The equestrian competition known as the three-day event opens with a discipline that can be grueling for the fans. Dressage is devoted to beautiful lines and perfect riding. But to spectators, it can look like it's devoted to repetition. Each competitor rides the same test, so if you sit through both days of dressage you could see the same thing 75 times.
Dressage tests the gaits and obedience of a horse and is graceful and elegant, if extremely subtle.
If you know what to look for, devotees say, no two rides are alike. Catching the minor mistakes that make the difference between a so-so ride and a spectacular one can be tough. But before your mind glazes over, your eyes might become educated enough to notice those differences. Expert commentary can be heard through rented headsets, while they last. Riders must keep energetic and excited horses calm and controlled.