Brazils Dr Marcio Carvalho Jorge, who piloted Royal Encounter to a sub-30 dressage score at Mars Badminton Horse Trials this afternoon, revealed the 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse has a penchant for sleeping even when hes away at a competition. Hes always had such a nice brain. Hes very cute and will sleep all day, said Marcio. Even today, before we tacked him up, he was laying down sleeping. He does this every day it doesnt matter if hes in competition or at home. Its so funny, but its good, because he rests his body and his legs.Marcio is a doctor and anaesthesiologist who originally came to the UK with the mare Josephine MCJ in tow to train with Mark Todd for the London 2012 Olympic Games. He commuted between the UK and Brazil so that he could continue to work in a Sao Paulo hospital as well as ride.I would spend three months here and three months there, said Marcio, who is now based in Wiltshire and stopped practising medicine 10 years ago. In 2016 I brought my daughters and my wife and based here to ride full time.High expectationsMarcio co-owns Royal Encounter with Ken, Alastair and Annabel Vere Nicholl and they bought the horse when he was five. Marcio, who now trains with William Fox-Pitt, has produced the 17hh gelding from BE100 level and said it is the horses chilled attitude that helped him pull off a sub-30 dressage test today.To be honest, we had the expectation [of doing well], he said. Competition is competition and sometimes it goes right, sometimes it goes wrong. Its his first time in an environment like that and I didnt know how it would be, if he would spook or something. But hes always trying to do the right thing he has such a good brain.As well as the London Olympics, the 51-year-old rider represented his native on home turf at the Rio 2016 Games and also competed at Paris 2024. This is his third Badminton, following runs here in 2014 with Josephine MCJ and in 2017 aboard Lissy Mac Wayer.Related contentHow to watch BadmintonI pumped milk to flatten me out and away I go: Ros Canter sails into the lead at BadmintonMare, 16, makes Badminton debut after recovering from tendon injuryI was hypnotised: Simon Grieve combats confidence wobble to return to Badminton after six-year absenceThe post He sleeps all day!: Doctor pilots very cute 17hh horse to sub-30 dressage score appeared first on Your Horse.