How is a dressage test scored?

A dressage test is scored through individual marks assigned to each movement or collective mark category in the test, with each movement scored on a scale from zero to ten by the judge or judges presiding at the competition. A score of ten represents an excellent movement, nine is very good, eight is good, seven is fairly good, six is satisfactory, five is sufficient, four is insufficient, three is fairly bad, two is bad, one is very bad, and zero is not executed. Each movement in the test has a coefficient — a multiplier applied to its score — that reflects its relative importance to the test's overall assessment, with key movements typically carrying a coefficient of two that doubles their contribution to the total score. In addition to the individual movement scores, most dressage tests include collective marks that assess the horse's overall gaits, impulsion, submission, and the rider's position and use of aids — qualities that are evaluated across the entire test rather than in specific moments. At competitions with multiple judges — typically three or five judges at larger events, positioned at different points around the arena to observe movements from different angles — each judge scores independently and the scores are averaged to produce the final result. The total score is calculated by adding all individual movement scores multiplied by their coefficients plus the collective marks, and dividing by the maximum possible score to produce a percentage — with scores above seventy percent generally considered competitive and scores above eighty percent representing exceptional performance at any level.