The decision to create the group was made following a meeting of the FEI Dressage Committee and stakeholders in the sport at the governing body’s headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

While the exact composition of the group is yet to be established, the FEI have stated it will include representatives from the International Dressage Riders Club and the International Dressage Trainers Club, the FEI steward general, a veterinary expert and a representative of the Dressage Committee.

After the full make-up of the group is decided they will be tasked with examining training methods for dressage, with the aim that they will present their findings to the FEI Bureau for approval after a couple of months.

The meeting of the Dressage Committee was led by its chairman Frank Kemperman, while FEI President Ingmar De Vos was also present to welcome representatives from dressage stakeholder clubs and the European Equestrian Federation.

In addition to the decision to form the working group, discussions were also held over stewarding, including the monitoring of pre-competition training techniques and judging.

"This was a very constructive meeting,” said Kemperman.

“There was a lot of solid debate and interesting proposals about stewarding and judging.

“It was very good to reach agreement on the formation of a working group to review and, if necessary, revise Annex XIII of the Dressage Stewards Manual.”

Proposals for new competition formats and issues surrounding the education, support and respect for officials were among the areas discussed at length, with the debate set to continue with another Dressage Committee meeting this week.

Following the second meeting, proposals will then be put forward at the FEI General Assembly, which is due to take place in Puerto Rico from November 10 to 13.

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