Compulsory routines test the team's ability to perform required movements according to acceptable standards.

In the exciting freestyle, the routines get more complex, creating a "kaleidoscope effect" as horses interweave choreography and music in original patterns.

In each format, judges look for the teams to keep even spacing (from horse to horse), move and turn in synchrony and maintain alignment throughout the ride. In the freestyle competition, the team's artistic skill is showcased in the interpretation of the music and the creativity of their choreography.

Although quadrille as an equestrian pageant has been performed since the Baroque period (most notably at the Spanish Riding School), only in the last decade has it become a competitive sport in the United States.

The California Quadrille Association is the founding organization dedicated to educating riders about this growing and beautiful equestrian sport. The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) writes the national tests for quadrille and now offers an award system for registered teams (starting in competitive year 2000).