updated 1:49 a.m. ET Aug. 14, 2004

MARKOPOULO, Greece - Personal groomers. Long, carefree strolls in the sun. And the best meals — even if it’s just carrots and straw — that money can buy.

The U.S. equestrian three-day team’s horses are getting pampered in ways that any human athlete would envy, with every conceivable need, physical or mental, attended to with loving care.

“Team USA has the best support group in the world,” said rider Darren Chiacchia, of Ocala, Fla.

In addition to an individual groom for each horse, there’s a veterinarian; a farrier, or professional horseshoer; and even an acupuncturist for the American horses at the equestrian venue near Athens. The dressage and stadium jumping teams, which arrive next week, can expect the same TLC.

Team vet Brendan Furlong of New Jersey said the three-day horses, who will compete in the equestrian equivalent of the decathlon, fared well on their flight to Athens.

They benefited from a new, calming technique in transport: A plastic flap came down before the three-horse pallet was hoisted into the plane.

“That way, the horses didn’t get scared being 30 feet in the air,” Furlong said. “We kept the air conditioning cranked up on the flight.”

They haven’t needed help with the heat here, either, even though the direct sunlight can feel harsh in the afternoon.

“It’s day by day, but it’s less humid than in the U.S.,” Furlong said. “We’re taking blood on a daily basis to monitor their well-being. It will be a lot harder on the spectators. The bleachers look brutal, but the barns here are excellent.”

Furlong is more concerned about the footing for Tuesday’s cross-country endurance phase.

“No natural turf grows here,” he said. “How much good footing can you create in a hot, dry climate?”

Rider Amy Tryon of Duvall, Wash., said her horse, Poggio II, is enjoying the sun and heat even though he was born and lives in the Pacific Northwest.

“He’s a desert rat,” she said. “He hates being turned out in rain and cold weather. He always gets a lot of covers.”

Tryon said she isn’t concerned about the forecast of rain for the start of the three-day event on Sunday.

“He’ll be OK competing in the rain,” she said. “He’s won in the rain.”

The three-day event combines dressage with cross-country endurance and stadium jumping. Grand prix dressage and show jumping are also separate sports for specialists.

The U.S. team has hopes for team and individual medals in each of the three Olympic equestrian sports.

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