USDF freestyles from Training to Fourth Level allow up to 5 minutes with no minimum; FEI Intermediate I allows 4:30 to 5:00 and Grand Prix 5:30 to 6:00; British Dressage Novice allows 4:00 to 5:00. Every level, its compulsory movements and its sources are below. Reference only. Confirm against the current rulebook and test sheet before you ride.
Last updated 19 October 2026. Every source checked 19 October 2026.
USDF freestyles
Training Level Freestyle
Time
up to 5:00
Compulsory movements
10
Timing starts when the horse moves forward after the opening halt and ends at the final halt and salute (USEF rule DR129).
Over time: Movements after 5:00 are not scored, and there is a deduction from the artistic total: 1 point on the 2023 sheets (in force until 30 November 2026), 0.5 percent on the 2027 sheets (from 1 December 2026).
2023 sheet in force until 30 November 2026; 2027 sheet from 1 December 2026. The compulsory elements are the same on both.
Compulsory movements
Medium walk (20 m continuous)
Free walk (20 m continuous)
20 m circle right in working trot
20 m circle left in working trot
Serpentine in working trot, two or more changes of direction, loops no smaller than 15 m
Stretch forward and downward on a 20 m trot circle in rising trot
20 m circle right in working canter
20 m circle left in working canter
All transitions between gaits (halts not included)
Halt with salute on centerline facing C, first and final
Not allowed
Any movement or transition found only in tests above the level. Exceptions are listed under Additionally Allowed.
Timing starts when the horse moves forward after the opening halt and ends at the final halt and salute (USEF rule DR129).
Over time: Movements after 5:00 are not scored, and there is a deduction from the artistic total: 1 point on the 2023 sheets (in force until 30 November 2026), 0.5 percent on the 2027 sheets (from 1 December 2026).
2023 sheet in force until 30 November 2026; 2027 sheet from 1 December 2026. The compulsory elements are the same on both.
Compulsory movements
Medium walk (20 m continuous)
Free walk (20 m continuous)
10 m circle right in working trot
10 m circle left in working trot
Leg-yield right in working trot
Leg-yield left in working trot
Lengthen stride in trot on a straight line
15 m circle right in working canter
15 m circle left in working canter
Change of lead through trot, right
Change of lead through trot, left
Lengthen stride in canter on a straight line
Halt with salute on centerline, first and final
Not allowed
Any movement or transition found only in tests above the level. Exceptions are listed under Additionally Allowed.
Timing starts when the horse moves forward after the opening halt and ends at the final halt and salute (USEF rule DR129).
Over time: Movements after 5:00 are not scored, and there is a deduction from the artistic total: 1 point on the 2023 sheets (in force until 30 November 2026), 0.5 percent on the 2027 sheets (from 1 December 2026).
2023 sheet in force until 30 November 2026; 2027 sheet from 1 December 2026. The compulsory elements are the same on both.
Compulsory movements
Medium walk (20 m continuous)
Free walk (20 m continuous)
Shoulder-in right in collected trot (12 m min)
Shoulder-in left in collected trot (12 m min)
Travers right in collected trot (12 m min)
Travers left in collected trot (12 m min)
Medium trot on straight line
Transitions in and out of medium trot
Simple change of lead, right
Simple change of lead, left
Counter-canter in collected canter, right
Counter-canter in collected canter, left
Medium canter on straight line
Transitions in and out of the medium canter
Halt with salute on centerline, first and final
Not allowed
Any movement or transition found only in tests above the level. Exceptions are listed under Additionally Allowed.
Timing starts when the horse moves forward after the opening halt and ends at the final halt and salute (USEF rule DR129).
Over time: Movements after 5:00 are not scored, and there is a deduction from the artistic total: 1 point on the 2023 sheets (in force until 30 November 2026), 0.5 percent on the 2027 sheets (from 1 December 2026).
2023 sheet in force until 30 November 2026; 2027 sheet from 1 December 2026. The compulsory elements are the same on both.
Compulsory movements
Medium walk (20 m continuous)
Extended walk (20 m continuous)
Shoulder-in right in collected trot (12 m min)
Shoulder-in left in collected trot (12 m min)
Trot half-pass right in collected trot
Trot half-pass left in collected trot
Extended trot on straight line
Canter half-pass right in collected canter
Canter half-pass left in collected canter
Flying change of lead, right
Flying change of lead, left
Extended canter on straight line
Halt with salute on centerline, first and final
Not allowed
Any movement or transition found only in tests above the level. Exceptions are listed under Additionally Allowed.
Timing starts when the horse moves forward after the opening halt and ends at the final halt and salute (USEF rule DR129).
Over time: Movements after 5:00 are not scored, and there is a deduction from the artistic total: 1 point on the 2023 sheets (in force until 30 November 2026), 0.5 percent on the 2027 sheets (from 1 December 2026).
2023 sheet in force until 30 November 2026; 2027 sheet from 1 December 2026. The compulsory elements are the same on both.
Compulsory movements
Collected walk (20 m continuous)
Extended walk (20 m continuous)
Shoulder-in right in collected trot (12 m min)
Shoulder-in left in collected trot (12 m min)
Trot half-pass right in collected trot
Trot half-pass left in collected trot
Extended trot on straight line
Canter half-pass right in collected canter
Canter half-pass left in collected canter
Flying changes every 4th stride (min. 3)
Flying changes every 3rd stride (min. 3)
Canter working half-pirouette right
Canter working half-pirouette left
Extended canter on straight line
Halt with salute on centerline, first and final
Not allowed
Any movement or transition found only in tests above the level. Exceptions are listed under Additionally Allowed.
Timing starts when the horse moves forward after the opening halt and stops with the final salute (FEI Dressage Rules 2026, Article 419).
Over time: Over 5:00 or under 4:30: 0.5 percent off the total artistic score.
2022 update, listed again for 2027.
Compulsory movements
Collected walk (minimum 20 m)
Extended walk (minimum 20 m)
Shoulder-in right, collected trot (minimum 12 m)
Shoulder-in left, collected trot (minimum 12 m)
Half-pass right, collected trot
Half-pass left, collected trot
Extended trot
Half-pass right, collected canter
Half-pass left, collected canter
Extended canter
Flying changes every third stride (minimum 5 times consecutively)
Flying changes every second stride (minimum 5 times consecutively)
Single pirouette in canter right
Single pirouette in canter left
The entrance and halts at the beginning and the end of the test
Not allowed
No forbidden list on the sheet. FEI Judging Manual examples of higher-class movements for Intermediate I: flying changes shown as one-tempi changes, piaffe, passage.
Clearly more than a full (360 degree) pirouette in canter is treated as exceeding requirements (mark below 5).
Timing runs from the move off after the first halt to the final halt (British Dressage Guidelines for Dressage to Music).
Over time: The penalty for time could not be confirmed from a public source; check the current British Dressage rulebook.
From the British Dressage Guidelines for Dressage to Music, revised November 2025. The test sheets themselves are sold separately and were not checked; their order may differ.
Compulsory movements
Medium walk (minimum 20 m consecutive)
Free walk on a long rein (minimum 20 m consecutive)
Working trot left, including 15 m circle
Working trot right, including 15 m circle
Show some medium trot strides
Working canter left, including 20 m circle
Working canter right, including 20 m circle
Show some medium canter strides
Entry and halt at the beginning and the halt at the end
Not allowed
Lateral work of any sort
Simple changes
Canter to halt
Flying changes
Walk pirouettes / half pirouettes
Canter pirouettes / half pirouettes
Piaffe
Passage
Reins in one hand
Any other movement in standard tests above Novice level
Timing runs from the move off after the first halt to the final halt (British Dressage Guidelines for Dressage to Music).
Over time: The penalty for time could not be confirmed from a public source; check the current British Dressage rulebook.
From the British Dressage Guidelines for Dressage to Music, revised November 2025. The test sheets themselves are sold separately and were not checked; their order may differ.
Compulsory movements
Medium walk (minimum 20 m consecutive)
Free walk on a long rein (minimum 20 m consecutive)
Collected trot left, including 10 m circle
Collected trot right, including 10 m circle
Medium trot
Leg yield left in trot
Leg yield right in trot
Collected canter left, including 15 m circle
Collected canter right, including 15 m circle
Medium canter
Simple change left to right
Simple change right to left
Entry and halt at the beginning and the halt at the end
Not allowed
Flying changes
Walk pirouettes of more than 180 degrees
Canter pirouettes / half pirouettes
Piaffe
Reins in one hand
All lateral work other than shoulder-in and leg yield
Any other movements in standard tests above Elementary level
Timing runs from the move off after the first halt to the final halt (British Dressage Guidelines for Dressage to Music).
Over time: The penalty for time could not be confirmed from a public source; check the current British Dressage rulebook.
From the British Dressage Guidelines for Dressage to Music, revised November 2025. The test sheets themselves are sold separately and were not checked; their order may differ.
Compulsory movements
Collected walk (minimum 20 m consecutive)
Extended walk (minimum 20 m consecutive)
Collected trot
Medium trot
Shoulder-in left in collected trot
Shoulder-in right in collected trot
Half-pass left in collected trot
Half-pass right in collected trot
Collected canter
Medium canter
Half-pass left in collected canter
Half-pass right in collected canter
Simple change left to right
Simple change right to left
Entry and halt at the beginning and halt at the end
Not allowed
Flying changes
Walk pirouettes of more than 180 degrees
Canter pirouettes / half pirouettes
Piaffe
Passage
Any other movements in standard tests above Medium level
Timing runs from the move off after the first halt to the final halt (British Dressage Guidelines for Dressage to Music).
Over time: The penalty for time could not be confirmed from a public source; check the current British Dressage rulebook.
From the British Dressage Guidelines for Dressage to Music, revised November 2025. The test sheets themselves are sold separately and were not checked; their order may differ.
Compulsory movements
Collected walk (minimum 20 m consecutive)
Extended walk (minimum 20 m consecutive)
Collected trot
Extended trot
Shoulder-in right in collected trot
Shoulder-in left in collected trot
Half-pass right in collected trot
Half-pass left in collected trot
Collected canter
Medium canter
Half-pass right in collected canter
Half-pass left in collected canter
One or more single flying changes left to right
One or more single flying changes right to left
Entry and halt at the beginning and halt at the end
Not allowed
Sequence changes of four times or fewer
Walk pirouettes of more than 180 degrees
Canter pirouettes / half pirouettes
Piaffe
Passage
Any other movement in standard tests above Advanced Medium level
Choose your level in the builder and it checks the ridden time against the limit and gives you these movements as a checklist that prints on the cue sheet. How the ridden time is measured is on how the tempo and the stretch work.