Ros Canter and Carl Hester among top riders to host seven masterclasses at London International Horse Show

This year visitors to London International Horse Show are being treated to seven masterclass sessions across a wide range of disciplines.

A masterclass will take place every day at London International Horse Show, with a double helping on the Saturday and Sunday – all hosted in the Thomas Family London Arena. These are free to watch from the standing viewing area, but you can also purchase a seat for the day of your choice.

I’ve pulled together some information about each session below to whet your appetite. If one of these masterclasses takes your fancy, I’ve also rounded up all the info you need to know before buying your tickets to London International Horse Show.

Times are subject to change.

Developing Collection with Richard Davison

Olympic dressage great, Richard Davison, will be joined by the legendary Carl Hester to help deliver a masterclass that focuses on developing collection. Although the pair are dressage superstars, the session will be relevant to riders of all levels and from all horse sports.

Richard said: “Every dressage devotee knows that developing collection is fundamental while newcomers might ask ‘what on earth is collection?!’ Actually it is crucial for riders of all levels in all disciplines; from someone trying to make a good trot to halt transition to a dressage rider going from passage to piaffe, it’s a skill everyone needs and as important for showjumping and event horses as it is for dressage horses.”

Richard will also be joined by Dannie Morgan and Fever Tree, and Sarah Higgins.

See more dressage at London: the FEI Dressage World Cup competition (grand prix on Thursday and freestyle on Friday), plus new national classes on Thursday and Friday.

Arena eventing with Ros Canter and Gemma Stevens

Current Badminton and Burghley champions Ros Canter and Gemma Stevens will be joined by British Equestrian’s Performance Director Dickie Waygood, who will guide them through a session that demonstrates the skills required to compete at the highest level of eventing.

Using jumping exercises focusing on developing technique and building a partnership, the trio will explain how they approach preparation for their major events – and how they plan for any eventuality when tackling the top-level courses. They’ll share lessons they’ve learned over their careers as well as experiences and behind-the-scenes stories from major championships and five-star competitions.

It’s the perfect opportunity to pick up some arena eventing tips from the pros.

See more arena eventing at London: there’s a new arena eventing competition in the International Arena on Friday 18 December (evening session).

Stunt Riding 101 with Daniel Naprous and Esme Higgs

World-renowned stunt horseman Daniel Naprous teams up with YouTube star Esme Higgs to bring movie magic to London and show what it really takes to become a stunt rider.

Daniel will introduce us to the fascinating world of equestrian stunt work, revealing some of the skills, secrets and techniques behind the action. He’ll explain how he teaches a horse to perform in an on-screen battle, what it takes to pull off a stunt that looks terrifying to viewers and just how much training goes into a few seconds of Hollywood magic.

Esme will be taking a crash course in stunt riding and together they will showcase the remarkable skills, preparation and trust required to perform at the highest level.

Esme said: “I've watched some of the incredible things the Devil's Horsemen do in films and thought, how on earth do they do that? Well, now I'm going to find out! I'm excited, slightly nervous, and just hoping he doesn't have anything too terrifying planned for me!"

Perfecting lines with Simon Grieve and Meg Elphick

Five-star event rider Simon Grieve and popular equestrian content creator and grassroots competitor Meg Elphick are joining forces for this new masterclass.

Simon, who trains Meg, will be riding one of his seasoned event horses, while she will be on one of her up and coming event horses. The pair will share their expertise, experiences and practical training techniques.

Simon will show Meg and her horse the ropes, demonstrating the adaptations for training horses at different levels and offering a unique behind-the-scenes look at the process of producing the next generation of eventers.

The session will focus on accuracy, riding correct lines and introducing young horses to technical questions such as skinnies and corners.

Simon said: “Meg and I always have a lot of fun when we are together so expect lots of banter as well as plenty of laughs during the session, which of course will be educational, too!”

Dog agility with Anthony Clarke

International handler, trainer and judge Anthony Clarke will demonstrate how dogs of all shapes and sizes can get started in agility, which is always really popular with the audience at London International.

Drawing inspiration from his introduction to dog agility for the Royal Kennel Club, Anthony will take a range of dogs – including breeds not traditionally associated with the discipline – through the foundations of agility and demonstrate how the sport can be adapted to different dogs and partnerships.

See more dog agility at London: there are a variety of agility competitions held across all five days in the International Arena.

Retraining racehorses with William Fox-Pitt

Former world number one event rider William Fox-Pitt will lead a brand new Masterclass celebrating the versatility of the retrained racehorse. He will bring together racehorses and riders from different backgrounds to showcase the many opportunities available to horses after racing.

He will be joined by TV presenter Rosie Turner, plus Emily Ware and Robyn Gray with their former racehorses who now event, and they’ll receive a coaching session from William.

William said: “I am passionate about ensuring former racehorses have opportunities to succeed and live full lives once they retire from the track. Thoroughbreds are so versatile and trainable and they love learning.”

Pippa Funnell’s Pony Club Rally

Three-time Olympian Pippa Funnell will host the final masterclass with four talented members of The Pony Club, who earned their place at The Pony Club National Championships in August.

Pippa will guide her participants and audience through an exciting programme, while offering her unparalleled expertise from the ground. Pippa’s methodical approach to training, as well as her advocacy for horse welfare and positive horsemanship promises to make a huge impact on participants and audience alike.

Pippa said: “I am hugely looking forward to re-joining the London International Masterclass line-up. The Pony Club is an institution very close to my heart, and it’s brilliant to see how these up-and-coming riders learn and develop over the course of our session!

See more of The Pony Club at London: The Pony Club Mini-Major will take place during the extended afternoon performance on Monday 21 December.

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