Most points in a dressage test aren't lost through one big mistake, but through a series of small, recurring errors that each seem harmless on their own. Below is an overview of the mistakes that occur most often, with a concrete way to prevent each one. Separate guides on structuring your first test and on reading your judge's scoresheet are linked below; this guide focuses purely on what goes wrong and how to fix it.
Imprecise riding to the letter
The timing of a test is set by the letters, not by a feeling of "roughly there". A movement that starts half a meter too early or too late is immediately visible to the judge, even if the execution is otherwise correct.
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Transition falls before or after the letter | Start the preparation one or two strides earlier, so the horse changes gait exactly at the letter |
| Circle or volte doesn't start at the letter | Already look toward the starting point of the next figure at the previous letter |
| Horse anticipates and changes gait too early on its own | Practice transitions separately from the test, at random points in the arena |
This is about precision, not speed. A movement ridden calmly but exactly at the letter scores better than one that's rushed but on time.
Crooked or unsettled halt and salute
The halt at the start and end of the test is often the first and last thing the judge sees, and so counts for more than the mark alone suggests. A horse that halts crookedly, takes an extra step, or moves its head restlessly during the salute immediately creates a weaker impression.
Prevent this by not treating the halt as an endpoint, but as a movement in its own right: ride it separately from the test just as often as you ride a volte. Ask for the halt with enough preparation — a horse forced to stop abruptly rarely halts square. After the halt, keep a quiet contact on the reins until the salute is complete; picking up the rein again immediately rushes the horse needlessly through the movement.
Voltes and circles of the wrong size
A volte that comes out oval, or a circle that gradually shrinks toward the end, is one of the most common mistakes in every class. The cause usually isn't in the horse's bend, but in the rider's track.
- Ride to fixed points, not by feel. A 10-meter volte has four clear touch points; consciously steer toward each of the four, rather than trying to "feel" the whole curve at once.
- Don't look inward. Looking toward the center of the volte naturally pulls the track toward it. Look toward the next touch point instead.
- The outside leg and rein control the size. The inside of the horse determines the bend; the outside determines whether the volte collapses inward or becomes too large.
The same precision applies to the arena figures added in higher classes, such as serpentines and shoulder-in. An overview of all the letters and figures is in the guide linked below.
Transitions not at the required point
Besides the timing at the letter (see above), transitions also often go wrong in the execution itself: the horse falls onto the forehand, speeds up instead of sitting through, or throws its head up when changing gait. That costs points both on the movement and on the general impression of the gaits and contact.
A transition that does score well comes from an active hindquarters carrying the tempo, not from braking or accelerating with the rein. Build the transition with seat and leg, and correct with the rein only where needed. Deliberately practice transitions within a gait too — collecting and extending within trot or canter — since those are forgotten more often than the transitions between gaits.
Loss of contact or tempo
A horse that comes above the bit during the test, dips behind the vertical, or loses tempo along the way usually shows it gradually, not in a single moment. That makes it hard to feel while riding, but easy to see on video afterward.
So film a full run-through of the test, not just individual movements. When reviewing it, pay specific attention to:
- Does the tempo stay consistent between the corners and the long sides, or does the horse lose energy the moment your attention shifts to the next figure?
- Does the contact stay consistent, or does the rein go slack as soon as a harder movement is coming up?
Both are signs that the basics — outline and tempo — aren't yet automatic enough to hold up alongside remembering the next movement. The fix then doesn't lie in the test itself, but in day-to-day training.
Too little collection in higher classes
What isn't yet asked for in the introductory class counts more heavily in class L and class M — mid-tier levels in the KNHS's class ladder, which runs from B up through L, M, Z, and ZZ. Broadly speaking, the test gets stricter on three points as you move up:
- From class B to class L, more transitions within the gait are added (collecting and extending), and the horse's self-carriage becomes more important — less steering, more a horse that maintains the outline on its own.
- From class L to class M, collection becomes a mark in its own right: the horse must visibly be able to take more weight onto its hindquarters, with shorter, higher steps rather than simply moving more slowly.
- Collection is not a synonym for slow. The most common mistake in class M is a horse that shortens by going less forward, instead of by stepping further underneath itself. That looks like collection but doesn't score as such.
For the exact requirements and scoring protocol per class: these sometimes change and differ per test. Consult knhs.nl for the current class structure and test sheets.
Looking down and forgetting the test
Two mistakes that have nothing to do with riding technique, but are still very common. Looking down — at the horse's head, at your own hands — disrupts your own balance and therefore the horse's, and is clearly visible to the judge. Looking ahead to the next letter not only keeps your lines straight, but corrects this automatically.
Forgetting the test is the other side of the same coin: too much attention on remembering the order, too little on the execution. A reader — where permitted — takes that pressure away. If there's no reader, it helps to practice the test in separate blocks in the weeks before, rather than always as a whole, so that the sequence no longer takes active effort on competition day itself.
In short
- Most lost points are small and recurring: precision at the letter, a calm halt, a round volte.
- Transitions are the most common source of errors, and the place with the best return for your training time.
- Film a full run-through to spot loss of contact or tempo — you often can't feel that from the saddle.
- Collection in higher classes means more weight on the hindquarters, not moving more slowly.
- Looking ahead solves two mistakes at once: looking down and forgetting the sequence.
See also: Preparing a Dressage Test and Scoring Higher · Riding Your First Dressage Test · Dressage Arena Letters and Figures · Level: First competitions