RADIATOR DRESSAGE
GUIDELINES
Last update: August 21, 2026.
DRESSAGE
Rider Apparel
The rider may want to wear pants and a short sleeved shirt, though pants may be replaced with shorts. Long hair should be restrained with a high ponytail or a low bun. Hair must be out of the rider’s face for maximum focus, though if you have something like bangs, etc., those would be fine.
Horse Apparel
Horses must have proper tack. is means you must use a bridle. e type does not matter, however, double bridles are most preferred. Not having one will not aect your score positively or negatively.
e dressage horse’s mane must be plaited, or braided (although plaits are preferred). e mane may be decorated.
Blinders, martingales, breastplates, earnets, y masks, etc. are banned.
Faults
(Does not apply to freestyles)
*First Error: +2 faults
*Second Error: +4 faults
*Third Error: Elimination
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(Applies to tests and freestyles)
*Banned Tack: Elimination
*Noticeably Broken Tack: Elimination
Levels
Preliminary - working walk, working trot, working canter; tempo changes; backing up. Simple turns and circles.
Novice - preliminary movements; new gaits include medium walk to canter; leg yield; transitions to canter from the walk and from trotting to backing up.
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Elementary - extended walk, trot, canter; shoulder-in; half-pass; haunches-in for walk; counter-canter; turning to forehand as well as haunches; transitions from/to collected gait to/from extended gaits (i.e., from collected walk, to extended walk; from extended trot to collected canter)
Medium Advanced - all previously mentioned movements; shoulder-ins, haunches-in, half passes all in trot and canter; collected walk, trot, canter; simple flying changes.
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Advanced - working gaits are no longer a requirement in any level that is Advanced or higher. Two reins/ a double bridle must be used. New movements include canter half-pirouette, walk pirouette, and three tempi flying changes.
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Prix St. Georges - two tempi flying changes, whole canter pirouette on top of all previously mentioned requirements.
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Intermediare I + II - same requirements for I + II, except that I requires less stamina. New movements for both levels include a minimum of 5 one-tempi flying changes; passage, 7-8 consecutive steps of piaffe, piaffe pirouette; zig-zag half passes in walk, trot and canter; and difficult transitions (i.e., piaffe to extended canter).
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Grand Prix - all requirements listed before; new movements include: 12 consecutive steps in piaffe; double pirouettes in canter; double pirouette in piaffe; a minimum of 9 one-tempi changes.
Video/Technology Requirements
ALL videos shot for HHIEA (ads for live show sessions, competition entries, etc.) must be shot in landscape
mode. Videos submitted that are lmed portrait mode will not be accepted unless previous arrangements were made. Landscape mode is long side down.
Videos should be shot with the back camera, and not front camera, for higher quality. Low-level competitions (H001 - H101, J001, J101, D001 - D002) may be filmed by another person and shaky videos may be accepted as long as they are easy enough to see. However, for any events higher than the levels listed above, we recommend putting your camera on a still surface (a tripod is a perfect tool), or person recording must be able to stay pretty still. Shaky videos will not be accepted. e camera may not be placed on the ground/ at ground level.
For Dressage, the camera must always be on the letter C so the judge sees A on the opposite side.
Submission Methods
Videos may be refused through Instagram chats. For better quality, videos should be transferred using e-mail, Google Drive, or WeTransfer. Always use the email hhieventing@gmail.com for submitting videos. Submitting to YouTube as an unlisted video and private messaging the URL to the official HHIEA page is acceptable as well.