The 0-10 Scale and the Coefficient System: How FEI Dressage Scores are Calculated

On January 1, 2026, the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) fundamentally altered the final line of every international dressage score sheet. The governing body replaced the traditional "General Impression" collective mark with a new metric called "Harmony." This was not a cosmetic vocabulary update. It redefined the final multiplier on a rider's score, tying the ultimate double-weighted mark strictly to the "harmony, cooperation, lightness, effectiveness and sensitivity of the aids, as well as adherence to the Training Scale." The change finalized a long-term shift in how dressage is quantified, moving away from summary judgments and toward a rigid, movement-by-movement mathematical formula.[3][4]

To understand the stakes of a modern dressage test, one must look past the flowing choreography. A test is not judged as a single, continuous performance. Instead, it is sliced into dozens of specific, numbered movements. In the 2026 FEI Grand Prix, the pinnacle of the sport, a rider must execute exactly 33 distinct movements. Each of these movements is evaluated in isolation, creating a high-pressure environment where a single mistake in a transition or a pirouette immediately impacts the mathematical ceiling of the ride.[1][3]

The foundation of this evaluation is the 0-10 marking scale. Every judge on the panel awards a score for each movement, utilizing half-marks from 0.5 to 9.5 to provide granular feedback. The scale is strictly standardized across all FEI competitions. A mark of 10 represents "excellent," while a 0 means the movement was "not executed." The middle of the scale is where most competitive tests are decided: a 6 indicates the movement was "satisfactory" with visible faults, a 7 is "fairly good" and correct, and an 8 is genuinely "good."[1][3]

Because the scale is tied to these fixed verbal descriptors, a 7 from a judge in Aachen is designed to mean the exact same thing as a 7 from a judge in Wellington. Marks of 9 are uncommon even in elite international sport, and a perfect 10 on any single movement is rare enough to make headlines. This wide scale allows judges to differentiate between a merely correct execution and a brilliant one.[2][3]

However, not all movements carry the same weight on the score sheet. This is where the coefficient system dictates the strategy of a test. The FEI applies a coefficient of 2 to specific, high-degree-of-difficulty movements, effectively doubling their value. If a rider scores a 7 on a standard movement, it adds 7 points to their total. If they score a 7 on a coefficient movement, it adds 14 points.[1][3]

The placement of these coefficients reveals what the FEI considers the ultimate tests of a horse's training at any given level. At the lower levels, the free walk on a long rein often carries a coefficient, testing the horse's relaxation and suppleness. At the Grand Prix level, the coefficients are attached to the most demanding collection exercises: the piaffe, the passage, and the transitions between them.[2][3]

The mathematical impact of the coefficient system is massive. In the 33-movement Grand Prix test, 22 movements carry a standard weight of 1, while 11 movements carry a coefficient of 2. This means the 11 hardest movements are worth exactly as much as the other 22 combined. A rider cannot win a Grand Prix simply by being accurate on the basic geometry; they must excel in the specific exercises that define the level.[3][4]

After the final salute, the judge awards the collective mark. Historically, tests featured four collective marks covering gaits, impulsion, submission, and the rider's position. The FEI systematically reduced these to limit the ability of judges to adjust a score after the fact. As of 2026, the single "Harmony" mark is the only collective score remaining. Like the most difficult technical movements, the Harmony mark carries a coefficient of 2, making it worth up to 20 points.[3][4]

Once the test is complete, the points are tallied. For the Grand Prix, the 44 mark-slots (22 single-weight, 11 double-weight, plus the double-weight Harmony mark) create a maximum possible score of 460 points per judge. The rider's total points are divided by 460 and multiplied by 100 to generate a percentage. This percentage is the ultimate currency of the sport.[1][3]

In international competition, a score above 65 percent is considered highly competitive, meaning the rider averaged between a 6.5 and a 7 across the board. Breaking the 70 percent barrier indicates an excellent test, and the world's elite combinations push into the high 70s and low 80s. To ensure fairness and eliminate individual bias, major championships utilize panels of seven judges stationed at different letters around the arena (C, E, B, M, H, K, and F).[1][3]

Each judge calculates their own percentage based on their specific vantage point. The final score is the average of all seven percentages, published to three decimal places. This multi-judge averaging smooths out discrepancies—a judge at C might clearly see a horse swing its haunches in a halt, while a judge at E might have a blind spot for that specific error but a perfect view of the horse's frame.[2][3]

The mechanics shift slightly when dressage is used as the first phase of three-day eventing. In eventing, the goal is to finish with the lowest penalty score. Therefore, the dressage percentage is subtracted from 100 to create penalty points. A rider who scores 70 percent in the dressage arena carries 30 penalty points into the cross-country phase.[1][4]

By structuring the sport around strict 0-10 definitions, double-weighted coefficients, and multi-judge averaging, the FEI has built a system that quantifies the subjective art of riding. The score sheet is not merely a verdict; it is a detailed mathematical receipt of exactly how a horse and rider handled the pressure of the arena.[3][4]