Wed, July 23 :)

Okaaaaay peoples!
So today was our day to settle in, set up our tack and feed stall, and just generally take a look around. Monday, we left Upland Acres at about eleven. We arrived safely at Whispering Pines in Newburgh for a lesson with Elizabeth Feltmate to put the finishing touches on our freestyle, and then Aly stayed over there. Tuesday, after a bareback hack (did I mention that Whispering Pines recently built a REALLY nice cross-country course?), we headed to Kane Kountry Farms to get off one trailer and onto another. We left at 5, and at our first stop, Allegro and her travel buddy, Galimar, switched places! Don't ask, we don't know how they did it either. The popular theory is that Aly wanted to eat Galimar's hay, but whatever. They were fine the rest of the way down, and we got there at about 10:30.
Virginia Horse Center is HUGE!!!!! The barns are gorgeous, and thankfully our stalls are right next to water, too. Aly, Galimar, Ziggy and Scooter quickly settled in, and for the rest of the day, we organized ad set up our tack room. We met Ariel Wyatt, our Horse Manager from Tri-State region, and decorated team T-shirts :D Of course, everyone was a little tired after driving through the night, but so far it has definitely been worth it.
Tomorrow, we'll take them out pretty early to ride before the exercise ring fills up (barns open at 6 AM), then we have our first briefing at 1:30, and judging officially begins. Horse management, at least. jog outs are at 3, and then we have to get in line for a wash stall and hopefully squeeze in 4 baths before we have to go to Opening Ceremonies at 7 (formals are tomorrow morning).
Wish us luck!
-Marina, Spare Me The Details, and Training Dressage Team 8, Northeast Region.