DPI uses the same terminology as the USEF, USDF, and FEI rulebooks. Where definitions diverge between federations, we note the difference inline.
Foundational concepts
- Movement
- The scored unit on a dressage scoresheet. Each test is a sequence of movements (e.g. medium trot, half-pass left). Not to be confused with "exercise" or "element".
- Directive
- The judging criteria printed next to each movement — what the judge is evaluating (e.g. "regularity, suppleness, bend").
- Collective marks
- Holistic scores given at the end of a test. USEF national tests award marks for Gaits, Impulsion, Submission, Rider Position/Seat, and Rider Aids. From 2026, FEI tests consolidate these into a single "Harmony" mark.
- Coefficient
- Multiplier applied to specific diagnostic movements. A coefficient-2 movement counts double, so an 8 there is worth 16 toward the test total. Coefficients vary by test level.
- Training Scale (Skala der Ausbildung)
- The German training pyramid: Rhythm → Suppleness → Contact → Impulsion → Straightness → Collection. Used by judges as a mental framework when scoring.
Competition structure
- Small Tour
- Prix St. Georges + Intermediate I — the introductory FEI level grouping.
- Big Tour
- Grand Prix + Grand Prix Special + Grand Prix Freestyle (Kür) — the championship FEI level grouping.
- Kür
- German for "freestyle" — a choreographed test ridden to music. Used interchangeably with "freestyle" in English.
- CDI
- Concours de Dressage International — an internationally sanctioned competition. Rated by stars: CDI3*, CDI4*, CDI5* in increasing prestige.
- Ground Jury
- The panel of judges at a competition. The C-position judge serves as President of the Ground Jury.
- Scribe
- Records judge scores and comments during the test. Scribes are not judges — they capture what the judge dictates.
Judge positions
- C
- Center of the short side opposite the entry. President of the Ground Jury sits at C.
- E, B
- Midpoints of the long sides, opposite each other.
- H, M
- Flanking the C judge on the same short side.
- F, K
- At the entry-end short side. Only present on 7-judge panels.
Qualification and advancement
- MER
- Minimum Eligibility Requirement — the score threshold a rider/horse pair must meet to qualify for a championship at a given level.
- GAIG
- Great American Insurance Group / USDF Regional Championships — the national qualifying ladder for adult amateur and open dressage.
- Error of course
- Wrong movement or sequence ridden. Penalised separately from "error of test" (a procedural test-rule violation).
- Festival of Champions
- The U.S. national championship event run by USEF/USDF for high-performance dressage levels.
Federations
- USEF
- United States Equestrian Federation — the U.S. national governing body for equestrian sport.
- USDF
- United States Dressage Federation — the affiliated educational and membership organization specifically for dressage.
- FEI
- Fédération Équestre Internationale — the international governing body for equestrian sport.
Looking for how scores get computed? Read the methodology page.