I have begun my crash course in combined driving and I must say I’m enjoying it more than I anticipated. So far we have had the carriage presentation and one session of dressage and I’m finding all the technicalities and attention to detail rather interesting. Fun fact: it takes an average of 10 hours to prepare a carriage and harness for presentation. 10 hours! No more complaining about the 10 minute take cleaning job you do once a week. It’s going to be a very intense competition with the best drivers in the world competing, including defending team and individual medalists from the 2006 Games. Driving is the last discipline to begin here at the Games and it’s a little bittersweet, but I’ll be ready to take a comma when it’s over.

Yesterday can be summed up by saying “it’s a horse show.” Not everything can or will go perfect every day, especially with horses. The day started out on a disappointing note when David Saunders was forced to withdraw from the competition at the Driving Horse Inspection due to two of his horses being spun. I can’t imagine how crushing it would be to get all the way here and not be able put one foot in the competition ring, but David was a trooper and supported Team USA at the carriage presentation and at the Show Jumping Team Finals.

Speaking of Show Jumping and back to what I said about this being a horse show….all the US riders rode their hearts out, but with some uncharacteristic faults the day ended as it had begun. Cedric deserves all the praise in the world for his clear round and I’m excited to see him and Laura in the individual competition tomorrow.

I have not had a chance to see any of the Para or Vaulting, but I have been hearing good reports and will hopefully be able to make it over later this afternoon to see our boys in the vaulting freestyle. The US F.A.C.E Team is in first place after round one of the compulsory test and rumor has it that they have a spectacular freestyle planned for Sunday; fingers crossed there won’t be a conflict with driving!