The assessment of dressage tests within equine competition is undertaken via a judge (or panel of up to three judges at the higher levels of the sport). Judges assess and award marks for a series of pre-determined movements; such marks are given in line with criteria laid down by relevant governing equestrian organisations. Additionally, judges undergo training and assessment designed to enable them to adhere to the required guidelines as closely as possible. The equestrian sport of eventing is a three phased sport consisting of the completion of a dressage test, speed and endurance test (cross country) and round of show jumps. The speed and endurance phase is considered the most important and influential phase of competition; the sport's governing body, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), describe it as the ‘major test’ (FEI). Various authors (Duell and Russek-Cohen, 1995; Whitaker et al, 2004; Whitaker and Hill, 2005) have demonstrated that the dressage phase contributes to the largest percentage of penalty points within the overall final penalty score from all the phases of competition.