In this series, the Chronicle follows six riders as they seek to fulfill their Olympic dreams in Hong Kong in 2008. Click here to read Steffen’s second update from our May 2 Issue.

I first started thinking about these Olympics in 2006 when Akiko Yamazaki, who owns Lombardi, came to me and said, “We’d like you to find another horse that you could possibly show for us in the 2008 Olympics.”

This was right before the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. At that time we started to search for some possible prospects in the Netherlands and Germany. That’s when we found Ravel at Edward Gal’s place.
   
I started seriously working on my fitness starting in October or November of last year. I always go to the gym, but this time I stepped it up a little bit and worked with a personal trainer twice a week. I do quite a bit of cardio work.
   
The excuse that it was too hot or too humid isn’t a very good excuse. We know exactly what the conditions will be like.

He Has Many Options

I’m blessed with three wonderful horses. Lombardi has the most experience out of all three. He’s been to big competitions; he’s been in big arenas. He’s probably the most reliable horse at the moment.
   

Lombardi’s piaffe was sometimes not the best movement in the test. [Team coach Klaus Balkenhol] and I have been working quite a bit at keeping almost a passage in place. He used to sit down so much that it made it more difficult for the transitions from the piaffe to the passage. If we maintain both movements with the idea of a passage, then the transitions are a little bit less complicated and more rhythmical.
   

With Ravel, we had to take it easy last year due to an injury. We want to present Ravel when he’s 100 percent ready. He’s a fantastic horse, and he needs to do the Grand Prix when it’s good enough to make the team. This is what I feel about him.
   
Ravel needed to settle down. The horse has an amazing amount of energy and is extremely sensitive to the leg. If he has some days where things get a little bit less expressive, but they are consistent and calm, that’s a huge accomplishment, and that’s what we’ve done in the past couple of months.
   

Prince is also a newcomer. He’s done two Grand Prix tests so far and one Grand Prix Special. The last Grand Prix Special was 70 percent, and I was very happy. I’ve only had him since September of last year.
   
Everything seems to be relatively easy for Prince. The passage didn’t have the expression at first that I considered international quality. Recently, what we’ve tried is to keep the passage very collected—quite a bit less forward than I would ride the passage on any other horse. That’s where we get the most engagement for the hind leg. He has a beautiful front leg. This was a big breakthrough already in the last show when the passage was consistently rewarded with 7 or 8. Two of the piaffes were a 9 at the last show.
   
I think the final day in San Juan Capistrano [Calif., at the Olympic selection trials] will tell us which horse will be the one. It’s obviously outstanding that I have so many wonderful people behind me
who are supporting me with outstanding
horses.
   
Looking ahead, we started monitoring their respiratory systems, their heart rates. When the work is done, we watch very keenly how quickly or slowly their heart rate comes down. We’re going to keep monitoring them through the spring and summer. We’re going to start with a little bit more conditioning, with an additional workout in the afternoon. At the moment, they will all work once a day.
   
When it gets closer, up to two months before the trials, we’ll add another workout and get them into perfect cardiovascular shape.
   
I enjoy the training programs that the event horses do. I was lucky enough to be involved with enough event riders to see what they do in their conditioning programs. Hills are part of the program already—we walk before and after the workout. We have a big jumping arena at home. We’ll do longer extended workouts in canter.
   
At the moment, Lombardi has a consistent workout of between 25 and 35 minutes. I’m just confirming the
movements and saving currently what I have with him.
   

With Prince and Ravel, they’re newer to the Grand Prix, so it takes them extra repetitions to do a movement. The workout is sometimes a little bit longer, but it usually doesn’t exceed 45 minutes.

Looking Ahead

We have another four CDIs. Lombardi will maybe do another two. Prince and Ravel will do all four.
   
I can take three horses to a CDI, but then after the Grand Prix I have to choose which horse moves on to the Special and which horse moves on to the freestyle. Only two horses move on.
   
Lombardi is qualified for the [selection trials] in San Juan Capistrano, but I’ll have to time it very carefully with each and every show. I have to do a Grand Prix Special and a Grand Prix freestyle with Ravel and Prince.
   
There’s no pressure thanks to the amazing cooperation I have with the owners. The goal is to make the team, and if we do make the team then the goal is to do our best at the Games, but if it doesn’t happen, there’s always the goal of the World Equestrian Games in 2010. We just heard that the World Cup Dressage Final is confirmed again in Las Vegas for 2009.    Those are all wonderful goals.
   
I’m always very realistic about it. If my horses tell me they’re not ready, there will be a next time. I’m going to prepare my horses and myself to the very best that we possibly can, but we’re not going to do it at all costs to make the Olympic team.

He’s Done This Before

If I make the team, I’m lucky that my horses are good travelers. I’m not too worried about the trip.
   

In 2006, I was in Germany for two weeks, and then we flew back home, and Floriano did perfectly fine. We’re in a similar situation here. We’ll go to Europe and have an adequate amount of time in Aachen [Germany]. Then we’ll all fly to Hong Kong. It’s another 10 or 11 hours from Germany.
   
The main thing is keeping the horses calm and hydrated. If you have a horse that likes to drink, that’s a huge bonus.

I think it’s pretty simple. A horse that doesn’t have a hard time being quiet on the truck and trailer on the road—this horse most likely will be quiet on the airplane as well.
   
When Ravel came over [from Europe], at about 35,000 feet, he went to sleep. That’s always a huge benefit. Lombardi has been back and forth [to Europe] a bunch of times. He seems to be a good traveler.
     
The first few days we don’t see a lethargic attitude. We see it sometimes after five or six days. That seems to be the time when the trip catches up with the horses.  We have to be sensitive to that and allow them to adjust. Those will be days when it can be an easy workout.

     
I’ve done this many times in Germany. We simply work four or five days a week. When things were great, I’d much rather take it easy in the morning and do another light workout in the afternoon or go on a little trail ride. At that level of com-
petition, you know your horse so well that you can read those times very quickly and adjust accordingly.
     
Udon peaked when he was 18 years old. Floriano peaked when he was 17. We have a pretty good idea of what it takes. A lot of credit goes to the people who support me. I have an amazing support group: my wife Shannon; my equine therapist Tom Meyers; and Ravel, Prince and Lombardi’s groom Rafael Hernandez. He’s been a good friend for a long time, and he’s certainly a big part of the team.

Horse/rider combinations qualify for the selection trials by completing a minimum of two designated qualifying competitions in either the United States or Europe. At minimum, the pair must complete the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix Special in combination at one qualifier and complete the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix freestyle in combination at another qualifier.

SELECTION TRIALS BY INVITATION
The 12 highest-ranked horse/rider combinations
(including all ties) that have achieved a minimum
average score of 63 percent in Grand Prix tests from
qualifying competitions will be invited to the selection trials.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA
JUNE 21-22
Horse/rider combinations will complete the Grand Prix test and the Grand Prix Special.

JUNE 28-29
Horse/rider combinations will complete the Grand Prix and the Grand Prix freestyle.

The combined scores from both Grand Prix tests will comprise 70 percent of the total score. The Special will comprise 20 percent and the freestyle will comprise 10 percent.
   
The first and second positions on the Short List-Nominated Entry/Team will be filled by the first- and second-ranked horse/rider combinations from the final selection trials.
   
The third position on the Short List-Nominated Entry/Team will be filled either by the third-ranked horse/rider combination from the selection trials, or the U.S. Equestrian Federation Dressage Selectors may name a horse/rider combination who has not competed at the final selection trials but has contributed
to a team medal or an individual medal at a World Championship or Olympic Games within the past four years, excluding horse/rider combinations that were the drop scores or alternates at a team competition.
   
The fourth position on the Short List-Nominated Entry/Team will be filled by the third- or fourth-ranked horse/rider combination from the selection trials and will be named as the “traveling reserve” horse/rider combination.