What do the letters in dressage stand for?

Question

What do the letters in dressage stand for?

Answer 1

Let me know when you find out. I've been doing dressage for 25 years and I still don't know. Not sure they stand for anything...

Answer 2

what it stands for?? dressage is a word!

Answer 3

This is one theory of where the letters used in the Dressage ring come from:

The letters come from the markers around the old Imperial German Palace stables courtyard which doubled up as a schooling arena as it was so huge.  (This was most likely the Prussian Royal Court originally, as prior to Bismark's Unification of Germany, (19thC), Germany did not exist as one single nation, but as a group of more or less allied German-speaking kingdoms, principalities, palatinates etc etc. These separate nations now exist as the States of the federation, and are reflected in the individual 'state studbooks' of the German warmblood horses.)  

Around the Palace stable courtyard were markers where the grooms would wait with the mount for the individual in the Imperial retinue, prior to the 'grand imperial hack'!

K Kaiser/Konig = Emperor/KIng

F Furst = prince

V Vassal = servant/squire/equerry

P Pferdknecht/Ostler = groom

E Edeling/Ehrengast = Guest of honor

B Bannertrager = standard bearer

S Schatzkanzler = chancellor of the exchequer

R Ritter = knight

H Hofmarschall = lord chancellor

M Meier(Meister?) = steward

A Ausgang = exit

Answer 4

they stand for

All

King

Edwards

Horses

Can

Make

Big

Fences

Hope this is what you meant?? !!

Answer 5

A good question - no one seems to know

Answer 6

The Story Behind the Dressage Letters – Two Possible Explanations-FEI

Letters were not used until international competitions began with the Olympics in the 1900’s. The first competition in 1912 did not have letters. No Olympics were held in 1916 because of Word War I. The letters just “appeared” in the 1920 Olympics and no one has ever been able to find the origin although various theories have been advanced over the years, including one theory that the letters were the first letter of the names of the cities conquered by the Romans.

A second possibility is it appears that in the Old Imperial German Court the walls of the Royal Mews/Stable yard were initially marked with letters indicating where each Courtier and/or riders horse was to be stood to await its rider.

K – Kaiser/King

F – Furst/Prince

P – Pferdknecht/Ostler

V – Vassal

E – Edeling/Ehrengast/Guest of Honor

B – Bannertrager/Standard Bearer

S – Schzkanzier/Chancellor of Exchequer

R – Ritter/Knight

M – Meier/Steward

H – Hofsmarshall/Lord Chancellor

In the 1920 Olympics, the letters on the centerline were also used: A, D, L, X, I, G and C. You can also remember the basic ones by this phrase = “Attention - King Edward’s Horses Can Make Big Fences.”