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.)

Here she talks about contending with Thursday’s heat—temperatures at Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois, flirted with triple-digits—and caring for a 19-year-old partner.