Free for spectators.

Produced by CARA: Central Arizona Riding Academy is a family-friendly dressage training and boarding facility located in San Tan Valley, Arizona. Owned by Ulrich Schmitz and Dorie Vlatten-Schmitz, CARA provides training for the horse and rider from beginner through Grand Prix. Whether you are new to dressage or an FEI rider, our instructors are qualified to help you reach your riding goals.

The actual word "dressage" is French and evolved from the verb dresseur meaning to train. Dressage is an Olympic discipline, enjoying great international popularity internationally.  The addition of the musical freestyle to the required rides performed to win an individual medal has increased audience interest.  In a dressage test, horse and rider are judged on how well they can perform a series of prescribed movements.  The degree of difficulty increases from the Training (beginner) to Fourth Level, USA National levels to the FEI (Federal Equestrian International) levels, which are the same tests performed in every nation worldwide.  Most tests are performed in a 20 x 60 meter ring (approximately 66' x 198'); a shorter ring is sometimes used.  The tests have separate movements that flow together and each movement is scored from 0 to 10:  10 means excellent, 5 means sufficient and 0 means the movement was not performed.  Excellence is achievable, perfection is not a consideration.  There are also four "general impression" scores given for each ride.  The total points given are added and then divided by the total possible scores to give a percentage, thus 50% is considered "sufficient".  Not all horses are able to learn and perform all the movements of the Grand Prix (the highest FEI test) just as all jumping horses are not able to jump high enough to perform the jumping Grand Prix; and all riders do not wish to ride those higher tests.