Every day in the summer in South Florida feels like dressage in the tropics. The summers here are sultry. High heat and humidity ensure that you spend the entire day drenched in sweat, with frizzing hair and sunglasses on a sweaty slide down your nose. But we are crazy horse people and the show must always go on, and so it does. We have a summer show series which is aptly named Dressage in the Tropics. However, after the last show my friend Jen said could have been called Dressage in Hell
Fortunately, some of our show grounds have covered arenas. At some places you warm up in the covered and only have to venture out into blazing sunshine for the 5-7 minutes it takes to ride your test. However at Global you can warm up and show in all under cover in the Van Kampen arena. When the temperatures are in the mid nineties with very high humidity, shade is a really important feature.
These are small laid back off-season shows, but it is Wellington so the riders, trainers, and coaches are still some of the best. At the most recent show there were plenty of Grand Prix rides. There were also Olympic-bound Para riders having one final go before heading to Japan, and many soon-to-be international equine stars competing at the lower levels. I was there too, feeling inspired by riding near so many talented individuals. Though I was also feeling a little soggy and smothered under my stock tie and coat.
The atmosphere is more laid back and there are very few spectators. Almost everyone just trailers in rides their test and trailers back out. And while it seems almost unbearable to show in such hot conditions, it is also really nice not to have to drive for hours and then unload hay, shavings, and what seems like all of your horse’s worldly possessions just to turn around an pack it all back up again in a couple of day.
On show day Sevi was able to be turned out as usual that morning, have a bath in his regular wash rack, and be braided in regular regular cross ties. Just over and hour before my ride, I hooked up my trailer and loaded my horse, his tack, and a bucket of water and off we went. Within twenty minutes I had arrived and parked at the show grounds. I dressed in my sweltering tack room, put Sevi’s bridle on in the trailer, unloaded him, and put on his saddle trailer-side. After our ride, I untacked him by the trailer, sponged him off and loaded him up for home. He was back in his stall, hosed off, and cooling under his fans within half an hour. So while it is definitely dressage in the tropics there is still an aspect of Dressage in Paradise to the experience.
