You jolt out of bed, fumbling to find the button to quiet your alarm. Realizing it’s still dark, you groan with exhaustion while rubbing your eyes. Your tired muscles from the last few months of drills cry out as you swing your legs over the bed, and you wonder for a moment if you can really do this. Then, you remember today is the big day you have been preparing for. Your body is filled once again with the familiar call to ride or show your horse in-hand, to share that incomparable bond with your equine and demonstrate what you have practiced to perfection.