Outside the d’Ornano Stadium, in an area marked off by green and white barriers sporting the 2014 Alltech World Equestrian Games (WEG) 2014, is the secret world of the high-level competition horse and rider. At WEG and other major international events, this world is closed off to the public and can seem like a mystery.

The stable areas are mostly quiet and calm (even after a victory!), full of people speaking in gentle voices—to the horses and each other. Grooms take their horses out to specified grazing areas when schedules permit.

Riders stay in hotels overnight, but grooms sleep at the stable grounds near the horses. WEG 2014’s organizers planned for cute little groom houses onsite, but most of the grooms have preferred to sleep in their horse trailer accommodations parked nearby.

Before each competition test, riders get ready in the warmup ring near the stadium. Like any competitor of any level, the riders are often a little stressed. And believe it or not, there are still last-minute things that their coaches can teach these champion riders. There’s no yelling out instructions around here, though. Riders and coaches are equipped with microphones and earphones connected via Bluetooth for communication