'I believe a decision will be made when they inspect the course for one last time the day before the competition.' The Olympic course is normally between 6.2km and 7.4km.

The cross-country stage in the three-day eventing will be held next Monday and Trela is praying his riders are lucky when the draw is made.

'It is very hot and humid so it is very important to get an early draw,' Trela said.

'The horse that goes out at 8am will have a definite advantage over the one that goes out at 11am.'

In the team and individual eventing - a combination of dressage, jumping and cross-country - the aim of the rider is to achieve the lowest number of penalties in all three disciplines.

While the dressage and jumping disciplines will be held in the early mornings and in the evenings, the cross-country phase is the only one to feel the full blast of the weather.

Poland have two eventers - Pawel Spisak on Weriusz and Artur Spolowicz on Wag - and one rider in dressage (Michael Rapcewicz on Randon).

'We are a small country in terms of equestrian,' said Trela, the team veterinarian who is also doubling up as the groom.

'Unlike the big teams like Germany, Britain and the Dutch, our whole team comprises only seven people, including the three riders. We hope we will be lucky in the draw.

'These guys have had to scrimp and save every penny to get to Hong Kong.'

Trela revealed Germany had lent a neighbourly hand to a country which has a proud Olympic record, having won a gold medal at the 1980 Olympics in showjumping, two silvers in eventing at the 1936 Games in Berlin and a silver in showjumping in 1924.

'We've got two trainers from Germany, Andreas Dibowski and Rudiger Schwarz, who helped us a lot and we are very grateful to them for that. We won't be in the medal hunt, but we are certainly proud to be here,' added Trela.

Long and short of it

The length of the cross-country course at the Hong Kong Golf Club in kilometres: 5.7