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The US Dressage Level System: Introductory to Fourth Level

By the Dressage Wiki Editorial Board · Updated 9 July 2026

Contents
  1. The US ladder at a glance
  2. The four-year test cycle
  3. What each level asks of the horse
  4. The USDF rider medals
  5. Conduct within the tests
  6. Developing horse and young horse programs
  7. Freestyles
  8. Reading a US record in a sale advert
  9. Sources

The US dressage levels run from Introductory through Training, First, Second, Third and Fourth Level, after which the international FEI levels begin at Prix St Georges. The walk-trot Introductory tests are written by the United States Dressage Federation (USDF); the Training through Fourth Level tests are written jointly with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) and carry the USEF name. Unlike the European systems, the American ladder has no licensing or points gate: a combination may enter any national level it chooses.

The US ladder at a glance

LevelTestsPurpose (per the published test objectives)
IntroductoryA, B, CIntroduce horse and rider to the sport; steady tempo, elastic contact, correct figures
Training1, 2, 3Confirm suppleness, free forward movement, clear rhythm, acceptance of the bit
First1, 2, 3Add thrust for improved balance and throughness, more consistent contact
Second1, 2, 3Begin collection: weight onto the hindquarters, uphill tendency, reliably on the bit
Third1, 2, 3Confirm collection; half-pass, extended paces and flying changes
Fourth1, 2, 3Consistent self-carriage and lightness; tempi changes and working pirouettes

Each level from Training upward contains three numbered tests of increasing difficulty within the level, and each test sheet states the level’s purpose and the movements newly introduced. Introductory and Training Level tests may be ridden in the 20 × 40 m arena; from First Level the full 20 × 60 m arena is required.

The four-year test cycle

The tests are rewritten on a four-year cycle. The current edition is the 2023 tests, effective from 1 December 2022 through 30 November 2026, after which the next cycle takes effect. The cycle matters when reading older score records: a Third Level score from 2021 was earned on a different test than one from 2024, though the level’s purpose statement remains the anchor across editions.

What each level asks of the horse

The Introductory Level tests, designated A, B and C, are simple walk-trot and walk-trot-canter patterns built on large circles and basic transitions, written for horses and riders new to competition. Training Level confirms the basics: free forward movement in a steady rhythm, 20-metre circles and acceptance of the contact. First Level adds lengthenings, leg-yield and smaller circles, asking for the thrust that improves balance. Second Level is the threshold of collection: the trot and canter work becomes collected, and shoulder-in, travers, rein-back, simple changes and counter-canter enter the tests. Third Level confirms the collection with half-pass in trot and canter, extended paces and the single flying change. Fourth Level, the final national level, adds sequential flying changes (fours and threes), working canter pirouettes and a medium degree of difficulty overall, one step below Prix St Georges.

Because there is no gate between levels, USEF competition rules manage welfare and fairness through horse-side restrictions instead: horses must be at least 36 months old to compete, at least six years old for Fourth Level (and the FEI Children, Pony and Junior tests), seven for Prix St Georges and Intermediate I, and eight above Intermediate I. A horse may enter no more than two consecutive levels at one competition, and rides per day are capped above Fourth Level.

The USDF rider medals

The USDF’s bronze, silver and gold rider medals, awarded since 1974, are the system’s cumulative record of a rider’s progression. The bronze medal requires two scores of 60% or higher at each of First, Second and Third Level (six scores, each level’s pair from two different judges and two different rides); the silver requires two such scores at Fourth Level and two at Prix St Georges; the gold requires two at Intermediaire (I, A, B or II) and two at Grand Prix. Scores never expire, may be earned on different horses, and the medals may be earned in any order; riders track their progress through the same public score database that records competition results. Since 2022, parallel medals “with distinction” require 67% instead of 60%.

The medals function as the American counterpart to the European licensing and points systems: where a German rider’s Leistungsklasse or a Dutch combination’s winstpunten certify a pathway, a US professional’s “USDF gold medalist” credential certifies scores of 60% and above from First Level through Grand Prix.

Below the medals, Rider Performance Awards exist at Training, First and Second Level, each requiring four scores of 60% or higher from four different judges and four different rides at two or more competitions. Like the medals, they are cumulative and never expire, and Second Level performance-award scores may also be applied toward the bronze medal.

Conduct within the tests

The test sheets themselves fix several conduct rules. At Training Level, all trot work may be ridden sitting or rising unless the test states otherwise, and halts may be ridden through the walk; the allowances narrow as the levels rise. A reader may call the test at national shows, reading only the words on the sheet. Every test ends with leaving the arena at A in a free walk.

Developing horse and young horse programs

Alongside the open levels, USEF runs age-restricted tests for horses being produced toward FEI sport: young horse classes for four-, five- and six-year-olds, the Developing Horse Prix St Georges for seven- to nine-year-olds and the Developing Horse Grand Prix for eight- to ten-year-olds. These programs identify horses on an accelerated FEI trajectory, and an American sale advert quoting “Developing PSG” signals both the horse’s level and its age bracket.

Freestyles

Freestyle tests to music exist from Training through Fourth Level under a framework published by the USDF, which defines the compulsory elements and the judging methodology at each level. As in the other national systems, freestyle results demonstrate the level’s movements under choreographed conditions; level progression itself is documented through the standard tests.

Reading a US record in a sale advert

American adverts quote levels directly: “confirmed Third Level,” “schooling Fourth,” “scores to 68% at Second.” Because the US system has no promotion gate, such claims document what was ridden and scored rather than a certified qualification pathway, and the USDF’s centralized score records are the checkable core: results from recognized shows are registered and searchable through the federation’s public score database, while “schooling” claims rest on the seller’s description. For horses marketed toward American buyers from Europe, the equivalences in the level equivalence chart translate the record, and the practical import route is covered in the guide to importing a horse to the United States.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What are the USDF levels in order? Introductory, Training, First, Second, Third and Fourth Level, followed by the FEI levels beginning at Prix St Georges. Each level from Training up contains three numbered tests.

What is the difference between USDF and USEF tests? The Introductory Level tests are written by the USDF; the Training through Fourth Level tests are written jointly and issued as USEF tests. USEF is the national governing body whose rules govern licensed competitions; USDF administers awards, education and score records.

At what level do flying changes come in under the US system? The single flying change enters at Third Level. Sequential (tempi) changes in fours and threes appear at Fourth Level, and the FEI small tour adds three- and two-time changes.

What is required for a USDF bronze medal? Six scores of 60% or higher: two each at First, Second and Third Level, with each level’s scores from two different judges and two different rides. Scores never expire and may be earned on more than one horse.

When do the US dressage tests change? On a four-year cycle. The 2023 tests are effective from 1 December 2022 through 30 November 2026; the next edition takes effect on 1 December 2026.