The vet check and the dressage test for the eventing have finished. The biggest news is that french rider Nicolas Touzaint and Galan de Sauvagere have withdrawn for their dressage test after passing the vet check to the surprise of some observers. The official story is that the horse has fallen during a thunderstorm and the groom didn't report it. They should have kept that story to themselves, as they now place the whole burden with the groom, who will probably have a hard time finding a new job, whilst overlooking their own responsibility. Not very elegant or professional.
Eventing riders doing dressage is not always a pretty sight. Obviously for many riders the dressage is low priority, even at the Olympic games. Many horses share that same opinion. Their thoughts are already with tomorrows curvy and hilly track. The course designer hopes that the riders will realize that the climate is a burden, and that the track goes up and down a lot. There is not much time to recover between fences. According to him the riders will have to consider the welfare of their horses in time. In the past this has sometimes been a problem, so let's hope with him.

Olympic eventing pictures: click here