Fourth Level Dressage
Fourth level dressage sees the addition of the walking half pirouette, canter half pirouette and multiple flying lead changes every 3-4 strides. By the time horse and rider reach fourth level, they should exhibit a high level of impulsion, suppleness, throughness, lightness and be on the bit. The horse’s transitions should be smooth and precise. Movements should be straight and show cadence and energy. This level is also used to determine that the horse has successfully achieved a satisfactory level of competence for the Third Level movements.
Fourth Level is comprised of 3 tests. The Musical Freestyle is also performed at this level. These tests include walk, trot and canter work. Multiple flying lead changes and half and quarter pirouettes are also added at this level. Each fourth level test is shown below next to its corresponding video clip.
Fourth Level Dressage Required Movements:
Trot – Medium, Extended & Collected, Half Pass, Shoulder In
Walk – Extended and Collected, 1/2 Pirouette
Canter – Medium, Extended & Collected, 1/4 Pirouette, Half Pass & Multiple Flying Lead Changes Every 3 Strides, Very collected
Halts – collected canter to halt
Freestyle Requirements – maximum of 5 minutes in length –
Total of 240 points (120 pts each for technical & artistic marks)
Walk – 20m minimum continuous collected
Walk – 20m minimum continuous extended
Trot Half Pass – must be performed on each rein
Extended Trot
Shoulder-In – must be performed on each rein
Canter Half Pass – must be performed on each rein
Extended Canter
Flying Change of Lead – Every Third Stride
Canter Half Pirouette – must be performed on each rein
Fourth Level Dressage
Video Clips & Tests
2023 USEF Fourth Level Dressage – Test 1
Video pending
| 1. | A X | Enter collected canter Halt, salute Proceed collected trot |
| 2. | C H-X-F Over X F | Track left Change rein, medium trot 6-7 steps collected trot Collected trot (x2 Coefficent) |
| 3. | K-X | Half pass right (x2 Coefficent) |
| 4. | X-H | Half pass left (x2 Coefficent) |
| 5. | M-X-K K | Change rein, extended trot Collected trot |
| 6. | K-A-F | (Transitions M and K) Collected trot |
| 7. | F-B B | Shoulder-in left Turn left |
| 8. | E E-H | Turn right Shoulder-in right |
| 9. | C M Between G & H | Collected walk Turn right Half pirouette right proceed collected walk |
| 10. | Between G & M H | Half pirouette left proceed collected walk Turn left |
| 11. | (Collected walk) CMG(H)G(M)GHS (x2 Coefficent) | |
| 12. | S-P P | Extended walk Collected walk (x2 Coefficent) |
| 13. | F | Collected canter right lead |
| 14. | A D-B | Down centerline Half pass right |
| 15. | B-M M | Counter canter Flying change of lead |
| 16. | C | Circle left 20m, 5-6 strides of very collected canter between quarterlines (x2 Coefficent) |
| 17. | H-K K | Medium canter Collected canter |
| 18. | A D-E | Down centerline Half pass left |
| 19. | E-H H | Counter canter Flying change of lead |
| 20. | M-F F | Extended canter Collected canter |
| 21. | F-A-K | (Transitions M and F) Collected canter |
| 22. | K-X-M | Change rein, 3 single flying lead changes of lead, near first quarterline, near X, and near last quarterline (x2 Coefficent) |
| 23. | H | Collected trot |
| 24. | E X G | Turn left Turn left Halt, salute |
| Fourth Level Dressage Video Clips & Tests |
2023 USEF Fourth Level Dressage – Test 2
Video pending
| 1. | A X | Enter collected canter Halt, salute Proceed collected trot |
| 2. | C M-B | Track right Shoulder-in right |
| 3. | B-K K | Change rein, medium trot Collected trot |
| 4. | A D-E | Down centerline Half pass left |
| 5. | E-G C | Half pass right Track left |
| 6. | H-E | Shoulder-in left |
| 7. | E-F F | Change rein, medium trot Collected trot |
| 8. | A K-R | Collected walk Change rein, extended walk (x2 Coefficent) |
| 9. | R M Between G&H | Collected walk Turn left Half pirouette walk Proceed collected walk (x2 Coefficent) |
| 10. | Between G&M H | Half pirouette right Proceed collected walk Turn right (x2 Coefficent) |
| 11. | (Collected walk) [AK/RMG(H)G(M)GHC] | |
| 12. | C | Collected canter right lead |
| 13. | M-F F | Medium canter Collected canter |
| 14. | A D-B | Down centerline Half pass right (x2 Coefficent) |
| 15. | B | Flying change of lead |
| 16. | B-G C | Half pass left Track left (x2 Coefficent) |
| 17. | H-X-F F | Change rein extended canter Collected canter and flying change of lead |
| 18. | K-X Approaching X Towards F | On diagonal develop very collected canter Working pirouette right toward the letter F Proceed collected canter (x2 Coefficent) |
| 19. | K-X-M | Change rein, three flying changes of lead every fourth stride (x2 Coefficent) |
| 20. | H-X Approaching X Toward M | On diagonal develop very collected canter Working pirouette left toward the letter M Proceed collected canter |
| 21. | H | Collected trot |
| 22. | S-F F | Change rein, extended trot Collected trot |
| 23. | A X | Down centerline Halt, salute |
| Leave arena at A in free walk |
2023 USEF Fourth Level Dressage – Test 3
Video pending
| 1. | A X | Enter collected canter Halt, salute Proceed collected trot |
| 2. | C H-X-F F | Track left Change rein, medium trot Collected trot |
| 3. | K-E | Shoulder-in right |
| 4. | E-G C | Half pass right Track right |
| 5. | M-X-K K | Extended trot Collected trot |
| 6. | K-A | (Transitions between M and K) Collected trot (x2 Coefficent) |
| 7. | A | Halt, rein back 4 steps and proceed collected trot (x2 Coefficent) |
| 8. | F-B | Shoulder-in left |
| 9. | B-G C | Half pass left Track left |
| 10. | H | Collected walk (x2 Coefficent) |
| 11. | S-R R-M-C | Half circle right 20m extended walk Collected walk (x2 Coefficent) |
| 12. | C | Collected canter left lead |
| 13. | H-K K-F | Medium canter Collected canter |
| 14. | F-X I-S | Half pass left Half 10m circle |
| 15. | S-P Between centerline and P | Change rein working half pirouette left approximately 3m in diameter Proceed collected canter (x2 Coefficent) |
| 16. | Before S | Flying change of lead |
| 17. | M-X L-V | Half pass right Half 10m circle |
| 18. | V-R Between centerline and R | Change rein Working half pirouette right approximately 3m in diameter Proceed collected canter (x2 Coefficent) |
| 19. | Before V | Flying change of lead |
| 20. | F-X-H H | Extended canter Collected canter and flying change of lead |
| 21. | M-X-K | Three flying changes of lead every third stride (x2 Coefficent) |
| 22. | A X | Down centerline Halt, salute |
| Leave arena at A in free walk |
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