dres·sage (drə-säzh', drě-) n. The guiding of a horse through a series of complex maneuvers by slight movements of the rider's hands, legs, and weight.
[French, preparation, training, dressage, from dresser, to set up, arrange, train, from Old French drecier, to set up, arrange; see dress.]
1936, from Fr., from dresser "to train, drill." M.E. had dress (v.) in the sense of "to train or break in" a horse or other animal (c.1400), but it died out.