Emma Smith, a 25-year-old USDF bronze, silver and gold medalist and USDF-certified instructor based in Delano, Minnesota, is chronicling her trip to the U.S. Dressage Festival of Champions this week, where she is competing in the Brentina Cup U25 Grand Prix with Stedemann, a 19-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Stedinger—SPS Weissendra, Hardenberg Donnerschwee) donated to her through the nonprofit Dressage4Kids. (Get to know Smith and Stedemann here.)

Today, she takes us through what happens on a pre-competition day, doing her first serious on-grounds lesson with her trainer Olivia LaGoy-Weltz, in preparation for the first Brentina Cup class on Thursday.