7 things to do with your horse this Bank Holiday weekend
If you’re searching for some equestrian entertainment that involves your horse this Bank Holiday weekend, H&H is on hand for some inspiration...
Get competing
If you’re really missing the competitive side of riding your horse, why not take part in an online show from the comfort of your own yard? Since the coronavirus pandemic, a variety of online competitions have popped up, allowing you to put your hard work and training to the test against other riders.
The format usually involves you uploading pictures or videos or simply emailing them to the show organiser, where they will be judged.
Check out Online Horse Showing and Horse Shows Online for some inspiration.
Tune in
If you’re particularly missing out on going to watch your favourite discipline in person, the second best thing is to tune in online, with many events now being live streamed. This weekend, don’t miss Bank Holiday competition from Wellington International Horse Trials, via Horse & Country TV online. The exciting cross-country action will be shown on Sunday and Monday (30-31 August).
Over the next few days, they are also showing the competition from the British Show Pony Society Summer Championships and dressage from the Bury Farm Equestrian Village High Profile Show. Any racing fans can settle down on the sofa with live action courtesy of ITV Racing from Goodwood, Windsor, Newmarket and Perth over the weekend.
Happy hacking
We have all had to contend with tropical thunderstorms recently, but if the sun does make an appearance over this Bank Holiday weekend, why not box-up your horse and go for a scenic hack with friends and make the most of the countryside on our doorstep? Now that many pubs have reopened, why not make a pitstop halfway to quench your thirst (but remember pre-booking may be required).
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Enjoy some cross-country
We probably all celebrated when cross-country facilities began to reopen following lockdown and we could get back out doing the fun stuff with our horses again. Make the most of the extra day off work, book into a training facility near you and dust off the cobwebs.
Article continues below…
You might also be interested in:
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
Fancy a lesson?
Most riders used lockdown to polish up skills and focus primarily on their horse’s training. Now lessons can be undertaken once again, you can get back onto the phone to your trainer and squeeze in a last-minute lesson this weekend, or have a search for clinics happening this weekend – you might be lucky and there might be some drop-outs.
Shampoo and blow dry
A long weekend is also the perfect time to perhaps give your horse a bit of a makeover. Why not get a warm bucket and sponge and treat him to a shampoo, plus a mane-and-tail trim? He might not be best pleased during his bath, but I’m sure he’ll be thanking you after…
Online training
If you still have training on your mind but don’t feel comfortable going out and about quite yet, you can access online training which will really help you regain some focus. Check out some videos on YouTube for some handy inspiration.
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.
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
