Ahead of the 2023 Royal Windsor Horse Show (11-14 May), H&H caught up with working hunter ride judge Anna Levy, who offers showing competitors advice on how to impress her when they step foot on royal turf.
Last season, Anna judged the ride section of the hunter classes at HOYS. She is a former top level showing competitor, and she now events in her spare time.
Prior to becoming a leading judge, Anna was a competitor who won up and down the country on her show horses
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
What will you be looking for during the jumping phase of the working hunter class?
“I’m looking for a fit, quality horse who is bold, forward, light on his feet and able. The ideal working hunter is clever and generous, too; if the rider misses a stride, it’s handy if the horse can get them out of trouble. I’ll be looking for a smooth round, performed by a horse who looks easy to ride.
“While the round should be balanced, I don’t want the horses to look like they have been set up within an inch of their lives; they’re not showjumpers.
“I also have no opinion on the height of a worker; if the horse is 15hh or 17.2hh, it doesn’t matter, it can still win if it delivers the goods. That’s the beauty of the class, it’s for any type of horse with a jump in the tank.”
What are your pet hates when watching working hunters jump?
“I don’t like to see riders hooking their horses and over-setting them up ahead of each jump. Similarly, I don’t like to see that a horse’s canter has been overly shortened as if they’re about to go round a showjumping course.”
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How will your winning working hunter ride?
“I like a responsive ride that is sharp off the leg and I dislike flat, tired horses. I want the horses to ultimately want to do the job. I like a horse with a comfortable canter that does not back off the leg when I ask it to move on. A working hunter should be comfy enough to sit on all day out hunting. If I’m riding them around a course of jumps I should be able to look at any fence and think ‘yep, I could jump that’. I hope our winner will cover the ground with a light step, too.”
Is there anything you particularly don’t like to see during the ride?
“Horses which lean on the hands and aren’t responsive. Though, if a horse has jumped clear around a decent open track, it’s usually been pretty well schooled. I don’t actually mind if a horse is a little exuberant, just as long as it doesn’t offer to buck or run off.”
Any sign-off advice for those jumping at Windsor for the first time?
“Lots of practice and if you still have access at this time in the year, try to get out to some arena eventing competitions. Most of all, smile and enjoy the ride. Even if you’re nervous, try to think positive and smile through it.”
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Former H&H showing editor and deputy features editor
Born and raised in the Lake District, Alex has grown up on the showing scene. She has qualified and competed ponies at the Royal International, Horse of the Year Show and Olympia and has first-hand knowledge of the current issues in the showing world as well as the horses, ponies and riders who compete in the sport. Alex joined H&H in January 2018 as showing editor, cementing its place as the leading equestrian publication for both showing reports and current showing news in the UK. She moved on in October 2024 to pursue other opportunities, but continues to write for us on a freelance basis.
