There will be no 128cm showjumping finals at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) or the London International from 2029, as part of plans to improve pony and child welfare, and improve enjoyment of the sport.

British Showjumping (BS) has announced changes to “strengthen welfare of young competitors”, having commissioned an independent safeguarding review of the sport.

The review resulted in 39 recommendations, the implementation of which is ongoing. A major change is the fact that from 2029, children aged 12 and under will not be allowed to compete at shows with paying spectators.

This includes the Royal International Horse Show as well as HOYS and London International. Qualification from the winter pony premiers will instead be to the spring pony championships, and from the summer shows to the British Showjumping National Championships.

128cm showjumping finals move

“The change is intended to provide an environment that better supports the welfare and wellbeing of younger competitors, while recognising the additional pressures associated with competing at major, high-profile spectator events,” a BS spokesperson said.

“At British Showjumping, the welfare of all members, particularly children and young people, is our highest priority. We are committed to ensuring that everyone involved in our sport feels safe, supported and respected at every level of participation.”

BS commissioned Lime Culture, a safeguarding consultancy specialising in safety and wellbeing of children and adults in and outside sport, to carry out the review after concerns had been raised about increasing demands on children in showjumping.

“Members from across the sport, including parents, officials, coaches and riders, were consulted and shared their experiences as part of the review,” the spokesperson said.

“The current competition structure and its impact on the wellbeing of children participating at every level of the sport were also considered. Many participants highlighted that competing at shows alongside their friends, in a fun and supportive environment, was a key driver of their participation.”

Lime Culture CEO Stephanie Reardon said it was a pleasure to work with BS on this review.

“We saw first-hand their proactive approach to safeguarding and their clear commitment to understanding the experiences of those involved in the sport,” she said. “From the outset, there was a willingness to listen to different perspectives and to reflect openly on what is working well, where approaches could be strengthened and how safeguarding practice can continue to develop.

Meaningful action

“We were particularly encouraged by British Showjumping’s response to the findings and its commitment to taking forward the recommendations. Turning recommendations into meaningful action is an important part of strengthening safeguarding practice and demonstrates a commitment to learning and continuous improvement.”

Other action being taken as a result of the review and recommendations includes working with organisers to plan the junior calendar around school dates and avoid exam times for certain age groups.

Affiliated venues each have safeguarding officers, and the updated BS star performance awards “encourage members to look beyond competitive success, with guidance on rider wellbeing, horse welfare and the rules of the sport”.

“This skills-based progression system places rider development and safety at the heart of training within British Showjumping,” the spokesperson said, adding that BS has also promoted a register of qualified, accredited coaches.

BS CEO Iain Graham said: “Lime Culture’s in-depth review has helped us take positive action to safeguard the future and integrity of our sport and, above all, the welfare of our young competitors. We have made significant progress in implementing the recommendations and remain committed to delivering lasting change.”

● What do you think about the changes? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

As British breeders continue to feel the impact of soaring costs, what is the demand for top-level competition horses?

During the pandemic, demand for horses and sales prices rocketed across the board. Some buyers were priced out of the market, but there was a strong feeling from many producers and breeders that horses were finally being sold for what they were worth. H&H has taken a look at the current UK market in a new series, beginning with sport horses.

Kilan Dressage stud breeds around 20 foals a year and owner Eleri Jones told H&H the market is “pretty poor”.

“The demand for ridden horses is probably better than foals, I think because people can see what they’re getting. Livery has gone up, so people are thinking about how much it’s going to cost to keep a foal until it’s ridden,” she said.

Eleri started breeding for amateurs, but has evolved to the professional market. She keeps her foals to be sold as ridden young horses, produced by Luis Principe in Gloucestershire.

“Geographically, it’s much easier to sell them in Gloucestershire than in north Wales – people are more willing to go and see them there. It’s also good to have them out competing; if they win or score well at the nationals, it’s basically a free advertisement,” she said.

Prices for a newly backed Kilan three-year-old typically begin at £35,000.

“If they go to be ridden as four-years-old and they’re really good quality and have clean X-rays, the price will go up from there. Bearing in mind, it costs us as breeders around £20,000 to get them to three-year-olds. If you’re selling them for £15,000 you’re making a loss,” said Eleri, adding that prices have increased since Covid as the stud has become more established.

“That’s not to say that it’s not a tough market. Where we’re at is just trying to produce rideable, trainable horses with good brains. However, I believe there’s always going to be a market for good horses – the riders have to get them from somewhere.

“There are always ups and downs in the market; there are periods when too many horses are being produced, which is what happened during Covid. The minute people stop breeding, there will be a shortage, and then it will go up again.”

Producer and grand prix rider Anna Ross told H&H that advanced dressage horses continue to sell well.

“Our business model is different to what it was before; now I focus on a small number of horses. We keep them longer and sell them at a high level,” she said.

“The last grand prix horse I sold went abroad, and there’s a lot of interest from Asian countries at the moment. Right now people want trained horses, and a more cost-effective way is to buy a horse and put it in training, or have your trainer help you with it.”

John Chambers of Springfield Stud, breeders of event horse Safira who represented Brazil at the Paris Olympics, told H&H he has been struggling to sell youngstock this year.

“I have a nice four-year-old, his sire’s youngstock have done well in the showing field and there’s up to four-star eventing on the dam side, he’s £3,750 and I’ve not had one call. I had a nice three-year-old advertised for £5,000 and no calls,” he said.

“In the UK, the market’s always been slightly fragmented and everyone always thought they could go to Ireland to get a better horse. Brexit came along, but it hasn’t realised the improved sales that as a breeder I’d like to see.

“Looking at professionals, there’s a lot of riders out there that can produce horses but there’s not the depth of owners with £30,000, £40,000, £50,000 to buy those horses,” he said.

Showjumping breeder Danny Dunne of Dunne Sport Horses – whose success stories include five-star horse For Killy – told H&H he has found the market better this year than last.

“We found that last year the cheaper foals, especially in our auction, weren’t selling as well as the more expensive ones. We put that down to hay prices and people thinking that rather than take a chance on a cheaper foal, they’d rather buy from a stallion that they know,” Danny told H&H.

Dunne foals typically range from £5,000 to £15,000-plus. A quality six-year-old with experience can range from £50,000 to £100,000.

“Prices can really vary. Someone else that has done the Lanaken young horse championships might be asking up to £200,000 – and people will pay that,” he said.

“I suppose in showjumping there’s quite a strong correlation between the good stallions and mares and resulting offspring. You can’t guarantee you’re going to have a good horse at the end, but if you do everything right, there’s a strong chance.”

Demand has also remained high for EU and Irish imports. Mark Bosanko of Bosanko Sports Horses told H&H that on average, he sells a horse every day. The Bosankos import horses from Holland and Germany predominantly for the professional market, counting top riders among their client base. Prices can range from £6,000 for a “raw” uneducated horse, up to £50,000, with some exceptions.

“We’ve got a good base of returning clients and producers, and I think that gives us an edge as we’re not looking to produce the horses ourselves usually. Our prices stayed the same during Covid because we weren’t opportunistic. The biggest influence for us has been Brexit rather than Covid,” said Mark.

Mark says that supporting British breeders is important, but he would be unable to meet demand sourcing in the UK.

“Historically, we used to buy over here, but we just couldn’t find the numbers in the quality that we needed. If we could find this, we absolutely would and it would negate all of the complexity and expense that Brexit has brought us. I think the quality is definitely here, there’s no debate about that, but they’re just often not on the market.”

Ireland-based Monbeg Sport Horses, which caters for the professional eventing market, reports continued high demand.

“For the right animal, the top market is very strong and we have a lot of people enquiring. The demand from the UK is about the same as it's always been,” Monbeg co-owner Marti Rudd told H&H.

“I’d say it’s the middle market that’s not really there. I would expect a nice four-year-old that ticks the boxes should be £25,000-plus. I’ve had people in the UK find that too expensive, but the Americans are almost asking, ‘Why so cheap?’. We still get the same amount of enquiries from the UK, but the Americans are getting in there a little bit quicker and are prepared to pay a bit more.”

Tell us your thoughts on the horse sales market. Write to hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance for your letter to appear in a forthcoming issue of the magazine. Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

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A standardbred found in a supermarket car park whose ridden career – and life – were in doubt aged three has qualified for the Cotswold Cup finals, with her “best friend”.

Katie Bird met Friday, named as this was the day she was found outside a Sainsbury’s, as a youngster, at a time she was considering giving up horses, and “felt a bit lost”.

“She’s my world,” Katie told H&H. “She saved me as much as I saved her.”

Katie had just graduated from the British Racing School but realised her “heart was in eventing”.

“I lost a lot of confidence doing the racing, I didn’t really want to go back to having lessons at a riding school and I didn’t have the money to buy my own horse,” she said. “I was at the age when you need to get a job anyway, and thought ‘Maybe this is it now’.

“But then my old riding school, Park Lane Stables, called to say this horse had been fly-grazed, got loose and into the car park; the police called them as they were local, and they ended up taking her as the owner was away. They said did I want to do some work with her to keep her ticking over, and that’s how I met Friday.”

Katie said she was scared of Friday at the start; she had not had much handling, and Katie thinks she was “quite shut down”.

“She’s got an abundance of personality now!” she said.

By the time the owner returned, Katie had become attached to the mare, so she bought her for £1,800. But a couple of months later, Friday was very lame. The vet diagnosed early arthritic changes.

“I was told I would never ride her and probably the best thing would be to put her to sleep,” she said. “But I couldn’t. She was three, hadn’t had much of a life and even if she was just going to be in the field, I couldn’t do it. We did loads of rehab and groundwork, just to get her field sound.”

Katie said she was offered steroid injections but declined owing to the negative effect this can have on the joint in the longer term. Friday had BozMerix for a while, shockwave therapy and extensive physio and groundwork.

“When the vet came back, she was a lot sounder than we thought she’d ever be,” he said. “He said ‘Try hacking; if she wants to trot or canter, let her; let her tell you what she’s comfortable with’, and she got stronger and stronger.”

Katie said the timing was good; it was during the Covid lockdown so she had plenty of time to dedicate to rehab, but she was told Friday would never jump.

The mare was in work but then became reluctant to go forward. She was diagnosed with gastric ulcers – and asthma.

“She was very poorly for a while,” she said. “When we went for the rescope, there were no ulcers but we scoped her lungs to see what the asthma was about and they were 95% blocked, with mucus and stuff. The vet said he didn’t know how she was still standing.”

Friday’s lungs were flushed and she was treated with steroids. She now has to have steamed hay and a nebuliser on every day but is doing well.

“She got so much stronger as we had to slow things down,” she said. “She had a lameness and asthma check-up and the vet said I could try to jump her, so we started and she loves it.

“She’s forward, not spooky, she’ll jump anything. It’s like she was bred for it.

“There’s a lot of maintenance; she’s on a good joint supplement, we know her limits, she has a lot of rest time, but it’s manageable.”

Katie and Friday started doing some small hunter trials, and Katie said the mare took to it like a duck to water.

“She learned her job so quick,” she said. “She knew to look for the jump, she was fluid, brave, through water, ditches, anything. If I said ‘We can do this’, there’s no hesitation.”

They started eventing in 2025 and Katie said she was aiming for a consistent season in the 70cm Cotswold Cup this year, to build Friday’s confidence.

“She’s been in the top 10 at every event, and qualified for the final [on 27 September]” Katie said. “It’s exciting as there’s going to be a long dressage arena and two judges and everything.

“It’s so cool but I hope by sharing her story, I can show that eventing is inclusive. We have had comments from other riders and judges as she’s a gaited horse; they’re not meant to canter! People think she’s lame or struggling, I think gaited horses aren’t as accepted in equestrian sports yet.

“Her jumping technique isn’t traditional in any sense and I’ve had people saying there’s something wrong with her but they don’t understand gaited horses exist in eventing. But I think it’s a lovely thing to show that you don’t have to have a lovely big warmblood to do everything, you can put the effort in and do what you want to do on a budget.”

Beating the odds

Katie added that Friday’s overcoming of all her issues may also inspire others.

“It’s mad as I later found out that where she used to be fly-grazed was on my way to school; I walked past her every day, and now she’s my best friend,” she said.

“She’s got such enthusiasm for life, she loves everyone, she’s always got a cheeky, happy face. She taught my mum to ride, she takes my boyfriend on hacks, she’s so emotionally intelligent. I feel I really have a partnership with her.

“My mum calls her my champagne horse on a lemonade budget! I was having a really bad time with my mental health when I got her so I always tell people she saved me as much as I did her.”

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Multiple medal-winning event rider Laura Collett and experienced judge and breeder Edwin Prosser will judge the supreme horse and pony championships at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) 2026.

HOYS organiser Grandstand Media announced this week that the pair will “have the honour of selecting this year’s supreme champions from some of the finest horses and ponies in the country”, on the final night of the show (11 October).

European champion Laura, who also won world team gold and individual bronze this year, won the supreme pony title at HOYS in 2003 with Welsh section A Penwayne Ryan.

“Horse of the Year Show holds very special memories for me,” she said. “Winning the supreme pony championship when I was just 13 was an incredible moment and one I’ll never forget.

HOYS supreme judges 2026: ‘A tremendous honour’

“I know how much it means to qualify for HOYS and to stand in that arena on the final evening. To return all these years later as a supreme championship judge is a real honour, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Edwin, of Mintfield Stud, is a highly experienced judge of Welsh ponies and cobs.

“It is a great honour to be invited to judge the supreme horse and pony championship at Horse of the Year Show,” he said. “I have very fond memories of judging the Price family supreme in-hand championship in 2022, so to be asked to return four years later to judge the supreme is a tremendous honour.

“It means a great deal to me and everyone at Mintfield Stud, and I’m very much looking forward to being part of such a prestigious championship.”

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Former racehorse Communion secured a surprise Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) pass in the Racehorse to Riding Horse at the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) Championships.

Known at home as Monkey, he is owned by Donna Bamonte, who produces him from home, and was ridden by chance on this occasion by Sophie Staveley.

Monkey had been lightly but successfully shown – he’d qualified for the Royal International Horse Show as a large hack – when Donna saw the Mattmu seven-year-old with former owner Amanda Picillo and snapped him up in March.

“Me and mum went up to North Yorkshire and loved him,” said Donna. “Monkey was beautifully schooled and we've spent lots of time since out hacking up the hills".

Donna already had one former racehorse – Hagar – HOYS-bound having qualified at Wiltshire Spring Show, so her aim here was to make it into an evening performance.

“As Hagar was already qualified for HOYS I wanted to get into the evening performance with her - which we did having taken second in the amateur owner rider class,” Donna explained. “I was rushed with Monkey as there wasn't much time after Hagar's class, when Sophie came along and was keen to have a spin on Monkey. He went like a dream for her and won the class. I can't believe we've got two through to HOYS

The horses are a welcome relief for Donna, who lost her husband Perry Bamonte – guitarist and keyboardist for The Cure – at Christmas last year. They provided a focus in spring and continue to bring comfort.

"It's still very raw,” she said. “I need the routine and focus that the horses give me, they are my pets and family. I said to Mum that Perry wouldn't have wanted yet another horse, but Mum said she didn't think he could have cared less if it helped me. I love the longevity of the relationship I have with my horses. Getting to go out to shows is the jam on top! They are truly home produced and I was delighted that Sophie was able to step in and help on the day.”

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Graham Dunkley is one of the judges who has the enviable task of judging at the 2026 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).

This year, what each judge is assessing will be revealed just the night before the class. Trialled in 2024, this format is back by popular demand. So, while we won't know what Lancashire-based Graham is judging for the time being, we can learn a little more about him, his background in showing, and what she will be looking for in the ring.

One thing we do know, having been trained as a classical chef, Graham can handle the heat...

Graham's background in horses and showing

Graham rode and began showing as a child. Though he rode many show ponies, two native ponies have had a significant influence on his equestrian journey.

That particular journey “began back in 1975 on a little Welsh Section A lead-rein pony called Norgwill Pipi,” says Graham.

“At the time, the local riding school was run by husband and wife team Bob and Pat Templeton, who decided to try their hand at producing show ponies. Bob later became a well-known showman with strong links to HOYS and after marrying Julie, they went on to help shape the showing world as it is today.

“My little pony Pipi also went on to enjoy success, winning his breed section at the Olympia finals.”

The second pony hit headlines just earlier this year. This was the latest addition to the Dunkley family’s herd: Highland pony Genesis of Westown (Noah). Incidentally, you can find out more about this in the March 5, 2026 issue of Horse & Hound.

“Quite unexpectedly, Noah brought me back into the show ring as a rider after a 30-year break. It certainly was not planned but he reminded me that being in the saddle is my happy place,” says Graham.

“In showing, it is easy to become so focused on turnout and performance that we put too much pressure on ourselves and those around us. Noah reminded me that we do this sport for fun. For those of us who are truly hooked, nothing quite compares with the bond between horse and rider, and competing against yourself to be better that you were yesterday.”

Owning horses is a lifelong learning curve for any equestrian. Graham believes that “the most important lesson horses have taught me is that the right way in the end isn’t always the quickest way. There isn’t a gadget or TikTok video out there that replaces the need for patience, kindness and understanding that every day is a school day. That is true when working with horses, and it is just as true in every aspect of life.”

In a lifetime spent around show ponies and horses, Graham has had a good number of highlights to remember.

“I have been lucky enough to ride some beautiful horses and ponies over the years and have enjoyed many amazing moments.”

However, one of his fondest is the memory of “a small local show, watching my son absolutely smash his first-ridden debut on his little Shetland pocket rocket.”

Graham's judging experiences and highlights

“Before judging, I got into stewarding once my riding career paused.”

This is something he would encourage all prospective judges to do.

“It teaches you how to manage a ring, which is ultimately the job of the judge. You learn to spot that child who is about to take flight on their bombproof schoolmaster, or how to deal with the one who has had a wrong leg and needs some encouragement before dealing with mum outside the ring.

“I was one of the main ring evening performance stewards for Ponies UK when it was at the East of England Showground, along with Phill Judge and Nigel Oliver. Great times.

“You also see much more than you would from the other side of the ropes and when I was starting out, the knowledge I gained from watching and talking to the senior judges was invaluable and helped me gain the confidence to become a judge.”

Graham started judging at at a very local level, “as is the case with most judges,” and has now now been a panel judge for over thirty years.

“I have been fortunate to judge at some fantastic shows and, without detracting from those experiences, my highlight has to be my two previous HOYS judging appointments; to judge at HOYS is both an honour and a privilege.

“That is the gig that every judge starting out wants to be invited to. The first time is obviously a bit daunting leading up to the show; however, the second time, you can allow yourself the time to take it all to enjoy and appreciate the experience of judging the best of the best.”

What will Graham be looking for in the ring?

“I started my riding career on show ponies and these, for me, will always hold that special place,” he says. “However, you will always get a kick when that special animal walks into the ring and that can come from any of the sections.

“I want to see animals smiling through the bridle, with an attitude that cannot be ignored,” he continues. “Reaching the finals is incredibly difficult, so all the ponies will already be of a high standard, true to type, correct in conformation and way of going.

“I’m really excited to see the one or two with that unmistakable star quality, deserving of having their names on the roll of honour alongside the great show animals of the past.”

Graham’s pet hates

“Maybe I am turning into a grumpy old man but I have a few. My biggest bugbear is bad manners and that is from the competitors. I was always taught to smile, be on time, be correctly presented and give the impression that I was doing something I enjoyed.

“Another one is animals going in a forced outline and not carrying themselves. But the pet hate that frustrates me the most is overcomplicated individual performances that are often inappropriate for the class and are usually badly executed.

“As a judge, I want to see lots of little things done well: correct paces with crisp transitions. I would rather see simple perfection than complex chaos. I have lost my winner numerous times for this reason.”

Tips for HOYS first-timers

Graham says: “The clue is in the title – be a showman.

“From the second you step into the ring to when – if you are lucky enough to be – you’re cantering out on the lap of honour, you are on show and someone will always be watching.

“Don’t play it safe; try to wow. With reference to my earlier point, that doesn’t mean attempting a one-handed serpentine, with a rein back and a walk to canter thrown in for good measure. At HOYS, there will be a set show, so take time to execute it correctly, don’t rush and most of all, enjoy the ride.”

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Where does a vet’s role start – and stop – when it comes to equine welfare, and what happens if a horse and a human’s best interests are not the same?

These were some of the questions discussed at the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) 2026 congress in the “moral maze” debate. The discussion, featuring panellists and “witnesses”, was on the topic “Is everyday welfare our constant endeavour?” Two vets argued that it is; two said they believe at this moment, it is not.

Issues brought up included whether vets should treat just the symptoms rather than also the cause of an issue, and cases in which what is best for the horse may not be what is best for the owner.

Outgoing BEVA president Imogen Burrows, one of those who believes welfare is the constant endeavour, said she believes all equine vets “start this profession with welfare as a real primary key driver”, adding: “We choose to undertake veterinary care as a profession. We have to accept that this is undertaken with the intention of protecting animal welfare at its heart.”

Malcolm Morley, World Horse Welfare head of UK, agreed that he is sure from his 30 years in practice that all vets care.

“I’ve also been standing in the yard with an owner, trainer, rider, who all want an answer, and I’m thinking, what’s right for the horse, and trying to manage their expectations,” he said. “Everyone’s under pressure. The horse has a competition coming up, it cost a fortune, somebody’s living is probably at stake; pressure has come right into my consultation.

“In that situation putting welfare first can threaten your relationship with your clients, your cash flow, your reputation and status as a vet. This is normal in equine practice, we face these really challenging conflicts. Pretending they don’t exist is where we get into trouble.”

Owners on side

BEVA trustee Phil Cramp said he believes vets are very good at ensuring the horse has the best treatment, its welfare protected, and that the owner has to be on side.

“We learn to do that, we get better at it through our career and I think we’re getting better and better at combining those things, and at providing good welfare for our patients,” he said. “I think there’s evidence that supports that. Look at this session, and this whole congress has everyday welfare at the heart and every year it’s come further and further up the list.”

Equine behaviour expert Gemma Pearson pointed out that the five domains welfare model has four physical domains feeding into the fifth and most important, the horse’s mental state. She gave the example of a vet treating a laminitic by keeping it in a bare area with weighed-out hay; it will lose weight but it has also lost out in terms of environment and probably social interactions.

“That’s where I see a lot of horses presented to me as they’ve become aggressive,” she said. “Now the owner is now thinking of selling them because vets are just thinking about physical health, not always thinking about welfare, which is mental state.”

Thinking from the horse’s perspective

Vet Ben Sykes said he was never taught to think from the horse’s perspective, citing as an example, yards not set up with welfare as the key focus, which “become normalised”.

“Every time you dispense omeprazole, do you recommend maybe social housing to improve the eating behaviour for that horse, make that horse’s welfare improve, make it feel safer and eat more constantly, more naturally, every single time?” he asked.

“Hay is the centre of ulcer prevention; free choice hay is one of the simplest, most powerful tools to improve the welfare of a stabled horse. We can’t suddenly get racehorses turned out or social stabling put in, but as a profession, we could advocate strongly that every single horse that is stabled, every racehorse, as a minimum industry standard, we require free choice hay.

Mr Sykes said regulation, rather than education, should be key, adding: “Why aren’t we, as a profession, BEVA, standing up and saying we expect this to be a minimum industry standard? Without that, welfare is not our constant endeavour.”

Dr Pearson cited a case of equine and human welfare in conflict, in a colic surgery in which euthanasia was recommended. The owner opted for a second surgery as the horse was owned by his father who had Alzheimer’s, and time with his horses was “the only thing that calms him down”.

“Does the constant endeavour phrase have the add-on ‘but you’re allowed to compromise it when you feel you should’?” she asked.

The ethical questions

Ethics were introduced; examples given were injecting a horse’s joints to improve performance, taking blood from one horse to benefit another, and whether advanced reproductive techniques benefit the mare involved.

The question over each vet’s role was also asked; can and should the vet be the one to recommend changing stable design or management as well as everything else they do – and are they advocates for or enablers of good welfare.

“I’d got to a point where I was probably enabling things,” Ms Burrows said. “I was happy with what I was doing but not really how I was doing it. The changes I’ve made, I think, have been hugely beneficial for me and for my patients. This is a journey, and no journey is perfect or linear.

“It’s obvious we’re provocative, emotive, passionate, but when we use extreme terms, we’re going to let perfect be the enemy of good, and we have to acknowledge we will fail, and we have to accept that. I can try again, and that doesn’t mean it wasn’t my constant endeavour.”

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Classically trained horseman and engineer Paul Belton, who revolutionised saddle design in the UK and far beyond, died suddenly on 28 August, aged 82, less than 40 days after the loss of his beloved wife, Sherry.

A lifelong rider with an engineering background, Paul had a unique understanding of the requirements of both horse and rider, and of the profound impact a saddle can have on the ridden horse. He was the first saddle designer to put welfare, comfort and biomechanics of the horse at the heart of the design. Few people have had a greater influence on the vision and development of the modern saddle industry.

Paul designed his own saddle trees and firmly believed, quite rightly, that the foundation of a well fitted saddle was a well fitted tree.

He worked with equestrian masters in his pursuit of perfection, developing lifelong friendships with Klaus Balkenhol, Wilfried Bechtolsheimer and Ernst Bachinger, and many others. He had a deep passion for the Spanish Riding School of Vienna and visited throughout his life, constantly seeking knowledge and greater understanding in pursuit of the perfect unity between horse and rider.

Paul founded Albion Saddlemakers in 1985 and, with Sherry, built it into an internationally respected brand. Albion became the trusted technical partner to many Olympic dressage and event riders across Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA, Canada and beyond.

Paul was president of the Society of Master Saddlers (SMS) in 2000 and was instrumental in the development of the SMS saddle-fitting qualification.

Paul had a brilliant mind, a wonderfully dry sense of humour and above all, he was creative, kind, thoughtful and generous with his knowledge. He was a true gentleman and leaves a remarkable legacy that will influence the industry for many years.

Paul is survived by his beloved horse, Fabrento (Eric), and was dad to Richard, Sarah and Anna, and stepdad to Alex.

He will be sorely missed – for his inspiration, wisdom, kindness and, of course, his sense of humour and endless mickey-taking.

A celebration of the lives of Paul and Sherry will be held on 23 October at Walsall Town Hall as part of the SMS Expo.

For further details of the memorial, please email: sarah@nutrientneutral.com

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“Intentional sabotage” by a disgruntled former employee who admitted crushing up drugs and putting them in horses’ feed troughs is the “likely cause” of two horses failing dope tests at the same event, an FEI Tribunal has found.

Freesia De Lap AA and Divine Du Vialaret both tested positive for atenolol, a prescription beta blocker primarily used to treat high blood pressure in humans, at an endurance competition in Dubai (28 to 31 January). Atenolol is on the FEI’s banned substance list, so is not permitted for use in competition horses at any time.

The FEI brought cases against the horses’ riders and trainers, who all represent Bahrain. These are Muhammad Abbas Khalid, who trains 11-year-old mare Freesia De Lap AA, and rider HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa; and Abdulrahman Mohamed Al Saad, trainer of nine-year-old mare Divine Du Vialaret, and rider Mohamed Abdulsamad Al Bastaki.

The trainers and riders explained that once they were notified of the failed drugs test, the Bahrain royal endurance team tested all feed and supplements given to the horses in the days leading up to it. Around 28 products were tested, and all were negative for all banned substances.

The horses had travelled to the venue from Al Awasef Stables on 29 January, and the investigation found that a former employee of Al Awasef Stables, Izhar Ul Haq, was seen at the property the same day.

“When questioned by police, Mr Ul Haq admitted entering the stables without authorisation, deliberately crushing 15 atenolol tablets (IP 50mg), and placing them in the feed trough of three horses [...] as an act of revenge for his dismissal,” stated the trainers and riders’ submission.

It added that the feed troughs included those belonging to Freesia De Lap AA and Divine Du Vialaret, and that in April, Mr Ul Haq was convicted in court and sentenced to a year in prison and deportation, a conviction upheld by an appeal court two weeks later. The FEI Tribunal reports state that the riders and trainers “submitted that the Atenolol detected [...] more likely than not resulted from intentional sabotage by the former employee”.

The FEI accepted that the riders and trainers had established “on the balance of probabilities” how the drug came to be in the horses’ systems, and agreed a settlement on 8 June.

The FEI concluded that while the horses must be disqualified from the event, the riders and trainers “bore no fault or negligence”, and that they would not be fined.

The settlement went before the FEI Tribunal’s one-person hearing panel, and it was accepted.

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A rider who lost five stone to benefit her horse’s wellbeing has been crowned a Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) champion – and qualified for the London International Horse Show.

Danni Harris and Shadowfax won the racehorse to show horse title at the Jockey Club RoR National Championships at Aintree (18-23 August). They were also placed in dressage, and the in-hand championships.

“It was amazing,” Danni told H&H. “The week started on a high and I thought it would only go downhill! But it gradually got better and better, and ended on a high as well.

“And it’s nice knowing it’s all my own work. I’ve never had a lesson on him so knowing it’s all what I’ve done means quite a lot.”

Danni used to work for Mick Appleby, who trained “Gandalf” in his racing days, which is how the horse came to her, as a five-year-old, two years ago.

“I’d left Mick’s at the time and Mum rang me and said ‘Gandalf’s coming up for rehoming and going tomorrow, what do you think?’

“I’d always loved him, he’s got such a cheeky character and big personality, but I said ‘We don’t really need another horse, we’ve got two already’. She said ‘Well, it’s too late, I’m telling you to get his stable ready’. She asked me a question but it was really telling me he was coming home!”

Danni Harris returns to showing

Danni had been in showing as a child but had had a break. But when Gandalf arrived, and having seen the showing opportunities available with RoR, she thought that might be the way to go.

“I took it as it came, to see how we got on, so I started taking him to a couple of local show,” she said. “That was last year, just in hand, then in October, I broke my shoulder. So he got chucked out from October till March.”

After the injury, Danni changed from an active, outdoor job to a sitting-down role.

She had been to the 2025 RoR championships at which, as H&H reported, RoR rider-size limits were to be more actively enforced.

“It was voluntary then; you could go and have your weigh-in, and they’d said it would be compulsory for 2026 but I thought I’d be ok, never really thought any more of it,” she said. “But then I broke my shoulder, changed jobs to an office job and sat down all day, every day.

“I started snacking, and obviously put more and more weight on. After Christmas, I said to Mum ‘I’m going to have to do something or I’m not going to be able to compete him this year, for his welfare, and for the guidelines.”

Danni weighed 16st 7lb, nearly 108kg. At Aintree last year, Gandalf was 481kg, he is now 544kg, so with tack she would have been over the ideal 17% of the horse’s weight, and over the maximum 20%.

She said the will to compete, and benefit Gandalf’s welfare, was a great motivation to lose weight.

“I completely stopped snacking at work,” she said. “I used to be really bad. I never used to have breakfast but now I’m dead strict on portion control and I eat three times a day. I’ve completely stopped drinking fizzy drinks because I used to, in the evening, just go and get a can of pop, and then it would end up being four or five cans of pop a night.

“I just drink water now, I started doing a bit of cycling, playing a bit of badminton and riding more again when I was allowed to with my shoulder.”

Danni said she went from riding 10 to 12 horses, and mucking out multiple stables, to sitting down, not to mention the snacking.

“You have to change things,” she said. “It’s one thing losing weight but if you go back to how you were, it goes straight back on again. It was straight after Christmas I changed a lot, then I was allowed to start riding late March/early April, and when I did I was back up to four a day again, and I noticed the weight loss more again.”

Danni and Gandalf were back out competing again all summer until the championships, at which winning the racehorse to riding horse class earned them a ticket to the London International Horse Show.

“He did try his best to be cheeky all week!” she said. “But that’s him. He got nicknamed Mr Squealy because if you put a bit much leg on or he gets excited, he squeals. We did do the showjumping and every time he jumped a fence, he squealed and bucked when he landed, but that’s just him.

“He definitely hasn’t been the easiest; he’s got such a big personality but I just love him for it.”

Danni also volunteered to be weighed at the championships, with all her heaviest tack and gear to ensure she would always be well within the limits.

“I spoke to the Welfare Stewarding Group people too as they wanted to cover my story at the championships. Knowing they wanted to cover it too meant even more.”

Danni and Gandalf also came third in the SEIB racehorse to riding horse class at Defender Burghley. The rest of this year will include some dressage before they head to the London International in December.

“And then we’ll come back for next show season!” she said.

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A teenager who only started riding in lockdown because she couldn’t dance has qualified for the LeMieux Grassroots Championships at Badminton – with her “hairy, patchy cob”.

Hope Wilson and 14hh Charlie Girl (Poppy) came third in the Forgandenny BE90 regional final in August, earning their ticket to Mars Badminton 2027. This was the crowning achievement of their six years together, during which they have also competed up to elementary level dressage and won at the national side-saddle championships – not to mention welcoming Poppy’s unexpected BOGOF foal a few months into their journey.

They were also on the winning Scottish team at the Chillington Hall regional youth championships in 2024, and walked away with the individual BE80 title.

“I was just numb, when they won at Chillington,” Hope’s mother Hazel told H&H. “I think I just couldn’t believe it. People were coming up and saying ‘You must be so proud’ and I said yes but it was probably a week afterwards that I actually realised the extent of what she’d done.”

Hazel said she had always ridden, describing herself as a “happy hacker” and local competitor, but Hope had never really been interested. She preferred her ballet and dancing – “She wasn’t really that interested in getting her hands dirty!” Hazel said – but when lockdown was on, so dancing and school were off, she found herself at a loose end and needed something to do.

“She quickly formed a bond with the little 11h Welsh A I bought as a companion,” Hazel said. “The other companion pony I’d bought had bucked her off a couple of times so she was nervous of getting on Belle but finally we got there.”

Belle and Hope got on well together and progressed to winning their first 60cm showjumping class. After a few months, Hazel said, as Hope’s desire to ride and leg length increased at a similar rate, she decided to buy a pony she and her daughter could share and have fun on.

“This was a hairy 10-year-old cob; I thought we could share her, and if we came out of lockdown and she went back to her dancing, I could ride the cob and just tootle about,” Hazel said. “But the sharing lasted until we discovered Poppy was actually in foal!”

Hazel suspected Poppy’s extra weight might be an unexpected guest, and in March 2021, her vet confirmed she was due in a couple of weeks.

“Both Hope and I had the privilege of being there at the birth and it was amazing,” she said, adding that no one knows who the sire of the foal, now five and called Daisy, might be.

“I think she’s got more Welsh in her as she’s slightly finer-boned,” she said. “She’s about 15.1hh so she should hopefully be a good type for Hope to take up the levels.”

Once Poppy was brought back into work, there was no stopping her, and Hope, who had also recently been diagnosed with autism – but having the horses helped.

“We’ve found a balance, and the horses have held everything together,” Hazel said. “Hope started eventing at a low level, with the Pony Club. I’d never seen her do a dressage test till our first event with the Pony Club and everyone said ‘She’s good’. She got the highest dressage score of the whole thing.”

At the start of 2024, Hope said she wanted to be chosen for the Scotland team for the youth championships, and duly was.

“Hope never wants to know her dressage score until the whole thing’s over, but the other girls on the team said she was in the lead,” Hazel said. “She showjumped and I could see the nerves were beginning to take over.

“She was last to go across country and I think even the boy on the tannoy was astounded because there were some pretty horses there and this little piebald cob who I don’t think he’d been taking too much notice of until that point. He apologised over the tannoy and said ‘We’re actually looking at the individual winners here’. It was very emotional.”

At the start of this year, Hazel said, Hope put a list of her goals for 2026 in the tack room, and Badminton was on it. She and Poppy achieved their qualifying places, then went to Forgandenny in August.

“She was putting a hell of a lot of pressure on herself to do it; probably, unbeknown to me, a lot more pressure than she was showing,” Hazel said. “So I think she felt pure relief, joy that she had achieved this and a hell of a lot of satisfaction because her friends are all riding bigger horses than her, and she can’t help but feel sort of the underdog.”

Hope Wilson’s double win

Hope also rides 16.2hh Irish-bred Ballygriffen Cooper for a friend – she won one BE90 with him at Scone last month and another with Poppy – but the plan was not to aim him for Badminton as he is still quite green, but also, Hazel said, to give Poppy her chance to shine.

“I want her to have her moment of glory,” she said. “She’s a cake-loving cob; 11am or 11.30 she hears the kettle coming on and makes her way to the tack room as she knows the cake tin is coming out! She’s absolutely amazing, she’s got a heart of gold and I swear in some way she’s trying to repair for us keeping her and her foal together.

“I think she’s had quite a few foals but has been parted from them; I think in her way she’s trying to give back a bit for the home she’s got. It may be nonsense but she looks after Hope and takes it all in her stride, she’s almost like a second mother to her.

“When we bought her, I just wanted to see my daughter happy, I had no expectations. When we go out, we just give it our best shot and it’s not about winning, it’s about the horses and their welfare, and seeing what we can do together.

“I’m not made of money and can’t afford to buy Hope everything maybe others have; she has to make do and make the best of what she’s got and by god, she’s certainly doing that.”

Hope is due to start studying business at university this month, but with her sights firmly set on Badminton 2027. And Hazel said she wanted to take this chance to celebrate her daughter and Poppy’s achievements.

“The aim as always will be to do our best but more importantly enjoy the experience and have fun,” she said. “As long as the pair of them come home safely that’s all I care about. I hope Badminton is ready for a patchy cob!”

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Helen Starkie is one of the judges who has the enviable task of judging at the 2026 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).

This year, what each judge is assessing will be revealed just the night before the class. Trialled in 2024, this format is back by popular demand. So, while we won't know what Helen is judging for the time being, we can learn a little more about her, her background in showing, and what she will be looking for in the ring.

Helen Starkie’s background in horses

Lancashire-based Helen has been involved with horses since a child.

“Being a pony-mad child, my parents bought me my first pony when I was 12 years old,” says Helen. “He was a great all-rounder that I enjoyed competing at local shows. In the 80s we hacked to shows, did three or four classes and then hacked home. How things have changed!”

Both of Helen’s sons – Jack and Morgan – rode and showed ponies, predominantly natives. Both sons were successful, too, winning the mountain and moorland (M&M) first ridden class at HOYS; Jack won aboard the multigarlanded Waxwing Paintbox in 2006 before going on to take the mini M&M championship, and Morgan steered Wendon Choice to the title in 2013.

“The photos take pride of place on my living room wall,” says Helen. “Competing with their ponies gave them a strong work ethics and made them competitive. They are 24 and 30 now and are both doctors.”

Jack and Morgan also rode a pony that Helen considers has had a significant impact on her: Pumphill Bennet.

“Both my sons rode him with great success and many wins at HOYS, Royal International, Olympia and county shows. He never stopped giving his all and the partnership that he had with the boys was a pleasure to watch. He’s 25 now and enjoying his well deserved retirement at home on our farm.”

Helen says, reflecting on her time in showing: “Showing has also taught me good sportsmanship, accepting wins modestly and to act professionally when results were not always in my favour.”

Helen’s judging experience

“I started judging and stewarding when my sons got older and I had time to put something back into the system, and hopefully encourage and advise people coming into showing,” she says.

Since then, Helen has judged a host of shows up and down the country, including judging the M&M final at London International, an appointment she considers a highlight.

“I also judged in New Zealand this year, which was a fantastic experience and I would love to go back there.”

What will Helen be looking for when judging?

“At HOYS this year I am hoping to see forward moving ponies with good limb and where applicable, true to type movement and conformation.

“I am a big fan of tradition in showing regarding dress, performance, manners and sportsmanship,” she says.

“One of my pet hates is ponies going over-bent and ponies not being true to type and lacking good limb.

“My advice to HOYS first-timers is to plan your working in times, and enjoy every moment and enjoy all the show.”

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Meet the horse bought for £1 who went from throwing people off to kissing spines surgery to the LeMieux National Dressage Championships – having recovered from a broken leg along the way.

Heather Bennett’s 10-year-old Hawtins Figaro is due to compete at elementary and medium level with Craig Messenger this week (10-13 September), and had also qualified for the para finals with Heather.

The competition comes two years after Heather bought him.

“I got him from another para rider; he’d had her off and injured her quite badly, and he had her trainer off too,” she told H&H. “She told me what had happened and I said it sounded like kissing spines.”

Heather had to wait until her vet Tim Booth was available, and he confirmed her suspicions.

“He said ‘Yes, kissing spines but it’s fixable’,” she said.

“My history has been that I’ve taken everyone’s cast-offs. I’m not a rich person so I’ve got to make good of what I ride. My friend had said he had the nicest temperament and [asked] why was he suddenly exploding. You find horses like this can get pushed from pillar to post and no one actually looks at the horse and asks what’s happening with it.

“I’ve had a few with kissing spines; I rehabbed another one and won the winter championships with him. But with kissing spines, it’s not about the surgery, it’s all about the rehab, and many people don’t have the knowledge or the time or the inclination to do it properly.”

Heather took her time, and after initial box rest for “Fig”, followed by groundwork and a slow build-up with frequent physio treatment, started competing him last summer, and qualified for the 2025 nationals.

“I brought him home and it was a lovely day so I put him out in the field,” she said.

“When I brought him in, he was on three legs.”

Fig had managed to break his splint bone, by “messing about in the field”, as was confirmed when Heather took him straight to the vet.

“Luckily it didn’t need surgery, so it was just time – and rest again,” she said. “He’s quite sharp and likes to keep his brain occupied so box rest is a challenge. He’s such a sweet horse but his brain’s very reactive.”

Heather had also had some health issues so about six months ago, she asked Craig and Dan Watson at Aster Horses to take him on.

Craig told H&H Hawtins Figaro is “very sharp but very lovely”.

“He was strong enough, he’d had enough time, his back was fine, his leg was fine,” Craig said. “He’s always a bit cheeky but within six months,we’ve gone from nothing to medium, and now we’ve qualified for the nationals.”

Fig and Heather also won the grade IV at the Hickstead CDI in May, which Dan and Craig organised.

“He thinks he knows best but he’s a really nice horse with a lovely temperament,” Craig said. “He’s very quick-minded so we can do pirouettes and changes; he’d probably do prix st georges next year. We’re looking forward to the nationals.”

Heather added that she has been unable to travel to Somerford to compete but will be cheering Craig and Fig on.

“I’m not sure I’ll actually be able to watch!” she said. “But at least he’s still going, I’m glad Craig is taking him.

“He’s a character. He loves people, he loves his treats and he’s very vocal when he sees you; he’s a sweetheart and the best pound I’ve spent – plus the interest!”

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Irish working hunter team member Max Mcdonnell landed a standout win in the 153cm section of the inter-country teams competition at the British Show Pony Society summer championships with his own 10-year-old WKD Little Gift (Lola), having almost had to sit the fixture out owing to lorry troubles.

“Our lorry caught fire on the way to Dublin,” said Max’s mother Mary. “But we were lucky we had several offers to borrow one and came here in a neighbour’s lorry.”

The McDonnells have only owned the lightly campaigned mare for 10 weeks.

“He was riding with a friend and fell in love with her. She was for sale and he said, ‘Don’t sell her to anyone else, I’m buying her’,” Mary said.

“He came home and told his dad in the milking parlour that he was buying a horse. He just thought she would be fun to have about on the farm as his other good horse was injured, and she reminded him of a pony we once had for his sister.

“She’d not been in competition before, but we started jumping her and we took her over to the Scottish – she’d never been on a boat before – just to see what she was like and she won and qualified for [Horse of the Year Show] HOYS. She’s so calm and takes everything in her stride.

“Max was under no illusion she would do anything like qualifying for HOYS, but she loves it and she’s just so sweet. It was pure luck.”

The win, along with reigning Dublin champions Evie Kennedy and Little Dromin Phoenix’s win in the 143cm, contributed to Ireland’s historic win in the inter-country teams competition, led by chef d’équipe Stuart Murphy.

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Irish riders across four teams dominated the inter-country working hunter pony teams competition on a day of torrential rain at the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) summer championships (25-29 August).

As well as winning for the first time, Irish riders made up the third and sixth placed teams, led by chef d’équipe Stuart Murphy.

“We were second last year,” said secondary teacher Stuart, whose daughters were competing. “So It was amazing to see the Irish flag flying this time, and to have two or three placed in every section – even four – it all went amazing.”

Evie Kennedy and Little Dromin Phoenix won the 143cm section; Max McDonald and WKD Little Gift claimed the 153cm class ahead of fellow Irish representatives Lucy Donnan and Killaughey Super Sonic, and there was a host of other placings.

Stuart competed at BSPS himself from 1994 to 1996 and “has great memories”, so has encouraged participation in recent years.

“Four or five years ago, we came over and we didn’t even have an inter-country team at that point. It was after Covid and there was a bit of a lull,” Stuart said. “But we started to build… I started to talk to friends, and told them how much the kids would love it.”

By this year, there was no need to encourage participation; candidates had to apply for a space on the team.

“We had to be selective,” Stuart said. “Luckily the BSPS let me bring four teams and four really strong teams.”

BSPS championships: a strong team

In the run-up, Stuart knew that they would be fielding strong contenders.

Evie Kennedy, for example, was recently champion for the second time at Dublin having previously won Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), Nancy Lyons won HOYS on her 133cm Dartans Soda Ban and Burghley on her 143cm Newydd Lady Marmalade, who was also already HOYS-bound.

Intermediate contender Jessica Murphy had also qualified her intermediate Leestone Conbreaker for the NEC final.

“There was strength and depth in the Irish teams. They were first, third and sixth, but any of the teams could have won,” Stuart said.

“I’m proud of the team and the energy and enthusiasm they brought. They were doing it for fun and entertainment – cheering each other on – but to come away with the win is amazing. I’m proud of them all for how they upped their game in horrific conditions, too.”

The entire Irish plaited working hunter contingent in total included:

133cm contenders Ellie Murphy and Stockham Secret Envoi, Nancy Lyons Teehan Dartans Seoda Ban, Robin Lyons Teehan and Tybroughney Cloud and Nancy Caffrey riding Bowmount Rusty.

143cm combinations Evie Kennedy and Little Dromin Phoenix, Lily Murphy and Dunran Love In The Mist, Holly Logan and Owens Shadow, Aoife Brennan and Captain Bailey, Maggie Caffrey and Illaunurra Bay, and Clara Cully with Colemanstown Fred.

153cm contenders Lucy Donnelly and Tinraher Aggie, Lucy Donnan and Killaughey Super Sonic, Max McDonnell and WKD Little Gift.

158cm combinations Jessica Murphy and Leestone Conbreaker, Kate Horgan and Highview Shakespeare, Emily-Jayne McPolin and Thornleigh Sir Robin.

To compound the victory, the plaited working hunter teams won the premier working hunter teams competition against the UK area associations and the broader Irish representatives won the native teams competition, and stood fourth in the show hunter pony team rankings, with different ponies reaching across the various teams.

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A chunk of the paperwork needed to transport horses between the UK and EU has gone digital with hopes that this will mean smoother travel, provided “teething issues” are fixed.

Since Brexit, people transporting goods – including horses – between the UK and EU on temporary journeys need specific documents to avoid being charged import tax. In most cases for those taking sport horses and related equipment abroad for shows, this means using ATA carnets, essentially a “goods passport” that is valid for up to a year.

These have been issued as paper documents, but are being replaced by digital eATA carnets.

The process is in a transition phase and 30 participating countries (including the UK, EU members, Norway and Sweden) started accepting digital carnets on 1 June 2026. The aim is for the full digital global rollout to conclude by the end of 2027.

Jenna Parker, of horse transport company John Parker International, told H&H that “eventually it will make life easier – as long as the technology holds”.

She said it would be wise for back-up paper carnets not to be phased out too soon until it’s known the digital system works, especially as customs claims can be raised up to three years after issue.

Mrs Parker said that there has been much misinformation surrounding the switchover and that however good the technology is, it still relies on humans to use it. For example, in the past it was easy to spot if customs had missed stamping a particular carnet in a bunch, but drivers would now need to log in and check that all have been scanned correctly.

“One of the queries that has come up is, say items one to 50 have been marked as being re-exported from the EU, but in actual fact, at the last minute, they’re not bringing home item number 49. How do the drivers then do that quickly at the port when they’re in with the customs officers?” she said.

“Whether it’s a mistake or a last-minute change – notoriously within port areas, there’s so much technology that phone signal is bad. That means the driver has to find a spot to be able to log into it, to be able to change it or call us to get to a computer to be able to change it.”

She added: “That’s where the paper, pen and two humans speaking to each other comes into play.”

Polly Connell, one of the company’s drivers, told H&H that there are little “teething problems”, but once those are sorted, she does think digital carnets will be a good thing.

She gave the example of finding a way that drivers can easily check that all the digital carnets have been scanned correctly by customs, adding: “Otherwise, we’re the ones who are going to end up with the hefty fine.”

In her experience, customs officers at Calais only want the digital version, whereas at Dover they will scan or stamp the paper back-up for carnets issued from June.

She added there are positive things about the new system – for example, people won’t have to worry about a physical copy being damaged, lost – or in the wrong place if their travel plans change.

Jan Rogers of the British Horse Council (BHC) told H&H the “BHC supports the move to digital where this underpins horse wellbeing, speeds up administrative processes, reduces costs for owners, keepers and competitors and minimises travel delays for horses”.

“We have been working and still work actively with the Government to illustrate the importance of digital ID being the primary form of ID for horses, because it enables accurate identification and traceability which is in the best interests of our entire equine herd,” she said.

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Discussions are ongoing in the dressage world around how to describe harmony.

H&H reported that among the 2027 FEI rule changes proposed in dressage, British Dressage (BD) – via British Equestrian – had called for a “clear definition of harmony” (news, 6 August).

BD CEO Jason Brautigam told H&H “harmony is fundamental to the object of dressage”.

“The object is the development of the horse as a happy athlete through harmonious education, allowing the horse to be loose and flexible but confident and keen, achieving understanding with the rider,” he said.

“These qualities are revealed by the partnership between horse and rider and measured in performance; through the paces, movements, engagement of the hindquarters, originating from impulsion and without tension or resistance.

“That gives us a clearer basis for describing harmony in practice. The challenge is to ensure this is articulated clearly enough that judges know what they are looking for, and riders and coaches understand what they should be seeking. If we want to encourage harmonious riding, the judging needs to recognise and reward it consistently.”

Mr Brautigam added that BD believes harmony should be assessed in individual movements, rather than a general impression or collective mark, and reflect movement quality and how it is achieved.

“Rather than reintroducing another collective, we believe the aim should be to embed harmony within the assessment of the performance itself,” he said.

“Harmony should not be treated as an additional aesthetic alongside the fundamentals of dressage. It is integral; the harmonious education of the horse in a positive mental and physical state, resulting in a confident and willing athlete.”

Mr Brautigam said the next step is “a clear and usable definition”, then to ensure judging reflects this throughout the test.

“The proposed changes to FEI rules, and review of tests that will follow, provide us with the opportunity to achieve this,” he said.

International dressage judge Isobel Wessels told H&H good judges, riders and trainers know what harmony is.

“Everyone has their own measure of harmony; in countries that don’t have a history of horse sport it might be more difficult to put a heading to it, but I do believe most dressage people recognise harmony when they see it,” she said.

“For me, harmony is when the horse goes seamlessly from one movement to the next with lightness and from small aids. That shows a willingness to work with the rider – but if the rider isn’t asking anything, that’s no good either.

“As judges, we read the horse from the moment it goes around the edge of the arena. If a horse spooks at something, for me that isn’t lack of harmony, it’s a live animal reacting to the environment. But if I see a horse reacting in a negative way because he’s stressed or the rider isn’t very competent, I come down on the mark and comment accordingly.”

Isobel added that judges follow FEI rules and attend annual training and exams.

“If anybody has sat in the judges' box and seen how many seconds you have to give a comment and mark, without falling behind, it’s an enormous task and we’re all very conscious of the influence we have,” she said.

“This word ‘harmony’ has always been in the front of our minds. It’s nothing new, it has always been part of the training scale, that’s not one person’s opinion – it’s part of the manual we follow to be able to ride, train and judge.”

International animal welfare consultant Natalie Waran said a definition of harmony is “only useful if it leads to something that can be seen, described and agreed on”.

“That is why measurement matters. It doesn’t replace the judgement of experienced horse people but it gives that judgement something solid to work from, and several parts of what is termed ‘harmony’ can now be assessed in this way,” said Professor Waran.

Professor Waran said evidence suggests harmony can be “defined well enough to be scored”, if it is “treated as more than aesthetic impression”.

“Describing it as the interaction between communication, the behaviour and affective state of the horse, biomechanical function and longer-term welfare outcomes makes it possible to define, teach and increasingly measure the qualities that sit underneath a successful performance,” she said.

“Seen that way, harmony isn’t an indefinable artistic ideal but an evidence-informed feature of good horsemanship, and one that can be assessed fairly when science is there to support it.”

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Blood rules could be harmonised across the disciplines, as stakeholders continue to debate the issue.

The contentious topic continues to be a talking point and has been addressed in the FEI rules revision process, but no change will be made yet.

Currently rules differ across the Olympic disciplines. This year, a rule was introduced in showjumping, whereby rider-induced blood does not automatically lead to elimination but instead a recorded warning. If a rider has two warnings in 12 months, they are fined and suspended for a month. Since 1 January, 282 warnings have been issued and 13 suspensions. Although the rule generated much discussion ahead of its implementation – including concerns that it was “weakening” protocols – no further changes have been requested.

There is now discussion around harmonising the rules across the disciplines after the FEI established a “horse condition task force” to review protocols. It has not been confirmed what this might look like or if it means implementing the showjumping blood rule across the board.

“The primary objective of the task force is to recommend a more harmonised approach to the FEI’s regulations concerning blood on the horse across all disciplines,” said an FEI spokesperson.

The task force held a meeting in June but “has not achieved consensus” so no rule change will be voted on at the General Assembly. An FEI spokesperson told H&H “discussions are ongoing”.

British Equestrian (BEF) “strongly recommends” that no change is made to the blood rules in dressage, as “it would be a retrograde step from our current zero-tolerance approach”. Currently, any fresh blood on the horse in dressage results in automatic elimination.

“While we are sympathetic to instances where blood is not in the area of influence of the rider or directly caused by the use of tack and equipment, it is often very difficult to determine the exact cause of blood during competition or warm-up. Unless this can be very clearly defined, with appropriate veterinary checks in place before/after competition, we believe the current rule should remain in place,” said the BEF spokesperson.

The Dutch federation is among those in agreement that the existing rule in dressage should continue.

“We understand that the FEI intends to harmonise this rule with the regulations currently applied in jumping. However, for our discipline, we respectfully request that the existing rule remains unchanged,” said a spokesperson.

Elsewhere in the rules revision process, the FEI has put forward additions to the veterinary regulations. Proposals include using body condition scoring to ensure that horses are not “very thin or obese”, compulsory vet exams for horses who have fallen during an event and potential elimination of horses that show “unsafe behaviour” around horses and/or humans.

“The FEI believes that it is not in the horse’s best interests, in terms of welfare, for them to compete if they are very thin or obese and proposes the implementation of the Henneke [body condition scoring] scale to support this,” said an FEI spokesperson.

“Also, with respect to welfare, horses must be excluded from competition where they have an injury or disease that causes pain or discomfort that could be exacerbated by competition.”

Ahead of the LA Olympics, there have been calls for an increase to the 20 penalties incurred in eventing if teams substitute a rider after the cross-country. The US federation proposed 35 penalties, the German federation 40.

“The Olympic Games in Paris demonstrated that it was possible to win a team medal even after a substitution, which was perceived as being contrary to the original and traditional intention of the rule,” said a German federation spokesperson.

“Therefore, we recommend increasing the substitution penalty and would welcome renewed discussion on this matter.”

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A short time spent checking your lorry floor now could prevent catastrophic consequences for your horse.

This is the message after a much-loved thoroughbred was fatally injured when a horsebox floor failed this summer. H&H reported that Kevin’s owners wanted to share his story in the hope that it would prompt others to check.

H&H contacted the Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association (VBRA), a national trade body, which has guidance for best practice in this area.

The VBRA’s Gerry Braddock told H&H: “The VBRA would like to extend our sincere condolences to Emma and her family following the tragic loss of Kevin. We fully support Emma and Lilly’s decision to share their experience in the hope that other horse owners can learn from what happened and prevent another tragedy.

“Our VBRA commercial horsebox flooring best practice guide highlights that deterioration, rot and corrosion can remain hidden beneath rubber matting, floor coverings and, in some constructions, beneath the floor itself. Inspection therefore needs to go beyond what can be seen at first glance, including checking the underside of the floor and areas around wheel arches.”

Read the horsebox safety guidance

The guidance states that issues are often caused by “lack of experience when fitting floors, cutting corners to save money at the new build or conversion stage, or when refitting flooring, also from lack of inspection and maintenance”.

Mr Braddock said the VBRA “strongly encourages” frequent floor inspections, removing rubber matting to allow the floor to dry and checking seals, floor coverings and drain tubes, as well as feeling for any unusual softness or springiness in the floor.

“Where there is any doubt about the condition of a floor, particularly where damage, water ingress, corrosion, rot or deterioration is suspected, we recommend having it inspected by someone with the appropriate knowledge and experience,” he said. “A relatively short time spent checking the floor could prevent a catastrophic failure.

“As our guidance states, your priority is the safety and welfare of your horses. We hope that by sharing this guidance, other horsebox and trailer owners will take the opportunity to check their vehicles and ensure that any potential problems are identified and addressed before they become catastrophic.”

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Huge progress continues to be made in tackling equine obesity in the show ring – and key to future success must be “embedding” this thinking in judging.

Those behind the Weigh to Win awards – by which the horse or pony in the healthiest body condition in a participating class is given a special rosette – held a discussion at the Royal International Horse Show on 22 July.

The scheme is funded by The Horse Trust and supported by the University of Liverpool, has been running since 2019 and is expanding every year. In 2026, there was a 19% increase, to 60, in the number of events hosting the awards. Representatives have been invited to societies’ judge-training conferences and run training days, covering areas including body condition scoring and the risks associated with excess equine weight.

Scheme spokesperson Rachael Holdsworth reported on the first Weigh to Win awards championships last year; finalists who had won multiple awards were invited to the London International Horse Show and the winners presented with rosettes and sashes. The second championship will take place at this year’s show.

Ms Holdsworth added that the scheme’s social media posts are now being seen by thousands of people, including 70,000 views in three months on Facebook this year.

“It blows my mind to see all these people engaging with this; I think it’s a huge step forward,” she said. “Looking to the future, we’re going to talk about how we move the program forward. We’d like to work more with judges, to encourage winners to give us more feedback. We’ve had our judges’ WhatsApp group in operation for a couple of years, which works really well, and more involvement with that will help us cover more shows.

“Thank you all for being such supporters of this programme. We’re all in this together and making a difference.”

Body condition score data collected since 2021 show a “significant improvement”.

Weight to win awards’ “fantastic” progress

British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) president Imogen Burrows said it was “fantastic” to see the initiative’s progress, but asked if availability of people to judge body condition in participating classes may be a barrier.

“BEVA has tried to advertise for people who want to get involved,” she said. “It is quite daunting to stand alongside a judge but you do tend to get asked back, and I think at local shows, that’s good advertising for the practice.

“We get members saying, ‘We see all these fat ponies in showing’, what are you doing, and staying engaged with this gives the opportunity to see the change, and to go back to them and say ‘You can be part of the solution’.”

Ms Burrows suggested that vets champion clients who have won the healthy weight awards to help inspire others and spread the word of the scheme.

It was agreed that no award should be given out if no horses in a class are in a healthy condition.

“If there’s nothing [healthy], should we give a rosette?” said Jan Rogers of the Horse Trust.

“They may be the healthiest, but [the excess weight] is doing damage just by being there. If we’re giving it to horses who are not healthy, even if they are the healthiest looking, what message are we conveying to people watching?”

The wrong message?

One organiser said that in such a case, the show moved the body condition judge to another class rather than give the rosette to an overweight horse. A judge said she had walked out of classes as giving an award would give the wrong message.

It was suggested that in classes with several healthy horses, some could be given highly commended cards to show owners they are on the right track.

Ms Rogers said all the data from participating classes is collated by researcher Tamzin Furtado, who has been running the scheme with Ms Rogers from the start.

“There are some really positive changes,” she said. “Pony crests, for example – we’ve seen a nice downward line on the graph, and that’s fantastic. There are some classes that are quite resistant to change. Those would be the maxi cobs, but they have improved. They were off the scale, now they’re on it but there’s still far to go.

“Also Welsh section Cs and Ds and Highlands are the ones where we’re really trying to get changes. We need to think about what it is in those classes and communities that means people aren’t quite getting the message.”

Welfare at the forefront

It was agreed that welfare must be at the forefront in judging, and that societies must empower judges to work in this way.

“The whole thing about body condition should be more mainstream, embedded in the judging culture and in the judge,” Ms Rogers said. “Judges are saying they’re instructed to do it, and some do, to a greater or lesser extent.”

Producer Edward Young said that although things are improving, “there are still fat horses being rewarded” in class placings.

“I’d love one of these rosettes,” he said. “There are still classes where the horse who wins the weigh to win isn’t placed. Until judges start putting those horses higher; that’s going to be the biggest challenge.

“The biggest acid test will be when horses that condition-score correctly are making up the majority of the line, and that will be through the societies. It has to be embedded in the judging criteria, that’s the only way forward.”

What do you think about the progress made in tackling obesity? Let us know your thoughts at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your thoughts published in a future issue of Horse & Hound magazine

Back pain is a common problem among equestrians, but a spinal expert has shared three simple core exercises for horse riders that can help prevent these issues.

H&H spoke to consultant spinal neurosurgeon Anthony Ghosh about why the repetitive nature of riding puts equestrians at greater risk of disc disease.

“The repetitive axial loading – that means vertical impact forces that are repetitive where the spine is sort of upright and going up and down – does mean we see a much higher prevalence of disc disease [in equestrians],” he explains. “But this doesn't mean you have to be a back pain sufferer.”

Mr Ghosh recommends the “McGill big three” as useful core-strengthening exercises that may help prevent back pain.

The McGill big three core exercises for horse riders

The “McGill big three” refers to three exercises highlighted by Stuart McGill, a professor at the University of Waterloo in Canada for 30 years, who is a leading figure in causes and rehabilitation of back pain. These are the bird dog, curl up and side-plank.

The below can be varied and tailored to your situation by a good physiotherapist. If you are suffering from back pain, seek appropriate medical advice before undertaking any of the below exercises.

1. Bird dog

The bird dog is good for activating the lower lumbar back muscles.

• Start on all fours
• Lift one arm up ahead of you, almost like a superman post
• Stretch the opposite leg out behind you
• Repeat on each side

2. Curl up

The curl up activates the abdominal muscles – it is not the same as a crunch.

• Lie on your back – bend one knee and keep the other leg stretched out.
• Place your hands under your back to support the natural arch of your spine.
• Lift your head and shoulders a few inches off the ground as one and hold.

3. Side plank

A side plank activates the oblique muscles.

• Lie on your side with your knees bent at 90 degrees, and prop yourself up on your elbow, positioned under your shoulder.
• Lift your hips off the mat until you have a straight line from your knees to the top of your head and hold.
• You can up the intensity by keeping your legs straight, instead of bending your knees.

Take care: With any new form of exercise, your body needs to build up gradually to avoid strain. Seek the advice of a chartered physiotherapist if you are unsure if you should do any exercises due to underlying health conditions. Particular caution applies if you have any cartilage injuries in your knees or joint replacements; avoid the cardiovascular exercises if you have any unstable cardiac health problems, acute disc bulges/prolapses or referred leg pain, pins and needles, numbness, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, gynaecological conditions – or if you are pregnant or undergoing cancer treatment.

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The repetitive nature of riding means riders are predisposed to back pain but core strengthening exercises could help mitigate problems, a leading surgeon has said.

Consultant spinal neurosurgeon Anthony Ghosh spoke to H&H about the back-related issues he typically sees in riders, preventative measures equestrians can take and why looking at the body as a whole is important.

“Due to the nature of the sport, where we have what is known as repetitive axial loading – that means vertical impact forces that are repetitive where the spine is sort of upright and going up and down – we do see a much higher prevalence of disc disease,” said Mr Ghosh.

“But the important point for readers to take away is we also know from studies that if we scan people in general who have no back pain at all, we find worn discs in a lot of them. Just because there is a high prevalence of degenerative disc disease, that in itself doesn't mean you have to be a back pain sufferer.

“Your scan isn't the factor that's going to define you and what your life is going to be like. There's a saying in medicine: treat the patient, not the test results.”

He added: “Core gets a bit overplayed in the world of back pain and spine health; the reason you have back pain isn't because you have a weak core. But that said, strengthening the core can be a useful tool in reducing your back pain.”

He explained that these include the muscles that run up and down the spine, the paraspinal muscles, abdominal muscles that come around a person’s front and sides and also the glutes and hamstrings.

“If you build a brace of muscle around the lower back, 360 degrees, what you’re doing in effect is giving the spine a nice, natural brace,” said Mr Ghosh.

Mr Ghosh referred to the “McGill big three” as useful core-strengthening exercises that may help prevent back pain. These are the bird dog, curl up and side-plank.

“If you’re suffering from a bout of back pain, I would advise you to see a physiotherapist – there are variants of those exercises that any good physio will know and will be able to tailor them to your ability,” he said.

Mr Ghosh also recommended riders who have developing aches, weakness, pain or numbness in their limbs to get checked out by a medical professional.

Looking at riders overall, he said that although core exercises are important, people should not be “overly obsessed with the back alone”.

“As part of your day-to-day or weekly routine, there should be some resistance training throughout the whole body; just like any kind of workout, it's all part of a bigger system,” he said.

‘We’ve gone from getting six and a half and seven, to eight and nine’

Phillipa Hendry went to see an osteopath in February after injuring her back lifting soaked haynets.

Mrs Hendry, 61, who won the LeMieux BE100 grassroots championships at Badminton in May with Flyer Des Coupeaux, was told her muscles were going into spasm owing to the heavy lifting – but that she also had an old injury and her lower back was “locked solid”.

She worked out that her original injury must have been caused by a rotational fall in her 20s. It had not been causing her pain, but she had been consistently getting comments on her dressage sheets along the lines of, “lovely horse, lovely movement, just needed to be more supple over his back for higher marks”.

Mrs Hendry wondered if the two were connected.

She asked her osteopath for exercises, which she has committed to doing regularly, and said that the difference in the way “Fly” goes is “like chalk and cheese”, particularly in the free walk.

“We’ve gone from getting six and a half and seven, to eight and nine,” she said. “That’s not only on him, but the marks for my other horse have gone up massively as well.”

She added: “I'm just so gutted for my horses that I didn’t manage to identify this years ago. It’s only now I can feel the difference in the horses that I’m thinking that’s how it should have felt for all those years.”

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A new in-hand championship at the Agria Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) will “celebrate and promote excellence” in horse and pony breeding.

The National Pony Society (NPS) and RIHS are “delighted” to confirm that the Cases Ltd NPS Pendley supreme in-hand series will run next year, culminating in a championship in the International Arena at Hickstead.

Qualifiers will be held at NPS and Sport Horse Breeding of Great Britain affiliated shows, for hunter, hack and riding horse, British Riding Pony and show hunter pony breeding, as well as all registered mountain and moorland ponies.

NPS chair Jackie Webb said: “The brainchild of 2025 NPS president Sara Hird, the competition aims to identify and celebrate the leading light horse or pony in-hand champion of the year, while also recognising and rewarding breeding excellence, reflecting the charitable objectives of the NPS.”

Hickstead director Lizzie Bunn said this will be an “exciting addition” to the show, thanking those who have worked towards it, and the sponsors Suzanne and Ian Burns.

Mrs Burns said the couple were delighted to support the championship.

“Ian and I are passionate about investing in the future of pony breeding and showing,” she said. “We believe this competition has enormous potential to promote our native and riding pony breeds while supporting breeders during these challenging times.

“We are thrilled that the NPS is driving this exciting new initiative forward and look forward to seeing the finalists compete at the 2027 Agria Royal International Horse Show.”

Details of qualification criteria, venues and championship conditions will be announced shortly.

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The 2026 British Showjumping National Championships have concluded – and the winners include a horse who loves bananas, a rider who almost didn’t get there at all and a 10-year-old combination tackling their toughest challenge yet.

Madison Heath and BP Millionaire were crowned national champions for the first time; the 21-year-old rider and Carrera Stud’s fabulous eight-year-old continued their blistering run this season, which includes winning both under-25 championships at Bolesworth, by seeing off all comers in the international stairway final.

Madison and “Dollar” were fourth to go of six in the jump-off, from 33 starters, and they were in blazing form, the Million Dollar gelding showing his incredible power and the agility to pull off the cracking turns that kept them a third of a second in front of runners-up Chris Franks and Kannabalou.

“I don’t think it’s hit me yet!” Madison said of becoming national champion. “We were in France in July, looking at the nationals and saying, ‘We should go and I might have a chance of the under-25 ticket.’ I didn’t even realise the stairway final was on day three; I thought I’ll see how he’s going and if he’s up for it.”

He most certainly was. Madison said Dollar was slightly over-jumping the big tracks the first few days to ensure he left them up, “but he loved it”.

“He’s naturally quick and the more you dare him, the more he’s ‘I’m on it’,” she said, thanking her flatwork coach Kim Belton and trainer Rob Bevis for their support.

“At the start of the week I couldn't jump a clear round – but I'm happy to go home now we've got the title.”

Madison has said before how much Dollar loves bananas; she promised him a bunch of them if he jumped clear in the seven-year-old final at Hickstead’s September Tour last year, and he got them after he won.

“He hasn’t had his bananas yet, just Stud Muffins as I haven’t been to the shop!” she said the day after her win. “But he will be getting a full bunch.”

Raphaela Dawson continued her fabulous summer by winning the national 148cm title with Maifield Another Sunrise – although she nearly didn’t get to the show at all.

The 15-year-old, who won the 148cm title at Hickstead last month and was on the team that won European gold a week later, got stuck in a motorway traffic jam en route to the nationals, arrived 10 minutes before the class started, then pulled off a fabulous win.

“It’s been amazing,” she said.

Six of 32 starters had jumped clear in the first round and three had faults in the jump-off. Asked if she thought it was a tough course, Raphaela said she hadn’t been able to walk it.

“We got there at 3.50pm, and the class started at 4pm,” she said. “Someone sent me a picture of the course plan and I watched one but it must have been tougher than I thought.”

Raphaela had an unexpected refusal with her first ride, MHS Glow, and when she came in last with “Gizmo”, she put her foot down, sealing the deal with a beautiful turn to the double and taking a stride out to the last.

“They had all last week off during the Europeans, went training on Wednesday then came here,” she said. “We were second in this in 2024 and unlucky to have the last fence last year so to win is really good after coming so close.”

Anya Dewey Clarke retained her 138cm title with Fredaine De Blonde, holding her lead from second in the six-strong jump-off. The winners of the winter title at Hickstead made the tough track look easy as they flew in their customary style, every stride and turn on point.

“I can’t believe we won Hickstead, then two weeks later the nationals for the second time,” said Anya “I knew it would be a really fast jump-off, I knew all my turns and that we had to go for it. She gave it her all, she trusts me and I trust her back.”

Conor Barnes and Creevagh Pringles were taking on their biggest track yet in the 128cm championships – and won with the only double clear.

Conor and the 10-year-old mare were first of two in a boys-only jump-off; their super clear put Michael Kelly and Ryehall Belle Couture’s 12 faults into second.

Conor, who is also 10, has competed in stepping stones finals; his mother Caroline thought he could have a go at bigger tracks this summer with this mare he has been riding for only three months.

He said the course looked “massive”.

“She has quite a strong canter, which I like as it means I can sit and wait,” he said. “She’s very genuine, and she’s: ‘This is my way and how I’m going to do it’; I’ve had to learn how to ride her.

“I’ve never jumped that big before and I didn’t try to go too fast, just go clear and do a few turns. This means we’ve qualified for London International; I’m very excited about that.”

See this week’s H&H magazine, out 13 August, for the full report from the 2026 British Showjumping National Championships.

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Judges’ positions and scoring, the definition of harmony and compulsory video monitoring of warm-ups are under discussion in dressage.

The first draft of the 2027 FEI rule change proposals have been published, as dressage undergoes its first full revision since 2022. National federations, the International Dressage Riders Club (IDRC), International Dressage Officials Club (IDOC), the European Equestrian Federation (EEF) and the FEI have submitted suggestions covering a broad range of topics.

The IDOC and EEF proposed that at championships, of the seven judges, four are placed on the long side, at V, P R and S – instead of the current two. The organisations said this would give judges “a much clearer picture” of particular movements, and an EEF spokesperson added that this is important owing to “the recent focus on harmony”.

“Most importantly, judges would have a much clearer indication of any contact issues, which are now very much under public focus and discussion,” said the EEF and IDOC.

“This would show that dressage is prepared to take a positive action in seriously addressing this issue. It would be a positive move for the sport.”

The FEI dressage technical committee (DTC) “agreed in principle” and said a test event will take place this year. The committee highlighted that having four judges on the long side would "significantly impact” spectators’ view, but could “assist spectators to better understand the sport as the four judges will have a similar viewpoint”.

British Equestrian (BEF) called for “a clear definition of harmony” to show how this applies to the general impression mark.

“We need to be able to articulate exactly what judges are looking for, in order to encourage riders to ride accordingly,” said a BEF spokesperson. “We should also be considering how to embed harmony within the score for each individual movement, rather than relying on a single collective mark.”

There could be a shake-up around collective marks; seven organisations put forward submissions – most favouring the introduction of a second mark.

The IDRC and German federation suggested having one collective mark to evaluate the horse’s “quality and demonstration of the level of training”, including rhythm, relaxation, mouth activity and head-neck position. The other would evaluate the rider’s performance, including seat and influence, aids and accuracy.

The EEF and Swiss federation suggested having one collective mark for scale of training and another for harmony of horse and rider.

But the DTC has proposed to remove collective marks entirely. A committee spokesperson said adding a second mark was considered in 2018, but research from Nottingham Trent University provided evidence that this was not favourable.

“The DTC is particularly sensitive to the issue of evaluating harmony and the scale of training as the core objectives,” said a DTC spokesperson.

“It is therefore recommended to remove all collective marks and instead focus on evaluating harmony and the demonstration of the training scale when evaluating each technical movement in the test, thus aligning with the object of dressage and further reducing subjectivity.”

The spokesperson added that the dressage judging guidelines and handbook are being reviewed and a definition of harmony and how this applies to scoring will be considered as part of this.

The EEF suggested the appointment of “welfare supervisors” at championships and major events to supervise the warm-up, including monitoring excessive work, the riders' hands, and use of spurs and whips.

The DTC rejected this, stating that stewards and veterinary delegates work together to oversee horse welfare and wellbeing in warm-ups. The spokesperson said a new “observation protocol” is being developed to assist officials on warm-up procedures.

“The possibility of introducing compulsory video monitoring/recording of the warm-up is also being explored,” he said.

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Steps are being taken to protect riders and officials from online abuse and harassment during the World Championships in Aachen.

The FEI has announced a safeguarding initiative, in partnership with digital intelligence company Signify Group, to provide online monitoring and threat assessment to help protect athletes, coaches, officials and other key stakeholders. This follows a successful pilot during the World Cup Finals in Forth Worth, Texas, in April.

Signify’s artificial intelligence provides real-time monitoring and content moderation across the FEI, organisers’, and riders’ social media channels. When abuse or threats are detected, they are investigated and evidence is gathered so that action can be taken by the FEI, social media platforms or, for severe cases, by law enforcement. Riders can also report abuse received via private message.

Online abuse has continued to be a growing problem across sport. It has been widely reported that athletes in football, rugby and tennis are among those to be targeted and H&H has reported cases of top-level riders and members of the racing community receiving abuse on social media.

FEI legal director Mikael Rentsch told H&H that online abuse is a “growing concern” and the FEI sees a “clear peak” around the Olympics, World Championships and European Championships. The monitoring system was adopted following discussions earlier this year between the FEI and the International Dressage Riders Club and International Jumping Riders Club on how better to protect athletes, when the “vast majority” of abuse comes from those not under FEI jurisdiction.

“Through Signify monitoring we can try to identify who is behind the comments, because that’s one of the key challenges,” said Mr Rentsch.

“We can remove abusive content from official channels – but we don’t want to censor. Constructive criticism and respectful debate remain an important part of sport and will continue to be welcomed.”

Mr Rentsch added that the FEI will continue to monitor horse abuse matters raised on social media and investigate or open disciplinary proceedings as appropriate – but he said the organisation has to be “mindful” because images and videos can be edited or AI-generated.

Riders, officials and national federations heading to Aachen will be invited to online training sessions with the FEI and Signify around protecting themselves online.

“We are still fine-tuning the content, but we’ll cover the dos and don’ts and best practice. We want to be there to help – this is in no way to prevent athletes commenting online, it’s a service to really help them navigate through this quite ‘Wild West’ sometimes,” said Mr Rentsch.

Signify Group’s head of sport Jake Marsh told H&H that the company has helped athletes and governing bodies across sports including football, rugby and tennis. The software can detect 32 different types of abuse and threat, across 100 languages, including slang words – and it is tailored to detect sport-specific terminology.

“The monitoring picks up anything that is abusive or threatening, that’s then filtered further for severity and whether it needs to go through to investigation,” he said, adding that through intelligence and analysis of various platforms, the aim is to provide an identity or identifying details of the person carrying out the abuse to pass to law enforcement.

Mr Marsh added that they want athletes to know they will be supported.

“If they get something they are concerned about or it makes them feel uncomfortable, we want them to report it,” he said. “Once athletes know they can report it and there’s a process, they tend to start thinking, ‘Actually, I can do something about this.’”

Helen Nicholls, British Equestrian World Class performance director, told H&H it fully supports this “great initiative”.

“An online presence is part of everyday life for many athletes, and we must work to ensure their safety and mental wellbeing,” she said.

“Working with UK Sport, we have access to similar digital safeguarding resources and the athletes find it very beneficial.”

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The intuitive response, when your flying changes aren’t going well in your dressage tests, is often to ride more of them. The instinct makes sense – practise the thing that isn’t working – but it’s rarely where the fix actually lies.

“Very rarely is getting a flying change, or fixing a tricky change, about doing more changes,” says Becky Moody. “It is nearly always about improving the canter.”

This is the bit that catches most riders out. The change feels like the problem – it’s late behind, or your horse runs out the front door, or swaps and then immediately falls into trot – so the change is where they put the work. But the change is a symptom. The canter underneath it is the actual job.

“It’s the quality of canter, every time”

The canter you need for a change is not the same canter you might ride elsewhere. It has to be collected but full of energy, straight, balanced, and – most importantly – adjustable.

“It doesn’t necessarily mean the problem is with the rhythm of the canter,” Becky says. “It’s very often the straightness of the canter, the balance of the canter. And for me, the adjustability of the canter. I think you have to be able to have a horse that is collected, but stay full of energy.”

A useful image: watch a top showjumper coming into a big vertical. The horse collects, but the energy doesn’t disappear – it gathers. The hindquarters come under, the frame shortens, and the canter gets bouncier. That’s the feel you want before a flying change Becky says. Not slow. Not steady. Loaded.

The springboard step

Here is Becky’s most useful idea, and it isn’t in any textbook.

“I like to have a springboard step,” she says. “The horse doesn’t change on the first part of your change aid. You have a springboard step – it’s like a spring then change, not just a change.”

Translated: your aid has two parts. A preparation stride, where you ask the horse to gather and bounce, and then the change itself. The whole sequence has the rhythm of “Are you ready? Change.”

This is the difference between a change that arrives flat and late, and one that lifts cleanly through the body. Riders who get into trouble are usually applying the aid in a single motion – leg on, change, hope. The horse hasn’t had a chance to load the spring first.

It’s also where anticipation comes in. For Becky, a horse learning changes should be thinking about what’s coming next – not nervous, but expectant.

“You almost need to create a degree of anticipation,” she says. “The horse is a little bit like, ‘Oh, what’s coming? This is good fun.’ Instead of you cantering across the diagonal in a lovely, nice, balanced, steady canter and then putting a change aid on, and the horse is like, ‘What?’”

Don’t lose the counter-canter

A common trap, once a horse can do changes, is that they start offering them unprompted. The rider asks for counter-canter, and the horse, helpful and over-keen, swaps.

“I’m quite a big believer that when you start teaching the horse changes, you shouldn’t stop being able to ride counter-canter,” Becky says. “You should be able to be like, ‘Now we’re doing counter-canter. And now we’re going to do a change. And now we’re doing counter-canter again.’ They have to be listening to what you say.”

The discipline matters because, in a test, you’ll be asked for both – sometimes within strides of each other. A horse that assumes every straight line means a change is a horse that will throw one in at exactly the wrong moment.

Build the change before you ask for it

Long before the change itself, the foundations need to be there. Canter-to-walk and walk-to-canter transitions are the bedrock – clean, on the leg, with no drift through the shoulders. The horse should be able to come back to walk with the outside hind genuinely stepping under, and step up into canter on a specific lead from a specific aid, without hesitation.

A good marker: can you ride around the outside of the arena and pick up eight to 10 walk-to-canter transitions, on the correct lead each time, on a straight line and in balance? If not, that’s where the work is. The change will come from this groundwork, not from drilling changes.

The walk half-pirouette is also useful here, because it asks the outside hind to stretch and step under, and it sets the horse straight before coming back into canter – the same body shape, in effect, that you need before a change.

An exercise: the figure-of-eight at the short end

When the foundations are in place, Becky’s go-to exercise is a small figure-of-eight at the short end of the arena.

“Imagine there’s a row of poles across the 10m line at the short end,” she says. “Then you’re doing your little figure-of-eight within that 20x10m box.”

You come out of the corner as if to ride a 10m circle at M, then take a small diagonal line across the centre line back towards the short side, change rein, and pick up the new circle on the other side.

The point of working in a small box is that it stops everything getting away from you.

“One of the most common things when both horse and rider are learning about changes is that everything gets a bit too forward and away,” Becky says.

“Doing it within a smaller area helps keep everything organised in a positive way without the rider having to do so much with their hand.”

The hand is the giveaway. A rider whose changes have unravelled is usually a rider whose changes finished with both reins pulling. Working in a smaller space buys you the discipline of riding the change with the leg and the seat, because there isn’t room to ride it with the hand.

A note on poles

Poles get used a lot for teaching flying changes in dressage, and they are a lot of productive exercises – but Becky uses them sparingly.

“I’m not a fan of the pole,” she says. She’s used one once, with a client’s horse that genuinely couldn’t grasp what was being asked. “We did what we could to help make it easier for them. It definitely got them more understanding of what we were trying to do.

“Then the changes were late behind, but at least it was doing changes, and we were then able to work on it. It then came back to the quality of the canter.”

Which is, of course, where everything in this piece comes back to. Poles or exercises won’t fix a change if the canter underneath isn’t right.

Build the canter. Then the change will be there.

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After a busy first half of the season, it’s likely your grooming kit or stripping basket are in need of a refresh – this could be true whether your next stop is an area show or you’re prepping for a week at the Royal International.

From emergency saviours to cheap hacks, we asked some top producers what they can’t live without on show days.

Show kit essentials

Hannah Horton: “I wouldn’t contemplate going showing without good old baby wipes – they can be used for anything. We also make sure we have drinks for humans in the stripping basket.”

Emma Burrows: “For me, I need a good mane and tail detangler, coat gloss and a bit of baby oil gel [like this one] to smooth the hair.”

Danielle Heath: “We love Smart Grooming Super Shine; it’s fantastic on faces and gives a mega shine on bodies, too, especially in an evening performance.”

Joe Watson: “This olive oil sheen spray is brilliant on our natives’ manes and tails especially,” he says, “and we use it as a coat gloss and highlighter, too. It’s not very expensive, which is great as we go through tons of the stuff.”

Leon King: “It has to be this Got2b hair gel for plaiting. We always have Leovet’s Power Phaser fly spray and this Cowboy Magic shampoo as well as their Detangler and Shine on tails; it’s incredible – like nothing else I have tried.”

Sara Parrott: “If I had to choose one product that I couldn’t be without it would have to be Supreme Products’ Sparkle Spray for those last minute finishing touches, manes, coats and tails – and even hooves and rider’s boots at a push!”

Sue-Helen Shuttleworth: “On the lorry we always have a good shampoo to quickly wash and dry if horses need it after travelling or working in. Personally I use Equioils Super Soap, Equioils Whitening Wood Flour and towels.

“In the strip basket there’s always a good, clean damp sponge for wiping away saddle marks before the conformation phase, and a good mane and tail brush.

And there’s always full fat Coke and sweets to keep us going.”

Harrison Taylor: “We use glycerine mixed in water for a sponge over, then Arena Products’ Show Shine spray on top. I also use Arena Products’ Clear Highlighter, which contains SPF for eyes and muzzle, black make up, Brylcreem, hair spray and baby wipes.”

Edward Young: “We always have tea, sugar and milk on the lorry. We also have a portable shower to wash any plaiting gel out of the manes and condition them when we unplait; it must be more comfortable for them, and it stops the mane getting too brittle. In my stripping bucket I carry fly spray, Brylcreem as long as it’s not too hot and sunny, hoof-stain, a good brush and a cloth [like this one].”

Simon Reynolds: “Our basket is like Mary Poppins’ bag; we carry everything we could possibly need as there’s nothing worse than having to go back to the lorry if you have forgotten something. But essentials include wet wipes and plaiting bands, plus electrical tape [like this] can be a great save in an emergency. And I’m diabetic so we always have fizzy sweets, too.”

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Efforts are being made to promote and grow para showjumping, as concerns are raised by riders that there has been a decline in opportunities since the pandemic.

British Showjumping (BS) said para showjumping has had “a significant boost this year with the introduction of a revised competition structure and dedicated calendar”. This includes five multi-day competitions, culminating in the BS national championships at Stoneleigh and a season finale at Arena UK in September.

Open sections have been introduced alongside existing graded classes. BS said this provides “greater flexibility” by enabling riders to compete within their grades – in which they accumulate points towards the para leagues – and in open sections at different heights.

A two-day camp was held last month at the national training centre in Leicestershire, aimed at introducing riders to the sport.

“The training provides a great opportunity for riders to get together socially as well as benefiting from training sessions and unmounted workshops on a variety of topics,” said coach Sarah Tubbs.

Para competitors have welcomed the opportunities and hope more riders will become involved – but have raised concerns over whether more can still be done.

Rider Claire Pope told H&H that since the pandemic there has been an overall decline in para showjumping opportunities.

“Since Covid some riders have stopped competing or have lost horses, and we’ve just not been able to get more people involved,” she said.

“We’ve lost shows like Bramham, which was a big showcase for us. We’ve asked for more shows and we understand that we’re a very small minority, but the communication needs to be better.”

Anna Hilton did not know about para showjumping until after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“I was trying to hammer myself around able-bodied classes, but it just wasn’t working because I don’t have the strength any more. I started Googling and that’s when I discovered para showjumping. I hadn’t seen it advertised anywhere, so I think that’s been the problem, that people just don’t know it’s an option,” she told H&H.

“Unfortunately, because there’s only a few of us in each class, some places don’t want to run para – and you can see it from their point of view. But we need more venues to get on board with putting the shows on and publicising it.

“We all joke that you have to be a little bonkers to jump with a disability, but we just love it – and that’s why we don’t want to lose it.”

Deena Webster once competed in para shows abroad through BS – but said in recent years opportunities have dropped off. She believes BS joining the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network, as British Dressage has, could be a way to get more riders involved. Dressage riders can wear a sunflower armband or lanyard, which aims to raise awareness that they have a non-visible disability.

“The thirst for the sport is there. I’m pleased to see there are more opportunities this year but I think the whole para structure needs looking at to give people more,” Deena told H&H.

BS national director of sport Stephanie Toogood told H&H para showjumping “continues to go from strength to strength with increasing opportunities for riders to train, compete and be part of a supportive community”.

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Flying changes are unavoidably cool. I can still remember attempting my first – getting a friend to film me on their pixelated flip phone, beaming a stupid grin at the camera as my little pony leapt into her change and promptly bombed off. We’ll ignore, for now, that she was two strides late behind.

But there’s no doubt they can feel like a mystery until you get that “aha” moment where it finally clicks. And because every horse is different, there’s no single foolproof way to teach them.

The good news is there’s nothing magic about them. A flying change is a natural movement – your horse already does them loose in the field – and with the right foundations, most horses can learn to do them to order (making you look suitably cool in the process).

Here’s what a flying change actually is, how to ride one, and how to start teaching your horse – without flinging your entire bodyweight to one side as I did.

What is a flying change?

A flying change is when your horse switches their leading leg in canter, in one smooth motion, without breaking to trot or walk in between.

A quick step back, in case it’s useful: in canter, your horse leads with one front leg – it reaches further forward than the other, and you’ll feel that shoulder come through underneath you. On a left lead, the left foreleg leads; on a right lead, the right. Which lead you’re on matters for balance, especially on turns and circles, where you normally want the inside leg leading – so on the right rein, going clockwise, you’ll be on the right lead most of the time, and on the left rein, the left.

Canter has a three-beat rhythm, and after the third beat there’s a brief moment of suspension – a split second where all four feet are off the ground, and your horse is, fleetingly, airborne. A flying change happens in that instant. Your horse rearranges their legs mid-air and lands on the opposite lead, so instead of leading with the left foreleg, they’re now leading with the right. Done well, there’s no stumble and no change of rhythm – just a clean skip from one lead to the other, as if your horse has hopped across in the air.

You’ll come across flying changes in pretty much every discipline:

• Dressage: they appear from advanced medium level upwards, ridden on straight lines and, higher up, in sequences down to one change every stride (tempi changes).
• Showjumping: essential for jumping a course smoothly. A horse that lands on the correct lead – or changes to it – can balance through turns and meet the next fence in rhythm, without losing time or scrambling.
• Eventing, showing, and general riding: anywhere you’re cantering, turning and needing your horse balanced, a change keeps things tidy and comfortable.

For a lower-level rider, it’s less about the wow factor – although that’s cool, too – and more about control. A horse that changes lead on request is one you can balance and steer through anything, whether that’s a jump-off turn, a dressage centre line, or just staying upright out hunting.

How to ride a flying change

Assuming your horse already knows how to change (see the next section for teaching it), here’s the sequence of aids. The key thing is that a change is prepared, not just thrown in – you set your horse up, then ask.

1. Establish a good canter first. Balanced, active and collected enough that you feel you could ride a few steps smaller at any moment. A flat, strung-out canter has nowhere to change from.

2. Prepare on the approach to the change. Sit tall, half-halt to gather and balance the canter, and make sure your horse is straight – not falling in or out through the shoulder.

3. Change your leg position. Say you’re on the left lead (left foreleg leading) and want to change to the right. Your left leg, which has been at the girth, moves back behind the girth, and your right leg comes to the girth. This new leg position tells your horse which lead you now want.

4. Change your weight and hips. As you swap your legs, allow your seat and hips to follow – so your weight shifts subtly to the new leading side. Keep it quiet; it’s just a rebalancing, not throwing yourself across the saddle.

5. Ask in that moment of suspension. Apply the new outside leg (the left, now behind the girth) with a clear but light aid, ideally timed to the moment your horse is about to spring into the next stride. That’s when your horse can swing their legs through to the new lead.

6. Keep riding forward. Ride positively out of the change on the new lead. The most common mistake is to ask and then freeze or pull back on the reins – we’ve all done it, but both stop your horse jumping through cleanly.

The rhythm to aim for is almost “prepare… now go!” A change asked for in one flat motion tends to come late or flat; a change that’s set up first has time to jump through the body.

How to teach a flying change

Before you teach the change itself, the foundations have to be solid – it’s not as exciting, but this is the most important part. Rushing to the change before these are in place is the single most common reason changes go wrong. Your horse should be able to:

• Pick up either canter lead promptly, from a clear aid, on a straight line.
• Ride balanced walk-to-canter and canter-to-walk transitions without falling onto the forehand. (“On the forehand” just means your horse is carrying too much weight on their front end, rather than pushing from behind. You’ll feel it as heaviness in your hands, your horse tipping downhill or leaning on the reins for balance. What you want instead is your horse staying light in front and stepping their hindlegs underneath themselves – think uphill, not downhill.)
• Hold a counter-canter (cantering on the “outside” or “wrong” lead) in balance. This teaches your horse to stay on the lead you’ve asked for rather than swapping whenever they fancy.

Once those are established, here’s a simple and reliable way to introduce the change:

1. Use a change of direction. Ride a shallow loop, a figure-of-eight, or come across the diagonal – anywhere your horse is naturally changing bend and direction, so a change of lead makes sense to them.

2. Establish a clean canter, then rebalance. As you approach the point where you’ll change direction, half-halt and collect the canter, so your horse is balanced and listening.

3. Ask as you cross the line. At the moment you change direction, change your leg and seat position and apply the new aid. Because your horse is already changing direction, switching lead feels logical.

4. Reward the attempt. Even a scrappy first change – or one that’s “late behind” (the front legs change but the hind legs lag a stride) – is worth rewarding. You’re building understanding first; the cleanliness comes with practice and strength.

5. Keep it occasional at first. Ask for one, make a fuss of your horse, and move on. Drilling changes over and over tends to make horses tense or anticipatory. A few good attempts in a session are plenty.

If your horse finds it genuinely confusing, some riders use a raised pole or cavaletti on the change line to encourage your horse to jump through and swap behind – but I’d say use it sparingly at first, and only if plain riding isn’t getting there.

Above all, don’t panic if the first attempts are messy. Late, flat or over-excited changes are completely normal early on. They clean up as your horse’s balance and confidence improve – which, as any good trainer will tell you, is really where the whole thing lives.

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NuuMed’s most established lines are back in production in Britain – and back on the market – thanks to a deal that secured the brand’s future.

H&H reported in March that Racesafe had bought NuuMed and Thermatex, brands owned by manufacturer Vale Bros, which went into administration in 2023. At the time of the sale, Racesafe said the move “provides the stable manufacturing structure and technical know-how needed to support long-term growth”.

Today (2 July), a spokesperson for Racesafe confirmed NuuMed is back in production.

“Following Racesafe’s acquisition of the brand earlier this year, its core saddle pads and numnahs are once again being manufactured in Great Britain and returning to riders and retailers,” the spokesperson said.

“Production has been fully integrated into Racesafe’s Northamptonshire factory, supported by former NuuMed specialists to ensure a transfer of knowledge and high standards. The result is the range riders already know and rely on, made to the quality and fit the brand has always been known for, now back in tack rooms across the UK.”

This initial relaunch is of the most established products, and embroidery and customising is available for some items. More products will follow as capacity increases.

NuuMed return: core products first

Racesafe managing director James How said: “From the outset, our priority was to stabilise NuuMed and return its core products to the market as quickly and carefully as possible. We know how much riders value NuuMed, so restoring availability while maintaining the standards the brand is known for has been crucial.

“We hope to evolve the brand but this first stage is about making sure the products people trust are readily available again.”

Event rider and Racesafe and NuuMed brand ambassador Eliza Bell said she was delighted to see the products’ return.

“We’ve always loved the quality and thoughtful design, and it’s clear how comfortable the horses find the products. It’s great to see those same standards being maintained as the brand comes back, and I know many riders will be very pleased to have these products available again.”

The products are available to order now from the NuuMed website, and are due to be with some retailers by mid-July. Thermatex products are due to return to the market within a month.

“This marks the next stage for NuuMed under Racesafe’s ownership and the careful continuation of a trusted brand, now with the support to secure its long-term place in the market,” the spokesperson said.

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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

A square halt is one of the most underrated movements in dressage – yet it features in virtually every test from intro to the highest levels of dressage, so knowing how to ride one is key. It’s usually the very first thing a judge sees as you turn down the centre line, and a tidy halt is one of the easiest ways to put marks on the board.

Get it wrong, and you hand the judge a poor first impression before you have ridden a single proper movement; get it right, and you set the tone for a lovely, flowing test.

Yet the halt is deceptively difficult. Standing four-square, immobile and on the aids takes a surprising amount of training – and, crucially, it is a skill you build over months rather than something you can drill in a single session. Here is how to teach a square halt from the ground up, how to ride it under pressure in the ring, and how to fix the faults that cost riders marks most often.

What makes a halt “square”?

Before you can train a good halt, it helps to know exactly what the judge is rewarding. Most rulebooks ask for the horse to stand attentive, engaged, motionless, straight and square, with their weight distributed evenly over all four legs, the poll as the highest point, and the nose just in front of the vertical. The horse should stay on the bit and be ready to move off at the slightest aid.

In practice, that means all four legs in two neat pairs, no leg trailing or resting, no creeping or fidgeting, and at least three seconds of genuine immobility when you salute. It’s worth remembering that a halt does not have to be flawless to score well – a soft, straight, immobile halt that is fractionally open behind will still earn a respectable mark, whereas a crooked horse jiggling on the centre line will not.

How to ride a square halt from scratch

The single biggest mistake riders make is chasing squareness before their horse is standing still. Make sure to nail the immobility first.

1. Start with stillness, not squareness

When you first introduce halts, the priority should be for the horse to stand calmly. “The most vital part of the movement is for the horse to stand still and be submissive,” says event rider Coral Keen.

“Don’t make too many adjustments early on trying to make it square, or the horse starts fidgeting, and it becomes an issue. Once they’re happy and immobile, then you think about the squareness.” Make too many corrections too early on, and you’ll teach your horse to fidget – which becomes a far harder habit to undo later on.

2. Build it progressively

Begin in walk and, at first, be content with the front legs square. Use the outside track and repeat walk-to-halt downward transitions, asking your horse to move forwards one small step at a time after the halt forwards until they’re level in front. Only when that is established should you move on to trot-to-halt, making the trot slower and smaller beforehand and allowing a few walk strides into the transition so your horse has time to organise themself.

“It’s fine for it to be a bit progressive to begin with – don’t expect it to be too direct,” Coral says. “Allowing your horse time in the movement helps them develop the feeling of positioning themselves into a square halt.”

3. Move on to asking them to square up behind

As your horse becomes more established, ask them to collect before the halt so their weight is back and their shoulders are light, allowing them to sit into it rather than fall onto the forehand.

International grand prix rider Samantha Thurman-Baker says the key to a square halt is your horse’s balance: “If he’s loading one shoulder or is slightly crooked, the chances are your halt won’t be square.”

Her advice from a faster gait is to bring the horse almost back to moving on the spot before you ask: “That ensures their weight is back and their shoulders are light, allowing him to sit into the halt.” A mirror or a pair of eyes on the ground is invaluable as you learn to feel it for yourself.

4. Remember the quality of the pace is everything

Whether you halt from walk, trot or canter, the transition is only as good as the gait before it. Keep your horse active and in front of the leg so the hindquarters stay engaged – if they drop behind the leg in the approach, the hind legs trail and the halt cannot be square. As with every downward transition, ride forwards into the halt, not backwards.

Riding a square halt in the test

Training at home is one thing; producing a square halt down the centre line with one or more judges watching is another. A few things make it more reliable under pressure.

Most horses are straighter on one rein than the other, so enter the arena on your horse’s better rein. Resist the temptation to ride too boldly at the halt transition – come in with enough collection that you can quietly drop down into a square halt rather than slamming the brakes on. But keep the principle of forward riding front of mind.

As Carl Hester puts it: “Dressage is about forward riding, so even a transition to halt means riding the horse forward, allowing with the hands to let him step under.”

If your horse anticipates the halt – stopping before you have asked, or jogging on the spot in expectation – school plenty of centre lines without halting at all, and practise your halts off the three-quarter line instead so the movement stops being predictable.

Carl Hester’s centre-line halt exercise

Carl has a go-to flatwork exercise to build straightness, responsiveness and a square halt all at once.

Ride down the centre line and halt; only when the horse is square, immobile and relaxed, move off in your chosen gait, immediately circle right, and return to the centre line to halt again. Repeat, this time circling left, and continue alternating left and right circles with a halt between each all the way up the centre line.

The turn before each halt does much of the work for you, helping to position the inside hindleg and encouraging your horse to step into a square halt rather than leaving a leg trailing behind. As an added discipline, train yourself to feel whether the halt is square without looking down: sit level in the middle of the saddle and notice whether both sides of the horse’s back push evenly up into your seat. If only one side does, the opposite hindleg is trailing.

Fixing the most common halt faults

1. The quarters swing left or right

If the hindquarters drift as you halt, think of riding a touch of leg-yield or shoulder-fore into the transition to keep them in line. Riding down the centre line in shoulder-fore, with a mirror or helper checking you are truly straight, is one of the best long-term cures, because a crooked approach almost always produces a crooked halt.

2. A hindleg trails behind

Correct the specific leg that is left out: if the left hind is trailing, use your left leg to ask for one small step, keeping a quiet contact on the rein, and ask your horse to bring it underneath. Reward even an imperfect response so they learn that coming into halt means organising their own legs into a square position.

3. Your horse won’t stand still

Keep your legs gently wrapped around your horse’s sides at the halt so they feel held rather than abandoned, and make sure they wait for you to move them on rather than deciding for themselves. Avoid over-correcting – often a halt the rider thinks is unacceptable is, in fact, perfectly respectable.

4. Whatever you do, correct forwards

Every adjustment within the halt should be made by walking the horse a step forward, never back, so they stay in front of the leg and thinking forwards into the next movement. That also sets up a positive, powerful move-off.

Top tips for a square halt

• Practise, practise, practise. Halt squarely before you mount and dismount, and before every break in your schooling session – the more often your horse halts square, the more it becomes a habit
• Sit up tall, step down into your heels and check that your own weight is even on both seat bones – a crooked rider produces a crooked halt
• Always walk forwards to correct, never backwards
• Reward generously and never tell the horse off for halting unevenly – squareness comes from repetition and positive associations, not punishment
• Learn to feel the halt rather than look down for it – it keeps your test polished and your marks intact

Carl’s closing thoughts

Underpinning all of this is straightness, which Carl calls a lifetime’s work with every horse. One of the first lessons he says he learnt, going back some 35 years, was that whatever you are sitting on – pony, cob or warmblood – “there is no excuse not to ride straight lines and square halts.” Build the straightness, ride every transition forwards, and the square halt will follow.

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert training advice from top riders and coaches, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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There is more awareness and openness to a different approach to the horse-human relationship, the organiser of a bridleless display event believes.

Equine chiropractor Jess Harkness organised the Beyond the Bridle event, an afternoon of displays followed by an evening performance, at the Unicorn Equestrian Centre in Gloucestershire on 13 June.

The event was a sellout, and Jess told H&H the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, including an email from a non-horsey dad, dragged by his daughter to major equestrian events but said “this was the best”, paying tribute to the “fascinating and engaging” demos and the horsemanship displayed.

The presenters included Jess, British Bridleless Competition organiser Mia Rodley and natural horsemanship experts Lynn Henry and Jodi Bament, as well as trick rider Eve Bea and horsemanship instructor Sarah Stone. They were joined by Jess’s 15-year-old daughter Thea, who has been competing bridleless in showjumping, and Thea’s 16-year-old friend Bella Forster.

“Thea’s got loads of online followers and a lot of kids say they don’t know how to get started,” Jess said. “A lot of demos are professionals doing it, and it looks amazing but it almost looks out of reach. So the professional world came in and did a bit of what advanced looks like, where you’re aiming for, then we brought a pupil in who was just starting the journey, and showed what the start looks like too.”

The evening show had an Alice in Wonderland theme, with all the costumes, lights and effects.

“I wanted something a bit theatrical,” Jess said. “It’s not a circus, but I wanted to make it a story, make it magical, and make the kids go away thinking ‘This is really magic’, but also ‘It’s something I could do’.”

Jess said the Beyond the Bridle performance also demonstrated to the crowds that bridleless riding is almost a by-product, of the training, the relationship-building and time that has to go into the horse-human partnership to make it possible.

“You don’t have to do that all the time,” Jess added. “Sometimes I ride with a bit, sometimes in a bitless bridle, sometimes in a halter, sometimes bridleless, depending on the situation or what I want to work on. It’s not one or the other, and that was the other thing we wanted to get across.

“You can do this and develop your relationship with your horse, whether it’s liberty work, groundwork, and still go out and compete in eventing or showjumping, or whatever it is, with a bridle on. It’s only going to improve your relationship with the horse which then makes other things easier for you. It’s not either/or.”

Jess added that everything was arranged with the caveat that if any horse or pony was uncomfortable at any point, there would be an immediate cut-off, but there were no issues, again indicating the quality of the training and relationship.

“It’s about setting them up for success, rather than throwing them in the deep end and saying ‘See if you can swim’,” she said.

“And the horse has a say in it; you have to listen to the horse and if he’s not ready to do it, don’t do it.”

Beyond the Bridle: the younger generation

Jess also cited the fact that although among some older equestrians, she feels she may have to justify or explain her choices, the younger generation showing such interest in another way is different.

“They just want other people to understand how important it is to have a kind, empathetic relationship with your horse,” she said. “I think there’s loads more awareness and openness to it now.

“Wiith anything in the horse world, it can take a while, but I think the bridleless competition was brilliant for reaching a wider audience. I can definitely feel there’s a desire for change in terms of horse welfare and a desire to do things better. Certainly the younger generation seem to be really strongly up for it. I’m hopeful.”

Jess is hoping to run another such event in future, and it is hoped another British Bridleless Competition will run this year.

Next month, Wellington Equestrian Centre is hosting a horsemanship masterclass (11-12 July), featuring demos from international showjumpers and brideless riders Brendan Wise and Serena Kullich, liberty specialists Kaleigh Marie and Will Rogers and Mia Rodley.

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One of Ireland’s longest-established agricultural shows is running a bitless showing class – with a €350 (£300) prize pot, as it “embraces the growing focus on horse welfare”.

Horses and ponies in class 23a at the Iverk Show, in Kilkenny on 22 August, may not be ridden in bits, mechanical hackamores or bridles relying primarily on poll pressure.

“Sponsored by best-selling Irish equestrian author and award-winning filmmaker Elaine Heney, the class is believed to be one of the first of its kind at a major Irish agricultural show,” a spokesperson for the event said.

Permitted tack and equipment includes rope halters, side pulls, bosals and mecates. No draw reins, standing martingales, tie-downs or “auxiliary devices that restrict the horse’s natural head and neck position” are allowed.

“The introduction of the class reflects the growing number of riders choosing bitless bridles, either through personal preference or because they better suit their horses’ individual needs,” the spokesperson said.

Ms Heney, who has spent more than two decades writing books, running online courses and creating award-winning documentary Listening to the Horse, welcomed the new class.

“I’m delighted to support this new class at Iverk Show,” she said. “Every horse deserves to be ridden in equipment that is comfortable and appropriate for them as an individual. For some horses that may be a traditional bit, while for others a bitless bridle can be a better option.

“This class isn’t about saying one approach is better than another. It’s about recognising that horses are individuals and giving riders who choose to compete bitless a welcoming place to do so. I hope it encourages great conversations about horse welfare and celebrates good horsemanship above all else.”

Bitless showing: Iverk Show judging criteria

It is hoped the class, open to horses aged five and over, and standing 14hh and above, and riders 18 and over, will attract entries from across Ireland, and “showcase the growing diversity within the equestrian community”.

Cantering is optional and the judge will not ride. Judging priorities will be: Relaxation and confidence, sound, free, and regular movement, partnership and sympathetic horsemanship, correct self-carriage, with the horse travelling comfortably in front of or at the vertical, good conformation and condition, lightness and willingness and manners and safety. “Obvious tension and conflict behaviours” will be penalised.

Iverk Show’s Liam Kearns told H&H: “We are celebrating our 200th show this year and are delighted to host the Elaine Heney bitless showing class. This class is a new venture for all involved and will make a great spectacle on show day.

“All horses are different and some may really benefit from being ridden bitless.We think this class will have a big future going forward.”

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Equestrian events and fixtures are being cancelled owing to the sweltering June heatwave.

British Showjumping (BS) and British Dressage (BD) have cancelled all competition in areas for which red extreme heat warnings are in place on Wednesday (24 June) and Thursday (25 June).

A BS spokesperson urged riders to check the BS website and social media, as well as venue announcements, before travelling as affected areas can change and some venues where competition is set to start on Friday are limiting arrival times.

“It is very important during this period of hot weather that horses are kept as cool as possible and out of the sun with plenty of access to clean water,” added the BS spokesperson.

A statement from BD said any venues within the red warning area “will be cancelling their BD competition or training activity with immediate effect” to “protect the health and safety of all participants, both equine and human”.

The statement added that riders will be entitled to refunds and venues will have the option to reschedule if they wish.

“For venues running in amber warning areas, a decision will be made on a case-by-case basis as to whether the scheduled competition or training activity can still safely go ahead. If a decision is made to cancel, and a rescheduled date can be arranged, you will be contacted directly in due course,” added the statement.

“Please note that these warnings are subject to change and the Met Office can often update their guidance and advice at short notice to extend the areas covered by red and amber warnings, so we would recommend checking their website regularly.

“As this is the last week of summer qualification and entries are now closed, if the venue chooses to reschedule their dates, please note that only a transfer of existing entries will be offered and no late entries will be accepted.

“We understand that this might be a disappointing and frustrating decision, however the welfare of our competitors, horses and venue staff is always our paramount consideration. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.”

Wednesday’s racing fixtures at Kempton Park, Salisbury, Worcester and Ffos Las have also been abandoned owing to the forecast high temperatures. Three of these courses fall within the red warning zone – Ffos Las is just outside but people would need to travel through the red zone to reach the racecourse. The meetings have all been rescheduled for early next week.

Timings for Thursday’s racing fixtures at Nottingham and Newmarket, both in amber alert zones, have been shifted to start earlier to avoid the hottest part of the day. Nottingham’s card will run from 10.30am to 1pm and Newmarket’s from 10.45am to 1.15pm, and the Dereham Handicap at the latter has been rescheduled for Friday (26 June).

“The [British Horseracing Authority] BHA will continue to liaise with racecourses hosting fixtures in amber warning zones this week to consider any further mitigations that may be needed, in line with the industry’s hot weather policy,” said a BHA spokesperson.

“Each fixture will be managed on a case-by-case basis, with several factors considered according to the local weather forecast and environmental conditions.

“Trainers are advised that horses should not be moved from or through any areas where red heat warnings are in place.”

The Army is amending its ceremonial operations across London and Windsor in light of the red heat alert.

“The wellbeing of our soldiers, military working horses and the public who gather in large numbers to watch these events is always our priority,” said an Army spokesperson.

This means there will be no ceremonial guard changes in London or Windsor on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. On Wednesday, the King’s Life Guard at Horse Guards will change without ceremony at 8am to avoid heat stress to the horses.

Hot weather cancellation policies: what do they say?

Each of the individual governing bodies for horse sport in Britain has its own approach to hot weather.

The BS rule book spells out that “competitions must not take place in extreme weather conditions if the welfare or safety of the horse may be compromised” and that “provision must be made for cooling horses quickly after competing in hot or humid conditions”.

The BHA and BD hot weather policies both feature traffic light-style systems. Racing fixtures are automatically abandoned if they fall within a red warning area, and BD rules state that competition “must be cancelled” in the event of a red weather warning, unless there are extenuating circumstances and it is agreed in advance with BD.

A British Eventing (BE) spokesperson told H&H BE does not operate a Met Office red/amber zone policy or a specific hot weather traffic light system, as its events and venues vary significantly.

“As with any extreme or adverse weather conditions, decisions around whether an event can safely proceed are managed on a case-by-case basis, the BE technical adviser and BE steward working closely with the organiser,” said the spokesperson.

This is echoed in the BE rulebook.

The spokesperson added: “At the moment, we are continuing to monitor forecasts across the UK, particularly at venues hosting events this weekend, and are working closely with organisers to ensure appropriate measures and support are in place. Horse welfare remains our top priority.

“Fortunately, current forecasts suggest temperatures will ease over the weekend, but we are monitoring the situation day by day and continue to encourage all riders and teams to take appropriate steps to keep horses safe in hot weather and prepare carefully for competition.”

Alnwick Ford is the sole BE fixture due to take place before the weekend and is not currently in a red warning or amber alert area.

Farley Hall, in Berkshire, had been set to run some classes on Friday (26 June), but has now moved these to Monday (29 June). Those who are unable to compete on Monday will receive a partial refund through BE’s abandonment support fund.

Farley Hall organiser Stuart Buntine, of BEDE Events, said: “This decision has been made in the best interests of everyone involved with the forecasted temperature for Monday considerably lower than Friday.

“We appreciate that moving the date won’t work for every rider, so all Friday entries will automatically be moved to Monday and those unable to attend on Monday, please contact Josie Brettell josiebrettell@gmail.com by 8pm Wednesday evening.”

Hot weather policies: more information

• More information on the British Dressage hot weather policy and on page 111 of the BD members’ handbook
• BHA hot weather policy
• British Showjumping rule on extreme weather on p96 of the BS handbook

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Tributes have been paid to “one of the greatest gifts the sport of dressage has ever received”, after five-star international judge Stephen Clarke died at the age of 73.

Stephen, whose life was entwined with horses from an early age, was one of the world’s most respected dressage judges, serving at the Olympics, European and World Championships and World Cup Finals. He was president of the International Dressage Officials Club (IDOC), the FEI judge general and member of the FEI dressage committee, and a Fellow of the British Horse Society.

“It is with profound sadness, and yet with an equally profound sense of gratitude, that we share the news of the passing of our dear friend, colleague and former IDOC president, Stephen Clarke,” the IDOC said in a tribute.

“Stephen was, quite simply, one of the greatest gifts the sport of dressage has ever received. His passing leaves a stillness in our world that will take a long time to fill – and yet, if we listen carefully, we can still hear his voice: warm, measured, often wonderfully witty, and always pointing us toward what is right and good in this sport we all love.”

Stephen was born into a non-horsey family in north Wales. The farm next door had ponies and the deal was, if he could stay on long enough, he could take them to shows. He grew up with the Flint and Denbigh branch of the Pony Club, where, he has told H&H, it was drummed into everyone that any mistakes were always the rider’s fault; “I can still hear ringing in my ears, ‘sit still and never pull back’,” he said.

After early success in showjumping and eventing, Stephen won five national championship dressage titles. He represented Britain in international competition, including at the 1980 Alternate Olympics with Ulysses, and he and Becket were the reserve combination for the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

Stephen started judging in his early 20s, having become, as he put it, “fed up with everyone moaning about the judging”.

“A characteristically Stephen solution to a problem,” the IDOC tribute said. “Rather than complain, step forward and be part of the answer.”

Stephen was president of the ground jury at the London Olympics in 2012, which he said was one of the proudest moments of his life; he also said that to be on the judges’ panel when Totilas and Valegro broke world records was “beyond exciting”.

“The privilege of awarding 10s for movements where you just cannot imagine how it could be better – that was the joy Stephen brought to his work every single time he sat behind the judging board,” the IDOC said.

“He never shied from the difficult calls either. At the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, he made one of the toughest calls in a world championship – the disqualification of Adelinde Cornelissen when her horse bled from the mouth. It was correct, it was courageous, and it was entirely Stephen. He understood that integrity in judging is not a convenience — it is the foundation upon which the sport rests.”

Stephen shaped the future of his sport, as judge general and on the committee; he was instrumental in creating the FEI judges’ book.

“His efforts earned tremendous respect for dressage judges worldwide and contributed greatly to the reputation and profile of the sport,” the IDOC said. “His goal, as he always said, was to ensure young judges have the opportunity to develop their education and skills.

“And he meant it – not as a statement of policy, but as a personal mission. He took time with every young official who crossed his path. He remembered names. He remembered horses. He remembered what it felt like to be new to this world, and he made sure no one felt alone in it.

“As president of IDOC, Stephen brought the same qualities to our organisation that he brought to everything: clarity of thought, generosity of spirit, and an unwavering commitment to doing things properly. He worked alongside colleagues including Maribel Alonso, Katrina Wüst and Hans-Christian Matthiesen in the education working group, and his influence on the way we train and support officials across the globe cannot be overstated. IDOC is a better, stronger, more purposeful organisation because Stephen Clarke led it.”

Stephen ran a working pupils scheme at Cotton Equestrian Centre in Cheshire; many of those who trained with him have gone on to successful careers, of which Stephen was quietly proud.

“He was quick to laugh, quicker still to listen,” the IDOC said. “In any discussion – whether about a single movement in a test, the future direction of FEI judging policy, or the state of the sport over a glass of wine after a long competition day – Stephen brought the same qualities: a clear mind, an open heart and exactly the right words at exactly the right moment. Many of us will carry specific things he said to us, privately, at just the right time, for the rest of our lives.

“In his final years, illness slowed him physically, but never in spirit. He remained in close contact with many in his circle, generous with his time, his warmth, and his thoughts, right to the end. That, too, was entirely Stephen.

“We will miss him at the arena. We will miss him in the seminar rooms. We will miss him at the table after a long day, when the best conversations always seemed to happen. We will miss his laughter, his precision, and his extraordinary ability to make everyone around him feel both valued and challenged to be better.

“The sport of dressage is immeasurably richer for everything Stephen Clarke gave it over so many decades. We are immeasurably richer for having known him. Our thoughts go to Julian Sebire, Stephen’s partner for more than 40 years.

“Stephen – thank you. It was a privilege and an honour.”

A national treasure

British Dressage chair Jill Day, a close friend of Stephen’s, said he was a national treasure.

“There is no one more deserving of that title,” she said. “When you consider the legacy he has left behind – wow, what a legacy that is.

“However, when I think of Stephen, none of those things are the first things that spring to mind. I just see that twinkle in his eye and that infectious giggle. I see an amazing friend, always there if you needed him and always with very honest and straightforward advice. There will never be another that has done so much for our sport and stayed so humble.

“His last words to me were ‘Please, don’t be sad’. This will be the first time I have not been able to follow his advice. Rest in peace, dear friend.”

The FEI agreed that for all Stephen’s huge achievements, he will most be remembered for who he was.

“Stephen Clarke was one of those rare individuals who made everyone around him better, and the extraordinary outpouring of tributes since his passing stands as a testament to both his deep love for the sport and his regard for those within it,” said FEI dressage director Ronan Murphy said.

“Stephen was a true gentleman in every sense of the word. Fair, thoughtful and quietly wise, he never sought the spotlight, yet his presence and influence can be felt throughout our sport to this day. We have lost not only one of dressage’s greatest judges, but also one of its kindest and most respected figures.”

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Hickstead is one of the most famous showjumping venues in the world, and we’ve uncovered some facts about the course and arena that will interest, intrigue and impress any showjumping fan.

Hickstead directors Lizzie and Edward Bunn had an email recently from someone keen to know the dates of the 2027 Al Shira’aa Hickstead Derby Meeting. The concerned spectator said her son had just confirmed his wedding date for next summer and she wanted to make sure there wasn’t a clash as “I have a horrible feeling I might have to miss the wedding”.

A fair point, but the good lady was reassured that she would indeed be able to enjoy a fabulous day – and also watch her son get married.

That’s how much the Derby means to people, and this year’s meeting is on the horizon; four days of top equestrian sport culminating in the main event on Sunday, 21 June. But of course preparations have been ongoing for the event since last summer specifically – and for decades. The International Arena may look like a nice grass ring but the work, and money, that goes into it is phenomenal.

Fascinating Hickstead facts

Here a few things you probably didn’t know about what goes on behind the scenes at the All England Jumping Course.

1. The International Arena is, Lizzie explains, “an all-weather arena with a grass top”. After some very wet summers, the Bunns took action, and spent almost £1m, in 2010. They dug about 18 inches down, across the whole ring, then put down 1,900 tonnes of shingle with drainage. A membrane went in on top, then the topsoil that had been taken out, 2,100 tonnes of drainage sand, and grass back on top. Last September, when it rained so much the back arenas were puddling, the going in the main ring was just about perfect.

2. Three types of grass seed are blended to create the famous emerald sward; one for thickness, one for root depth and one for colour. Watering is of course key, and at the right times; the grass has to be a bit “thirsty” early on so the roots go deep enough. This root depth – about 12cm is perfect – is crucial as it is this depth that absorbs the weight of a half-tonne horse landing, releases it and springs back.

3. The Derby bank is the centrepiece of the arena. Used in only three classes each year – the Derby, the British Speed Derby and the Ashby Underwriting Eventers’ Challenge – it still needs more maintenance than probably everything else.

It’s built of a U-shaped blockwork wall, filled with rubble, covered in clay and turfed.

It spends most of the year tucked up in an astroturf jacket paid for by Netflix’s The Crown, which filmed at Hickstead some years ago; this comes off at Easter, then the old turf is stripped off and the face rebuilt if the old clay has gone brittle.

Then the bank’s checked daily. Grass doesn’t like growing on the side of a hill so it’s a tricky job; it has to be covered if the weather gets too wet, naked if it’s hot so the turf doesn’t sweat, kept moist enough for the grass to grow and dry enough to suit the clay – and an eye has to be kept for any ants that might feel like nesting in the turf.

4. After the Derby meeting, there’s only four and a half weeks until the Royal International Horse Show, so there’s a huge amount more work to be done. The ring is fertilised before each show, so it kicks in straight afterwards, and the seed is left in hessian sacks to pre-germinate so it hits the ground growing. Then there’s watering, decompacting and vertidraining to do, and mowing, ensuring the grass is short enough to thicken but not so short that the root depth is lost.

5. There are tricky bits of the course to deal with; the Devil’s Dyke was returfed in mid-May, timed to perfection six weeks before the Derby. The road crossing had been regraded and scarified; removing the top layer of dead matter and reshaping and levelling the soil, then reseeded. Even the Cornishman, the 4ft8in wall that’s the first fence in the Derby, had had its modest turf topping renewed. It’s the original wall that’s featured in every Derby for the past six decades, and needs less maintenance than some areas – although there has probably been some repointing done.

6. Someone is out in the main ring every day, checking and assessing; not just the look and feel of the ground but to check for issues such as any enterprising badger who might have come in to dig for worms.

“It’s a haven for wildlife!” Lizzie says. “We used to have great crested newts in the water jump and because you’re not allowed to handle them, a man used to come out from the Sussex Amphibian and Reptile Group and rehome them. We had ducklings on the lake once in the Derby and had to stop the jumping while they crossed the ring.”

7. The water in the Devil’s Dyke ditches is dyed blue, to help horses judge it; the surface here is concrete, which is cleaned and repainted every year, then a new layer of rubber on top. The open water was renovated a few years ago; it was shortened to 15ft to comply with FEI rules.

“You used to be able to swim a width underwater,” Edward says. “It was three feet deep.”

Now it’s only inches deep, and lined with rubber matting, but it’s still, with its presentation and dressing, as imposing a fence as you’ll find.

Hickstead in numbers

1.8ha: the size of the International Arena

2m difference in gradient from left to right

60 acres of lorry parking and stabling

100,000 litres: the Hickstead water storing tanks’ capacity

5,484 horses competed at the All England Jumping Course in 2025

1,538 showjumping horses were at last year’s Derby meeting

Almost £2m: the cost of the new stable facilities

300 rolls of turf used annually in the International Arena

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In this guide for H&H subscribers, FEI judge Stephen Clarke and four-time Olympic medallist Carl Hester explain why the walk is so often where dressage tests are won or lost – and what riders can do to improve their marks

Back when I was training, I can’t remember ever spending much time on how to ride the free walk on a long rein. It was one of those movements where you get to the test, throw the reins forward, mumble a quick prayer that no one slams a car boot or drops a coffee, and hope for the best. Sometimes, on a trickier horse, it was a brief pause to think about how I’d disgraced myself in the previous movements, casting apologetic glances at the judges.

And I don’t think I was alone. Even at the top levels of dressage, you see horses scoring eights and nines for their trot and canter, then plummeting down to sixes for the walk.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. The walk is the pace that reveals more about a horse’s training than almost any other. It’s the first to go if there’s tension in the back, and in most tests it carries a coefficient – meaning a low score hurts more than other movements.

Get it right, and you score handsomely. Get it wrong, and there’s nowhere to hide.

Why the walk matters more than you think

The walk isn’t just one movement in a dressage test – it runs through the whole horse’s training picture. As FEI judge Stephen Clarke puts it: “The extended walk is the tell-tale movement, because you see whether the horse is truly relaxed and supple, obedient and confident.”

He’s particularly emphatic about how revealing the free walk is: “It is a good safeguard – it makes sure that riders and trainers always look after that freedom of movement. As the horse reaches the higher levels, there is such an emphasis on collection that, sometimes, freedom is lost.”

In other words, free walk isn’t a break from the real training – it’s the test of whether the training is honest or not.

How to ride free walk: what the judge wants to see

In the free walk on a long rein, the judge is looking for:

• A horse seeking the contact forward and down, with the rider allowing the rein
• Long, free, purposeful strides – not slow, lazy ones
• A regular, four-beat rhythm with clear overtrack
• A relaxed, supple back, with the horse lengthening the frame naturally
• Light contact maintained throughout – the rein lengthens, but doesn’t disappear
• A smooth, balanced return to a medium walk before the next movement

As Stephen explains, the score reflects “the regularity of the four footfalls, as well as all of the qualities described in brackets within each of the collective marks: rhythm, suppleness, contact and co-operation.”

Where free walk goes wrong

Most riders, when they reach the diagonal for free walk, do one of two things: they drop the contact entirely and lose all influence on the horse, or they hold on and never let the horse genuinely stretch down.

Neither approach produces what the judge wants to see.

Stephen sees the pattern repeatedly: “Often it is the extension and collection which cause the problem. Riders sometimes fall into the trap of restricting the horse with the reins to collect, which constrains the neck and stiffens the back, thereby limiting the steps. This will have a damaging effect on the regularity of the four beats. At worst, this ends up as almost a two-beat movement, where the horse moves his limbs in lateral pairs.”

A lateral walk – where the legs on the same side move together rather than in true four-time beat – is one of the most damaging faults a dressage horse can develop. And once it appears, it’s a sign that something in the training has gone wrong.

Stretch without losing the contact

The technical heart of free walk is allowing the horse to lower and lengthen the neck while maintaining a light, elastic contact through the rein. The reins lengthen – they aren’t dropped.

Carl Hester puts it simply: “The use of the head and neck is so important in walk. It should be like a rowing motion. The horse has to take your hand forward and not fiddle and get behind the vertical.”

That “rowing motion” is a useful image to hold onto. The horse is actively seeking the bit forward and down, and the rider is allowing that movement without losing the connection. If the horse curls behind the vertical, the stretch isn’t honest. If the rider holds the rein too short, the stretch can’t happen at all. If the rider drops the reins, the contact is lost.

Slower is usually better

A common mistake – particularly in tests – is for riders to push the walk forward, driving with the seat in the hope of looking impressive. “When you walk, make it a slow walk,” Carl says. “The quicker it goes, the smaller the overtrack.”

The mathematics of the walk are a little counter-intuitive. A horse that hurries will shorten his stride; a horse that takes his time will lengthen it.

Carl adds: “If we have a one-hoof overtrack, the horse needs time on the floor – he doesn’t need to come off fast. A one-and-a-half overtrack is better. And if the front legs move too quickly for the hindlegs to keep up, the horse has to learn to use his shoulder. Then we will get closer to two hooves overtrack.”

How to practise the free walk at home

We all know this, really, but the free walk shouldn’t only be ridden during dressage tests. Stephen emphasises that the walk needs work every time you’re in that pace: “Whenever you give the horse a period of rest between movements, be aware of what’s going on underneath you. You should feel the rhythm and swing in the back – and should be influencing the walk, always.”

Try incorporating these three practical exercises into your schooling to help improve your walk:

1. Improving overtrack with leg-yield in walk

A shallow angle of leg-yield on a circle or straight line can encourage a longer stride. Feel down the inside rein for a slight bend and ask the horse to move away from your inside leg. The pace becomes more relaxed, and the overtrack will improve.

2. Riding the free walk as it appears in your test

Sit centrally with loose hips and soft hands. Slowly let your arms move forward while maintaining a slight inside bend. Push the walk forward gently with alternate legs until your horse is reaching for the bit. The reins lengthen progressively, not all at once.

3. Practising the transition back

Some horses predict the upward transition and jog. Make a series of halt transitions in walk during training, then remind your horse in the test with a half-halt. Keep a soft leg contact to reassure him, and gather the reins carefully – keeping a slight inside bend through the transition.

4. Get eyes on the ground

The walk is one of the hardest movements to accurately feel what’s going on underneath you. The footfalls are slower, the overtrack can be deceptive, and tension in the back is easy to miss when you’re focused on the contact. A second pair of eyes can confirm whether the rhythm is genuinely four-beat, whether the overtrack matches what you think it is, and whether the horse is honestly swinging through the back.

If you don’t have a coach available, video yourself again and again – ideally from the side – and check that your sense of what’s happening below you matches what’s actually showing up on the ground.

When the walk goes bad

Although we often consider the walk a natural pace, a poor walk often isn’t the horse’s fault.

Stephen is direct: “A bad walk is usually created because a rider has a disturbing influence on the horse – either a backward influence on the reins or a poor riding position. If the rider is stiff, then the horse will be stiff.”

The walk is the gait where rider faults show up first. A tight seat, busy hands, or a fixed contact will all interfere with the natural rhythm. Even small habits – pulling on the reins when the horse curls, pushing too hard with the seat – can disrupt the four-beat pattern.

Stephen’s solution is patience: “It is important not to try to collect the horse too early. Collection develops naturally. Wait for the horse. It is the gymnastic training which makes the horse strong enough to collect within all the paces.”

Common mistakes and fixes

1. Your horse jogs into the free walk

Fix: Use small half-halts before the diagonal to settle the horse, then allow the rein gradually rather than all at once.

2. Your horse drops the contact entirely

Fix: Maintain feel through your fingers. The rein lengthens, but the connection doesn’t disappear.

3. Your horse curls inwards

Fix: Encourage him forward to the bit, not down. Think “out” rather than “down”.

4. The walk becomes lateral

Fix: Slow the walk down. Resist the temptation to push for more overtrack with speed. Allow the horse to find the rhythm naturally.

5. The return to medium walk is abrupt

Fix: Gather the reins progressively as you approach the next marker. Don’t snatch them up at the end of the diagonal.

Marching on

The most important thing, Stephen says, is to remember that the walk reflects everything else in the training: “Honest training is the only way to preserve the walk. The work is done before the walk happens – it is all about whether the horse is truly in front of the leg, in real balance and self-carriage.”

Carl agrees that the answer is more straightforward than riders often make it: practise correct walk at home, ride forward without rushing, and trust the horse to march resolutely.

Or, as Stephen puts it: “Just let it happen”.

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The US company that has bought Tredstep Ireland said it is “very fortunate” to have secured the rights – and honoured that its founder will remain involved.

Equinavia, based in Connecticut, has worldwide exclusive rights to the equestrian clothing and footwear brand, which was founded by former top eventer Aidan Keogh in 1993. Aidan will “continue to play a key role in the brand’s future through a multi-year consulting agreement”, an Equinavia spokesperson said.

“We are very fortunate to secure the rights to Tredstep and even more honoured that its founder, Aidan Keogh, will continue working with us,” said Fred Erik Nilsen, president of Equinavia.

“We want to sincerely thank all the retail partners and agents who have supported and pushed the Tredstep brand forward over the years. You have done a fantastic job making Tredstep the eminent brand it is today, and we are truly grateful.”

Tredstep sold: next steps

Mr Nilsen added that the team is looking forward to working with these partners to grow the brand.

“We are proud to welcome Tredstep into the Equinavia family,” he said. “We believe it is an excellent strategic fit. We are already working closely with our factories to rebuild stock levels and better serve the strong demand that has historically been underserved. It may take us a minute to fully catch up, but we are fully committed to getting there.”

Equinavia also manufactures rider wear, footwear and helmets, as well as tack, rugs and yard equipment.

Aidan said: “I am pleased to partner with Equinavia to ensure Tredstep’s continued success.

“I believe this is the right next step for the brand and look forward to contributing my experience as we move forward together.”

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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

If your summer showing season is centred around the 2026 Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifiers, then I know first-hand how difficult it can be to find details of where the qualifiers are being held, who is judging and when the entries close, so I’ve collated all your need-to-know information in one place for H&H subscribers.

While the HOYS qualifier shows are well and truly underway for 2026, some of the hosts are still waiting for their judges and schedules to be confirmed. Below are links to individual summaries that list all of the HOYS showing qualifiers for each of the main sections. As H&H’s showing editor, I’m frequently updating these pages with all the new details as they are released (most recently the confirmed judges and closing dates for Stoneleigh Horse Show and NPS Area 7) so they can be your one-stop shop for planning your Horse of the Year Show qualification.

Not only do we have the complete list of qualifying fixtures for each class, but we’ll be sharing the confirmed judges and entry closing dates, too, as soon as they become available.

For more information about your 2026 HOYS qualifier options, find your class below, and follow the green link above straight to the important details you need to know.

2026 HOYS showing qualifiers by group

Coloured HOYS qualifiers 2026

• Coloured Ridden Horse and Pony of the Year sponsored by CHAPS (UK)

Harness horse or pony HOYS qualifiers 2026

• Harness Horse & Pony of the Year

HOYS heavy horse qualifiers 2026

• The Barber Family British Ridden Heavy Horse of the Year
• Driven Heavy Horse of the Year
• Shire Horse of the Year Championship supported by the Shire Horse Society

HOYS qualifiers for show horses 2026

• The Harrod & Coles Family Cob of the Year
• The Andrews Family Hack of the Year
• The Leeman Family Maxi Cob of the Year
• NeedleSmart, John Illingworth and Cliff Kirby Ridden Purebred Arab of the Year
• Alan Marnie & Family Riding Horse of the Year
• The Mears-Wood Family Ladies’ Side Saddle Horse of the Year
• Hamilton Tarmac Small Show Hunter of the Year
• Catplant Group of Companies Ltd. Show Hunter of the Year
• Alan Marnie & Family (Meta Lounge Limited and SHB (GB)) Working Hunter of the Year

HOYS in-hand qualifiers 2026

• The Price Family Supreme In-Hand of the Year

HOYS miniature qualifiers 2026

• UKAMHS American Miniature Horse of the Year Sponsored by Pandoras Miniature Farm
• Miniature Horse of the Year Supported by the British Miniature Horse Society

HOYS M&M qualifiers 2026

• Thor Atkinson Steel Fabrications Ltd Junior M&M Ridden Pony of the Year
• Colne, Sweet Dreams Show Confectioners & Westown Stud M&M Mini Pony of the Year
• NPS/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Connemara of the Year
• NPS/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Dales of the Year
• NPS/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Dartmoor of the Year
• NPS/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Exmoor/Shetland of the Year
• NPS/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Fell of the Year
• NPS/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Highland of the Year
• NPS/Supreme Products M&M Ridden New Forest of the Year
• NPS/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Welsh Section A & B of the Year
• NPS/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Welsh Section C & D of the Year
• Jacksons of Yorkshire M&M Working Hunter Pony of the Year

HOYS plaited pony qualifiers 2026

• Annabel’s Deliciously British Mini Show Pony of the Year
• The BSPS Children’s Riding Pony of the Year
• Lead Rein Pony of Hunter Type of the Year
• The de la Hay Family Ridden Partbred Pony of the Year
• The Honourable Stud Intermediate Show Horse of the Year
• Shine Source Footwear Ltd Show Hunter Pony of the Year
• The Smith Family Intermediate Show Hunter of the Year
• NPS/Mole Valley Farmers Working Hunter Pony of the Year

HOYS veteran qualifiers 2026

• Veteran Horse Society Ridden Veteran Horse of the Year

• Enjoyed reading this? For more expert showing advice from top riders and updates on shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Grassroots showjumpers have a new national final to aim for at the British Showjumping National Championships.

As a third surfaced arena has been created, the new national 95cm championship will be included at this year’s event, which runs at Stoneleigh Park from 4 to 9 August. This and the 1.05m and 1.25m championships, which were introduced two years ago, will run over three days including preliminary rounds and a championship or consolation final.

“We are always looking for ways to enhance the national championships experience for our members, and the addition of the additional arena has given us a fantastic opportunity to do just that,” said British Showjumping (BS) national director of sport Stephanie Toogood.

“Introducing the national 95cm championship allows us to welcome even more combinations to compete for a national title and provides another important stepping stone within our championship pathway.”

To qualify, combinations must have jumped four double clears at 90cm or above, between 1 January and 30 June this year. It is restricted to combinations who are eligible for the bronze league.

“The introduction of the national 95cm championship reflects British Showjumping’s continued commitment to creating opportunities for members at all levels of the sport, recognising the importance of grassroots competition and providing clear progression pathways for riders and horses,” a BS spokesperson said.

The teams and para championships will also run in the new arena, and the Andrews Bowen surfaces on the two existing rings has been refreshed.

Emma Williams, event director at championship organiser Grandstand Media, said: “As organisers, we are committed to improving the national championships experience and have made significant investments in the venue’s infrastructure.

“We’re proud to have introduced a third arena, creating opportunities to expand the programme. It’s fantastic to see this investment enable British Showjumping to launch the new national 95cm championship and welcome even more riders to compete for a national title.”

More details on issues including final qualification criteria and schedules will be announced in the near future.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Communicating and challenging ourselves better are key for the future of horse sport – but we also need a collective dose of humility.

These were among the messages from the 2026 World Horse Welfare survey of public perception of the involvement of horses in sport, which the charity has been commissioning annually since 2022.

The 2026 World Horse Welfare survey found that more of the public see horses as pets (65%) or leisure animals (64.9%) rather than working animals (56.1%), livestock (54.3%) or sport animals (49.4%). Most (70.5%) believe horses’ welfare should “always take priority, regardless of the effect on performance” (70.3%), and that short-term pain or discomfort to improve performance is not very or not at all acceptable (77.3%).

World Horse Welfare CEO Roly Owers said it is clear that equine welfare has a key role in the future sustainability of the global equestrian sector, citing the major strides made in this area.

“But we also hear criticism,” he said.”For some, welfare standards in sport are already so high, they do not need to change, and any attempt at improvement is only to appease the antis. That by talking about welfare, sport is only damaging its own reputation.

“Others say welfare initiatives launched to maintain social licence are all talk and no action. But concerns about welfare will not go away, and you can only address an issue if you face up to it. World Horse Welfare has always been clear that improving equine welfare is pivotal, not primarily because that’s what the public expects but because that’s exactly what it means to put the horse first.

“There is growing evidence that we can do better, and if we know better, we must do better. Doing right by our horses, putting a horse’s wellbeing at the centre of everyone’s decision-making, has to be the fundamental goal for every sport. Yes, this is what the public expects and it will enable the sport to thrive. As David Yellen summed up so well at last year’s event, the best form of PR is to do the right thing.”

The 2026 World Horse Welfare survey trends

Mr Owers said the 2026 World Horse Welfare survey results do not show a positive trend. This year, it was shown that the percentage of those who support horse sport only if welfare improves is about the same as in 2022, at just under 40%. But there has been a slight increase in the number who do not support involvement of horses in sport in any circumstances, from 19.5% to 24.4%.

Mr Owers said this increase may be “within the margin of error”, and not too much of a red flag, but it is “certainly one to continue to watch”.

A panel of experts considered the results and what they may mean. One key issue is that the majority of the public have no regular contact with horses and may never even have seen one.

“A fundamental underlying threat to all equestrianism, sports and non-sports, is that most people in the UK have never had any contact with a horse at all,” said British Equine Veterinary Association CEO David Mountford. “That creates a real problem that we need to get across, and that’s more than just snazzy videos or a social media presence.”

Racing broadcaster and journalist Lydia Hislop pointed out that with the increasing urbanisation of society comes a lack of understanding, citing for example the lack of mainstream coverage of Ros Canter’s Badminton win so soon after she had her second child.

“I think that’s what’s lacking, being able to give people the understanding to be able to watch something like that and see why it was good,” she said. “I think that’s a key form of communication needed to reach people, for further understanding.

“All horse sports have to work out how we can reach out, broaden people’s understanding, explain to people why they should be interested in this. I think that’s the key; communication in an instant, efficient way that grabs people’s attention. We’re all working in an attention economy, and that’s what I think everybody’s communications focus needs to work on.”

2026 World Horse Welfare survey debate: communicating is key

She added that if we look back at our increased understanding, “the idea that we wouldn’t bring new technology, new understanding to make things better is just an absurd position to hold. It’s a way of gently challenging ourselves, so we inside the sport, can look inside it and challenge ourselves to do better, then we’re also better armed with that understanding to communicate outside the sports.”

Former top eventer David O’Connor, chief of sport at US Equestrian (USEF) and chair of the FEI eventing committee, spoke of measures brought in by USEF to improve welfare, such as extending its jurisdiction to cover incidents outside affiliated competition. He also covered the strides made in improving eventing safety internationally; using data and, for example, frangible technology to reduce horse falls.

Asked about recent issues in dressage, and whether other disciplines are behind eventing, he said: “I think eventing is more comfortable with it because they’ve been in it longer.

“They’ve been doing this for 25 years and the other sports are starting to realise this is an important part of the equation. Racing is doing it, dressage is doing it; in the showjumping world, use of the whip that has been adjusted. I think other sports are realising how important this conversation is and that it is not going away.

“So how do we remain proactive? Through education, rules, telling the stories, which is a huge thing. Multiple pieces of the puzzle have to be worked on together; there’s not one thing that will fix it, and using data and science, such as on how animals think, it gives you a way to be able to measure whether you’re actually making a difference.”

Exceptional performance

Minette Batters, chair of British racing’s Horse Welfare Board, also mentioned Ros’s win, describing it as “probably the most exceptional performance I have ever seen”, from horse and rider, and that the sport must learn from it.

“These stories – you want people who want to be Ros Canter, work for Ros Canter, to be stable staff, climb the ladder, be champion jockey,” she said. “That’s the wonderful thing about horses, you can come from anywhere in life and rise to the stars, and that’s the story people want to hear, but you’ve got to be pulling that.

“There’s a lot to be learned from what happened with Ros, because we tend to follow influencers, celebrities, people with huge Instagram accounts, and it’s not all about that, that’s wrong for every part of horse sport.”

Baroness Batters said the welfare board is planning “welfare champions” on every yard in racing, and that another key is for the horse world to open its doors, invite people in, “bring them in and take them with us”.

David O’Connor agreed, adding that warm-up areas, as well as yards, need to be open to all eyes.

“We have an expression in the United States: if you can’t train in the middle of Central Park and explain it and have people like it, probably you’re doing it wrong,” he said.

“And dressage is looking at it, looking at the change. You’ll see things come out this year about judging. In the end I think openness and being willing to be open, whether it’s yards, training, warm-ups, competition, that’s going to permeate all the way through the decision-making.”

Humility needed

Sharing his views on the 2026 World Horse Welfare survey, Mr Mountford said he thinks progress is being made; good work is being done, awareness and engagement are high and the momentum needs to be maintained.

“But it shouldn’t be seen that we’ll get to a point and we can stop,” he said. “What needs to continue to improve is consistency and transparency, and making sure what’s written into codes and aspirations of groups like the Horse Welfare Board actually is reality and are communicated as being real.

“I think also what’s true in horse sports, racing, is that we don’t have much humility. How you achieve it, I don’t know, but we need to bring a big box of humility to the table. We can all learn every week, from a colleague, from someone with decades of experience or from the latest research on how horses learn.

“Riders at the very top will be having weekly lessons and people throughout the industry should be, on riding, but also on what’s going on with science, how they can improve, how we can learn.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Shows are stepping up checks and competitors are reminded that they will be turned away if a horse’s vaccination status does not comply with the applicable rules.

In the first week of June, the equine infections disease surveillance (EIDS) team at Cambridge Vet School confirmed 15 outbreaks of equine flu across 13 regions. As H&H went to press this afternoon (8 June), there had been a total of 95 outbreaks in 2026, of which 82 have been confirmed since 20 April.

Jenna Payne, chief executive of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations (ASAO), joined the team of vets and experienced stewards on the horse gate checkpoint at Devon County Show (20 to 22 May).

She told H&H they were anticipating a few problems but were in no way on the scale they experienced.

“The first morning was a parade of hopeful rule‑benders. We turned away around 15 horseboxes, most for the same reason: passports that didn’t match the horses entered,” she said.

“Thankfully, the show secretary had armed us with exhibitor lists, making it easy to cross‑reference names and spot the mismatches.

“By day two, people got more inventive. By day three, nobody even tried. Word travels fast when a team is thorough.”

Some of the examples they saw included the number of horses on board differing from the number they were told, horses not matching passports, and microchips not tallying with passports.

She said that if people had forgotten to bring passports, they used live video calls to verify passports and vaccination histories, and some vet practices emailed PDF histories when needed.

“For every difficult encounter, we had many more exhibitors thanking us for being thorough. Those who were fully compliant were genuinely appreciative that the rules were being upheld fairly and consistently,” she said.

Her tips for show organisers this summer is to communicate with exhibitors, have experienced passport checking teams available and a clear lead to adjudicate on discrepancies and to cross-reference passport names with exhibitor lists.

She also encouraged shows to count horses on every vehicle, use a microchip reader and have a spare, and create a holding bay to avoid a horsebox blocking the queue.

“However, if we’re looking for a simple, effective step towards cleaning up our shows, introducing a passport/vaccination check at number collection would be an excellent place to start,” she said.

Mrs Payne added that a lot of other shows are already picking this up and doing similar – and she hopes word will spread.

These include Royal Cornwall (June 4 to 5), which checked all passports on arrival, Royal Bath & West (28 to 30 May), which checked on number collection, and Great Yorkshire Show (14 to 17 July), which has always checked on collection of numbers.

Passports are being checked at British Dressage, British Eventing (BE) and British Showjumping events. BE chief executive Rosie Williams told H&H that BE has “ramped up its checks” and is being “very clear with everybody” that correct vaccinations “have to be in place and if they are not, we will send you home”.

Lucy Grieve, veterinary projects officer at the British Equestrian Veterinary Association, told H&H thorough passport checks at shows and events “are an essential part of safeguarding equine health”.

“Organisers need to be confident that every horse arriving is correctly identifiable and meets the equine influenza vaccination requirements, particularly given the ongoing surge in outbreaks across the UK,” she said, noting that horses must be accompanied by their passports when being transported.

“While these passport checks are vital, they can be time-consuming and resource-intensive for event staff. A national digital equine identification system would significantly streamline and improve the accuracy of the process by allowing vaccination records to be verified in advance, reducing administrative burden and improving compliance.

“Such a system would also enhance traceability in the event of a disease outbreak, enabling faster identification and notification of horses that may have been exposed; strengthening the UK’s ability to prevent and control the spread of infectious disease.

“The Government has promised such a system for many years now but has failed to deliver due to lack of funds.”

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A showjumper who competed, and went clear, over a 1.20m track at the first British Bridleless Competition told H&H this “feels like the start of something very exciting”.

Serena Kullich and Silas VTS, who have qualified for the Talent Seekers final at Horse of the Year Show 2026, were among the +20 combinations at the event organised by Mia Rodley of The Heart of Horsemanship at Merrist Wood on 31 May.

H&H reported that the event had had a huge and positive response, and Serena said she was delighted to be part of it.

“It was so exciting to see so many people competing bridleless,” she said. “I know quite a few of them and we play about bridleless, but actually to see everyone in a competition was just so inspiring.”

Serena said she had been fascinated with riding bridleless since she had childhood dreams of riding along the beach without one, but there were not the online resources available that there are now.

Then a few years ago, she was riding Benji at home, the horse with whom she has contested the prestigious London International Horse Show under-25s final.

“I was playing around and realised I could steer him quite well with my legs and back off with the neck rope, and that I could ride him bridleless, which was really exciting,” she said.

“Then I started doing it with Silas. At that point I knew Mia a tiny bit, but I now know her really well; a lot of this is down to her, she’s inspired me to do a lot of the things I’ve done.”

Many riders have said that riding bridleless has improved their horses’ way of going; not the riding itself but the fact that to get to a point at which riding without a bridle works, by definition the horse-human relationship is harmonious and working together.

Bridleless showjumping: the benefits

“What’s been interesting with Silas is that he’s a slightly tense, introverted horse,” she said. “He’s one of those who it’s easy to kind of tell them what to do, even if they’re not completely happy about it. His thing is that he doesn’t like the edges of the arena.”

Mia said with a bridle on, these fences were not a problem but without, she realised he was not as happy taking these on.

“I’ve spent more time getting him truly relaxed and confident,” she said. “I think it’s not been kind of one specific thing, it’s the whole connection I’ve now got with him, to be able to do everything I can do, has transferred to the jumping. He has always been a willing horse but now he really tries, he has he so much more trust in me.”

Serena said she rides some of her younger horses with bridles, some without, but she applies all she has learned from working without, to their benefit.

“I use all the principles that I use with Silas bridleless, like my steering from my seat, teaching them to have rhythm and relaxation on a long rein,” she said. “Teaching a four-year-old all that, I find, makes such a difference, because then when you jump them when they’re a bit older, they’ve got that foundation and are confident and relaxed.

“So many older showjumpers I get are hard in the mouth; I now go about teaching them the contact slowly and carefully. The fundamental of jumping round a course is that you need them with you and listening and if they’re just running off on their own, it’s not easy!”

Adjusting the stride

Serena and Silas’s round was foot-perfect; she explained that she has put a lot of work in without the bridle, on adjusting the canter stride on the flat, so she knows the gears are there on a course when she needs them.

“He always feels completely with me,” she said. “But then I wouldn’t jump round a course bridleless if I didn’t feel he was completely with me. So I’ve always set him up perfectly for success, whereas in a bridle you can slightly skip things. So with all my jumpers I try my best to always have that feeling of the bridleless, even when I’m riding with a bridle.”

Serena said her main goal is to show people what can be possible.

“It feels like the start of something very exciting,” she said. “The fact Mia’s looking to hold more shows, the reach it’s got across social media is exciting, and so many people are keen to do more of it.

“It’s that feeling of freedom. As well now for me, I love the preciseness, the collection and the ability to adjust a stride jumping but as a kid, it was that feeling of freedom I loved.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Calling all future Rachael Blackmores and William Buicks! If you love nothing more than shortening your stirrups for an exhilarating gallop, why not give pony racing a try?

This fast-growing, adrenaline-fuelled sport for riders aged nine to 16 is a great way to experience the thrill of riding on some of Britain’s premier racetracks.

But it’s also proving an essential foundation for future jockeys and point-to-point riders. Champion jump jockey Sean Bowen, young Flat racing star Billy Loughnane and Grand National hero Rachael Blackmore all learned their craft in pony ranks.

Group One-winning Flat jockey Hollie Doyle started out as an “uncompetitive” youngster on her Pony Club pony.

“As soon as I rode in a pony race, I knew I wanted to be a jockey,” she says.

The sport’s governing body, the Pony Racing Authority (PRA) is there to guide you every step of the way, from teaching you the basics through to your first official race and beyond, ensuring you and your pony progress at your own pace.

Pony racing: three steps to the racetrack

Step one: join a taster day

If you’re tempted by pony racing but unsure how to begin, your first port of call is to attend a PRA taster day. They are normally unmounted and tend to take place on the morning of a Pony Club race day, offering a great opportunity to watch the action as well as getting involved in all sorts of activities, such as refining your racing position on a mechanical horse and learning what tack and equipment is needed.

Step two: practice makes perfect on a training day

The next step is to take your pony to a PRA or Pony Club training day, where you’ll learn all the ingredients that go into race riding, from how to line up at the start to the balance, control and fitness required for riding in a forward seat.

These events also act as qualification for the upcoming season and are a great opportunity to meet fellow rookie jockeys. PRA advanced training days focus on the finer details, while the British Racing School, Scottish Racing Academy and National Horseracing College offer further courses.

Step three: under starters orders!

There are essentially three types of racing to take part in:

• Stand-alone Pony Club race days
• The point-to-point pony racing series 
• The PRA racecourse series, which is the premier league of pony racing and held at professional racecourses between May and October (suspended in May 2026 due to a flu outbreak)

Vine branch member William King-Harris, 11, competes in Pony Club race days and was hooked from day one.

“He came last in his first race, but he didn’t care, he just loved being a part of it. There’s great camaraderie and he loves the thrill of it all,” says his mother Charlotte King-Harris, who teams up with other families to hire out local gallops and makes use of the regular racing rallies hosted by their Pony Club.

William, who rides 148cm Bowhaylands Midnight, says: “I love it because you get to race with your friends and riding at proper racecourses makes you feel like a real jockey.”

Up to 10 races take place on Pony Club racedays, split into height sections, with categories from beginners to open riders. Two or three races are held at the point-to-point fixtures, catering for both novice and more experienced riders, with various championships to aim for.

When you’re ready to graduate to the showcase racecourse series, you’ll be competing either before or after professional racing, with each contest (138cm or 148cm and under) mirroring that of a real race, right down to a best turned out award.

Lucas Murphy, 16, who won his first race against the professionals in April, progressed through all three levels alongside his younger brother Finn.

“There’s no gender issue in pony racing – or racing itself – everyone’s on a level playing field,” says their mother Verity Green, who organises the popular Area 9 Pony Club race day at Cheltenham Racecourse.

“With the changing landscape of the UK, riding at speed across open fields is difficult for a lot of people, so pony racing gives you that opportunity.

“But it’s not just about lining up and going as fast as you can! Pony racing is a great skill for any rider to learn – it helps with balance, fitness and judgement of pace, which then applies across the disciplines.”

What you need to take up pony racing

Do I need a flashy pony, fancy silks and expensive racing saddle?

You absolutely don’t need a specialist pony – you don’t need a pony at all!

Head of the PRA Lucinda Campbell-Dutton says, “You can race any type of pony under 148cm”, with the only stipulation being that it is aged between four and 20. The only specialist equipment you need is the requisite safety gear.

Riders aged 11-16 who don’t have a pony but have regularly attended a riding school can apply to the PRA academy scheme, funded by The Racing Foundation and the Horserace Betting Levy Board.

Sally-Ann Dale, whose 12-year-old daughter Lucie competes in Pony Club race days on her home-produced ponies, hosts the PRA academy at her Ghyll Park Equestrian in East Sussex.

“What I think we lack at schools nowadays is team spirit and that’s what Ghyll Park is all about,” says Sally Ann. “I tell the kids that racing is not a team sport, but when you go to the start, you’re a team. Talk to each other and jump off together. I’m more than happy to help anyone.”

As Verity Green sums up, “The way that racing opens its doors and looks after the progression of its young riders is phenomenal. My children have had an absolute ball.”

So what are you waiting for? Head to ponyracingauthority.co.uk for further information and above all enjoy yourselves – let us know how you get on!

Meet the 2025 pony racing champion

Last season, Chloe Fox-Pitt notched up 15 straight wins with Avalon Dancer in the 138cm PRA racecourse series, including the Aintree final. The now 13-year-old is back with the mare in 2026, having also secured the ride on the prolific 148cm She’s A Corker. Chloe, daughter of racing presenter Alice Plunkett and retired five-star event rider William Fox-Pitt, also enjoys eventing, Pony Club and hunting.

How I began racing: “I got a racing Shetland for a Christmas present and did two seasons on him before I got former show pony Maesteg Ruth to do pony racing on. She was very experienced and taught lots of people to race ride.”

Top tips for starting out: “Get as much experience as you can. I went to various places to get training on the mechanical horse. I did three race training days with my pony just to get to grips with it all and to learn what to do.”

The secret of success: “A big part is having a fast pony, but learning when to go, when to pull and how to start a race are equally important. It took me a while to get to grips with Avalon Dancer because she was much hotter than my first pony, but having a pony as good as her last season was so much fun.”

The best aspect of pony racing: “I’ve made so many friends, got to ride at the big racecourses and speak to some amazing people about racing.”

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Equestrians who demonstrate exceptional horsemanship, empathy and a horse-first approach will be recognised with special awards at shows this summer.

The Welfare Stewarding Group, an organisation of volunteers promoting good equine welfare at shows across the country, is launching the Animalweb Good Horsemanship Award.

The first awards were due to be presented at the Royal Cornwall Show this wekeend (4-6 June); a spokesperson for the scheme said: “At each event, welfare stewards will identify and reward exhibitors who demonstrate exceptional horsemanship, outstanding horse handling, empathy, partnership and a clear commitment to putting their horse first.”

Rosettes will be given to people who stand out, not necessarily for winning their classes but for their attitude to and care for their horses. Each winner will also be given a £10 feed voucher sponsored by Dengie.

Welfare Stewarding Group founder Amanda Stoddart-West said: “Good horsemanship is about far more than results or placings. It’s about the relationship between horse and rider, the way horses are handled and cared for, and the respect shown to them at every stage of competition and preparation.

“Rewarding the positive has to be the best way to promote best practice and to encourage excellent horse welfare, and these awards are designed to shine a light on the people quietly doing things the right way, those who consistently put welfare, patience and partnership first.

“Sometimes it’s simply the people who stand out because you can clearly see they are thinking about the horse first above everything else. It’s not about the most polished horse or the biggest name, it’s about genuine horsemanship. We are incredibly grateful to Animalweb for supporting this initiative and helping us celebrate the positive examples that deserve recognition across our industry.”

David Marlin, president of the Welfare Stewarding Group and founder of sponsor Animalweb, added that the awards are a huge opportunity to recognise those who put their horses first at all times.

“We hope they encourage conversations around what great horsemanship truly looks like and help inspire others across the industry to lead by example,” he said.

The group has already been asked to attend 15 shows across the country this year. Anyone who would like to book stewards for an event is invited to get in touch.

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The first fully bridleless show in the UK has been described as inspirational, emotional – and a big step towards change.

More than 20 people competed in showjumping and dressage at the British Bridleless Competition at Merrist Wood on 31 May – and some 500 came to watch. Organiser Mia Rodley, of The Heart of Horsemanship, told H&H they had to turn spectators away as they were at capacity.

“It’s huge,” Mia said. “People were in tears of happiness watching, which was lovely – and it’s just blown up.”

Horse & Country live-streamed the British Bridleless Competition, clips have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times and Mia has been overwhelmed with requests for training, displays and shows across the world. She has even been given donations – she paid thousands to put on the event – to back the cause and help fund future shows.

“We’re definitely going to do it again because it was so unbelievably successful,” Mia said. “We’ve had three videos hit a million views and I could do with a full-time person to reply to emails about it – I can’t tell you how big it’s got.

“It was amazing and such a great atmosphere. All the horses were so calm. People said they’d never seen a warm-up so relaxed, no aversive behaviours and the crowd was buzzing. Everyone’s said how inclusive it was, really supportive, great energy and atmosphere. For me, the idea was that if the governing bodies won’t let us compete bridleless, we’ll run competitions parallel to it.”

The British Bridleless Competition had dressage from intro to elementary – and one grand prix freestyle test – and jumping up to 1.20m. Competitors had to apply by sending videos to show they were competent and safe, all warmed up with a bridle and had time for arena familiarisation, and organisers had a final say on whether each was safe to compete.

Mia has always said bridleless riding is complementary to, and can enhance, traditional horsemanship; it is not one or the other and that it is the epitome of a harmonious horse-human relationship because “if you haven’t got the horse’s mind, you won’t have his body”.

“Serena Kullich, who jumped the 1.20m, has just qualified that horse for a 1.40m at Horse of the Year Show and she says his jumping and rideability is a million times better since getting him good at bridleless,” she said. “We had all types of horses there; anyone can do it and that’s what’s really taking off. It’s fantastic.”

List One judge is “totally inspired”

British Dressage List One judge Mary-anne Horn, who judged the dressage with natural horsemanship expert Lyla Cansfield, told H&H she was “totally inspired”.

“I had to think outside the box; obviously I couldn’t talk about the contact because there isn’t one, but I can talk about connection from the hindleg through the body,” she said. “I don’t know what I thought I expected, but there was no spooking, no tension. The horses were very relaxed and it certainly teaches people to ride, because they have to use the seat and back and leg and not rely on the reins.

“I was just amazed by the horses’ attitude. You often comment, ‘Needs to step more through, relax, let go in the back,’ and these horses did, because they were relaxed. So they let go in the backs, then the horse did step through with the hindleg. It was quite moving, to see the relationship between the rider and the horse. This is going to be a thing, I think.”

Ms Horn said she judges many horses and sees a lot of imperfect riding and people relying on rein aids.

“I can see this will appeal,” she said. “Someone said, ‘This is what classical dressage should be,’ and I don’t think you can really compare the two as they’d have to tweak the tests above medium. They can do changes and piaffe-passage, but anything that needs lateral bend might be tricky to judge.

“I’m trying to promote this in a good way, but not set one against the other. British Dressage should embrace and support it, as it has its place and people are so enthusiastic about it.”

Ms Horn said she also saw some of the jumping, which she thought was “incredible; the horses were putting themselves right”.

“Everybody had a lovely time and the horses looked happy as Larry,” she said. “Mia made it really inclusive; I’ll certainly have a debrief with her and see how we can move it forward.”

Lynne Macleod, who rode the grand prix freestyle with her Lusitano Hermes, told H&H she competes in working equitation, which includes dressage and allows bitless, but only started bridleless riding last year.

“It felt amazing,” she said. “He’s the first horse I’ve ridden at grand prix and we’re quite new to it but I thought, ‘I think we could do that.’ I used to do it in a double but changed to a snaffle and the more I’ve gone less bit – the snaffle then taking the bridle off – the better his work.

“I’d have liked a bit more bend in the half-passes, as that’s where you can use a bit to influence the body in a positive way, but he did everything; one-time and two-time changes, they were straight and clean, and his pirouettes were small.”

Lynne added that all the feedback she has seen on the show has been positive.

“I still ride traditionally with bits, but there are certain things that can always be improved in everybody’s test and riding and if you can help that by doing things slightly differently, great,” she said. “And if it gets people talking and opens up other avenues – I’m not saying everyone should just whack their bridle off, but the feeling of being able to do that is incredible.

“And the atmosphere was incredible too, like everyone was willing you to do well. There was such positive energy about the whole thing.”

It is hoped that another British Bridleless Competition will be held this year.

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The first “BE Lite” competition will run at Howick Horse Trials on 12 July, a new British Eventing (BE) scheme.

BE Lite is a “flexible affiliation model for unaffiliated events”. The idea is that there will be same rigorous safety standards as at an affiliated BE event, but it is designed to be an accessible route into the sport. This means organisers have greater flexibility and for riders the entry process is simplified and dress requirements are relaxed.

Horses and riders will not need to be BE members, nor pay a BE run fee on top of entry. Results will be published on the EventingScores website, but will not go on any records.

It will be a competition, not training, but the focus is on participation, enjoyment, confidence-building and progression. BE’s sports taskforce, which developed the idea, is finalising details in the rules, but BE’s standards in safety, welfare, safeguarding and event delivery will apply.

BE CEO Rosie Williams told H&H she hopes that there will be four or five BE Lite fixtures in this pilot year.

She said BE Lite is about “supporting organisers and riders, strengthening standards and creating more opportunities for people to enjoy our sport”.

“This initiative recognises that there is no single route into the sport and provides a welcoming, flexible framework that allows more people to experience eventing while benefiting from BE’s expertise in safety, welfare and sport delivery,” she said.

“Importantly, while some rules are simplified to encourage participation, the core principles that matter most remain unchanged. Horse welfare, rider safety, safeguarding, veterinary and medical provision and event oversight remain at the heart of every BE Lite competition.”

She added that this is about encouraging people who want to try eventing without feeling pressure to have to buy all the kit, particularly given current financial pressures.

Qualified officials will oversee competition and BE’s welfare, safeguarding and conduct standards apply. Riders who fall or repeatedly incur refusals on cross-country will be eliminated, in line with established safety principles.

Entry fees and prize money are being set by organisers. BE will not take money during the pilot phase, but it will in future.

“It is not a money-making exercise for BE,” said Ms Williams. “Yes we will take a little bit of revenue [in future], but for us it is about opening up the channel that allows a rider to do maybe two BE Lites and then get their brave pants on and perhaps go and do a BE80 – or maybe not! But they’ve tried it and had a good experience, I know they’re safe and I know that if things do go pear-shaped, there are [the right] people there to help.”

Venues that run unaffiliated events are not allowed to host international fixtures. Ms Williams confirmed that organisers who run BE Lite events, rather than unaffiliated, will be eligible in future.

Howick Horse Trials organiser Hannah Matthews said the Howick team is “thrilled to be the first venue to host a BE Lite competition and to support an initiative that helps make eventing more accessible while maintaining the high standards our sport is known for”.

“We hope it will encourage new riders to get involved and provide a positive experience for everyone taking part,” she added.

A spokesperson for unaffiliated series The Cotswold Cup told H&H that it “fully supports” the initiative.

Update: 25 June

BE has now published the full BE Lite rules. Visit: https://www.britisheventing.com/be-lite

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Spending time with your equine partner, training, competing – it’s what we all love doing. And no less so when that partner is made of wood. Hobby horsing has exploded in popularity in the UK in recent years, not to mention in Europe and even further afield. Hundreds of young people – and adults – are training and competing every weekend. So what makes it so popular?

“It’s so much fun,” says 16-year-old Maisie Scaddan, who has been hobby horsing for four years, and has represented Britain at the hobby horse World Championships. “I saw a video of somebody hobby horsing, and a tutorial on how to make your own hobby horse, on TikTok. So I made my own out of cardboard, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

“At the time, my real pony was injured and I was bored, and I thought, ‘It’s still horse riding.’ I really enjoyed it and I’ve got lots of friends who do it too; we all meet up, or go to shows together and do pairs classes.”

When Maisie started there were only online shows in the UK but now there is an event somewhere in the country just about every weekend, attracting sometimes 100 people each.

You can compete with a hobby horse in showjumping – judged on faults and time but also style; dressage – mainly freestyle to music featuring movements including half-pass and piaffe; gymkhana games, barrel racing and more. And for those with ambitions, the pinnacle is the World Championships in Finland, which runs in June.

Entry to this is by ballot; Maisie, who won three gold medals in showjumping at the 2025 British championships, was selected last year for the 70cm showjumping.

“There are lots of rules there,” Maisie says. “You need to be on the right leg, you can’t trot, only canter, you need to have the reins in the right hand, your horse needs the correct bit and you need the correct footwear. It’s a lot more strict!

“It was really good to go with my friends, and I got to meet loads of my favourite hobby horse influencers from TikTok too.”

After-school training

Hobby horsing is of course a physical sport – Maisie showjumps up to 1m and she says riders have to keep training and competing to keep fit. There aren’t professional coaches here as there are in Finland so Maisie trains mainly in her garden after school, or video calls her friends and they do it together.

She says chase-me-Charlies are perfect for the athletic side, although she has yet to match the world record of clearing 1.52m.

Maisie has about 20 hobby horses who live in a hand-made wooden stable in her kitchen. Her favourite is Honka Limoncello – Lemon for short – and some she has made herself.

She still has her two real ponies too; retired April, and Timmy whom she showjumps – and she says her hobby horse jumping has improved her ability to see a stride on her real ponies.

“Most people do horse riding and they want to do even more horse time,” she says. “So they do hobby horsing too.

“It’s such a nice, friendly community; every time you go to a show, you make loads of new friends. I think it’s mainly the community that makes people want to do it. Lots of neurodiverse people really enjoy it – and it’s definitely cheaper than having a real pony!”

How to have a go at hobby horsing

The UK Hobby Horse Association can guide you to clubs and events in all parts of the country.

Hobby Horse Adventures also organises shows and camps, and sells accessories.

And hobby-horse.com has all sorts of information about how to get involved.

Zoe Brown ran her first hobby horse competition in 2024, after her daughter and her friends started hobby horsing but could not find shows to go to. Now Hobby Horse Adventures runs events every weekend, as well as a summer camp – and Zoe has given up her job to run it.

“It’s super-busy, the kids that do it absolutely love it and the parents who watch the kids doing it love what they’re seeing,” she says. “When we did the National Equine Show this year, we were overwhelmed.”

Zoe says the exercise and the associated feel-good chemicals it releases mean young people enjoy the sport – but it’s also the partnership with the hobby horses.

“They’re not just objects, it’s more than that,” she says. “They all have names and characters and they care for them, they’re partners.”

Zoe says many neurodiverse young people find their niche in hobby horsing but all competitors are immersed in it.

“You never see kids on their phones at our events,” she says. “And most of them do it as well as riding and being around horses, it’s natural. A lot are home-schooled, and some are in alternative education, they’re working with horses as therapeutic education.

“This is also therapeutic and my big dream is to go into schools and do it as PE lessons. If you get kids interested, once they have a go, they’ll love it.”

“I’m living the dream making hobby horses”

Lynne Acheson, of Laurel Designs, has been making hobby horses for about 40 years. She started with little horses for young children but now has a range of colours and types and sells all over the world, including to some very prestigious customers.

“The ones I make now are more realistic, and hand-painted,” she says. “They have leather bridles, with buckles and a bit, and they’re much more like a real pony, which these riders really like.”

Lynne says demand has soared recently. Some participants buy mass-produced horses but hers are a labour of love, each made by hand with hours of work; positioning the frame, creating the shape, making the bridle and hand-painting every centimetre.

“I had one as a child, we all made them ourselves out of socks and those are really happy memories,” she says. “One day a girl came in with a beautiful one, the most desirable thing, and I was so envious of her. But now I’m living the dream, and it’s lovely to see the riders enjoying them.”

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Equine welfare, safety and accessibility to the sport are the three pillars to the current approach to running polo, with the aim of making it “a great place for people and ponies – and for everyone to enjoy themselves”.

Hurlingham Polo Association (HPA) chief executive Anna Hall, former head of participation at British Equestrian who took over the role in 2022, told H&H the HPA is “embracing” the spotlight on the sport, thanks to the new television series of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals. The HPA has also revamped and updated its pony welfare booklet, printed in English and Spanish.

“We’ve got about 2,500 members and it goes to all of them, all our clubs and high-goal teams,” Ms Hall said. “We’re acutely aware different countries will have different standards, and we believe we’re leading the way in relation to welfare standards and polo. We’ve been working with our international polo federation, the FIP, and they’ve done an article about our welfare book.

“Making sure we’ve got it to a South American audience in Spanish, as well as a UK audience, is really important, because welfare, accessibility and safety are probably the three pillars I and the team are working towards.”

The booklet includes everything from winter pony care to dealing with extreme heat and from fitness programmes to a new section on poisonous plants.

It also features elements that consider public perception of welfare; one section states that a pony may not play if its “visual impact is considered detrimental to the reputation of polo”.

“We’ve had cases where a horse has something that’s being treated, has been signed off by a vet as fine to play, but we’ve said, ‘We don’t want that pony to play,’ because we want to make sure we have our ponies looking the best,” Ms Hall said. “From a social licence point of view, not just for polo, for all horse sports.

“We need to make sure we’re showcasing our ponies in the best light, so our umpires, pony welfare officers – every club has a pony welfare officer and above a certain level we have vets on duty – any HPA official can say, ‘We do not want that pony to play.’

Working together

“The pony can play when it’s recovered and photos won’t go viral around the world, but this is about us working together for the good of all horse sports.”

Ms Hall said in the past few years, equine and coaching manager Vix Chapple has been working closely with other disciplines’ governing bodies on everything from welfare to the recent increase in equine flu. She also pointed out that no unaffiliated polo activity runs in this country; all games come under the HPA, the Pony Club or the Schools and Universities Polo Association (SUPA), which follow HPA rules.

“So when a couple of years ago, it was about 40C, we stopped polo for two days,” Ms Hall said. “We felt the heat was too high, not so much for playing, but we were so worried about transport and didn’t want any lorries breaking down on the M25. It was a difficult decision, but then we were confident no polo was being played.”

Another big push is on accessibility. Ms Hall spoke at Royal Windsor Horse Show in May and at the 2025 London International, to try to promote the sport.

“There is an expectation that if you want to play polo, you have to have an entire string of ponies and it’s going to cost you an absolute fortune,” she said. “But actually, you can play your entire life and not have any ponies. You can go to polo schools; there will be an HPA qualified coach and they provide you with ponies. They’ll have a licence, like any riding school, but you could have your entire polo hobby career on hired ponies.

“I was talking to somebody at Royal Windsor who’d been a showjumper, fell out of love with showjumping and did polo through SUPA. She’s now a licensed HPA coach, runs a polo club and has played around the world. She said she wouldn’t have had those opportunities without polo; we’re trying to tell some of those stories and get people to come, watch and have a go.”

Power of Polo

She cited the HPA-affiliated charity Power of Polo, which uses the sport to improve the lives of people in challenging situations.

“It takes people who struggle with a whole range of things or have been involved in gang culture and takes them out of that environment,” Ms Hall said. “These are people who haven’t been trusted by authorities, and there was a wonderful project they did getting the Metropolitan Police and these young people to learn to play polo together and they loved it.”

Pony Club participation is also growing and the HPA is working on a simplified rulebook, to be less complicated for newcomers.

“There aren’t many horse disciplines where you can go to a coach and learn to play, ride, compete, from a beginner to tournaments,” Ms Chapple added. “We have a lot of ponies accessible and it’s accessible to spectators too. There are high-goal tournaments, such as the Queen’s Cup at Windsor, where you can go and watch an outstanding game of polo with some of the best players in the world, and you’re not charged for it.”

The HPA works closely with Retraining of Racehorses as many thoroughbreds enjoy second careers in polo.

“That’s a big part of our welfare work and we want to push that agenda as much as possible,” Ms Chapple said. “I think people don’t realise we’re actually really good at our welfare.

“Usually, the only knowledge they have of polo is when you have a member of the royal family on the front of the Daily Mail or Rivals. It’s really important we sing our praises, because we’re actually doing a good job when it comes to pony welfare. I’m quite proud of it.”

Keeping people safe is also key. The welfare booklet also has resources and signposts for grooms and staff, so they know who to speak to about any issues. Ms Chapple is the HPA safeguarding lead and felt this was very important to include.

Ms Hall said: “We also know that if people are looked after well, the ponies are likely to be looked after well. It’s all circular and we want polo to be a great place for people and ponies, and for everyone to enjoy themselves.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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