Dressage theory is everything about dressage except for the moves themselves. Techniques, use of the arena, how a method defines ideas like "precision" and "correctness," and so on.
Many concepts in dressage theory are pretty easy to pick up innately, just by practicing and thinking about dressage. However, there are some things that even veteran riders may not think about on their own; that's where theory lessons come in!
Rider etiquette is concerned with the behavior that riders should have, the habits they should keep, and the things they should do in order to focus during practice.
Pay attention and participate
Riders should always be focused on the practice - their own dressage, and the commander's instruction. Not only that, they should participate, giving ideas when prompted, asking questions when confused, and answering questions that the commander asks.
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Don't have side-conversations in chat
Small comments are alright, but they should come and pass quickly so that the focus of the practice can be on dressage.
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Stay on mute
Even if off-mute riders aren't talking, background noise can be broadcast through the call and cause a distraction. Unless told otherwise or on a break, staying on mute is a must.
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Arrive a few minutes early
1-2 minutes is perfect! Showing up earlier than that is fine, but not necessary; we just want everyone to be on time, and it's always fun to chat a bit before practice starts!
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Be in a good environment
It's hard to stay focused sitting in bed or with a pet nearby. Riders should choose a good space to play in so that their focus can be on the practice.
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Reduce lag as much as possible
Some strategies include having SSO the only thing open on your computer, turning down graphics, turning off shadows and reflections, and ignoring other (non-BB) players.
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Put a . in the chat to indicate that you're typing something
Many clubs have riders put a . to indicate confusion. This is not the same; if riders are going to ask a question, make a suggestion, etc. while riding, they put a . so that the commander knows they have halted in order to type and does not have to stop instruction.
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Keep the environment kind
We expect mistakes, questions, and participation from our riders. It can take bravery to put your struggles or ideas out there, so all riders should make sure to be kind and respectful to each other at all times, and especially during these moments during practices.
CORE THEORY
Core theory can be applied to nearly any dressage circumstance to improve your skill and ability to analyze your riding. Many concepts under core theory are also inherent to performing dressage at all, or at least correctly.
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Core theory covers Beginner topics (Rider Etiquette through Fixing Mistakes), and the majority of Experienced topics (Predictive Riding through Anti-Look To The Leader). Since Experienced Monarchs can be part of the Kaleidoscope, confidence with most or all core theory concepts aligns with readiness for routine & competition work.
Rider Etiquette
This section is concerned with locations and lines on the arena floor that riders must be aware of in order to use it properly.
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We'd like to give credit to Terrific Tigers' Semi-Realistic Dressage method for many influences in the development of our arena guide!
Click on a diagram to open it in a pop-up and get a better look!
Locations
The Arena
The Arena
The arena
We always use the riding arena near Silverglade Equestrian Center. The size and dots make it ideal for precision.
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Center
The center of the arena is circled on slide 2.
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Wall letters
Wall letters are the dots on the ground right in front of that letter label on the wall. Any letter may be useful in defining a tertiary line, but the most important letters to know are A, B, C, and E, for their makeup of the centerline and midline. A, B, C, and E are also how we label the four walls.
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Markers
A marker is any dot that the commander specifies, usually as a circle point or part of a tertiary line. Any dot in the arena can be used as a marker, but one example is shown on slide 4. Because of the two lines it is situated on, the circled dot would be called "E1/4 A10m".
Line Types
Primary Lines
Primary Lines
These are the lines we ride along most often. They include the wall lines, centerline, midline, quarter lines, and diagonals.
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Secondary Lines
These lines are used mainly as references for riders to copy the angle of while riding specific moves. They are also used in routine notation and circle creation.
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The distance between two fraction, meter, or grid lines is 1 Unit, or 2.5 meters.
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Tertiary Lines
Any straight line between two dots that is defined by the commander or in routine notation is a tertiary line. The tertiary lines in the diagrams are just examples; there are thousands of potential tertiary lines!
This is one of two fundamental technique sets within the SDM. LTTL covers one of the very basics of dressage: how to move.
Understanding the leader
The leader is the first rider in line. In the SDM, the line leader is also the commander. Riders should be aware of who the leader is, both in the sense of whoever is the very first rider, and in the sense of who the commander is.
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In the event of having multiple lines moving at once (usually because they have split), the commander may label the line based on the line leader, so riders must also know the nickname of the leader of their particular line.
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Follow the leader
At its most basic level, dressage is a game of follow the leader. So, while in a line, riders must do just that.
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Look to the leader
If riders make a mistake, they can look at the rest of the line to see what the correct movement was. If it's still unclear, the leader should always be correct, so when in doubt, look at what the leader is doing and imitate them.
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Perform commander specifications
In simplified dressage, commanders have the freedom (and are encouraged) to change the way riders perform a move during the particular instance that they command it. Even if the commander tells the line to do a move in a way that contradicts the move's definition or applied theory, the line should do so.
There are many things it is vital to understand about screen delay. It is not necessary for beginner riders to have expert knowledge about all things screen delay, but they should be aware of it and continue to learn about it while working through the ranks.
Cause
Screen delay is the latency of packets of game information being sent between SSO's servers and the player's own screens. It exists for all players and affects dressage because, on your own screen, screen delay does not appear to occur - you look ahead.
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Differences per rider
Every rider has a slightly different amount of screen delay due to a few factors including their internet connection and physical distance from SSO's servers. This is why a laggy rider will also experience more screen delay.
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Observer vs. rider perspective
The observer perspective factors in screen delay; the view of the riders that a bystander would see. This is the perspective from which dressage must look good.​
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The rider perspective does not factor in screen delay; it's the view of a rider in the line, in real-time. This is the perspective from which dressage will look odd, with the rider constantly seeming to be too far up and too early on "go"s.
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Relation to speed
Screen delay increases as riders go faster. At the walk, riders are only a little ahead. At the trot, riders are exactly 1 horse ahead on their screen as compared to the observer perspective. At the canter, riders are more ahead, and so on.
Screen Delay
Look to the Leader (LTTL)
Spacing describes the gap between two riders. In order for spacing to look correct, the gap between each rider must be equal. Screen delay has a big impact on spacing, and it's important to understand the two appearances of each gap size depending on which perspective it's viewed from.
Click on a diagram to open it in a pop-up and get a better look! In these diagrams, the black horse represents the rider perspective and the white horse the next person in line.
Gap technique
Because screen delay is different for everybody, the gaps that riders use should be as well. The following spacing types are just approximations that riders should start with while finding their gap, but ultimately, they should perform what they know to be correct spacing based on the commander's feedback.
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Fixing spacing
There are many methods a rider can use to change their gap. For all of them, it is advised to move your camera angle and look at the side of your horse so it's easier to gauge the distance between you and the next rider.
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In order to change gap size, you should never wiggle or use corners, curves, or turns. Instead, use gait changes in as small bursts as you can: canter for getting closer, walk for getting further away. Wiggling is only appropriate for very small changes that a single burst of the walk would be too extreme for. Changing horseshoes briefly is also acceptable, though more challenging.
Spacing
NTT (nose to tail)
NTT spacing is mainly used during halt moves. It is also the spacing used while walking.
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Riders should align their horse's nose to the base of the next person's tail, making sure that their horse's chest does not clip into the tail at all.
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HI (halfway inside)
HI spacing is mainly used while trotting in a single line.
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Riders should position themselves exactly halfway inside the person above them. Common strategies for visualizing this include connecting saddle pads and positioning your horse's front legs halfway between the above horse's legs.
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W (wide)
W spacing is mainly used while trotting in split lines.
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Riders should have about 1/2-2/3 of a horse-length-sized gap between them and the rider above them. This gap size is more difficult to pin down, so while riding with W spacing, riders should pay extra attention to commander critique.
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FI (fully inside)
FI spacing is mainly used while cantering in a single line.
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Riders should be fully inside the rider above them, if not even further up. Because screen delay is so extreme at the canter, the name "fully inside" should be treated only as a guide. Riders must listen to critique from the commander to determine what gap they should actually use during a cantering single line.
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WC (wide canter)
WC spacing is mainly used while cantering in split lines.
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Riders should be about NTT with the rider in front of them, though they may be a bit further behind depending on their personal screen delay. WC is the most difficult gap to uphold, and like FI, is mainly a guide, hence the name "wide canter" rather than a secondary use of NTT. Riders must listen to commander critique to determine what good WC spacing means for them.
Alignment concerns the position of riders compared to one another. Correct alignment generally involves straight lines between logically-connected riders.
Click on a diagram to open it in a pop-up and get a better look! In these diagrams, the black horse represents the rider perspective.
Alignment technique
Generally speaking, you should always be aligned with your line leader. However, this may not be the case in more advanced moves- you may have to be aligned with a certain dot, tertiary line, your partner, etc.
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Fixing alignment
Fixing alignment is a simple matter of using wasd/arrow keys to put yourself in the correct placement that that particular type of alignment requires. Most of the time, a small burst of movement before returning to your original gait/line will be sufficient. In any case, move efficiently and purposefully to get your alignment fixed as quickly as possible. Like in fixing spacing, turning your camera angle may be helpful.
Alignment
Fully Inside
Wide Canter - lower limit
Wide
Halfway Inside
Nose to Tail
Nose to Tail
Straight-Line (S-L) alignment
In straight lines, you should be directly atop the line you're meant to be on, following the leader and/or commander's instruction.
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It may help to turn your camera angle so you're looking at your character from the top down.
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Unless doing a curve or curve-derived move/development, riders will always be in straight-line alignment. The alignments below are variations on straight-line alignment; riders should still go straight, but there is other information to keep in mind.
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Comb alignment
Comb alignment involves being exactly one horse ahead of the person you're basing alignment off of; exactly NTT in front of them. In a comb, that would be the entire line (assuming they are all correct), or at least the leader. In a tier or straight-across buddy, that would be your partner, the person directly across from you.
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Slant alignment is the exact same as comb alignment, though being on a slanted angle makes it feel different. The line that the arena floor texture creates right below the leader's nose is the same line your own tail should be above.
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While cantering, you must be further ahead with about 1/2-1 horse-length-sized gap behind you before the leader's nose.
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Staggered alignment
Staggered alignment refers to the relationship between two split lines, usually when combing toward each other or in buddy. In staggered alignment, you should be directly in between two people (the same two people that would be in front of/behind you if you merged).
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Common ways to enter staggered alignment include splitting at a wall, splitting using a curl division + the split affix, or doing the move waterfall.
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Straight-Across (S-A) alignment
Straight-across alignment refers to the relationship between two split lines, usually when combing toward each other or in buddy. In straight-across alignment, you should be directly across from someone from the observer perspective.
See comb alignment for doing this in buddy. If in lines that are combing toward each other, you should be heading straight for your partner so that you would go inside them if you went forward enough. The most common way to enter S-A alignment is doing the move tier.
Comb Alignment (trotting)
Staggered Alignment (Buddy - Observer Perspective)
S-L Alignment
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S-A Alignment (Buddy - Observer Perspective)
S-L Alignment
Timing technique
In order to have good timing, riders must go on go; that is, do the movement exactly when they hear the "g" sound at the start of the word "go". Because of screen delay, riders will appear ahead, but this is a good indication that they have correct timing.
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Fixing timing
There is no way to fix timing during a move if it is originally incorrect. The only thing a rider can do is continue the move, fix their spacing and/or alignment if needed, and try to be more correct in the future.
Timing concerns the comparison between the moments when each rider does a move on "go". Correct timing means that all riders went at exactly the same time.
Rule of Right is the other fundamental technique set within Simplified Dressage. It concerns directions and splitness.
Default direction
If no direction is given at the wall or for a move, riders should go to the right.
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Letter labels
The line can be labeled in an alternating pattern using the letters A and B. The leader will always be an A, and the pattern alternates from there.
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For split moves, A's will always go right and B's will always go left.
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Label patterns
ABABABAB (normal - assume this unless stated otherwise)
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ABABABAB applied to two lines that have already split (double)
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AABBAABB (pair)
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Any temporarily defined pattern, even something like AAAAABAA can be used as a label pattern if the commander specifies as such. The commander could even use more than two distinct labels, such as ABCABC.
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A line dominance
In moves such as "rotary" where two lines overlap, the A line will have dominance, meaning that it will be on the outside or in front.
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Pass on the right
When split lines pass each other, they should pass "to the right" of the other line.
Rule of Right (ROR)
Timing
There are many affixes that a commander may apply to a move during improv dressage or in routine notation. A commander may even apply multiple affixes at the same time. Riders should know what they mean, and they are encouraged to think of moves in different ways by applying affixes!
Affixes
Affixes are words that a commander will attach to their commanding of a move to change how it is performed. They may be used alone or in combination with other affixes.
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Many are open-ended, so in addition to using the word, the commander may also have to specify exactly what they mean in that scenario.
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The affix system for altering moves is a big part of the SDM; it allows us full creative freedom and exploration of all possible variations. It is also easier to learn since members simply memorize affixes rather than memorizing the exact way to perform 100 similar moves that have their own name.
Affix Overview
Common Affixes
Common affixes can be applied to any move. Particularly, they are used to create variations for the curl divisions, though they may be used in other instances, such as varying dev moves or explaining the definition of a Distinct move.
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Gait
A gait affix indicates that riders should perform the current move at that gait, then return to their original gait once the move is completed.
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Backwards, walk, trot, canter, extended canter, and gallop are gaits that may be used.
Note that the direction of a backward move is dictated by the direction the rider moves, not the key that is pressed. To do a backward curl right, the rider must press their A key or left arrow key.
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Pick
Pick is similar to the gait affix, but after the move is done, riders continue moving in the specified gait.
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Trans (transition)
Transitions concern the ways multiple moves in quick succession are performed. They can be in move, direction, gait, or a combination.
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Move transitions concern doing multiple moves without changing direction or gait between them. They are often described using the word "into", such as "curl into comb". Unless using the Delayed affix, the moves are done with no delay between them.
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Direction transitions concern doing multiple moves where at least one of them is in a different direction.
Fate is a distinct type of direction transition in which the move is done exactly twice; the original direction is dictated by your letter, and riders must switch directions for the second move.
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Gait transitions concern doing multiple moves where at least one of them is in a different gait.
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"Delayed" is an affix that can be applied to any transition move. It indicates that, rather than the "go"s and movements be rapid, as is the default, "go"s and movements will have a short pause in between them.
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Dist (distribution)
A distribution involves factors such as gait, "go"s, direction, and move type that riders do differently for the same move depending on their letter labels. Dist moves may involve multiple different distributions at the same time.
Gait distribution means that A's use one gait while B's use another.
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"Go" distribution means that A's use one go while B's use another.
Partner: A's do the move on go and B's follow the A in front of them as though the A was a line leader doing a dev move.
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Domino: the leader does the move on go and all other riders do the move when they see the person in front of them begin to do it. Only one go, the leader's, will be called.
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Direction distribution means that A's go in one direction while B's use another.
Split: A's go right, B's go left
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Other distributions could be used if the commander defines direction by using markers.
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Move type distribution means that A's do one move while B's do another.
Other Affixes
There is no difference in the use of common vs. other affixes, they are simply less common and many only apply to certain moves.
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Development Move Affixes
Wide
"Wide" is an affix that can be applied to a dev move that changes the location or type of the line, particularly when there are two or more lines (usually due to splitting) at hand.
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Rather than use the default distance between two lines for that particular dev move, the commander will give their own wider distance.
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Close
"Close" is used in the exact same way as "wide", except that it indicates a distance between lines that is smaller than the default.
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Cross
"Cross" is an affix that can be applied to a dev move that has to do with the location or type of the line, particularly when there are two or more lines (usually due to splitting) at hand.
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It indicates that before/after (as specified) the main movement occurs, the two lines will cross through the same dot (as specified).
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Circle Affixes
In/out
When a commander calls a curl division move from a circle, they MUST indicate whether they want the riders to do it in (towards the center of the circle) or out (away from the center of the circle).
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In/out can also be used when there are two lines at hand, such as in Buddy. In those cases, "in" means towards the other line and "out" means away from the other line.
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"and pass through (the center)"
This affix can be used for circle moves which end with the riders going inwards. It indicates that they should/will pass through the center of the circle before doing the next move.
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Buddy
Buddy refers to a particular line type where split lines stay separate but nearby each other, either in parallel or staggered alignment.
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When used as an affix, it can apply to dev moves, especially merges, to indicate that the ending position of the move should put the lines into the buddy position.
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"and return"
"and return" applies to the move flip. It can be used to make the line slant comb the opposite direction that their flip was in on a second go. This makes the line singular again, usually bringing everyone back to their original line.
Mistakes are inevitable during dressage. However, their damage can be mitigated by skillfully rejoining the line and working towards not making the same mistake in the future.
Fixing Mistakes
Generally speaking, you can follow the technique for the fundamental(s) at hand. The particular strategies for each of the three fundamentals are listed in their own sections, Spacing, Alignment, and Timing.
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If you don't know what the move is, there's no need to freak out. Especially, don't halt, jump, gallop away, go to the back of the line, or do some other distracting movement. You have two main options:
Stay in line and halt on "go" so that you can at least observe the move. While you're halted, type a message in chat so the commander is aware you don't know the move. Rejoin the line after the move is over, and the commander will teach it to you.
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Stay in line and do your best guess at the correct movement, looking at the other riders (or at least the leader) to imitate them if you do something wrong.
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There are a few rules-of-thumb applicable to common situations.
If you're doing a curl division, follow through with your incorrect movement and do your best to evaluate what the correct thing was. Once you know where to go in order to fix it, get there as quickly and seamlessly as possible. If there's a second go to that move, try to be correct before it so you can rejoin correctly on the second go.
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If you're doing a dev move that changes the location of the line, follow the person in front of you.
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If you're a line leader and you perform a dev move incorrectly, quickly move to the correct position. Be sure to double-check between the riders of your line and the leader/riders of the other line(s).
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Avoiding future mistakes
Riders are encouraged to constantly think about their own dressage performance. Many riders constantly make similar mistakes or mess up on the same moves. Finding the source of these mistakes and then counteracting it is the best way to improve your dressage overall.
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Even for a one-time mistake, riders should try to analyze what went wrong in order to avoid doing the same thing in the future.
Predictive riding is the first intermediate theory concept. It has to do with awareness of the rest of the line and riding not only by striving for accuracy and precision, but ease of future accuracy and precision.
In order to attempt predictive riding, riders must be confident in their own skill. Awareness of how correct they are, especially in spacing, alignment, and timing, should be more akin to second-nature than a concentration-holding task.
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Predictive riding involves being aware of other riders in the line; particularly the leader, person above them, and person behind them- surrounding riders. Ideally, they should be aware of where surrounding riders should be, where they are going, and any major mistakes they happen to make- especially ones that affect themselves. Having this knowledge allows a rider to counter the caterpillar effect and double-check themselves.
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The Caterpillar Effect
This is what happens when a mistake ripples through the line because of a lack of predictive riding. So named because the riders follow through the shape/movement of the mistake all the way down the line, like a caterpillar moves forward.
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For example, if a halt was attempted and a rider stopped too late, they would have to fix their placement by backing up to get into NTT. If the person behind the mistake-maker halted in NTT with them before they fixed their placement, they would have to back up too, as would the person behind them, and so on down the line.
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This can be prevented by having the person behind the mistake-maker do the correct movement as though the mistake-maker hadn't made their mistake. Continuing the halt example, the rider would have to leave a small gap in front of them when they halted to give the mistake-maker space to back up into without being squished.
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Double-Checking
There are many times a rider may check their own placement and accuracy by observing the other riders in the line. If riders have a strong awareness of spacing, alignment, and timing, they can work backwards to determine if their own movements were correct based on how they fit in with the rest of the line before, during, and/or after a move.
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A common instance is in a straight-across buddy. Though the alignment technique utilized here is the same as comb alignment, being NTT in front of their partner, the rider can also check their spacing with the person in front of them. In the ideal circumstance, both their spacing and alignment will be correct. If only one is correct, there could be a mistake happening somewhere else, likely as with the person above them or their partner.
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Another easy place to double-check oneself is when turning onto a wall after a comb (or similar move). Assuming the rider turns onto the correct wall line, they can double check by observing their spacing. Incorrect spacing indicates that something was wrong with their comb. For example, if they are ahead, they may have been slanting toward the line leader or too far up. If they are behind, they may have been slanting toward the back of the line or too far behind.
Likewise, if they notice their comb alignment is incorrect at the start of the comb, it's likely they made a mistake with their spacing, timing, and/or alignment while in line before the comb happened.
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Looking Ahead
Predictive riding can also involve thinking a few steps ahead. This can manifest in many ways- looking at the arena floor a few steps ahead or at the next circle point, predicting what move the commander will call next in order to get into a particular placement, reading a routine before you learn it, reading about a move or theory concept on the dictionary before you learn it, and so on.
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Though not necessary for success, the general practice of looking ahead can help riders prepare and learn faster or ride more accurately. Future precision is far easier achieved when riders keep it in mind!
Though it is possible to perform transition moves simply by listening to the commander's "go"s, understanding why "go"s are called when they are is far more valuable. It is also a necessary skill in the event of a cut-out call or fast-paced commanding.
Predictive Riding
Transitional Timing
Transitions can happen with moves, gaits, directions, or a combination. Each circumstance involves slightly different transitional timing due to screen delay.
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Move Transitional Timing
Move transitions concern curl divisions that are combined without a pause, gait change, or direction change in between, such as curl into comb. In a sense, there is no transitional timing to speak of; riders must simply hold down their key until they reach the end angle.
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Gait Transitional Timing
Changing gaits during a gait trans move should happen slightly before the move is over. To be more precise, it should happen 1/8 of a curl early. If the trans move included a curl as the first move, riders should be changing their gait after 7/8 of a curl are completed, right as they are aligned on the slanted angle before the curl ends.
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Why this early? It takes a moment for the horse to register a gait change from when a rider presses the key, and riders will also appear to change gaits too late if they did so once the movement was completed because of screen delay. From the observer perspective, riders should appear to change gaits when the move has been completed.
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Mistakes with gait transitional timing
Changing gait too early or too late will shift the line that riders ride on. Once comfortable with gait transitional timing, riders should apply predictive riding to double-check their accuracy between when they changed gait, when they heard the "go", and their alignment after the move is over.
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End-of-move
Assuming riders return to their original gait after the move is over, there is another transition they perform at the end of the last move in the transition set. It is performed the same as any other gait transition, 1/8 of a curl early, though it may or may not be given a "go" or other command.
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Direction Transitional Timing
Changing directions during a direction trans move should happen exactly when the move is over. To be more precise, it should happen when all four hooves have returned to the original line (or ending line, in the case of a move other than curl)- not a moment earlier or later.
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Why? It is easy to be precise and accurate, and once again aligns with screen delay. There is far less key delay for changing directions, and no added screen delay (such as there is with gait trans timing). The observer perspective and rider perspective views for when the rider changes direction are the same.
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Mistakes with direction transitional timing
Changing directions too early or too late will shift the line that riders ride on. Depending on the particular circumstances, it can be right, left, forward, and backward. Once comfortable with direction transitional timing, riders should double-check their accuracy between when they changed direction, when they heard the "go", and their alignment after the move is over.
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Using both at once
In cases where a transition involves both a gait and direction change on the same "go", riders must apply both rules in quick succession. They change gait first, 1/8 curl early, and then direction, when all four hooves are on the original line (or ending line).
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Technically, they are separate movements that happen very quickly one after another. One "go" for each could be called, but the speed is so extreme that it is no longer helpful. Therefore, only one "go" is called, right when riders should change gait; it's up to them to change direction at the right time a moment later.
Though it is possible to perform precise dressage simply by listening to the commander's "go"s, operating with a deeper understanding can allow riders to be more creative and shift their focus from survival to innovation. It is also useful for cut-out calls and fast-paced commanding.
Use of Markers for Precise Development
Markers are obviously present in routine notation and a few key instances, such as split and merge points, but a rider can utilize markers nearly every time they perform a movement.
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This technique involves understanding how the horse moves. At the trot, the horse's nose aligns with the line it'll turn onto after a 90° (comb-type) development. The horse's tail aligns with where it'll turn onto after a 270° (keyhole-type) development. This knowledge allows a rider to turn when their horse's nose/tail aligns with a certain marker in order to move exactly onto it.
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This also has applications in using the wall lines properly. If told to U at the wall, when should riders actually turn? The answer: so that their horse's nose briefly touches the wall line.
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The gait riders move at will change the relationship to a point because the curl radius is different. At the walk, riders wait (as compared to the trot) in order to get onto a certain line. At the canter, riders go early (as compared to the trot) in order to get onto a certain line.
Using the camera angle
Changing the camera angle while riding is a great way to check how well one is upholding their spacing and alignment.
Viewing the character from the side is helpful for spacing, and from the top down is helpful for alignment. Riders may also use their camera angle to "stare down" the next circle point or a marker.
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Zooming out in settings (adjust field of view to the right) can also be helpful for seeing the arena lines and having better awareness of the other riders and leader, especially in a long line.
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Angle First, Alignment Second
When doing any curl division movement, the best way to ensure precision is by first locking in the correct angle, then focusing on alignment. If riders know their angle is correct, it can no longer mess up their alignment, leaving it open for quick and accurate correction.
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Crispness
Riders should always strive to move "crisply". That is, hold down the key for the exact correct amount of time, then let go, and be placed perfectly. Curving corners or 90° developments, pressing the key at the wrong time, holding it a bit too long/short and therefore messing up one's angle- these are all downfalls of less crisp riding.
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Crispness ultimately comes with practice, though other techniques such as using markers and predictive riding are helpful in endeavoring to ride in a crisp manner.
Techniques for Precision
Creating, maintaining, and working in perfect circles is another large part of the SDM. There are many techniques and behaviors that riders constantly utilize while in circles, and an understanding of circles can be applied to curves and curve-based developments & moves!
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We'd like to give credit to Terrific Tigers' Semi-Realistic Dressage method for many influences in the development of our circle guide and techniques!
Circles
Click on a diagram to open it in a pop-up and get a better look!
Creating Perfect Circles
2.5 meter (2.5m)
The distance between two lines of the same type (fraction, meter, grid) is one unit. One unit is equal to 2.5 meters. Circle sizes are named based on their diameter, and they're all in increments of 2.5 meters. You can see all main circle sizes in the slideshow!
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Circles are marked by five points: each circle point (the four on the circle) and the center of the circle. In order for a circle to be perfectly shaped, riders must constantly stay an equal distance away from the center. They do this by tapping their keys in a consistent rhythm, never going straight, and making sure to briefly touch each circle point as they make their revolutions.
Circles are not only possible surrounding the center of the arena, they can be anywhere! The center of these circles may be more difficult to see, so this is a more advanced technique.
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A few examples of these circles are to the right, but there are thousands of possible combinations of circle size and location!
Alternate circle location examples
Circle Techniques
Circles are, at their most basic level, just a specific type of development; a curve that continues around a fixed point indefinitely without changing diameter. Like any other development, riders follow the leader and keep track of their spacing, alignment, and timing. However, because of its unique shape, some rules change.
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Spacing
Riders must keep the same spacing as they would in a straight line as in a curve or circle. However, the spacing may "feel" smaller because the line is curved.
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The techniques for changing gap size are still the same, though even more care and precision is required. Especially when cantering, it is easy to lose that perfect circle shape, so riders are allowed to perform extremely small changes in their circle diameter in order to change their gap size- a smaller circle (tap more often) to get closer, and a larger circle (tap less often) to get further away. Keep in mind that this technique should be used sparingly as to not disrupt the shape of the circle too much!
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Alignment
Correct alignment involves moving in a perfect circle (rather than the norm of moving in a straight line). Alignment in circles will never involve looking toward other riders to base one's alignment off of, partially because those positions are rare while in circles, and because it is easier to maintain precision by simply basing alignment off of the circle points on the arena floor.
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In order to maintain the shape of a perfect circle, riders must constantly be tapping their a/d/left/right keys, holding them for a very short amount of time, tapping with a consistent rhythm. Using camera angle to "stare down" the upcoming circle point is quite useful, and riders must be careful to not create straight lines or corners.
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No longer should riders focus on following the person in front of them, or even the path of the leader. All riders should create their own path by following the circle points. If all goes well, riders will end up following each other anyway, but the caterpillar effect is easy to exacerbate in a circle by simply following the above rider through small mistakes in circle shape. Alignment must be prioritized, even if that means spacing will be messed up; it's the responsibility of the mistake-making riders to fix their own alignment and spacing, causing everything to fall into place smoothly and quickly.
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Performing moves
Directions in a circle are only "in" (toward the center) or "out" (away from the center)- right and left are not relevant.
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Generally speaking, not all curl divisions are possible in a circle. Comb, U, Keyhole, and Curl are the only possibilities because slants cannot be calculated from a curved line. Slanted curl divisions can be used only when riders are placed exactly on fraction/meter/grid/slanted lines while riding the circle.
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Gaits in circles
The rhythm with which riders tap their key in order to maintain a perfect circle will change depending on their gait. While walking, riders must tap less often, and while cantering, riders must tap more often. Cantering is extremely difficult, especially in smaller circles, and great attention should be spent on maintaining circle shape while cantering.
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Technique applications
All the techniques that riders use in circles can be applied to other circle and curve-based moves, such as curve, serpentine, twine, rotary, moon, and pinwheel. Technically speaking, curves are more basic than circles, but circles are easier to learn, so riders are encouraged to think of the above moves as variations on a circle.
Riders who have learned up to this point are ready to perform dressage with a balance between following commander guidance and making their own educated decisions.
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Obviously, basic instructions like applying affixes, calling "go"s, and commanding of Developments should be followed. However, a skilled rider can rely on their own judgement many things, including (but not limited to) the following:
Constantly be fixing mistakes as efficiently as possible, even (and especially!) without being informed by the commander that they're doing something wrong.
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Stop listening to transition "go"s, just use transitional timing.
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Make their own path based on the commander's guide, just as they would in a circle, but for all shapes and lines.
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Double-check themselves against the arena lines and commander's guide rather than the other riders, even the leader.
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Change gaits for more creative uses, such as fixing alignment mid-turn if they turned too early or too late.
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Apply techniques for precision, even without encouragement.
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Work to prevent the caterpillar effect, even when the mistake-making rider is not nearby.
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Communicate with the leader, providing their input, questions, and line of reasoning while being taught or receiving an explanation.
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Generally speaking, perform dressage according to what they know to be right.
The culmination of a rider's skill in dressage theory involves transcending the leader and relying on their own knowledge.
Anti-Look to the Leader
EXTENDED THEORY
Coming soon!