will continue for my dressage career.
If you are interested in purchasing “On the Levels,” you can find the series here: “On the Levels.”
