First Level Dressage

First Level Dressage continues to develop the horse’s suppleness by adding lengthening of stride, 15m circles, single loops and leg yielding. These movements are also excellent indicators of the development of the horse’s balance and throughness, as well as his ability for forward movement through thrust (i.e. – lengthening of stride). Here is where they develop the necessary skills, training and musculature to perform the advanced level movements of the higher levels.

First Level is comprised of 3 tests. Rider’s may also choose to perform a Musical Freestyle at this level. These tests include walk, trot and canter work. They also contain leg yielding, single loops, lead changes through trot and smaller circles demonstrate the horse’s balance and reponsiveness. These movements also illustrate the advancement of the horse’s suppleness from the Training level. The horse and rider must demonstrate their ability to effectively perform these movements because they are the pre-cursor to the shoulder-in, travers, rein-back, shortening of stride and collection required at Second Level.

First Level Dressage
Required Movements:

Medium walk
Free Walk 
Trot – sitting or rising 20 meter circles & changing of rein across the diagonal, working & lengthening of stride, 1/2 circle 10m, leg yield, and the stretch down circle
Canter – 15m circle, working & lengthening of stride, change of lead through trot
Halts – trot to halt, shallow loops

Freestyle Requirements – maximum of 5 minutes in length
Total of 240 points (120 pts each for technical & artistic marks)
Walk – 20m minimum continuous free walk
Walk – 20m minimum continuous medium walk
Trot – 10m circle or smaller (no smaller than 8m) – must be performed on each rein
Leg-Yield in trot – must be performed on each rein
Lengthen Stride in Trot
Canter – 15m circle or smaller (no smaller than 10m) – must be performed on each rein
Change of lead through trot
Lengthen Stride in Canter Halts – beginning & end of test
Forbidden movements: rein back, shoulder in, travers, renvers, half pass, flying changes, turn on haunches, canter or walk pirouette, piaffe, passage.
Allowed movements: Counter canter, zig zag leg yield, leg yield along the wall, lengthen canter on 20m circle, canter serpentine, simple change, walk-canter-walk-canter, halt-canter-halt, all figures – including circles – regardless of size, trot circle (10m or smaller), canter circle (15m or smaller).

First Level Dressage
Video Clips & Tests

2023 USEF First Level Dressage
Test 1

1.		A X		Enter working trot Halt, salute Proceed working trot
2.		C E-X		Track left Half circle left 10m, returning to track at H
3.		B-X		Half circle right 10m, returning to track at M
4.		C Before C C		Circle left 20m in rising trot, allowing the horse to stretch forward and downward while maintaining contact Shorten the reins Working trot (x2 Coefficent)
5.		H-P P		Change rein, lengthen stride in trot Working trot
6.		A		Medium walk (x2 Coefficent)
7.		V-R R		Change rein, free walk Medium walk (x2 Coefficent)
8.		M C		Working trot Working canter left lead (x2 Coefficent)
9.		E		Circle left 15m
10.		F-X-H X		Change rein Working trot
11.		C		Working canter right lead (x2 Coefficent)
12.		B		Circle right 15m
13.		A		Working trot
14.		K-R R		Change rein, lengthen stride in trot Working trot
15.		E X G		Half circle left 10m Down centerline Halt, Salute
				Leave arena at A in free walk

2023 USEF First Level Dressage
Test 2

1.	A X	Enter working trot Halt, salute Proceed working trot
2.	C M-V V	Track right Change rein, lengthen stride in trot Working trot
3.	A L-M	Turn down centerline Leg yield right (x2 Coefficent)
4.	H-P P	Change rein lengthen stride in trot Working trot
5.	A L-H	Turn down centerline Leg yield left (x2 Coefficent)
6.	C	Medium walk (x2 Coefficent)
7.	M-V V	Change rein, free walk Medium walk (x2 Coefficent)
8.	K A	Working Trot Working canter left lead
9.	P	Circle left 15m
10.	P-M	Lengthen stride in canter (x2 Coefficent)
11.	Between M & C	Develop working canter
12.	H-X-F X	Change rein Working trot
13.	F	Working canter right lead
14.	V	Circle right 15m
15.	V-H	Lengthen stride in canter (x2 Coefficent)
16.	Between H & C	Develop working canter
17.	M	Working trot
18.	B Before B B	Circle right 20m rising trot, allowing the horse to stretch forward and downward while maintaing contact Shorten the reins Working trot (x2 Coefficent)
19.	A X	Down centerline Halt, salute
		Leave arena at A in free walk.

2023 USEF First Level Dressage
Test 3

https://youtu.be/YB_2KFCYyJc

1.	A X	Enter working trot Halt, salute Proceed working trot
2.	C H-X-F F	Track left Change rein, lengthen stride in trot Working trot
3.	V-I	Leg yield right (x2 Coefficent)
4.	I I C	Circle left 10m Straight ahead Track right
5.	B Before B	Circle right 20m rising trot, allowing the horse to stretch forward and downward while maintaing contact Shorten the reins (x2 Coefficent)
6.	A	Canter right lead
7.	K-X-H	Slightly after K begin a single loop to X returning to track slightly before H, maintaining lead (x2 Coefficent)
8.	C	Circle right 15m
9.	M-F F	Lengthen stride in canter Working canter
10.	K-X-M X	Change rein Working trot
11.	C	Medium walk (x2 Coefficent)
12.	H-X-K K	Free walk Medium walk (x2 Coefficent)
13.	A	Working trot
14.	P-I	Leg yield left (x2 Coefficent)
15.	I I C	Circle right 10m Straight ahead Track right
16.	M-X-K K	Lengthen stride in trot Working trot
17.	A	Working canter left lead
18.	F-X-M	Slightly after F begin a single loop to X returning to track slightly before M, maintaining lead (x2 Coefficent)
19.	C	Circle left 15m
20.	H-K K	Lengthen stride in canter Working canter
21.	F-X-H X	Change rein Change of lead through trot
22.	C B X G	Working trot Half circle right 10m Down centerline Halt, salute
		Leave arena at A in free walk

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