Simon Reynolds with MORROWS MARKSMAN (Stable name; Bentley), at Simon and Natalie's new stable, Walnut House, in the village of Threekingham near Seaford in the county of Lincolnshire in the UK between 10th-14th May 2017
Simon (pictured) is a leading show rider who has won numerous championships at top level. He won the supreme title at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) with Hallmark IX in 2013 and has won supreme twice at Great Yorkshire. He also won HOYS four times with small hunter Sporting Sam.
Training the stars
Hallmark IX had a tendency to rush in his early days. He had a lot of power and sometimes struggled to contain it. Blowouts on the gallops and swimming helped burn his excess exuberance. I had to work to teach him to control it and be obedient, but the beauty was knowing I had that explosive gallop in a main ring, which was his trademark.
Rushing horses are a common sight in the show ring, especially on the go-round. Quite often this is due to horses getting competitive with the others, but I also see a lot of rider tension and riders holding too much rein.
The most common reason for horses to rush, especially in canter, is because they’re poorly prepared. They’re either too fresh, incorrectly ridden or not used to being in large groups.
Tackling the issue
1. When schooling, only ask for your horse to canter when the walk and trot are soft and supple, and he is responding well to your aids.
2. Pick up canter and ride a large circle. Half-halt to ask your horse to come back slowly and collect slightly — avoid constantly pulling on the reins and holding the horse with a tight contact.
Ride slightly smaller, decreasing circles to gain the control and then slowly increase the circle as the canter becomes more balanced and the horse more responsive to your aids.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
3. Then, work on going large around the arena. On the long side, give with your hand to release the rein slowly and then take back the contact.
You want to avoid your horse being reliant on your hand to stay in the correct rhythm.
4. Try using cones on the circle to help the horse focus and enable the
correct bend.
Essentially, the aim is for your horse to be in self-carriage, using his hindquarters and becoming light in front.
A variety of work will help a horse’s mental wellbeing. I’m a big believer of “field therapy” — horses need their own space to run and feel no pressure, so often I will turn out a sharp horse overnight.
Over-schooling a horse in a manège environment can be detrimental. It’s good to give a sharp horse a blowout in a field or on the gallops to get the silliness out of him before schooling. You’re not going to get that instant, calm responsiveness from drilling in the arena. If you only have an arena, send him on for a few laps before asking him to collect.
Know the difference between an unbalanced horse and an anxious one. Unbalanced horses often lack the strength to do what is asked. You will achieve balance only through correct training.
Ask a trainer to assess your riding. An unbalanced rider relying on their hands can cause a horse to be erratic and evasive.
Check your horse’s back, saddle, teeth, general health and diet.
Overbitting a horse is quite often a quick fix and can lead to tension, creating a short neck and stride.
Would you like to read Horse & Hound’s independent journalism without any adverts? Join Horse & Hound Plus today and you can read all articles on HorseandHound.co.uk completely ad-free.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
