Is dressage a cruel sport?

Is dressage cruel to horses? Dressage done well is not cruel to horses. The point of dressage is to demonstrate harmony and trust between horse and rider, which is achieved using correct, gentle training.

Do horses actually enjoy dressage?

If done properly, horses shouldn’t hate dressage at all. Unfortunately, however, to some people dressage means getting the horse’s head down, whether that is by use of draw reins or sawing on the bit. Of course, if a horse is in discomfort during any activity, then he will come to dislike it.