2F2MTWF Paris, France : Scott Brash riding Hello Jefferson during the Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping 2018, on July 5th to 7th, 2018 at the Champ de Mars in Paris, France - Photo Christophe Bricot / DPPI
The Olympic gold medallist and multi-grand prix winning showjumper Scott Brash is at the top of his profession as one of the world’s most respected horsemen.
The Scotsman, currently ranked number 11 in the world, talks to H&H showjumping editor Jennifer Donald on this week’s episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast about which of his horses we should be watching this year, what Hello Sanctos is up to these days, and what Scott spent much of lockdown doing – namely creating his own online training platform.
“When the pandemic hit, it gave me time to put my thoughts down on paper, get a camera crew in, do these tutorials and put them online to see if that could help a broader scale of rider to understand their horses more and in the end help those horses improve their lives, to hopefully be better educated and to make everyone happy at the end of the day,” says Scott.
“There’s nothing worse than seeing someone come out of the arena looking really unhappy because something’s gone wrong,” he adds. “Then the horse always looks unhappy when the rider’s not happy, and that’s a horrible feeling. Then at the other end of the scale, it’s so nice seeing someone delighted with their horse having jumped a brilliant round. So all those things made me put this concept together and produce the Scott Brash Equestrian Training platform.”
According to Scott, the most commonly asked question he hears is regarding horses rushing either before or after a jump, as well as how to improve your jump-offs, such as with better rollback turns.
“But a lot of people also ask a simple, but very complicated, question which is ‘How do I see a stride’ and that’s a tough one if I’m honest!” he says. “But there are some exercises that you can set up to help that.”
Scott Brash training: ‘You can learn a lot just by watching the practice ring’
But even Scott himself never stops learning.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
“I’m still hungry to learn and I’ve been learning a lot lately about our own bodies and how to improve our own structure as a person,” he says.
“I come to a lot of five-star shows so I’m very privileged to be able to watch some of the best riders in the world and there’s a lot of different ways to get to the end product of a rideable, well-balanced round.
“I love Marcus Ehning’s style – how in-tune he looks with his horse. There are lots of different riders I watch for different things and what they teach their horses. You can learn a lot just stopping to watch the practice ring.”
Behind the scenes, Scott is breaking in and producing the next generation of equine talent, including offspring from his former top mare Ursula XII.
“I’m really excited,” he says. “It’s been really nice spending time with them – they do have some really great attributes. We’re a good few years away with them but there’s a long-term future for them hopefully. The dream is always great! When you use a very talented stallion to your very talented mare, you can definitely have high hopes.
“I love working with them – I really love seeing a horse that doesn’t know what you’re asking from them and then they start to ‘get it’. I love seeing the young horses learn. It’s so rewarding.”
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 your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports 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
Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
