Dressage Day Kentucky

After we walked around a bit to get our bearings, we sat in assigned seats for a day of dressage, 3-Day Event style. An interesting test, with extensions, half passes in the trot work, flying changes, counter canters and specific transitions in the canter work. Some horses were very good... others not so. We had terrific seats, right in front of an area where the riders had to halt in the canter serpentine (with counter canters and flying change leads) - then do a rein back, then proceed in a canter. Some were super smooth and beautiful... some bucking, some rearing, some launching! Remember, event horses are super fit, so not always real obedient!Becky Holder riding her new horse, Can't Fire Me. Becky won previously with her Courageous Comet (who is now retired), so she had the home town crowd rooting for her.

Boyd Martin riding his Trading Aces. Another American that had the crowd with them. Notice the jumbotron... it immediately displays the score for the movement they just did and next to it, the score to beat! Pretty high tech - and fun to watch!

Buck Davidson rode 3 horses! Imagine the endurance that man has, to do 3 cross-country runs in one day at this level. This one's Park Trader.

And Great Britian competitor, William Fox-Pitt on Seacookie had a lovely dressage test. And up for the Grand Slam competition.