History buffs - anyone know of OLD dressage tests?

[twofatponies]

I wondered if anyone here has seen any (very) old dressage tests. Wondering if the required patterns and movements have changed significantly - what tests did people ride in the 1920s, 1950s, 1970s? Haven't found anything via google...

[hoopoe]

the tests have change greatly over the decades. the book "Dressage A Guideline for Riders and Judges" by Wolfgang Niggli has the tests ridden at the Olympics recorded in the back.

Be aware that this book has a fair number of mistakes in the tables ( names spellings etc) but it does give a good look at how the tests ridden by the horses at the highest level have evolved.

You might have some luck locating the book via a used book store online.

[angel]

I do not have copies of any of the old tests. However, after watching dressage "evolve" for over 20 years, I can tell you that some of the elements that really show the degree of training have been removed. In the lower level tests, there used to be a change of rein in leg yield. The movement called for a leg yield from one long side out to "X" and then a leg yield through a change of rein back to the same long side. In the upper levels, the movement that has been removed was the schaukel, which is doing a reinback several steps to equal steps forward again and back to reinback equal steps and back to equal steps forward, etc. This movement is sometimes called "the rocker."

Closer to recent times, there were two movements that were put into the tests and then taken out again. One was a stretch down in canter and the other was a release of the inside rein during medium canter down the long side.

These particular changes are the ones that stand out the most in my mind because often the execution of them in the tests was so poor. By removing them from the tests, you have really dummied the tests as these particular movements have special significance within the work. The lack of the "rocker" in the upper level tests is especially telling.

[caddym]

"Dressage a guideline for riders and judges" by Wolfgang M Nigel Has a chapter called "Olympic game archives" that has all of the GP tests starting from 1912. The old tests are AMAZING

some of my favorites:

1912: "Five obstacles to be taken at a gallop immediately after the performance of the programme. High jump one to be 0.8m high two to be 1.0m high and one to be 1.1m high. Long jump ome to be 3m wide.

1924: "extend and shorten the trot 1 1/2 tours of the arena by changing rapidly from short trot to extended trot and vica-versa"

1936:"Bending on two-tracks seven times unto a distance of 2 meters each side of middle-line terminating the movement in such a manner as to take track to the left at C".

The 1936 test was 17 minutes long

[Tamara in TN]

I wondered if anyone here has seen any (very) old dressage tests. Wondering if the required patterns and movements have changed significantly - what tests did people ride in the 1920s, 1950s, 1970s? Haven't found anything via google...

http://www.uscavalry.org/currentevents.html

the tests here are very close to the 1930-1940's tests


in fact my friend is now searching for anyone who can school him in the full bridle with a sabre in the right hand....fat chance that ;) but we are looking

[Mor4ward]

My favorite was a test from around 1912 that included JUMPING a wide barrel being rolled TOWARD the horse!
Talk about a challenge to find your spot!