New FEI Dressage Tests for 2027: What Changes and When They Start

FEI dressage tests 2027: what was announced

The FEI has published revised versions of its international dressage tests (the FEI dressage tests 2027), and they apply at all FEI events from January 1, 2027. US Equestrian announced on October 14, 2026, that the new tests are available. The full PDFs and a summary of the main changes to each test are posted on the FEI's site.

The timing matters. Under the FEI's LA28 dressage qualification system, January 1, 2027, is also the first day horse-and-rider combinations can earn their Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MER) for the Los Angeles Olympics. That means MER scores will be earned on the new tests.

One caveat. Horse2Rider, which covered the release on October 13, reports that the FEI lists the tests as valid from January 1, 2027, subject to approval by the 2026 FEI General Assembly. In practice, plan for the new tests, but watch for the General Assembly vote.

How the new FEI dressage tests were written

This wasn't a quick edit. According to US Equestrian, the FEI Dressage Test Writing Group spent 12 months reviewing the tests. The group then checked its proposed changes in a live test-riding evaluation, with real horses ridden through the drafts before anything was final.

The stated goals:

• Keep the tests aligned with the Object of Dressage, the FEI's description of a harmonious, willing, athletic horse.
• Add movements that better show suppleness, balance and self-carriage, so judges can see whether a horse is truly carrying itself and isn't just being held together.
• Keep difficulty progressing sensibly from one level to the next, in line with the dressage Scale of Training.

The stretching idea was being discussed well before the release. In June 2026, Eurodressage reported on a board meeting of the International Dressage Riders Club. It said proposed Grand Prix test adaptations tried at Warendorf, Germany, were generally well received, and that piaffes improved after a stretching exercise was added within the test.

The FEI dressage test changes we can confirm

We couldn't open the FEI's level-by-level summary PDF ourselves, so we're only reporting test-specific changes that published coverage describes. The details differ from test to test. There isn't one stretch rule for every test.

• Grand Prix: Dressprod reports a new 20 m circle in trot where the rider lets the horse stretch on a long rein before taking the contact back. The test now has 34 movements.
• Prix St Georges: Dressprod reports a stretching half-circle in trot, with a coefficient of 2.
• Grand Prix Special: Dressprod reports a new give and retake of the reins for three to four strides in collected canter.
• Young Horses: In the 7-year-old Final, the trot half-passes now carry a coefficient of 2, per Dressprod.

For exactly where the stretch comes in your test, and whether it's sitting or rising trot, check the FEI summary and the test sheet itself.

A stretch circle asks the horse to follow the rider's hand forward and down while keeping the same rhythm and balance. Then the rider takes the contact back. Judges see quickly whether the horse is relaxed and through or tense and held in a frame.

If you ride a specific test, such as the Prix St Georges test for 2027, download the new PDF and the FEI summary and compare them line by line with your current test. Don't rely on what you heard at the barn.

What a dressage test is (and the Scale of Training)

A dressage test is a fixed sequence of movements ridden in a 20 x 60 m arena marked with letters. Each movement gets a score from 0 to 10 from each judge, and some movements carry a coefficient (they count double). FEI tests end with a single collective mark. Since January 1, 2026, it has been called Harmony (it replaced "General Impression") and covers cooperation, lightness, effective and sensitive aids, and adherence to the Scale of Training. The final score is a percentage. For a deeper look, see our explainer on how dressage is scored.

Tests are built on the Scale of Training, the classic six-step ladder:

1. Rhythm: regular, even steps in every gait
2. Suppleness: a relaxed, swinging back
3. Contact: a steady, elastic connection to the bit
4. Impulsion: energy from the hind legs
5. Straightness: hind feet following the front feet
6. Collection: more weight on the hindquarters, lighter in front

A stretch circle checks the first three steps directly, so it makes sense even at the top levels.

How FEI dressage levels progress

FEI tests run from youth classes to the Olympic level. Here's the path most riders follow:

The Medium Tour changes the most. Through 2026, CDI2* uses Intermediate A and B. The FEI's list of tests valid from January 1, 2027, puts Intermediate II A, Intermediate II B, Intermediate II Freestyle and a new Grand Prix A at CDI2*, and it has no 2027 edition of Intermediate A or B. There are also FEI Pony and Young Horse tests and Grand Prix Special and Freestyle formats. Check the FEI test list for the exact tests at your level. If you're new to the sport, start with our disciplines guide.

How riders practice a new test

A new test means relearning a sequence your body already knows. Here's a practical plan for the winter:

1. Download and print the 2027 test plus the FEI summary of changes.
2. Highlight what's different, including movement order, transitions, coefficients and the new stretch circle.
3. Walk it on foot in an arena, or trace it on paper with a pencil, until you can say it out loud.
4. Ride it in pieces, not top to bottom every day. Drilling the full test teaches horses to anticipate.
5. Practice the stretch on its own: forward and down, same tempo, then a smooth retake of the contact.
6. Video a full run-through with your trainer, and score yourself honestly.
7. Check your show schedule: an FEI show in December 2026 still uses the old tests.

For show-day logistics, our show prep guide covers packing, warm-up and turnout.

Where to download FEI dressage tests (and national tests)

FEI tests: The official PDFs are free on the FEI's dressage tests page at inside.fei.org. Look for the heading for tests valid from January 1, 2027, plus the summary of changes. The USDF tests page also points riders to the FEI site for Prix St Georges, Intermediate I and II and Grand Prix.

National tests are separate. The FEI change doesn't automatically change your national tests:

• United States: USDF lists new 2027 national tests effective December 1, 2026, through November 30, 2030, on a different date from the FEI tests.
• Spain: The RFHE runs its own national competitions and rules. Check its dressage section for the tests used at national shows.
• Mexico: The Federación Ecuestre Mexicana (FEM) sets national dressage rules. Ask your club or the FEM which tests apply.

What to watch next

• The 2026 FEI General Assembly vote, since the tests are reported as subject to its approval.
• Any corrections the FEI posts to the PDFs before January 1.
• The first CDI shows of 2027, where judges and riders get their first look at the new tests in competition.
• LA28 MER scores once the MER window opens on January 1.

Want to see top-level tests in action first? Catch up on Dressage at Devon 2026, and read our preview of the upcoming Madrid Horse Week 2026 (Nov. 26-29), which hosts a Dressage World Cup leg.