As defined by Britsh Dressage.

The standard dressage arena is marked using large printed letters placed at pre-designated intervals around the perimeter.

This allows the dressage rider or the dressage instructor during tests or lessons, to follow the correct path for that particular dressage test and lets the dressage rider and the dressage judge know when a particular movement or action should be performed.

The images, on the right, show the dressage arena letter layouts for a 20x40m arena (top) and a 20x60m arena (bottom).

The dressage judge is usually positioned at 'C'.

Arena sizes can vary slightly depending on the organisation hosting the dressage competition, but the british dressage standard size is usually 40 metres by 20 metres for prelim and novice tests and 20 metres by 60 metres for advanced novice and grand prix competitions.

However, there are some tests which use a larger arena, so ensure you check with the appropriate authority.

The images show the location of the letters that denote particular points in the dressage arena.

The letters in red show the lettering down the centre line.

There will always be physical markers around the perimeter of the arena, but there are no markers to identify G, I, X, L or D and the dressage rider must memorise the position of these to ensure movements are executed correctly and at the correct positions in the arena.