If you are not from the horse world, it is possible that you have never heard of dressage horseback riding. Even if you have, you, understandably, probably don't know what it is. Honestly, I have been riding for years and I didn't know more than a few things about dressage before I began Introduction to Dressage.

I'm really not sure how more accurately to describe it than Mica Mabragana, a United States Dressage Federation instructor, does. She says that "[d]ressage is an art," which may seem clichéd, but it is a cliché for a reason. There is something extremely artful not just about positioning while in the ring, but also in the relationship with the horse. I promise you I'm not a all about mind, body, and soul in regular life. In truth, sometimes I think people who talk that way are a little too spiritual for me. Riding is my exception.

As most riders will agree, it is a team sport, you and your horse. That being said, if you ride at certain shows, you may be put on a horse you don't know with minimal prep-time so building a relationship isn't always possible. It is without a doubt an amazing skill to be able to ride whatever horse you are put on, and I've ridden with and watched some of my teammates and fellow riders do it with ease.

Dressage is typically a sport with just you and the horse, but more recently a program, based off of a template by a Mount Holyoke alum – Michelle Hoffman – the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA), has made dressage a team sport like Hunt Seat riding.

This dynamic provides for moral support, more friends in the horse world, people to look to for help, people to borrow showing clothes from (they are really expensive!) and people to learn from. When you are in the ring competing, it may just be you and your horse. But your team and coach are standing by with advice and congratulations. While we "dance" (my mom's way of describing dressage) around the ring, we are doing a million things and trying to remember everything we have been taught, and, of course, trying to make it all look effortless.

So yes, "looking pretty" is part of the sport, but remember that dressage is a sport and there is quite a bit of work that goes into the image each rider portrays. My coach recently reminded me that it isn't easy to be a great rider or even a good rider, it takes practice, time, and work which is easy to forget when you watch your fellow riders make it look like they were born riding. If you ever get the chance to see a dressage show or, even better, the chance to try dressage, you should take it because you can learn a lot from it.