There was a moment when, aged 15, Milly Hine got a call from a patron asking her to play on their team. Their next question was to ask how much she charged.

“I remember saying, ‘Um, let me get back to you on that one...’,” she laughs now, re-enacting the thrill her teenage self felt at the prospect of playing polo for money as she came off the call.

Things have moved fast since then. Now 24 years old, Milly has five Argentine Women’s Open titles to her name and a hat-trick of US Women’s Open Polo Championship wins.

In May, she was crowned the women’s world number one player and last month she lined up alongside Adolfo Cambiaso’s daughter Mia to win the British Ladies’ Open, where for the first time the ladies’ final was played on the same day as the men’s on those carpet-like green lawns at Cowdray.

If players are judged on their lineage, then Milly’s is enviable: her father is the former England captain (and later team manager) Andrew Hine, former winner of the Gold Cup (1983) and two-time winner of the Queen’s Cup (1989 and 1990).

“Mum tells me stories of coming out of the hospital after having me and heading straight to games to watch Dad playing. I was always there,” she says.

“I think ever since my parents deemed it was safe for me to be on a horse with one of them, I probably was.”

But any lucky hand she’s been dealt is only half the story. Standing at an Amazonian 5ft 11in with the reach to match, she’s fiercely driven, still on the practice field long after others have left drilling penalties.

“I’ve always been quite reliable with my penalties, but it’s something that I’ve struggled with a bit recently and I know it’s 100% mental,” she explains.

And then there’s the relentless travel schedule: Uruguay in January, on to Florida, Argentina, St Tropez, England for the summer, Sotogrande in August and back to Argentina. On paper it’s Rutshire-worthy glamour, but the reality’s far more like hard work.

“The day-to-day life of a professional is about being in the stables and with your horses. That’s the priority,” she says.

Milly’s childhood was split between her parents’ Berkshire farm and Australia, where her mother Robyn comes from a family steeped in racing.

There was Pony Club with the South Berkshire – “my patience for dressage wasn’t the best, I just wanted to get out cross-country” – hunting with the Berks and Bucks Draghounds and at one point her younger brothers Ned and Louis and younger sister Indi made up the Pony Club branch’s entire polo team.

“We were always lucky that Mum and Dad did everything they could to have us as well mounted as possible,” she says, her father still the first person she goes to for advice.

“I can ask him just about anything because he would have lived a lot of those situations himself as a professional.”

“When I started playing, it wasn’t so common for girls to play – it wasn’t that they weren’t allowed, just that it didn’t happen so much. But Mum and Dad were always supportive of me playing. And I feel really grateful for people like Claire Tomlinson and Sunny Hale, who made huge paths for women in the sport.

“Nina Clarkin [who retired as the England women’s captain in 2025] is someone I look up to especially, having played with her and against her: she’s incredible as a player and a captain, always looking to get the best out of her entire team. It’s something I’ve realised you have to do to be able to win.”

A “pinch-me moment” came for Milly when, aged 16, she was asked to play for Her Highness Sheikha Maitha’s UAE ladies’ team; a fast track onto the world stage playing alongside the UAE’s 10-goaler and fellow Brit Hazel Jackson.

“I was only four-goals at the time and so it wasn’t something I’d ever considered. But playing for them in Argentina really kicked off my whole career,” she reflects now.

Those first few seasons in the world’s polo capital had hurdles – “I haven’t always been able to speak Spanish, which was a challenge...” – but the awe of first playing in Palermo in the middle of Buenos Aires has stuck with her.

“Sophisticated isn’t exactly the right word, but it has these huge stadiums on either side of the field, there are bands, people shouting and screaming, horns, smoke, flare guns. It’s a lot more of a football stadium vibe, with fans coming from all walks of life.”

Last year, Milly left the UAE team to take up the offer of playing for Cambiaso’s glittering – and demanding – La Dolfina operation, alongside his daughter Mia.

“I don’t mind adapting myself or trying to fit into a team depending on what the other styles of players are to make it gel. Mia is quite an attacking, super-fast player, and I like to play more at the back. This is a team sport and it’s really important to find the right chemistry and the right styles of play to make that team work.”

There’s something admirably composed about Milly; the air of a tennis player on a considered post-match debrief. Even for the build-up to the highest-pressure games – take those Argentine Open finals – she talks about going through the motions of team practices, making sure that the horses are going well, checking that everything has been set up properly.

“Because then you know you have done everything you can to be as prepared as possible on the day,” she reasons. But she can still be prone to the odd superstition.

“I try not to, but if we get the same pony line side we had the year before when we’ve done well, then you can’t help feeling like things are slotting into place...” she smiles.

At the family’s Berkshire farm, Milly has a 15-strong string of ponies, and another in Argentina. “I’m buying from all over the place, and always trying new horses – you never know where the next really good one is going to come from,” she says, playing down the breeding she began five or six years ago.

“I get a little embarrassed saying that I breed, because it’s very small-scale compared to everybody else. So, I don’t know if I would call myself a breeder, but I do dabble.”

If cloning in the sport remains contentious (it’s banned in the UK, but cloned ponies can play here), Cambiaso is its poster boy on the world stage. A decade ago, he made headlines when he played six different horses in a high-profile match in Buenos Aires, each a clone of his favourite mare Cuartetera – now dubbed the most influential mare in modern polo. So far Milly has only played on two cloned ponies, one of Cuartetera’s clones, and another of Cambiaso’s stallion Dolfina Popular. Was that a surreal feeling?

“I wasn’t really thinking about the scientific side of it, more that it was just another horse that obviously looks exactly the same [as the donor]. But it was cool to have that opportunity,” she says, the topic, you imagine, likely to feature in the Hines’s “24/7 conversation about polo around the dinner table, in the car, in the house. There are always new combinations of teams, new horses, results of games and different tournaments to discuss.”

A few days before we speak, Milly has made her debut in the English open high goal in the Warwickshire Cup at Cirencester Park with Thai Polo.

“That’s something I’ve always dreamt of doing and so it was really cool,” she says. “It’s hugely different to the women’s game. On Monday, I was playing number one at the front attacking, marking a lot more, not having so many opportunities necessarily on the ball, but working hard, pushing and putting pressure on.

“Whereas usually with the ladies’ game, I’m more at the back controlling the game and feeding the balls. But I think if you want to be able to compete at the top level in the ladies’ game, playing with the men and becoming faster is the only way to improve.”

By the end of the week, Milly was lining up alongside her brother Louis for the Warwickshire Cup finals, beating Lovelocks Polo Stud by a goal: a polo dynasty that shows no signs of waning.

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A transatlantic move, a base with certified eventing royalty, a double top-10 finish at Luhmühlen, a strong Badminton performance and plenty of top-flight horsepower; if you don’t yet know Cosby Green, prepare to be impressed.

Based in Dorset with Tim and Jonelle Price, Cosby was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky. Spending the first chapters of her life in the shadow of Kentucky Horse Park, where eventing’s American spring classic is held, Cosby’s love affair with horses was a foregone conclusion.

Although her sister didn’t take to riding, for Cosby it was akin to breathing.

“When we first started riding, it was a pretty funny comparison,” she recalls. “My sister was terrified and quit instantly. I would fall off and ask for more.”

Although within touching distance of the sport horse industry – and soon swept irrevocably into it – Cosby’s parents were “super-unhorsey”. “They were terrified watching me jump cross-poles,” she laughs.

All the same, Cosby’s personal history is indistinguishable from horses, eventing and the Kentucky Three-Day Event.

“I went there before I knew what was happening; I grew up going to that event. I genuinely didn’t know there were any other horse sports than eventing; I developed this tunnel vision. I would tell everyone that I was going to be an eventer and I was going to be the best at it.”

As Cosby attests, it’s easy to dream big when you’re young. She kept a tight hold of that dream through high school and on to university.

“I am really happy and thankful that my parents encouraged me to have a normal American life,” Cosby says. “I went to school full-time and balanced the horses around it – that’s a helpful skill. I was even a part of a sorority at university, which was fun.”

When Cosby was in her mid-teens, her family acquired Highly Suspicious, known as Puff at home, then a tricky but talented four-year-old by Russel and out of a mare by Cruising.

“Back then, I was working for Clark Montgomery; he’d just moved to Kentucky,” Cosby recounts. “He and his wife found Puff. I tried him but didn’t think too much of him, if I’m honest. I was pretty naive!

“They kept telling me, ‘This is going to be an amazing horse.’

“So I was like, ‘Really? If you say so!’ They kept reassuring me, although I didn’t really know what I was looking at or feeling.”

The Montgomerys were right – Cosby has had her best results so far with this sensitive grey. However, she had to work for them and make the horse herself.

“At the start, he was pretty green and very weak, and had a lot of developing to do,” she says. “Moving up the levels was hard work. We had a lot of highs and lows, and mistakes and successes.”

As an American high schooler, university student and eventer with mammoth aspirations, Cosby was a youngster with a lot on her plate. Happily, she also had drive, horsepower and was, by her own admission, fortunate in many ways.

“I was lucky enough to grow up in the US Equestrian Federation Pathway Programs and trained with incredible people like Allie Knowles and Buck Davidson,” she says.

But the sport tested her resolve.

“I failed way more times than I ever did well,” she admits, adding that this was especially true in the age range of teenager to early 20s.

“I wasn’t really producing any results, just kind of getting by and I questioned the certainty that I once had: is riding really what I want to do?”

A business and communications graduate, perhaps it was Cosby’s entrepreneurial spirit that shaped her next move – a plunge into the unknown to train with her idols.

“I decided just before I graduated that if I was going to give the sport a go, it only made sense to try to position myself to be with the best.”

The best in question? Jonelle Price.

“Ever since I was young, I’ve been a Jonelle fangirl,” says Cosby. “She has this fearlessness about her. I’m reserved and was refreshed to see a bold, admirable female athlete, so I was drawn to her.”

With no prior connection, Cosby sent an email that landed at the perfect time.

“They had space for me at Chedington, where they were moving. Before I could even really second-guess myself, I sprang things into action.

“Of course, I made sacrifices leaving home. I have such an amazing life in America, so that’s something I occasionally question. But it’s all in the pursuit of excellence.”

Such a pursuit presents itself in Britain by sheer volume of opportunities, says Cosby.

“Once the season’s going, it’s going. You don’t stop and you can do a few different shows in the span of one week.

“After Badminton, there was Aston-le-Walls Wednesday to Friday. That wouldn’t really happen in the US and it’s so beneficial for bringing horses up the grades.”

On the flip side, competing on grass has been something of an adjustment.

“Riding on grass is such a skill and it took me a good year to figure out,” Cosby laughs. “In America, every event has a championship feel, which is amazing to experience. And it would all be on a surface; I never rode on grass in dressage or showjumping until I came to England.”

Cosby landed in the UK in 2023, planning loosely to stay for eight months, although she’s still here and making her mark on the European circuit.

Among her breakthrough moments is her step up to five-star with schoolmaster Copper Beach (Sean), whom Cosby’s family acquired from Buck Davidson.

“Producing younger horses is not always the easiest. Sean was the horse that picked me up and showed me the world.”

Sean took Cosby to her first four-star long and her first five-stars.

“He held my hand during the whole thing,” Cosby recalls. “It felt like he was telling me, ‘Come on, kid, you can do this yourself as well.’”

Cosby says that Sean being her family’s horse took the pressure off – and they’ve never missed one of her five-stars.

“I’m beyond spoilt with my parents. They’re the sweetest and most supportive – there’s no one else I’d rather have around me at a five-star.”

That said, it doesn’t hurt to have Team Price in your corner, either.

“Jonelle really has instilled in me to be completely professional; not to let anything affect you except the task at hand. She’s very much ‘be an ice maiden, stay fierce’.

“The Prices’ whole mindset is amazing and I’ve tried to use it as much as I can. And I really am thankful for the added confidence that comes with their influence.”

After shepherding Cosby through her first Pau, Badminton and Burghley, Sean – now 20 – has returned to the Cosby farm for an idyllic retirement.

“He’s as fat as a house and the happiest horse you’ll see,” laughs Cosby. “My dad visits him every day after work to give him treats.”

Two years after Cosby and Sean’s Badminton debut, it was Jos Ufo De Quidam’s turn at the Gloucestershire five-star. They bettered the 2024 result by nine places to finish 22nd with a dressage score of 34.9 and a double clear, just adding time-faults.

“He was unreal,” says Cosby of Ufo. “To be second out in the cross-country was tough, but there was no better horse to do it on than him. He gave me such an amazing ride.

“I wish I’d been quicker and had a little bit more confidence, but that’s how it goes being so early on.”

Cosby says 18-year-old Ufo finished the cross-country phase as fit and well as ever he had.

“Jonelle and I were talking about how these older horses can just keep improving. Ufo’s not built conventionally for the sport, but this year he’s come out jumping on another level. He really throws his heart out there.”

Finishing on a clear showjumping round fractionally over the time was the cherry on top.

“Two years ago with Sean, the showjumping was catastrophic,” recalls Cosby – the pair had 28 jumping faults. “This time, I was very determined. It was some track. For Ufo to go clear was unbelievably special.”

Cosby is exceedingly likeable with an infectious passion for her home, her sport and her horses. There’s still one five-star she’d like to tick off: the one in her backyard.

“I’m desperate to do Kentucky,” she says, “Considering I grew up on the doorstep, it’s pretty funny that it’s the only five-star in the northern hemisphere I haven’t done.

“I grew up dreaming of riding around there, so I hope to one day make that dream come true.”

Cosby has Kentucky and much more in mind for the future.

“Around the beginning of 2025, I became focused on LA 2028,” she says. “I’m sure it’s on everyone’s mind, but it’s something that I’m really dedicated to. I want to give it my 110% best.”

There’s something of a fairytale in the notion of Cosby and the tricky youngster she got as a teen completing the world’s toughest five-stars – and even having an eye on riding for the USA on the world’s biggest sporting stage.

As her voice wavers just a little, it is obvious that this ambitious young rider’s heart swells with gratitude every time she talks about Puff.

“I have grown up with him,” she says. “I probably had no business riding him when I was 16. But ever since I decided to fly over here, we’ve grown together. Not everyone gets a horse at that age and is still running them, getting to the highest level of eventing and doing really well today. That’s something I do not take for granted and will always be grateful for.”

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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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Martin Jones has been tasked with officiating two sections at this year’s Royal International Horse Show: the jump phase of the mountain and moorland (M&M) working hunter pony finals, and the conformation phase of the mini M&Ms.

Martin’s co-judges are Sara Hird and Emma Hector respectively. With just days to go, Martin shares an insight into what he will be looking for in the ring.

Martin Jones’ background in horses

Martin has been involved with ponies all of his life.

“As children, my sister and I had our own ponies, which we enjoyed taking to Pony Club, riding club, gymkhanas and hunting. We were very much grassroots competitors, attending local agricultural shows, and so I didn’t really get into showing properly until I was in my twenties and began keeping my own broodmares and so on,” says Martin.

After leaving school, Martin went to Millfields in Newmarket, and under the tutorship of Anne Rolinson, he gained both his British Horse Society intermediate instructor’s certificate (BHSII) and National Pony Society diploma in stud management (NPS Dip).

“While working in Newmarket, I had the fortune to visit and work at some of the major thoroughbred studs and benefited from the teaching of both the renowned vet, Peter Rossdale, as well as the late Colonel Gray, director of the National Stud,” says Martin

His first love has always been the British Riding Pony though, and he “was fortunate enough” to work for Liz Mansfield-Parnell at her Rotherwood Stud.

“I learnt so much about the successful production, breeding and showing of world class ponies, where standards were always the highest and only perfection would do,” he recalls.

Latterly, Martin worked in the banking industry, breeding British Riding Ponies under the Landemann prefix, with a small, select number of mares, chosen for their bloodlines as well as their pony characteristics, movement and good temperaments.

Several of his mares enjoyed successful ridden careers previous to motherhood, and their progeny have continued to shine under saddle.

Landemann Peony, for example, is a former supreme champion at the BSPS championships, and Landemann Bird Of Paradise claimed the show pony championship at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) in 2024.

“I’m delighted to have bred show ponies to win at HOYS and the RIHS,” says Martin. “But being presented with the Bwlch Valentino trophy – a beautiful bronze first presented by the Eckley family in 1968 – for breeding the champion show pony at HOYS was a bit of a dream come true. If you breed show ponies, it’s the trophy you want to win, so to have it on my dining room table for a year was a real thrill.”

Since his semi-retirement, Martin has been more heavily involved with the NPS, having served many terms as a council member over the past 30 years or so. He is currently the vice-chair of the society, having held the chairman’s role for three years previously. He’s also an active member of his own area – NPS Area 29.

Martin Jones’ judging experience

Martin sits on a whole host of panels covering a vast array of types, including the British Show Pony Society (BSPS), National Pony Society (NPS), British Show Horse Association (BSHA), British Connemara Pony Society, Coloured Horse and Pony Society (CHAPS UK), Sport Horse Breeding GB (SHB GB), The Showing Register and the British Miniature Horse Society.

As well as judging at many of the UK’s leading county shows, he’s had the pleasure of judging in Europe, New Zealand and Australia, and considers officiating at the latter two some of his judging highlights.

“The judging systems are different over there and it was a real learning experience to see their ways. Ponies and horses are produced and ridden to the highest standards, and I particularly enjoyed judging the young rider classes, which are really popular in Australia and New Zealand.

“Over here, we don’t really have similar classes at the same level, where the children are judged primarily on their riding abilities. The standard of riding in these classes is so high and they’re fantastic to judge because of it.”

Of course, he also considers previous appointments at HOYS and RIHS to be some other highlights.

What will Martin be looking for in the M&M workers?

“I’m looking for what I would describe as a balanced and fluid round with ponies moving through the track in a good forward rhythm, in a way that is appropriate for their breed,” he says.

“In the plaited workers, I would look for a more bold and enthusiastic round, but some mountain and moorland breeds are not necessarily built to gallop around a worker track, so I’ll want to see these ponies working in balance and covering the ground in a forward rhythm.”

Martin has words to the wise for competitors.

“I’ve watched these working hunter pony classes for many years and so know it to be a long track in a big ring, with up-to-height fences and on an incline. I’ve noticed that a lot of ponies demonstrate a lack of fitness and start to tire and sound ‘breathy’ in the latter half, losing their rhythm and forwardness as a result.

“So I would say, make sure that you and your pony are of the appropriate condition and fitness to jump around a long, testing track. The course at the Royal International finals is very different to the courses that many will have qualified on, which in many cases is likely to have been on a flat surface in a small arena.

“I’ve also noticed that the bogey fence is often the open ditch or water tray, so practice that in advance if you can. It catches some of the most seasoned campaigners out.

“In short, be prepared. Be prepared for a long, varied and testing track, and for undulating ground.

“I would also advise competitors that it’s always a good idea to take some coaching, on a regular basis if you can. Even Olympic riders have coaches on the ground. It’s a good thing to have someone helping you and your pony improve your technique and the investment will help you be fully prepared.”

Martin Jones’ pet hates

“Having been so involved in the NPS and its welfare remit over the past few years, I’m very aware of welfare as I’m judging, too. No matter how frustrated you may feel if things aren’t going to plan during your round, inappropriate use of the whip is not acceptable.

“I also get a little bit frustrated by the number of people walking the course. It’s not a family day out, so I prefer to see competitors accompanied by one other person. Walking round chatting to your friends is not an effective way to walk the course!

“And I may sound a bit of a ‘fuddy-duddy’, but those walking the course should also be dressed appropriately for the occasion, and in a way that is respectful to the show, its officials, sponsors and fellow competitors. The weather may be hot, but that’s not an excuse to walk the course in beach wear.”

What will Martin be looking for in the M&M mini classes?

As well as the M&M working hunter ponies, Martin will also be assessing the mini classes, which naturally have very different requirements.

“These classes are always a joy to officiate,” he says, “though it’s easy for the grandness of the occasion to unsettle some young riders, whose mental and physical ability can be so different, even though of similar ages.

“I do love to see a pony with a good walk, and an animal that marches into the ring, tracking up, ears pricked and looking through its bridle – rather than down at the ground – will catch my attention. A pony that carries its jockey forward, in a safe and steady manner, without having to be encouraged forward every stride, is always more enjoyable to watch, and more comfortable to ride.

“During conversations I hear, my experiences of judging and comments on social media, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the ridden classes are judged solely on way of going. Please remember that 50 marks are for conformation and freedom of action, so it’s important as much time and effort is put into this phase, too. It makes the judge’s job much easier, and shows the pony off to its best advantage if it is correctly presented to the conformation judge – which means an adjustment by the rider/ handler as the judge walks round the pony.

“You can’t change the pony’s conformation, but presenting your pony correctly will give you the best chance. Again, practice at home so that this phase comes naturally and is easy on the day. A pony reluctant to trot up, with its ears back and tail swishing, is not going to show itself off in the best way, and can easily lose marks as a result. Don’t let the conformation phase be an afterthought.”

Martin’s tips for major final first-timers

“Planning is everything. If you’ve not competed at the Royal International Horse Show before, you are in for a treat, as it’s a wonderful venue. But it can be a long walk to the ring, and a long way back to the stable area if you realise you’ve forgotten something just minutes before you’re due to enter the ring.

“It takes a lot of time, effort, energy and money to qualify, so you want to give you and your pony the best chance. Ask someone experienced before the show for their advice.

“Most judges would be happy to help if asked in the right way and at a suitable time. Often, it’s the attention to detail that makes the difference, and shortening a pony’s tail an inch or two, or suggesting a rider try their stirrups a hole longer, can make all the difference to the overall look and impression.

“Practise at home, but not so much that your pony becomes disinterested. And remember, though everyone wants to do well and get a rosette, there’s only one winner on the day. Win or lose, there’s always another show, but your pony’s trust and happiness are the real prize worth taking home.”

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Of all the obstacles on a cross-country course, ditches – in their various forms – often cause the most angst. Some horses tackle them with aplomb from the get-go, but most need plenty of quiet repetition to develop their confidence. Olympians and top coaches Nicola Wilson, Chris Bartle and Andrew Heffernan share their tips in this article exclusive to H&H subscribers

Quiet, slow repetition is the key to how to solve your horse’s fear of ditches. To build – or rebuild – confidence in jumping ditches, it’s vital to start this part of his eventing training from scratch, says British team performance coach Chris Bartle. He explains that it is a mistake to ask a horse to tackle a ditch without giving him the opportunity to look at it first.

“With a young horse, or a horse that is nervous, I will always take them to the ditch with no intention of jumping it,” he says. “I will let them stand beside it and walk around it until they are comfortable in the environment.

“Only when I know they are happy about being there – they will stretch their head down and have a sniff – will I ask them to step over the ditch.

“The important thing to remember is that the horse must never be pressurised from behind, either by the rider or someone on the ground, because all that’s doing is encouraging him to think backwards rather than forwards.”

Initially, at least, ditches should be small enough so that human legs can easily step over them.

“I measure a ditch by whether I need to stretch over it on foot,” says Chris. “It doesn’t matter whether the horse is four, seven or 14, my approach will be the same. If a horse is hesitant I will spend all my cross-country schooling time walking quietly over tiny ditches.”

Chris argues that it’s not necessary to school over big ditches.

“If you’ve built solid foundations, these can be saved for competition when your adrenaline’s up,” he says.

How to solve your horse’s fear of ditches: “trust is everything”

When working on how to solve your horse’s fear of ditches, “confidence and trust is everything” says former European champion-turned-top coach, Nicola Wilson.

This starts with laying the right foundations and revisiting the basics on a regular basis.

“When you introduce a ditch for the first time make sure you’ve got a confident horse to give you a lead and choose an inviting ditch to start with,” she says.

Nicola also emphasises the importance of rider position.

“It’s important that you look in the right place – up, not down into the ditch,” she says. “A young or inexperienced horse will often look down into the ditch and dither on the edge. This is fine so long as you stay up in your body and have a nice, supportive leg on them and a long rein so they can stretch down, use their head and neck and safely pop over.

“It’s a really good idea to use a neck strap so you can hold the strap together with your reins in one hand,” she continues. “If your horse jumps bigger than you’re expecting you won’t lose balance and inadvertently catch him in the mouth, which can turn it into a negative experience.”

Nicola agrees that repetition is key.

“If your horse lacks confidence jumping ditches it’s important to keep revisiting them on a regular basis so that walking up to them and popping over becomes second nature,” says Nicola. “There are plenty of five-star horses who will do just this on the lead-up to a big competition, so it’s not something you should be worried about. The key is to be as prepared as possible.”

Nicola also extols the value of praise and patience.

“Tell your horse when he has done well because this helps build trust and solid foundations,” she says. “And always give ditch training time. Never start something that you don’t feel you can see through the end.”

Once your homework is done, testing your training in a competition environment is the next step.

“When you’re out on the course, make sure you stay in a good rhythm and balance, and in the correct tempo for the ditch fence you’re tackling,” says Nicola.

When ditches are your friend

Once you have ironed out how to solve your horse’s fear of ditches and they are confidently moving up the eventing levels, most ditches will become a help rather than a hindrance.

“Where a ditch has a fence over it or behind it, the ditch itself acts as a useful ground rail, defining the take-off point,” explains Chris. “Big ditch-brushes, trakheners, and anything like that where the ditch ledge is on the take-off side, makes for a horse-friendly profile.”

Chris explains that when riding this type of fence, you should resist the temptation to spend too much time much setting up.

“When I was a jockey, before I started eventing, a trainer once told me that you should always increase your speed into a ditch,” he says. “You will never get the wrong stride because there is a groundline. I always remind riders of this when I walk courses with them as it saves a lot of time.”

Ditches through a course-designer’s eyes

Course-designers use ditches in different ways. Olympic event rider, trainer and Bramham course-designer Andrew Heffernan explains that as well as the size of the ditch size, where it is sited will determine the level of the test.

“Part of my job as course-designer is to ensure there is a logical progression in difficulty as you go up the grades,” he explains. “For example, on a B80 course I might include a small open ditch followed three strides later by a rails fence, at BE90 this might change to a rail followed three strides later by a ditch. By the time you get to BE100 I might be asking horses to jump a simple rail-ditch-rail on flat terrain, and then at novice level you can start expecting to see a ditch with a bit of terrain either side.”

This logical progression has obvious connotations for a horse who is a bit “ditchy”.

“Even if a horse is solid with every other type of cross-country question, he needs to be completely confident jumping ditches at one level before moving on to the next,” says Andrew. “The questions asked of him — and therefore the trust he needs in his rider — will be tested to a greater degree every time you step up.”

“We dug a ditch at home and that was the turning point”

Event rider Ivy Fisher’s talented three-star mare, Balief De Reve (Bali), only has one chink in her armour – ditches.

“When I bought her as a young horse she had only ever showjumped and although she quickly took to jumping solid fences, she’s always been suspicious of holes in the ground,” explained Ivy, who grew up in Norfolk but has been based with Dassett Eventing in Warwickshire.

“A few years ago, when I was on the brink of giving up with her, my dad dug me a ditch at home and that was the turning point. It was a case of repetition, repetition, repetition. The penny dropped in the middle of the 2024 season and she started to take them in her stride.”

The pair won the under-21 open intermediate at Kelsall Hill in September that year.

At her current base, Ivy has access to three different ditches and incorporates them into almost every training session.

“Last season I was even including them in our fitness work, popping over a ditch mid-canter,” she says. “We still have the odd wobble, but she’s getting better all the time. Bali’s taught me so much about perseverance, getting the basics right and about not running before you can walk.”

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A quality and jolly cob is always a pleasure to watch going about its work in the ring; this year, Jackie Beatham and Leon King have the tough task of sorting through the lightweight and heavyweight combinations at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS).

Jackie will assess each horse’s conformation, and Leon will put each one through its paces in the saddle. So who is Leon King, and what are his preferences when judging?

Leon’s background in horses

Leon isn’t from a horsey background, but started riding aged six.

“I was very lucky to have opportunities when I was younger,” says Leon. “I showjumped in junior classes up to JA level with ponies that we had bought from Reading Market.

“Then at 12 years old, I was lucky to have the opportunity to help and ride for a lady called Vicki McRae. She had vast experience and she taught me an ‘old-school’ way of doing horses.”

Vicki introduced Leon to showing, too.

“She had bred some lovely young horses that I was fortunate enough to ride, two of which got me a ride at Wembley when I was 16; one in the working hunter pony section and one in the riding horses.”

From there, Leon spent 14 years producing show horses for the Underwood family, with a host of wins and championships at the country’s most prestigious shows.

These days, you can find Leon working for Yorkshire-based Susan Tennant and the Tennant family, where he produces show horses from their home.

“Susan breeds full and part-bred Irish Draughts,” he explains. “We have four home-breds out this season.”

With a career that’s reached enviable heights in showing, Leon thinks hard on his showing highlights.

“I’m lucky there are so many to mention, but I would have to say winning hunter champion and riding horse champion in the same year at Horse of the Year Show on Loch Royal and Tattigare Watch This Space owned by the lovely Underwood family.”

Leon’s judging experience

Leon sits on the British Show Horse Association (BSHA), Sports Horse Breeding (GB), the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) and the Retraining of Racehorses judging panels and has a broad range of experience judging.

“I have been lucky enough to have judged some lovely shows,” he says, “and I have judged in Australia three times; I judged their Horse of the Year Show, which was an experience I will never forget. But judging the Royal International Horse Show is a highlight; it’s one of the best shows in the UK for horses.”

How to impress Leon King in the ring

“When I judge, I love a horse that walks with a free step, relaxed outlook and stays in a balanced and rhythmic outline,” says Leon. “A show horse should have the ‘look at me’ attitude, and type is so important – the horse must match its category.

“As a ride judge, I think a good, fitting saddle that doesn’t move with leathers that aren’t new and stretch as you rise up in trot. You also need big enough stirrup irons and worn in reins with some thickness.

“If I’m judging a show, I like to see a well thought out show with flow. Part of the show must show some walk and of course, a good show of lengthening.

“Pet hates of mine are when competitors push their horses or ponies out of their natural rhythm. Going faster doesn’t make the animal move better; it looks untidy. I also dislike short jackets and massive scrunchie! These aren’t going to lose you the class, but it’s just my preference.”

Leon’s advice for Hickstead first-timers

“The work is done at home; prepare properly. Know your horse – how much work they need and so on, so you have plenty of time to plait, turn out and get everything perfect for your class. Write a check list so nothing is forgotten. Stud holes are a must in my experience.

“Do this and you will enjoy yourself.”

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

You may also be interested in:

Off to jump the RIHS workers at Hickstead? Here’s one expert’s insight into the course and how to train for success

‘I like to see the horse is actually enjoying itself’: Royal International judge Margaret Hopkins shares her advice for competitors

‘It’s all about confidence and harmony’: tips for success from Royal International judge Polly Eddis

‘Go find a space where you stand out’: meet Royal International coloured ponies’ judge Nathan Arnold

Tickets for the 2026 Royal International Horse Show have been released

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

In this exclusive article for H&H subscribers, top British showjumper Joe Stockdale demonstrates a simple exercise with poles that he uses to teach his horses the leg aid can mean stay straight, not just go faster

Does your horse have a tendency to drift right or left over a fence? It’s a common problem, particularly with inexperienced horses that are still working out how best to use their body.

Joe Stockdale is riding Millfield Counterfeit (Cooper) for this jumping exercise. Cooper is a 12-year-old by Cooper VD Heffinck who is competing up to 1.50m classes. While Joe is demonstrating this exercise on a relatively experienced horse, he describes it as especially useful for young horses in teaching them what the leg aids mean in terms of keeping straight.

The setup consists of three canter poles 3.2m apart to an upright. On the take-off and landing side of the fence are “tramline” poles, creating a channel through which the horse must travel. He starts with the tramlines set at about two human strides apart, making it a narrower channel depending on the rideability of the horse.

Joe uses lightweight square poles for the tramlines: “If he did happen to jump left or right and step on a pole, they stay flat, it stops them rolling, so it’s a lot safer than using a round pole, particularly on the landing side, where there’s a chance they might step on it.”

Showjumping training for straightness with Joe Stockdale

“This is a simple exercise, especially for a young horse, to teach them the aids to keep them straight,” says Joe. “They must take off and land without jumping to either side. Most horses tend to jump a little to one side, which doesn’t matter at this height, but once the jumps get big or wide it can be problematic.”

Joe starts with the planks at about 90cm high, popping through a few times so that the horse understands the exercise, before increasing the height. While Cooper stays straight through the set-up, he initially cuts the corner afterwards, so next time Joe asks for a couple of extra strides in a straight line before turning.

Both the canter poles and the tramlines serve a purpose in this exercise that encourages the horse to stay straight without rushing.

The role of the canter poles

“The canter poles are to help the rhythm, because I want to use the leg for support to keep the horse in the middle of the jump,” says Joe. “The poles prevent them from thinking that the leg only means go faster.

“The poles stop them opening the stride, so they learn I’m supporting them to keep straight – not asking them to open up.”

Joe adds: “The line of poles makes it hard to fail. If it was an isolated fence, with the tramlines, when I put my leg on to support his straightness, the temptation for the horse would be just to go faster. The canter poles contain them.”

The role of the tramlines

“First I jump it with the tramlines nice and wide, making sure he’s confident, then slowly bring in the channel so he has to be really disciplined to stay straight,” Joe says.

“Even though I have the tramlines to keep the horse straight visually, I’m giving instructions with my legs to back it up. The young horse will then learn what the aids mean. The answer’s there, I’m just showing him how to get there.”

Joe explains how his own position is paramount.

“I need to focus on my position, staying centred, tall and light. For straightness, the first thing that will make him go to one side is if I’m unbalanced, so my priority on the approach is to keep my body and head in the middle of the horse.”

The beauty of this exercise is in the mix of the two arrangements of poles.

“If I was to take this all away and put a load of right leg on to keep him from jumping right, that’s when he’d get quicker,” Joe explains. “But because we’ve got the canter poles and the tramlines, he’s naturally going to stay straight because he has to. On the approach to the tramline channel I’m going to give him the leg aid at the same time so he starts to associate my right leg with not jumping to the right, but staying straight instead.

“So it’s like I’m giving him the answer to the problem, and then showing the aid that I want to use.”

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We expect to hear that many riders, producers, horses and even stewards have busy schedules at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS), but perhaps we don’t expect that some of the judges do, too. One such judge is Margaret Hopkins, who will officiate in four sections. She will assess the ride element in the amateur maxi cobs, the hacks and the working show horses, and will be judging the conformation phase in the intermediate working hunter pony.

Margaret Hopkins’ background in horses

“I’m not from a particularly horsey family,” says Margaret. “But I was brought up in Gloucestershire in a very horsey area.

“I’m the eldest of three sisters, and we bullied our parents into getting us a pony. We were very lucky that we had people around us who encouraged us to have a go at everything.”

As a result of this encouragement, the sisters attended Pony Club and from there, showjumped, evented, and rode in point-to-points among other things.

“And I was lucky enough to have hunted with many packs all over the country from an early age.

“I was competitive, but now I prefer the training and producing of young horses to make them become the best horses they can be in whatever field they are in.”

Margaret’s job – stable manager on the Badminton Estate – has her engage in a host of equestrian activities.

“Anything horsey that happens on the estate is in my remit,” explains Margaret.

Consequently, there’s never a dull moment in this varied role, from preparing the family’s hunters in winter, to the Badminton Horse Trials, a host of Pony Club and other events and rallies.

She also keeps her own band of broodmares, aiming to breed quality all rounders.

Margaret’s judging experience

“I was persuaded to go on the old HIS panel by some eminent judges of the day and from there I went onto the British Show Horse Association panel, and more recently, the British Show Pony Society panel.

“I enjoy being able to ride others’ horses – it’s a privilege – and it’s a pleasure going to shows and looking at some lovely horses and seeing what’s out there.”

When it comes to judging highlights, Margaret says that she’s always enjoyed officiating at the Great Yorkshire Show.

“It attracts some of the best producers and horses, and the rings are amazing,” explains Margaret, “and you’re taken care of with some good Yorkshire hospitality.”

What will Margaret be looking for as a judge?

“The last thing I look at is whether a horse is on the bit as so many are over bridled and behind the bit,” she says.

When it comes to the hacks, Margaret says that a hack must have abundant presence.

“They need to draw the eye; they are the Kate Moss of the showing world. They need to have a good and supple walk, be light in the hand and have a soft, supple way of going and appear to give a comfortable ride.”

Margaret will expect to find a maxi cob that has a “purposeful and workmanlike” way of going.

“You granny, grandad or anybody should be able to ride them and them remain the same – going forwards, looking through the bridle with active paces.

“I don’t like roly cobs. They tend not to move as well the heavier they are, but they should nevertheless sit up and go through the bridle and travel forward without being on the forehand.”

Despite a cob’s heavier build, Margaret expects that they are “not on the forehand – they should be uphill and not heavy through the shoulder; the power should still come from behind.”

Once on board, Margaret expects that whatever she is riding, the horse should take her forwards and be well balanced, and quick off her aids, both upwards and downwards through the gears.

She also explains that ordinarily, she would “forgive a wrong leg once on a young or novice horse, providing it comes back to trot and strikes off again correctly.”

However, in a hack, this is unacceptable.

“I would penalise that in a hack class,” she says. “I feel a hack, you should just sit and think canter, and it should take you. You shouldn’t need to position a hack too much.”

In the working show horse class, Margaret and her co-judge Sarah Coward will assess each combination’s jumping round together, before she assesses the ride and Sarah casts an eye over each exhibit’s conformation.

“In these classes, we tend to see a mixed bunch in terms of the types of horses, and you have to be careful that you award style marks fairly and accordingly. For example, a riding horse type might be able to jump the fences naturally and show a lot of scope. On the other hand, it’s not often that you see a cob that jumps with a lot of scope, but a cob that jumps with a correct jump and a good technique deserves to be scored highly.

“The style marks here are where there is the greatest room for difference.”

As combinations tackle the course Margaret expects: “A forward rhythm and a good canter, and that the horse should be able to keep coming to the fence in that rhythm and canter.

“And I like to see the horse is actually enjoying itself, too – especially with the cobs as when they come in and give it their best shot, they put a smile on your face.”

Finally, Margaret will be taking a close look at the conformation of the intermediate working hunter ponies.

“In this class, I’ll be looking for something that is not too light in its frame with good quality limbs, not too closed behind, and a straight mover. I also don’t want to see too many lumps and bumps. That said, I’ll forgive a small splint in a working hunter pony and wouldn’t expect that limbs are as clean as a hacks due to their job.

“For me, curbs are a ‘no-no’ as you assume if a horse has a curb, then it’s weak in its hindleg. I also don’t want to see a horse that is too straight in its hindleg as the hindleg is vital to get them off the ground. I want rounded hindquarters with power in them.”

• For more expert training advice and to keep up to date with major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘It’s all about confidence and harmony’: tips for success from Royal International judge Polly Eddis

‘Go find a space where you stand out’: meet Royal International coloured ponies’ judge Nathan Arnold

Tickets for the 2026 Royal International Horse Show have been released

A competitor’s guide to the 2026 HOYS showing qualifiers

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Polly Eddis and Judy Bradwell will be sorting through the plaited working hunter pony contenders at this year’s Royal International Horse Show (RIHS). The tracks these contenders face at Hickstead are arguably the toughest of the season. Polly will assess each combination as they negotiate the jump phase, and Judy will cast a careful eye over their shows and conformation phases.

For many working hunter buffs, Hickstead is the ultimate place to win! That’s because the meaty courses are built in a ring that has an incline, with the kinds of natural obstacles that most ponies won’t encounter in their qualifying rounds. To help you prepare, Polly has given us some insight into what she’ll be looking for on the day.

What is Polly Eddis’s background in horses?

“I’ve been obsessed with horses since I was about three,” says Polly. “I can still remember the first time I sat on a pony as if it was today. He was a little pony called Ali Baba. And growing up, I just adored working hunter ponies. I used to read magazines and look at the ponies, then Mary Rimell said she would take me to a competition.

“I had an ordinary pony, but he went very nicely, and Mrs Rimell took us to the NPS championships at Malvern, which was near where we lived.

“I did the working hunter pony and I won it. And I just couldn’t believe it,” she recalls.

Polly later evented, but her affiliation with the working hunter ponies remained strong.

“My eldest daughter Lucy wanted to have a go, and I just loved watching my girls coming through the workers. We had some gorgeous ponies and some lovely times.”

Polly’s showing highlight

As well as lots of fun on the circuit, the Eddis family enjoyed some extremely successful days showing, with high-profile wins and championships including in the tough Desert Orchid ranks, and seven wins at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).

Yard stars include Kyregate Peter Pan, Nobel Sir Prize and the inimitable Cashel Bay JJ, who was champion worker RIHS. Polly’s younger daughter Susie was supreme at the Royal International having claimed the working hunter pony championship aboard Beat The Boss, so Polly will understand just how combinations are feeling as they negotiate a day’s competition at Hickstead in these classes.

“We also had some fantastic days at Burghley for the sports pony competition – a fabulous competition; everyone loves the atmosphere there,” adds Polly.

“And we had some brilliant days when the girls were on the working hunter pony teams, too. That was great fun.”

Polly is a member of the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) council, and sits on their working hunter pony panel.

“My business – Parasol UK – is extremely busy and time consuming, but I wanted to give something back, so I only sit on the workers panel,” she explains.

What will Polly be looking for at Hickstead?

“A lot of my thoughts as a judge are based on what I used to teach my girls, Susie and Lucy, who did quite a lot of workers. I think we used to do more of our training in the kitchen than we did in the arena – we would think about previous rounds, and imagine future rounds,” says Polly.

“It was just a family chat, but we really used to sort of put our heads together and make a plan of how to improve their performances.

“We were always searching for that one extra mark. As a judge I’m so aware that that one mark really matters, so I am very careful when assigning marks.

“Overall, I want to see a combination who exude quiet confidence, harmony and a pony who looks as if he’s loving his job and leaves me with a smile on my face.”

How can riders achieve this?

“I would hope that my lineup will all show measured confidence as they go round. I’ll be looking out for combinations that are purposeful and positive, but that are never careless – it should never feel out of control. It’s all about confidence. I want to see a very confident pony and a cool, calm rider. The combination should make it look effortless. I used to say to my children, ‘make it look as if anyone could ride this pony round; make it look effortless.’

“I also want to see that the riders have a plan to negotiate the course. I’d like to see them set up a good round. One thing that I always used to say to my girls is ‘ride in between the fences and the fences will look after themselves’. Rhythm and balance are hugely important to me.

“I don’t want to see a rider who just thinks that it’s all about the fence; it’s everything that happens between the fences. If you approach the fence in a balanced and forward rhythm, you’ll almost certainly get a very nice jump.

“It’s not the end of the world to me if a smaller pony goes around a corner on the wrong leg providing they are in absolute balance. I’d rather that than see them repeatedly break the rhythm and concentration. However, I would hope that the older riders in the 143cm and 153cm combinations will have sufficient experience and skill to anticipate corners and ensure the right leads as they land from the fences.”

In a similar vein, Polly says: “I don’t mind if, for example, a rider is on a smaller pony with a short stride, they go through a one-stride double in two strides. I’m happy with that as long as it’s planned that way with two even strides. To me, that’s intelligent riding and it’s working as a partnership.”

That said, Polly is careful to remind riders that the “best round isn’t necessarily one that everything goes perfectly”. Instead, she explains that “it will often be a round where something needs a quiet adjustment from a rider. But the pony stays in rhythm and it’s enjoyable to watch.”

Polly’s pet hates

“I don’t want to see a pony being kicked along or gagged,” says Polly. “I want them in their rider’s hand and off their leg. I also don’t want to see ‘willy-nilly’ slapping on takeoff. One tap in an emergency, I can live with, but sometimes I think it has become an absolute habit.

“And I don’t want to hear any parents giving any outside assistance – I will mark it down. At this level, riders should be confident.

“I also can’t stand too much use of the voice. I don’t want to hear a running commentary as a combination goes around. It’s thankfully very rare at this level.”

As a parent who has prepared ponies for these classes, what are Polly’s tips?

“We would always go cross-country schooling before RIHS,” says Polly. “We went regularly anyway, but made sure we’d always go before Hickstead to prepare for the ground and the type of obstacles there.

“We also always built a flimsy, wispy bullfinch, rather than a big, thick, bushy one so that it’s encouraging for them to go through.

“Beat The Boss was deeply suspicious of anything where he couldn’t see his landing and 10 strides behind it, so we only ever did a thin bullfinch to practice so that he just got the impression it’s a lovely feeling going through and to have Susie being pleased with him the other side at home. On the day at Hickstead, the bullfinch was stiffer than he was expecting so we’d then go back to the wispy one at home to re-establish his confidence.

“The other thing that riders and parents should be aware of, it’s a long way around the course compared with one on a surface. Make sure the ponies are fit. If I hear a pony huffing and puffing and breathing heavily, that’s something I would mark down.”

Polly’s advice for someone making their Royal International debut

“Enjoy it. You’ve earned your place there; you deserve to be there,” she says. “Don’t be over-awed by the occasion.

“Lots of people lose their class in the warm-up because they’re worried about it. Don’t over warm up. You have a warm-up plan that you use at every competition so follow exactly the same routine. Don’t change it just because it’s the Royal International – your pony doesn’t know that. Then ride with a plan, not panic.”

• For more expert training advice and to keep up to date with major shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘Go find a space where you stand out’: meet Royal International coloured ponies’ judge Nathan Arnold

Off to jump the RIHS workers at Hickstead? Here’s one expert’s insight into the course and how to train for success

Tickets for the 2026 Royal International Horse Show have been released

H&H’s guide to working hunter pony classes: what to know before you give them a go

“Turnout should be smart and workmanlike...”

Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

I know first-hand how hard it is to find qualifier details and keep on top of entries, so I’ve collated your need-to-know information for all the 2026 HOYS M&M qualifiers, from minis to workers. From the Royal Highland to the New Forest, working out where to go to attempt to secure Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifications for you or your child’s mountain and moorland (M&M) ponies is no mean feat.

While the HOYS qualifiers list has been announced for 2026, the some fixtures are still confirming their judges. I’m frequently updating this page with all the new details as they are released so it can be your one-stop-shop for planning your qualification.

2026 HOYS M&M qualifiers

• 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 qualifiers for native ponies 2026

Thor Atkinson Steel Fabrications Ltd Junior M&M Ridden Pony of the Year

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Colne, Sweet Dreams Show Confectioners & Westown Stud M&M Mini Pony of the Year

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National Pony Society/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Connemara of the Year

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National Pony Society/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Dales of the Year

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National Pony Society/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Dartmoor of the Year

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National Pony Society/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Exmoor/Shetland of the Year

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National Pony Society/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Fell of the Year

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National Pony Society/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Highland of the Year

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National Pony Society/Supreme Products M&M Ridden New Forest of the Year

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National Pony Society/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Welsh Section A & B of the Year

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National Pony Society/Supreme Products M&M Ridden Welsh Section C & D of the Year

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Jacksons of Yorkshire M&M Working Hunter Pony of the Year

Below are the details of all the M&M working hunter pony classes that can lead to HOYS qualification.

• For all your need-to-know information for other 2026 HOYS qualifiers, plus more expert showing advice from top riders and updates on shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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I’ve collated your need-to-know information for all the HOYS 2026 plaited pony qualifiers all in one place because I know that working out where to go to attempt to secure Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifications for you or your child’s ponies is no mean feat.

While the HOYS qualifiers list has been announced for 2026, some fixtures are still confirming their judges. I’m frequently updating this page with all the new details as they are released so it can be your one-stop-shop for planning your qualification. This list covers show ponies, show hunter ponies, intermediates, minis and workers.

HOYS 2026 plaited pony qualifiers

• 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 qualifiers for plaited ponies 2026

Annabel’s Deliciously British Mini Show Pony of the Year

These qualifiers are applicable to both the lead-rein and first ridden British Mini Show Pony of the Year classes.

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The BSPS Children’s Riding Pony of the Year

These qualifiers are applicable to the 128cm, 138cm and 148cm classes. Some qualifiers will be holding mixed classes for all heights together.

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Lead Rein Pony of Hunter Type of the Year

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The de la Hey Family Partbred Pony of the Year Championship

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The Honourable Stud Intermediate Show Horse of the Year Championship

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Shine Source Footwear Ltd Show Hunter Pony of the Year

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The Smith Family Intermediate Show Hunter of the Year

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NPS/Mole Valley Farmers Working Hunter Pony of the Year

These qualifiers are for all four sections of working hunter ponies.

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• For all your need-to-know information for other 2026 HOYS qualifiers, plus more expert showing advice from top riders and updates on shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

I’ve collated your need-to-know information for the 2026 HOYS show horse qualifiers, which includes hunters, hacks, riding horses, cobs, and working hunters in one place.

Negotiating where to go to secure Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifications for your horses is no mean feat, and I know first-hand how hard it is to find qualifier details and keep on top of planning your season, so this should help make it easier.

While the HOYS showing qualifiers list has been announced for 2026, the some fixtures are still confirming their judges. So I’m frequently updating this page with all the new details as they are released so it can be your one-stop-shop for planning your qualification.

2026 HOYS show horse qualifiers

• 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

The Harrod & Coles Family Cob of the Year

These qualifiers are for both the lightweight and heavyweight cob sections.

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The Andrews Family Hack of the Year

These qualifiers for the hack classes are for both small and large sections.

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The Leeman Family Maxi Cob of the Year

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NeedleSmart, John Illingworth and Cliff Kirby Ridden Purebred Arab of the Year

If you are viewing this table on a mobile, swipe left for more info

Alan Marnie & Family Riding Horse of the Year

These qualifiers are for both sections of riding horse.

If you are viewing this table on a mobile, swipe left for more info

The Mears-Wood Family Ladies’ Side Saddle Horse of the Year

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Hamilton Tarmac Small Show Hunter of the Year

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Catplant Group of Companies Ltd. Show Hunter of the Year

These qualifiers are for all three weights sections of show hunter.

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Alan Marnie & Family (Meta Lounge Limited and SHB (GB)) Working Hunter of the Year

Below is the information for all working hunter qualifiers.

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• For all your need-to-know information for other 2026 HOYS qualifiers, plus more expert showing advice from top riders and updates on shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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‘The hardest class to master’: how to achieve the calm perfection judges want to see in a sparkling show hack

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

I’ve collated your need-to-know information for the 2026 HOYS coloured qualifiers because I know first-hand how hard it is to find Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifier details and keep on top of planning your season.

Here you’ll find complete list of qualifying fixtures, judges and entry closing dates for all coloured ridden horse and pony of the year classes, sponsored by CHAPS (UK).

While the full list of HOYS qualifiers has been announced for 2026, many of the hosts are waiting for their judges and schedules to be confirmed. I’m frequently updating this page with all the new details as they are released so it can be your one-stop-shop for planning your HOYS qualification.

2026 coloured HOYS qualifiers

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

Qualifying rounds for these finals will be held at the following fixtures. Be sure to take note of added information in brackets to know if there are, for example, junior or pony classes included.

If you are viewing this table on a mobile, swipe left for more info

• For all your need-to-know information for other 2026 HOYS qualifiers, plus more expert showing advice from top riders and updates on shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Did you find this article useful? You may also enjoy reading…

‘Go find a space where you stand out’: meet Royal International coloured ponies’ judge Nathan Arnold

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From the diminutive miniature to spectacular cob champion – 10 coloured winners at the 2025 Royal International

‘He’s a proper geezer’: coloured cob with plenty of swagger stands champion at Royal Windsor Horse Show

‘The judges love or hate them’: Jayne Ross wins HOYS ladies’ title with ‘laid back’ coloured mare

From bowtop journeys to HOYS: one talented coloured mare’s unusual path to the top

I’ve collated your need-to-know information for the 2026 HOYS heavy horse qualifiers because, whether your planning to show your Shire horse in-hand, your Clydesdale in harness, or your Suffolk Punch under saddle, I know first-hand how hard it is to find Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualifier details and keep on top of planning your season.

While the HOYS qualifier shows have been announced for 2026, many of the hosts have not revealed their judges yet, so I’m frequently updating this page with all the new details as they are released.

2026 HOYS heavy horse qualifiers

• 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

The Barber Family British Ridden Heavy Horse of the Year

Below is the information for all ridden heavy horse qualifiers.

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Driven Heavy Horse of the Year

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Shire Horse of the Year Championship supported by the Shire Horse Society

If you are viewing this table on a mobile, swipe left for more info

• For all your need-to-know information for other 2026 HOYS qualifiers, plus more expert showing advice from top riders and updates on shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Did you find this article useful? You may also enjoy reading…

A victory for rarity: grey Shire tops the HOYS 2025 ridden heavy horse championship

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Want to own a Shire horse? Follow this guide to find the perfect one

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I’ve collated your need-to-know information for the 2026 HOYS miniature qualifiers to help fulfil your dreams of qualifying your miniature horse for Horse of the Year Show (HOYS). Finding out who’s judging which fixture takes a lot of time and effort, so this should make planning your season much easier.

While all the HOYS qualifiers have been announced for 2026, many of the hosts have not revealed their judges yet, so I’m frequently updating this page with all the new details as they are released.

2026 HOYS miniature qualifiers

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

UKAMHS American Miniature Horse of the Year sponsored by Pandoras Miniature Farm

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Miniature Horse of the Year Supported by the British Miniature Horse Society

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• For all your need-to-know information for other 2026 HOYS qualifiers, plus more expert showing advice from top riders and updates on shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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I know first-hand how hard it is to find qualifier details and keep on top of planning your season, so I’ve collated your need-to-know information for the 2026 harness horse and pony HOYS qualifiers in one place. Negotiating where to go to secure your Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) qualification is no mean feat, but this should help make your planning much more straightforward.

While the HOYS qualifier list has been announced for 2026, the some fixtures are still confirming their judges. So I’m frequently updating this page with all the new details as they are released – most recently the Edenbridge and Oxted judges – so it can be your one-stop-shop for planning your qualification.

2026 Harness horse or pony HOYS qualifiers

If you are viewing this table on a mobile, swipe left for more info

View all the 2026 HOYS qualifying shows and classes

• For all your need-to-know information for other 2026 HOYS qualifiers, plus more expert showing advice from top riders and updates on shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Did you find this article useful? You may also enjoy reading…

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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”.

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

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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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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Is your veteran destined for glory? I’ve collated your need-to-know information for the 2026 HOYS veteran qualifiers because finding qualifier details and keep on top of planning your season leading up to Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) is no mean feat.

While the HOYS qualifier shows have been announced for 2026, many of the hosts have not revealed their judges yet, so I’m frequently updating this page with all the new details as they are released.

2026 HOYS veteran qualifiers

Veteran Horse Society Ridden Veteran Horse of the Year

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• For all your need-to-know information for other 2026 HOYS qualifiers, plus more expert showing advice from top riders and updates on shows throughout the year, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Did you find this article useful? You may also enjoy reading…

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Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round

Finding out who’s judging which fixture takes a lot of time and effort, so I’ve collated your need-to-know information for the 2026 HOYS in-hand qualifiers. If you’ve got big dreams of qualifying your home-bred for the Price Supreme in-hand championship at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and joining the list of HOYS supreme in-hand champions, this should make the planning much more straightforward.

While the HOYS qualifier shows have been announced for 2026, many of the hosts have not revealed their judges yet, so I’m frequently updating this page with all the new details as they are released.

2026 HOYS in-hand qualifiers

The Price Family Supreme In-Hand of the Year

These qualifiers are for both the pony and horse championship.

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The qualifiers for the coloured classes at the Royal International Horse Show (RIHS) are among the most popular and the finals are always well supported on the show’s opening day (21 July). Four judges have been appointed to sort through competitors. Lauren Brill and Jo Jefferson will preside over the horse classes, and Lesley Bradfield and Nathan Arnold will sort through the ponies.

Later in the day, Jo and Nathan will be the ones putting the lucky few through their paces to decide the championships. Here, Nathan gives us insight into his background, his judging experience, and – crucially for competitors and onlookers – what he is looking for in the ring.

Meet the judge: Nathan Arnold

Nathan started riding at the age of 12.

“My dad was a lighthouse keeper stationed at the time on the Isles of Scilly so I started riding at a local riding school nearby,” says Nathan.

The family moved back to Kent then to Cornwall where friends kept horses and his passion for them grew.

Once he left school, Nathan worked in hunt yards and for friends then began riding competitively at around the age of 21.

“It just happened. Some friends asked me to ride and compete their horses and that’s where it began,” he says.

He then produced show horses in his own right on a yard in Cornwall, based on the outskirts of Truro.

From there he and Brett McKinnon proved a competitive force, as with horses produced by Brett and ridden by Nathan were placed at premier shows including Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and RIHS, and thrice lightweight hunter champion at Devon County and Royal Cornwall.

Nathan began working exclusively for Polly Coles eight years ago, so he is now based on outskirts of Doncaster in Yorkshire.

“We’ve got a range of horses here – hunters, cobs, heavy horses and a hack this year,” he says.

Since working for Polly, team highlights include the champion hunter at the Hickstead Derby Meeting, the 2022 Maxi Cob of the Year and the 2023 Heavyweight Cob of the Year.

Nathan Arnold’s judging experience

Nathan sits on the British Show Horse Association (BSHA), the Sport Horse Breeding (GB) (SHB (GB)), the British Skewbald and Piebald Association (BSPA) and the British Show Pony Society (BSPS) panels.

Nathan has judged at a whole host of the UK’s leading fixtures, including at the Royal Welsh twice, something he describes as “great fun”.

“I rode the Welsh section Ds there the first time in 2016. I have no involvement in mountain and moorland ponies so it was a totally different experience,” he admits.

More recently, Nathan thoroughly enjoyed his second appointment at Royal Windsor where The King watched on as he presided over the riding horses.

“That was absolutely amazing,” said Nathan. “What an experience to ride judge there – and with The King watching.”

Nathan also judged in Australia in 2018 and the South African HOYS in 2023.

“South Africa was another highlight for me,” he says. “I just did not anticipate how high the standard would be out there.”

This will be Nathan’s second appointment at the RIHS. He has previously judged the the maxi cobs and amateur hacks.

What Nathan Arnold will be looking for at Hickstead?

During the go-round, he will be looking for a pony that draws the eye, covers the ground and that moves appropriately for its type.

He is assessing the conformation of the pony classes, and again, type is important.

“I want a pony that is true to type, with the correct amount of limb for its type.”

This applies in the championship, too, where he will expect to find an animal that is true to type as a native, traditional or non-native from either the pony classes or the horse classes.

During the championship, combinations will need to also prove they are worthy contenders for the supreme coloured crown by giving mannerly yet sparkly performances.

Competitors beware, Nathan’s pet hate in the ring is “competitors who constantly circle around the judges, and carve other competitors up.

“Go find a space where you stand out, keep your pony in a nice balanced rhythm, and don’t push it out of its step.”

A last minute bit of advice to someone competing at Hickstead for the first time?

“Enjoy every moment and don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” says Nathan, adding, “You’ve qualified to go there so enjoy every minute of it.”

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British breeders haven’t always had it easy. For decades, the assumption has been that the most exciting stallions stand in Germany or the Netherlands – and that British mares need to look overseas to find genuinely top-quality bloodlines. But the picture has shifted considerably in recent years with a wide range of UK stallions at stud now available.

This new generation of stallions is standing on British soil – from young horses in their first or second year of breeding to competition-proven sires whose offspring are competing at the highest level. Post-Brexit logistics have made importing semen more complex and more expensive. The result is a growing appetite for high-quality stallions standing closer to home – and the British stud industry is rising to meet the demand.

Whether you’re breeding a future grand prix dressage horse, a top-class eventer, a careful showjumper, or a quality native breed, there are British stallions worth considering at every level and price point. Below, we’ve gathered some of the most interesting UK stallions standing at stud – by discipline, with notes on what each is producing, what kind of mare they suit, and how to book.

Jump to:

• UK dressage stallions at stud
• UK showjumping stallions at stud
• UK eventing stallions at stud
• UK showing, native and pony stallions at stud

UK stallions at stud: dressage

Sezuan’s Donnerhall (Sezuan x Sir Donnerhall I)

This dark chestnut Oldenburg stallion has stood in the UK since 2024, bringing one of the most exciting young dressage sire lines to British breeders. By the three-time World Young Horse Champion Sezuan – unbeaten at FEI young horse level, with scores of over 9.7 in the five- and six-year-old finals – Sezuan’s Donnerhall has the pedigree, the conformation and the performance record to back up the hype.

He won his 14-day performance test in Neustadt-Dosse on 9.34, then dominated his 50-day test at Schlieckau on 9.19, including a perfect 10 for canter and 9.5 for rideability, willingness to perform, and overall impression. He’s described as having outstanding paces and first-class rideability – qualities he passes on to his offspring.

His damsire, Sir Donnerhall I (by Sandro Hit), is one of Germany’s most influential dressage sires, and his dam, Siola, is a three-quarter sister to the licensed small tour stallion San Schufro. A strong all-round option for breeders looking to produce a top-class dressage horse with both expression and trainability.

Year of birth: 2015

Height: 171cm

Studbook: Oldenburg

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: £1000 + VAT

For more information: visit elitestallions.co.uk

L’Espoir (Lord Loxley I x Warkant)

A standout from the 2009 Danish Warmblood stallion licensing, L’Espoir now offers UK breeders – particularly those in Scotland and the north of England – access to a top-quality dressage sire.

He achieved the highest-ever score at the Danish 35-day test in 2009, recording 944 with three perfect 10s and no score below nine – a result only two stallions have since exceeded. The Danish breeding director Karina Christiansen described him as “the prototype of the future dressage horse,” and the judges at Redefin called him a “miracle mover.”

He has competed internationally to inter I. His offspring have been fetching top prices at European auctions, including Lord Schufro (€220,000 at the 2012 AOS Auction) and Loui (€55,000 at the 2016 Westfalen Winter Auction). His progress is reflected in the latest Baileys Horse Feeds British Breeding Futurity all-time sire rankings, where he has climbed from 102nd to 52nd – a clear signal that his offspring are making their mark.

Year of birth: 2006

Height: 169cm

Studbook: Danish Warmblood (approved across multiple European studbooks)

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: Available on enquiry (fresh and chilled semen, concessions available)

At stud with: Romanno Stud, Lanarkshire, Scotland

For more information: visit romannostud.co.uk or phone 01899 810223

Durable (Spielberg TN x Obelisk)

A British-based grand prix dressage stallion with international competition status, exceptional offspring quality at home and a temperament breeders and riders alike rave about, Durable is one of the most accomplished options for UK dressage breeders.

Bred in the Netherlands by M.M.J. Bekkers, Durable has been competed throughout his career by Norfolk-based Nikki Barker (née Crisp), who took on the ride when he was six and has produced him to international grand prix level.

He’s by Spielberg TN – by Sandro Hit out of an Oldenburg damline – and his damsire Obelisk traces to one of the most respected Dutch breeding families. International dressage judge Isobel Wessels, who first judged him as a four-year-old when he won the young dressage horse final at Hartpury, describes him as having “all the ingredients to be a top horse” – combining ground-covering extensions with a “bouncy, closed canter” and the ability to “close and sit and take the weight behind” for piaffe and passage.

His progress as a sire is reflected in the latest Baileys Horse Feeds British Breeding Futurity all-time sire rankings, where – competing against international sires from across Europe – he has climbed from 100th to 35th position. That’s one of the biggest individual gains in the rankings.

His temperament – “incredibly soft, like riding liquid” in Nikki’s words – combined with his presence and power, makes him a strong choice for breeders looking to produce a quality grand prix dressage prospect.

Year of birth: 2008

Height: 178cm

Studbook: KWPN (AES licensed)

WFFS status: negative

Stud fee: £1350 + VAT

At stud with: Nikki Barker, Norfolk

For more information: phone +44 (0) 7775 811918

UK stallions at stud: showjumping