The incomparable Bettina Drummond continues to speak up and add useful bits of insight to the horse world. This time she's talking about riding horses as an artistic pursuit vs riding for competition.
Intro: “Today's dressage competitors do not perform the airs above the ground. The Grand Prix is the highest level of competition a rider can achieve.”
The difference I see between Classical and competitive dressage is more a moral one really than a technical one. A lot of technical differences but those you really have to be a rider to understand.
But the moral difference is in Classical dressage the emphasis is on using movements and training the horse and to find the most equilibrium balance for the horse, um, so that then the horse becomes a partner in the art form.
In competitive dressage you want the horse to perform a series of movements as technically perfect as possible. You're going to be scored on them.
The horse must be an athletic partner and it is in the sport of dressage, that is really the goals. That is where Classical and competitive dressage differ, really, are in the ultimate goals.
Bettina Drummond
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Thank you for putting this together; I had given up “comp. Dressage 14 years ago and studied the masters, idolized N.O., and find it difficult to function amongst the rest of my riding piers, or able to discuss my reasons for not competing, but spending hours riding and enjoying simple gifts from my horse.