The equestrian community is remembering Valegro and Uthopia – the much-loved dressage powerhouses who gained fans worldwide.

Following the announcement on 1 December of their passing, there has been an outpouring of love as people shared happy memories of what made them so special.

Valegro’s co-owner Rowena Luard said she was “smitten” at first sight.

“My first glimpse of Valegro was at one of his early young horse shows. I was smitten. Carl asked me if I might like to be part of Valegro’s future and it was the easiest decision of my life,” she told H&H.

“He was a small horse but had such presence. I loved his beautiful, elegant face and kind eye. It was when we started doing the shows with him that you saw our little boy transform into this elegant powerhouse. It was definitely the crowd that elevated him. He just loved to perform.”

Rowena said watching Valegro break records was “such a privilege, but almost just as satisfying was the effect he had on everyone. He was such a gentleman. So kind, so patient. He was a true equine rockstar,” she said.

“His journey to global stardom was enabled by a phenomenal team of people from the early days whose hard work and passion really made it all happen. Chef d’equipe Dickie Waygood and Richard Davidson were our heroes, as was Will Connell of British Equestrian. The vets and masseuse who travelled with him everywhere ensured our athlete was in top top shape at all times.

“Haydn Price, the British team farrier, was a huge support and with whom I held hands at most of the competitions as I was so nervous. Alan of course, our supergroom and super personal assistants Claudine and Katie, who handled all of the logistics and mountains of paperwork. Anne Barrott joined the team as another co-owner and we so loved following the global adventures of Team Valegro. It was incredible to witness such a team of consummate professionals working so tirelessly to achieve our dreams.”

A British Dressage spokesperson said Valegro and Uthopia “leave legacies that will shape British dressage for decades to come”.

“Their hoofprints may have faded from the competition arena, but the mark they left on our sport is indelible,” said the spokesperson.

“Though different in personality and way of going, Valegro and Uthopia were united by the principles that brought them to greatness. Together, they brought our sport to new audiences, reshaped the public’s understanding of dressage, inspired a generation and demonstrated that outstanding performance is built on kindness and trust.”

British Dressage chief executive Jason Brautigam said it was “these two legends” that led to him being in his role.

“The incredible performances of Uthopia and Valegro at London 2012 will live long in the memory of all equestrian fans. It was such a special occasion and was transformational for the sport in Great Britain. It was the moment that dressage captured the hearts and minds of the public, and I was no exception,” he said.

“It was an absolute privilege to see Valegro win gold again in Rio. An experience I will personally cherish forever.”

Mr Brautigam added “but most importantly, these two horses redefined dressage”.

“Their beautiful, gentle souls, relaxed temperament, and seemingly effortless ability in the arena heralded a new era. Their wonderful partnerships with Carl and Charlotte showcased the best of our sport,” he said.

“As any visitor to Carl’s yard would agree, spirits were always lifted by the sight of these two companions enjoying their well-earned retirement in the paddock. Now, they are sadly no longer with us, but we should take comfort that they remained inseparable to the end.”

Six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green was “incredibly spoiled” to have a lesson on Valegro.

“I set across the diagonal in medium trot and I could hardly sit there – it was such power,” she told H&H. “He was an absolute sweetheart to ride, he was such a lovely person.”

Lucinda remembers Valegro’s London 2012 freestyle, where he and Charlotte scored 90.09% for individual gold.

“The music along with Big Ben was the most striking thing. Valegro held his own and it was wonderful.”

Lucinda said what Carl and Uthopia and Charlotte and Valegro achieved was “phenomenal”.

“The pair of them, they were just iconic. And I think it’s lovely that they’ve both gone off to fly with the angels together.”

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

‘It was an honour’: Alan Davies pays tribute to dressage superstars Valegro and Uthopia

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‘You are still so loved’: Charlotte Dujardin pays farewell tribute to her world record-breaking partner Valegro

Heartbroken farewell to beloved superstars Valegro and Uthopia who created dressage’s golden era

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Things have changed a lot in the horse world during the past 30 to 40 years. It’s not only internet shopping that didn’t exist back then, although that’s hard to imagine for those who have grown up with it. So join us for a trip back down memory lane to when equestrian life was a rather simpler affair…

Do you remember when…

1. Lucinda Green became the pin-up of the eventing world after winning Badminton for the sixth time, in 1984 on SR Direct Mail Ltd’s Beagle Bay.

2. Virginia Leng (now Ginny Elliot) took over as every pony-mad teenage girl’s heroine after becoming the first woman to win Burghley five times. Her fifth was in 1989 on Master Craftsman, when she was also crowned European champion.

3. Most turnout rugs were made of heavy green canvas – if you were lucky they had cross-surcingles rather than just rear leg straps to keep them in place, but either way it felt like a lifetime waiting for them to dry.

4. Jute rugs could be found in every tackroom — itchy-looking things made from a sack-like fabric, held on by a roller.

5. The only 4x4s you saw were Land Rovers, driven by actual farmers.

6. Only top professional riders owned (or had access to) a lorry.

7. You could ride down country lanes while rarely seeing a car.

8. There was no such thing as air jackets. Body protectors were typically a piece of foam held in place with an elasticated belt, which was then replaced by something that more closely resembled those we have today, but with a rather fetching ‘nappy’ attachment that went between your legs before fastening at the front.

9. The most popular colour for jodhpurs was beige or black. Anything else was viewed as dangerously exotic.

10. You bought your riding gear by sending off a form cut out of the back of a horse magazine/catalogue, with a postal order.

11. String or leather girths were the norm. If you turned up at your Pony Club rally with a soft padded cotton girth from Cottage Craft, you were definitely ahead of the curve.

12. Showjumping seemed as big as football or rugby, regularly shown on TV (when it only had three channels) and drew huge crowds – David Broome and Harvey Smith were national heroes.

13. Puffa jackets were the height of equestrian fashion – especially the ones with the candy cane stripes.

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Double Paris 2024 Olympic medallist Laura Collett is among the nominees for the FEI Awards 2024.

Laura, who won individual bronze and was part of the gold medal-winning British team in Paris with London 52, is shortlisted for the Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete. Laura and London 52 – triple five-star winners and part of the British side that also won team gold in Tokyo – set a new Olympic eventing dressage record in Paris with their score of 17.5.

Fellow Brits Lucinda Green and Georgina Unwin are among the four-strong shortlist for the FEI Inspire award. This accolade is presented to an “individual or organisation that has pursued their equestrian ambition in an inspiring way and serves as a role model to show that everything is possible, and that even when faced with challenges, you should never stop believing in your dreams”.

Lucinda is nominated for her work through the Lucinda Green Academy, including her teaching ethos and how she “demonstrates her great teaching skills and brings other knowledgeable people from around the world to help her members develop their horse management as well as their training and competing”.

Georgina, director of Birmingham charity Summerfield Stables – Horses in the Community, is recognised as a “true champion of inclusion, breaking down barriers and making riding accessible to everyone”.

One of Georgina’s recent achievements is developing a partnership with British Dressage’s urban centre pilot initiative.

“Georgina’s belief in horses to unite, heal and inspire is remarkable, as is her incredible generosity. Georgina’s passion is only matched by her tenacity to bring horses to everyone, no matter their background and position,” states her nomination.

“This tenacity is underlined by the fact that Georgina also somehow finds the time to be a part-time A-level philosophy teacher – a vital source of income for her considering the running of the stables and teaching is a voluntary unpaid role!”

The awards are decided by a judging panel and public vote, which closes on 13 October. Winners will be announced at the FEI Awards gala presented by Longines on 13 November in Abu Dhabi.

The full shortlist is as follows:

Longines FEI Rising Star – for the athlete aged 14 to 21 who demonstrates outstanding sporting talent and commitment:

Jessica Dertell (AUS) – Dressage

Chiara Zenati (FRA) – Para Dressage

Mathies Rüder (GER) – Eventing and Jumping

Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi (UAE) – Jumping

Peden Bloodstock FEI Best Athlete – paying tribute to the athlete who over the past year has demonstrated exceptional skill and taken the sport to a new level:

Théo Gardies (FRA) – Vaulting

Laura Collett (GBR) – Eventing

Bram Chardon (NED) – Driving

Christian Kukuk (GER) – Jumping

Cavalor FEI Best Groom – for the behind-the-scenes hero who ensures the horses they look after are given the best possible care:

Lisa Fundis (GER) – Jumping Groom to Philipp Weishaupt (GER)

Mette Klose Nielsen (DEN) – Para Dressage Groom to Jens Lasse Dokkan (NOR)

Bettina Cardinael (FRA) – Eventing Groom to Lara De Liederkerke-Meier (BEL)

Pille Riin Roosileht (EST) – Driving Groom to Zsolt Rimarcsik (HUN)

FEI Inspire – for an individual or organisation that has pursued their equestrian ambition in an inspiring way and serves as a role model to show that everything is possible, and that even when faced with challenges, you should never stop believing in your dreams:

Georgina Urwin (GBR) – Summerfield Stables – Horses in the Community

The Namibian Equestrian Federation programme “Enabling Through the Horse”

Dr Salom Nghinamito (NAM) – FEI Permitted Treating Veterinarian since June 2024

Lucinda Green for the Lucinda Green Academy (GBR)

To find out more and vote, visit: https://www.fei.org/awards

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Five-star event rider Lissa Green grew up as the daughter of eventing royalty. Her parents are six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green and multi-Olympian David Green.

Lissa spoke to H&H’s Gemma Redrup on the most recent episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast about a range of topics, including what it was like having such well-known parents in her early years.

“I wasn’t aware at all to be honest at the beginning,” explains Lissa when asked if she realised her parents were famous when she was a child. “You grow up with what you know as the norm and spending each weekend going to another random field on the edge of the English countryside is just what we did.

“I loved it, it was a very obscure childhood. I used to meet up with Andrew Nicholson and Mark Todd’s children at each of the shows and aged eight or nine onwards, we’d roam free with our £5 for the day, which we thought was the world’s best and then met up with our parents at the end of the day and cracked on.”

Lissa states that eventing has always been her first love, but that it was a relaxed affair in her younger years.

“It was always very unserious in the first years on any begged, borrowed or stolen horse,” says Lissa, who started eventing in 2003. “The first horse I evented was borrowed from a lovely lady called Ants McKeowen and he used to have fences down with his tummy, because he was like a Thelwell pony – he picked his toes up, but his tummy couldn’t quite make it! But it was great fun and a great learning experience.”

Speaking of the pros and cons of having David and Lucinda as parents, Lissa is honest in her answer that it wasn’t all sunshine and roses.

“It’s very easy to see the pros looking from the outside, which are obvious, such as amazing knowledge and support is something I’ve never been short of, which has been very spoiling,” she explains. “The cons were a little bit trickier in that I was a young girl growing up with everyone watching and as mum would say, everyone was watching every second, which brought great pressure. As soon as I made a mistake, it was always highlighted.

“Mum got the luxury of growing up in eventing and making all her mistakes with no one watching. And it is a sport where you have to make mistakes to learn and get better and I think as a teenager and in my early 20s, it wasn’t something that I overly adored.”

Lissa uses one experience to highlight this problem.

“I remember coming eighth in a JRN [now open novice under-18] and watching the scoreboard. A mum said to her daughter, having no idea I was stood next to them, saying ‘Oh, well done, you’ve beaten Lucinda Green’s daughter – she must be terrible compared to her mother’.

“Fortunately I’m quite an outgoing person, but I do hold a lot of things internally. You just have to try to pretend you don’t care, but it prevented me from going for it in my youth. It was the fear of failure; if I was putting everything into it and not winning, it would have been too difficult to deal with.”

To hear more from Lissa Green, including some of her most-loved rides during her career, what the future holds and what becoming a mother has been like, listen to episode 149 of The Horse & Hound Podcast here, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favourite podcast app.

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The Horse & Hound Podcast 149: five-star event rider Lissa Green

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Lissa said she has “been extremely grateful” to be part of the British system, but added it “feels right” to

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Episode 149 of our popular audio service The Horse & Hound Podcast, is now live. Please note that this episode was recorded prior to event rider Georgie Campbell losing her life at Bicton, and our thoughts are with her family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.

Each episode is available for H&H fans to listen to via your favourite podcast app, as well as here on the website. Search for “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your preferred podcast app and click subscribe to be notified about each new episode.

• View all episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast

On our 149th episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, we speak to five-star event rider Lissa Green. She talks about the pressure of growing up being the daughter of six-time Badminton champion Lucinda Green, plus her own journey to five-star, switching nationalities and what it’s like becoming a mother for the first time.

• We would love to hear your feedback on all our podcasts, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com

Horse & Hound Podcast: episode 149

Catch up with more episodes of The Horse & Hound Podcast…

‘Sheer joy’ as leading event rider and partner welcome first baby

Throwback — Badminton first-timers: Lissa Green — ‘The most extraordinary ordinary horse’

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‘I’m an Aussie at heart’: Lissa Green switches nationality

Lissa said she has “been extremely grateful” to be part of the British system, but added it “feels right” to

A fascination with criminal psychology — and other things didn’t know about Lissa Green

Despite being the daughter of six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green, Lissa didn't get her first horse until she was 20.

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

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Suppose your Christmas stocking contained a ride on the horse of your dreams… We find out which superstars of yesteryear this supergroom would love to try

Alan Davies has flown around the world taking care of some of Britain’s top dressage horses, working for Carl Hester and Charlotte Dujardin. It might be difficult to think you could ever top the great Valegro, but there is one horse of eventing royalty Alan would gladly welcome for Christmas.

“It would have to be my childhood heroine Lucinda Green’s Regal Realm. I remember seeing him in the 10-minute box at Badminton and he was just the most incredible horse. He was a wry little thoroughbred and was quite quirky – Lucinda had to really work around his quirks to get the best out of him. She had to do her dressage in a jumping saddle because he didn’t like a dressage saddle and things like that. But he was an absolute superstar and he jumped for joy for Lucinda,” remembers Alan.

Lucinda met Regal Realm in Fontainebleau, where the former Australian stock horse was a reserve horse for event rider Merv Bennett at the alternate Olympics event in 1980. From here he returned home with Lucinda and just two years later, they were crowned world champions. In 1983, they won Badminton and won double silver at the European Championships, and the following year they were part of the silver medal-winning team at the LA Olympics.

“I remember at Badminton he tripped on his overreach boots and after that, Lucinda didn’t use overreach boots at the big competitions. I’ve got this thing about overreach boots now – Charlotte likes to use boots on her horses to protect them and I’ll always say, ‘Lucinda used overreach boots on Regal Realm and he tripped!’ and Charlotte will roll her eyes as if to say, ‘Here we go again!’” says Alan Davies with a laugh.

“Once, I was driving the lorry back from Aachen and Lucinda had been there commentating. There was a problem with her flight, so I ended up giving her a lift and we talked all the way home about Regal Realm and her other Badminton winners – we had the most amazing conversations.”

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

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits. 

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The event rider’s record of six Badminton titles has yet to be surpassed. Lucinda Green tells Catherine Austen about those winning horses and the lessons each one taught her as we celebrate her 70th birthday today (7 November)

An unmistakable figure in primrose-yellow cross-country colours with that rock-steady lower leg position and arm stretched forward to allow the horse freedom, Lucinda Green was the public face of eventing for over a decade. Her six Badminton wins – and the popular books she wrote about the horses who gave her those victories – made her a household name.

Her legacy to the sport she loves is her passion for bold, safe cross-country riding and for passing that on to others.

No one, however, is born a fully fledged horseman or woman; their skill and understanding is built from myriad experiences with horses in all sorts of situations. Which lessons, therefore, did each of Lucinda’s most significant horses teach her?

The earliest tutorials were delivered by her New Forest pony, Jupiter.

“He taught me two of the greatest lessons of my life, when I was eight,” Lucinda says. “He taught me the timing of using the stick, and the art of soft fingers over the fence, because if I touched his mouth over a jump, he would stop dead at the next one.

“I learnt that, no matter how out of balance I was, I must allow him to have whatever rein he needed. This, I believe, is one of the fundamental reasons why those different horses tried their hearts out for me.

“The timing of using the stick came in handy with Be Fair, who never took the bit into a fence – he’d always have to be urged.”

Be Fair, who gave Lucinda the first of her six Badminton winners in 1973, was bought for her as her 15th birthday present. He was five, and had done little.

“He was a shocker – all he did was rear,” she says. “He was a very handsome spoilt brat, and I didn’t know what to do with him.”

Be Fair was sent to “reform school”, first with Betty Skelton and then Malcolm and Janet Firth. Finally, in the winter, it was suggested he was sent hunting.

“He went to a wonderful hunting farmer, Tom Payne, whose first ride on him was a day with the Pytchley. Tom found himself in a field with hounds when they took off. He had the choice of following them out over the only available fence, not yet knowing if this young horse could jump, or turning round and taking him to the back of the field.

“He chose to go, and that’s really why we’re talking now, because from that moment onwards, Be Fair never looked back. His whole attitude to life changed,” remembers Lucinda.

Three years later, in 1972, they finished fifth at their first Badminton – having learnt a couple of sharp lessons on the way.

“At our first intermediate at Sherbourne, he was having a good look at an upright rail with a drop behind. I saw an enormously long stride and gave him a wallop to jump it – and of course, when horses can’t see where they are landing they don’t want to take off on a long one,” Lucinda says.

“He put in a short stride, hit it and I fell off. Then at Wylye about six months later he fell at a revolting fence at the top of one of those very steep hills. It was called Griffins’ Grotto, and had an open front and some of the Midland Bank griffins as a groundline. I just kept kicking, and he turned clean over. I learnt that, when you arrive at the top of a hill, you need to recalibrate the horse’s engine.”

At that first Badminton, aged 18, Lucinda learnt never to wear leather gloves when competing.

“At Tom Smith’s Walls, I pulled to turn him to the second part, and the rein slipped through my hand. He didn’t run out – he never even turned,” says Lucinda with regret. “We were fifth with a stop, so we would have gone very close, even that first year.”

Taking the title the following year was “surreal – that only happens to others”, and on they went to their first senior championships, the Europeans in Kiev, later that season.

“That was the most extraordinary experience. Russia was a country I had only heard about at school, and there I was, with my horse,” she says. “It was such a long journey that we arrived two weeks before the competition, and there was nowhere to ride. The roads were far too busy, and the tiny, tennis court-sized arenas we were meant to school in were far too small.”

Kiev is remembered for its second fence, an oxer over a vast ditch at the bottom of the hill two strides after a turn, where 22 competitors fell.

“The Russians approached it fast down a vertical hill – we all came along a track in the valley and turned sharply to it. Somehow Be Fair made it – but at fence eight I learnt another valuable lesson,” she says.

“It was a log pile in a wood and the sun was shining through the leaves. Be Fair crashed straight into it. I learnt from that to be so careful when you are riding in woods, especially if there’s a bit of breeze, because the shadows then are moving which contorts the horse’s judgement even more.”

Lucinda’s bank of knowledge about cross-country was building up, and at Luhmühlen in 1975 she and Be Fair finished on their dressage score to become European champions.

“Really he taught me the power of love and of trust in a relationship. He was a ‘no’ horse, not a ‘yes’ horse, and it eventually became clear to me that this horse absolutely trusted me,” she says.

A different style of riding

After Be Fair, Lucinda had to adopt a different style of riding to find the best in Wideawake, who was sent to her as a seven-year-old novice.

“I’ve only met a couple of other horses who would never refuse – ever, which is quite frightening; they just always go,” she says. “He wasn’t a puller and didn’t go flat out, but he just took everything on. He had a long stride and was incorrigibly brave.

“He jumped in a pretty bad style – he hit a lot – and didn’t like being gathered up; he’d just hollow more, whereas Be Fair was completely naturally balanced.

“All I’d ever known was to kick, because Be Fair was always sucking back. If you kicked Wideawake, you can imagine what happened, so I learnt that you can’t kick everything – you have to find another way.”

Wideawake taught Lucinda another significant lesson when competing in the advanced class at Downlands.

“He’d been pretty awful in the dressage, and I was very cross with him. I led him back to the lorry in silence and loaded him into my little two-horse box,” she says. “I went between him and the partition to fix his rug, and he leant on me – he put his head away from me and leaned. He really meant it, and eventually I realised I was being deliberately squashed and screamed for help.

“I learnt from that that you don’t get cross with horses. I had done nothing physical to him, but I was mentally furious and just switched off him. Horses are so sensitive to the emotions around them and I learnt then that you don’t hold a grudge, and you wipe your mind clean, because they pick up everything you feel.”

Lucinda admits that they had a “difficult relationship”.

“He was an odd horse. When I took him hunting, if I queued for a fence, he would petrify – turn to stone – and stand there. Everyone would gallop off and we would still be there 10 minutes later. This did once land me in hospital when I aimed him at too big a fence rather than have to queue.”

The pair won Boekelo in 1975 on their dressage score by a margin of 18 penalties, but with quite a few “lucky moments”.

The following year, however, Badminton was theirs. “I’d never had such a good ride cross-country on him – he was inspired,” says Lucinda. “I had this extraordinary feeling when I was walking the course that we were going to win; oddly, I’ve had that premonition with several of my Badminton winners.”

With his long, flat stride and dislike of being held together, Wideawake wasn’t easy to showjump, but he pulled off a clear and took the Badminton title – Lucinda’s second. Tragically, the horse collapsed and died during his lap of honour of a suspected heart attack.

The aftermath was horrible, with Lucinda receiving “poison-pen letters” accusing her of killing her horse. Then a short time later at the finish of a silver-medal round at the Montreal Olympics, Be Fair slipped the Achilles tendon off his hock, and the bright young star of British eventing found herself in a dark place, having lost her two top horses within months of each other.

“Dick Stilwell, who was such a great influence on my riding, along with Pat Burgess, told me: ‘It’s not so difficult to get to the top. It’s staying there that’s hard.’ He was right – my God, you come down so fast,” says Lucinda.

However, doors open when you are least expecting them. On arrival home from Montreal, Lucinda had a phonecall from Charles Cyzer asking her if she’d like to ride his horse, Killaire, at Burghley three weeks later.

“Charles brought him down in this smart horsebox, and out came a really fat bay hunter,” Lucinda says. “With zero assurances that I would take him to Burghley, I said I would give it a go.

“We rode up later that day to [trainer] Toby Balding’s practice hurdles. It was hard to tell when he actually jumped because he scuttled along, lifted his legs up, the hurdle passed underneath him, he landed and scuttled off again. You didn’t feel any jump over anything.”

After a strenuous exercise regime, Killaire did indeed “scuttle round” Burghley three weeks later, having learnt extended trot for the first time the day before his test when David Hunt took away the two boards from the practice dressage arena and told Lucinda to keep going on the diagonal until Killaire eventually lengthened.

Miraculously, they finished second to Jane Holderness-Roddam and Warrior.

The following year Killaire was third at Badminton. An infected leg from wire meant missing Badminton in 1978. He won on his return in 1979 and was second the next year – creating a still-held record of first, second and third at Badminton.

Lucinda says: “I couldn’t hit him because he was frightened of the stick, but the year he won I was so scared of the Vicarage Vee that, as he was scuttling towards it, I thought, ‘This is so big that you have just got to make more of an effort,’ and gave him a slap as he took off.

“He did what you’d expect and veered away from the stick, and I had all of a second, which felt like a minute, to realise what I’d done – I’d taken him off his line and he couldn’t therefore land on that tiny patch of ground on the far side and was in fact plunging straight into the bottom of the wet, muddy Vicarage ditch.

“Do you know, that horse landed in the bottom sludge and jumped straight out of it again, up the bank, and scampered off as though nothing had happened?

“He had the biggest heart, and all he ever did was try. I learnt that a horse who was only an ordinary hunter could jump round courses like that, because he wanted to.”

‘A dire situation’

Killaire was the fourth of Lucinda’s Badminton sextet; before him, in 1977, came George.

“Dad was dying, and the Strakers rang up to ask if I wanted to ride George at Badminton. My initial thought was that the horse had fallen in his last five major three-day events. But I talked to Mum and Dad, and Mum encouraged me to take him on because she knew I needed a distraction from what was a dire situation,” explains Lucinda.

“I thought that was the bravest thing – she thought of me and what I needed.”

Like Killaire, George came to Lucinda three weeks before Badminton. Despite not knowing each other at all, George and Lucinda clicked and they won Badminton.

That autumn, the European Championships were held at Burghley and, a week after Lucinda’s father, the Major-General, died, she took her second individual gold medal.

“I was incredibly weak, because I had been on a sympathy fast for Dad for months, and George, despite being a thoroughbred, was old and leaned down on his big, intelligent head,” she says.

An error of course halfway round the steeplechase led to George tangling up in the roping and Lucinda falling off, but they still finished inside the time.

“I had the whole of phase C [the second section of roads and tracks] to wonder if I actually had the strength to go cross country,” she says. “I was last to go for the team, it was 5pm and virtually all the spectators had gone home.

“About three-quarters of the way round and knackered, this lone man raised his shooting stick and shouted, ‘Come on England! Come on George!’ That cry gave me the strength to finish.”

Lessons learned

Village Gossip didn’t win Badminton – he was second in 1978 – but the lessons he taught Lucinda gave her the tools to ride Regal Realm a few years later.

“David Kingsley bought Village Gossip for me after he’d been round Burghley as a six-year-old with Katie O’Hara,” says Lucinda.

“I couldn’t ride one side of him. He’d come out of his mother with a very odd temperament and had attacked the person who fed him, even as a foal. He had been sold to someone who was learning to ride, and they had balanced on his mouth, which is why he found any pressure on his mouth intolerable.

“You couldn’t regulate him at all; everything was on his own terms. If you tried to collect him, to jump a coffin or something, he just stopped. I remember being in floods of tears hacking at home, thinking, ‘I’ve been bought this wonderful horse and I can’t find the brilliance that was there for all to see last year with Katie at Burghley. I can’t do it and I don’t know how to ride him’.”

It was at that point that Lucinda decided that if Village Gossip wanted to go fast, she’d let him and she wouldn’t interfere. They won their next event.

“In that moment I’d learnt how to ride him,” she says. “But you did have to let him go flat out into everything. He’d go storming into fences, shorten himself up and ping over.

“If I’d had him before Wideawake, I might have found Wideawake easier to ride. I learnt to be what I call ‘actively passive’. You didn’t just sit there and close your eyes; you used your body in the best way you could to balance him, and you were ready for anything, but you could do nothing. It was a huge lesson, because I’d always thought you had to do something.”

‘He had such power’

Australian-bred Regal Realm also liked to go very fast and pulled hard, but Village Gossip had accustomed Lucinda to that.

“He was much more negotiable mentally,” she says. “He was clever and, having done cattle work until he was seven, very nimble. He was ewe-necked and his ears were always in my mouth. I don’t think he ever basculed in his life – if he was with us now, we’d probably find that he had kissing spines – but he had such power.

“He taught me that it didn’t matter if a horse didn’t ‘make the shape’ over a fence, and because Village Gossip had taught me the art of doing nothing, I could find the amount of communication that he would accept.”

In 1982 they went to Luhmühlen and became world champions, winning Badminton a year later – Lucinda’s fifth title.

“The dressage is the bit that I remember most,” says Lucinda of the World Championships. “That winter I had been to America to have a couple of days of lessons with Bert de Nemethy. I’d stayed with General Jack Burton, who lived near him, and the snow came down and nobody could go anywhere. So I set out across country through drifts to walk to Bert’s to have this lesson.

“I don’t think General Jack ever forgot that, because he gave me the most ridiculously good dressage mark in Luhmühlen. I always felt that monumental trek through the snow had won me the World Championships.

“We were hot favourites to win individual gold at the LA Olympics in 1984, and Anton Bühler, who was judging, saw right through him. We earned the mark we deserved, and finished sixth overall.”

Lucinda’s sixth and final Badminton triumph was with Beagle Bay in 1984.

“He wasn’t as tough and hard as the other horses,” she says. “He would actually stop in the warm-up for the showjumping, which is another lesson. However much you trust a horse, you must be ready for him to stop, even if he is your Badminton horse.”

Although Lucinda’s domination of the sport drew to a close towards the end of the 1980s, she continues to ride, train, coach and compete today. Her fascination with horses, and discovering how to develop the best out of each individual, is as keen as ever.

A world champion on a world champion…

Lucinda regarded Mary Lowe (née Gordon-Watson), world champion in 1970 aboard Cornishman V (pictured), as an inspiration.

“I don’t know what made her do it, but she took me under her wing a little,” says Lucinda. “I went to stay with her one summer, and we went for hacks with her whippet. She became a totally touchable person, as opposed to an untouchable world champion, and she was happy to help me, which was wonderful encouragement.”

Asked why she thinks Lucinda achieved so much success, Mary answers: “It was her personality, really – her enthusiasm and positivity. If something goes wrong, she is eager to find a way round a problem. She was a very brave and forward rider whose attitude was that you never gave up. She got the best out of all types of horses, particularly on the cross country, which was her tour de force.

“She was absolutely meticulous when walking the course – much more like people are now. I think she inherited that trait from her father, who would turn up to competitions with several A4 sheets of paper with details about each horse.”

Dick Stilwell and Pat Burgess…

The two trainers who had the greatest influence on Lucinda were Dick Stilwell, a great, instinctive horseman who first taught Lucinda when she was a young teenager, and Pat Burgess.

“Pat was responsible for my defensive style of riding, and for me not worrying as people do now about striding,” says Lucinda. “I had no eye then; she told me to keep that medium-length stride and the horse will sort it out, and she was right.

“She was very into the ‘fold’ with the arms giving the horse full freedom. She was aware that horses’ confidence came from the knowledge that they would never be pulled in the mouth. That was vital.

“Now I find it fascinating learning not to fold so much, because the one thing I couldn’t do was land and have the horse back that first stride after a showjump. You see people stay much more upright through the air now because they can’t lose a stride on landing, especially in grand prix showjumping.”

Carrying the flag

Lucinda was chosen as the flag-bearer for the British team at the opening ceremony of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She was – and remains – only the second equestrian athlete to do so; David Broome was the first in 1972.

“It was one of the most moving things I have ever done – up there with having my two children [Freddie and Lissa],” says Lucinda. “I was so flattered to be asked. We waited for a long time underneath the stands, very gradually creeping forward, and as we got closer you could hear the noise of clapping and cheering, which grew louder and louder.

“I thought then about what it must have been like to be a Christian waiting to be put into the amphitheatre in Rome with the lions – you could feel the crowd’s excitement.”

Lucinda’s medals…

• Team gold, 1971 junior European Championships (Be Fair)
• Team bronze, 1973 European Championships (Be Fair)
• Individual gold and team silver, 1975 European Championships (Be Fair)
• Individual and team gold, 1977 European Championships (George)
• Team silver, 1979 European Championships (Killaire)
• Individual and team gold, 1982 World Championships (Regal Realm)
• Individual and team silver, 1983 European Championships (Regal Realm)
• Team silver, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics (Regal Realm)
• Team gold, 1985 European Championships (Regal Realm)
• Team gold, 1987 European Championships (Shannagh)

Lucinda’s career in numbers

2 Burghley wins

19 The age she won her first Badminton

5 European gold medals

7 European Championships appearances

1982 crowned world champion and won team gold

6 Badminton wins on six different horses

Regal Realm: from Australian stock horse to Badminton winner and world champion

‘I don’t really believe it was me’: Lucinda Green reflects on her six Badminton victories 50 years since the first

Fun, focus and footwork: must-have cross-country riding advice from Lucinda Green

Improve your cross-country skills with advice from the six-time Badminton winner — from being flexible with bits to making sure

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Lucinda Green MBE was a masterful event rider of her time with an outstanding talent for getting the best out of multiple horses. Her incredible list of achievements in the sport include six Badminton wins on six different horses, an Olympic silver, 1982 world champion, twice European champion.

“I was very lucky in that I had two attributes, both God given,” she says. “One was good balance and the other was a quick speed of reaction. Both those things are pretty crucial to riding in general, but especially at a high level.”

Yet she modestly admits that she’s unsure she would be good enough to compete in the sport at the highest level today.

“I am under no illusions,” says the eventing legend. “I was never good at dressage. And I don’t think I would be able to improve enough, even though I understand it better now. Your body doesn’t always do what it should and you need to be able to absorb plenty of movement.”

Lucinda Green on the influence of dressage

In Lucinda’s view, the dramatic improvement in dressage standards over the years has not had a positive impact on the sport as a whole.

“‘In dressage you can continue to improve your score, but you cannot improve on a double zero in the other two phases,” she says. This, along with the end of traditional long-format horse trials in 2005, has caused a paradigm shift in the sport.

“To me it’s increasingly obvious that we are not developing the right type of horses in eventing now, because the dressage is too influential,” she continues. “Dressage horses are being trained to go cross-country instead of the other way around. These horses can have a slower reaction speed and often lack the stamina to handle ground that is not perfect.”

“Bring back the steeplechase,” says Lucinda

While admiring the high quality of riding being seen across all three phases, Lucinda believes the sport would benefit from the return of the steeplechase phase, putting the emphasis back on to the horse’s stamina and ability to gallop. The art of getting horses properly fit would also come to the fore once more. The importance of fitness is key in the current social climate where footage of tired horses gives ammunition to those who believe we should not use horses in sport.

“The animal rights extremists have the same fire in their belly about stopping us as many of us have about the sport continuing in the right vein with the right horses,” Lucinda says. “It’s not easy to find the balance, but our sport’s USP is cross-country – it’s for the cross-country that we all do it.”

The days of seeing Lucinda’s famous pale yellow colours in competition may have passed – “I haven’t found a horse good enough to accommodate my shortcomings these days to compete” – but she still enjoys riding and loves being involved in the “making” of horses, helping them learn to trust their riders.

She was recently involved in the education of her daughter Lissa Green’s ride Go On Biats, who has just completed the seven-year-old young horse World Championships at Le Lion d’Angers with a clear cross round cross-country inside the time.

“He’s got a very appropriate name because I spent most of the last year trying to teach him that ‘go on’ meant ‘go on’,” Lucinda explains, “I think he was taken a bit fast in France at 90cms and was frightened – all he wanted to do when he saw a jump was stop dead 20 yards away. He was awfully nappy. Lissa handed him over to me because I was the one who had the time.”

Turning tricky horses around

While saying that she “certainly won’t ride anything that doesn’t behave”, Lucinda’s patience and skills have paid off 10-fold with Go On Biats.

“Often when he stopped at whatever, I stopped and we just waited. If I smacked him, he kicked and I was worried I would fall off. I do not need to be bucked off. I’ve hit my head too many times,” she says. “One of the things he never worked out was how to stop when he was going backwards – often I would half circle him around in reverse until he was back past the thing he would not go past.”

Lucinda also spent much time trotting, or even walking around cross-country courses: “The main thing was he had to arrive on the other side of whatever little obstacle he faced, no matter how long it took.

“He’s turned the most magnificent corner because of that foundation, which was confirmed by a month’s hunting with Tony Pellet at the Beaufort. He is even quite cocky now. He’s gone from trotting around a BE100 in April with Lissa to Lion d’Angers. This is very quick progress. We are permanently aware that he might have gone too quick, that we might have to steady up and fill some gaps should they appear. It will be intriguing to watch his progress with Lissa, who is now very attached to him.”

The power of virtual training

As Lucinda approaches her 70th birthday, her passion for sharing her cross-country skills remains undiminished. And while she does still train riders in person at a limited number of clinics around the world, her techniques and philosophies – including her “Greenprint” and famous “ready for trouble” position – have now been made available to the masses via an online academy, which she has set up with Canadian Olympic rider Rachel Faulkner.

“I didn’t think you could teach cross-country virtually, but it’s extraordinary how much you can convey,” Lucinda explains.

Academy members also have access to a dedicated Facebook group, which Lucinda says is “full of people helping each other – it’s a lovely community. Unless some of your family rides, it can be quite a lonely existence and now, suddenly, you have a heap of like-minded people who can help you when you are stuck, because – let’s face it – with horses you are stuck plenty of the time.”

So while it is unclear what direction the sport may take in the future, you can be sure that Lucinda’s “God-given” talent will continue to influence riders – and their horses – for many, many years to come.

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Read more about Lucinda Green…

‘I don’t really believe it was me’: Lucinda Green reflects on her six Badminton victories 50 years since the first

Regal Realm: from Australian stock horse to Badminton winner and world champion

Lucinda Green named worthy winner of Horse & Hound lifetime achievement award

“What I’ve done with my life has been a huge and exciting journey with the help of so many people”

Fun, focus and footwork: must-have cross-country riding advice from Lucinda Green

Improve your cross-country skills with advice from the six-time Badminton winner — from being flexible with bits to making sure

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Lucinda Green will be one of the commentators at the European Eventing Championships in Haras du Pin, France (10-13 August).

Listeners following the event from home by watching the livestream on ClipMyHorse.TV will be able to hear from Lucinda, who won 10 medals at European Championships during her career, including individual gold in 1975 (Be Fair) and 1977 (George).

The six-time Badminton winner will be joined behind the microphone by Steven Wilde, a top equestrian commentator who has worked at several Olympics and heads up the on-site commentary team at Burghley Horse Trials each year.

The European Eventing Championships commentators at the event, for those attending the championship in Haras du Pin, will be Karen Duffy (English) and Jean-Baptiste André (French).

Karen provides the English commentary at Pau Horse Trials each year and did the same role at the 2014 World Equestrian Games at Haras du Pin. Jean-Baptiste also works at Pau and at the five-star international jumping show in Bordeaux; he was also the French voice at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Britain will field a strong squad at the event, with Ros Canter (Lordships Graffalo), Laura Collett (London 52), Yasmin Ingham (Banzai Du Loir), Tom Jackson (Capels Hollow Drift), Kitty King (Vendredi Biats) and Tom McEwen (JL Dublin) trying to bring home the team gold and individual medals.

H&H’s expert reporters will be bringing you big name interviews, analysis of the action, videos and beautiful photography throughout every day of competition in Haras du Pin. A HorseandHound.co.uk unlimited website subscription gives you instant access, wherever you are, to all of our coverage with no limit on how much you can read, from as little as £1 a week. Sign up now

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Riders have been reassured by eventing legend Lucinda Green that a new challenge giving participants the opportunity to win a share of a $10,000 (£7,794) prize pot is not a scam.

This week the Lucinda Green XC Academy launched the 28 Day See-a-Stride Challenge, to help riders of all levels “find a perfect stride (to even the most frightening cross-country fences)”. The challenge costs $97 (£75) to join, and gives participants access to a training plan, weekly live question and answer sessions, and membership of a private Facebook support group.

A $10,000 prize pot is on offer for the 10 riders who show “the most impressive transformation” over 28 days. This will be judged by a panel of world-renowned eventers, including Tim Price, Yasmin Ingham, Boyd Martin, William Fox-Pitt, Pippa Funnell, Tom Crisp.

Riders need to submit a video of themselves jumping a small, simple fence at the beginning of the challenge, complete the training plan and exercises, then submit another video after 28 days to be judged by the panel. First prize is $5,000 (£3,897), second $2,500 (£1,943), third $1,250 (£972), fourth $500 (£389), fifth $250 (£194), and sixth to 10th will receive $100 (£78) each.

Since the launch of the challenge some social media users raised concerns that the challenge was a scam and that Lucinda’s page had been hacked – but Lucinda has confirmed this is not the case, and that the challenge is real.

“When we launched the 28 Day See-a-Stride Challenge we were inundated with questions. But we certainly didn’t expect the most common one to be, ‘is this a scam?’. It took us all by surprise,” she said.

Lucinda added that the team could understand why customers initially thought it might have been a scam owing to the joining fee and prize being in US dollars, but confirmed this is because the Academy’s audience is global.

“I really am giving away $10,000 to the 10 riders who make the biggest transformation in their ability to see a stride, in only 28 days,” she said.

You might also be interested in:

‘I don’t really believe it was me’: Lucinda Green reflects on her six Badminton victories 50 years since the first

Regal Realm: from Australian stock horse to Badminton winner and world champion

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

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

In the 1970s and 1980s, Lucinda Green set a record that no one has yet come close to equalling when she won Badminton six times on six different horses. She talks to Kate Green about why each victory was so special as we approach 50 years since her first Badminton win.

“Badminton was always an event which inspired me more than any other, and nearly all of my horses seemed to be able to pull out that extra spark when they were there,” remembers Lucinda Green. “Badminton had an almost mystical effect on me, and that was before I had experienced such great highs as well as lows there.

“It is still the ultimate event, the one everyone dreams of winning but never thinks it will happen to them. Now, when I come back, it feels quite different, as though those six wins happened to someone else. I don’t really believe it was me.”

1973 – Be Fair

Lucinda was only 19 when she won Badminton for the first time, on the family-owned Be Fair (pictured top), a chestnut gelding with a mind of his own, bought for her when she was 15 to compete in Pony Club and junior events. He was the result of an unplanned mating between a mare called Happy Reunion and a colt that became Sheila Willcox’s 1968 Burghley winner Fair And Square.

Badminton final scores

“My first Badminton win, and still the most special,” she says. “I had been fifth the year before on my first attempt [behind Mark Phillips and Richard Meade] and was nowhere near favourite. But, that year, the coffin at fence three wiped out about half of the field – it would be unusual nowadays for one fence to turn out to be so spectacularly influential – and that was really what won it for me.

“I had a near-miss there myself as I had, somewhat rashly, decided to dispense with Be Fair’s martingale, so he went into the fence with his head stuck in the air. He nearly fell over the first rail and landed sideways on in the ditch but somehow scrambled out the other side.

“Winning was overwhelming because it had seemed an impossibility. As I drove home alone in my little ice-cream van, which served as a lorry, with Be Fair standing just behind me, I heard it announced on the news on the radio: ‘Today, Badminton Horse Trials was won by Lucinda Prior-Palmer and Be Fair.’ It felt completely surreal.”

1976 – Wide Awake

The second victory, on Vicki Phillips’s Wide Awake, will forever be remembered for the dreadful incident when the horse dropped dead on the lap of honour.

Lucinda Green remembers: “This was special because Wide Awake and I had never really understood each other, yet on this occasion it all came together and he was foot perfect.

“As I walked the course, I had a strong premonition that we were going to win, not something I felt very often. When he died of a suspected heart attack it was shocking, but I felt afterwards that it was also bearable because he had just given of his very best.

“It was an incredible high and low packed into 60 seconds, which is so typical of this sport. It was devastating for all concerned, but he left us with a wonderful memory.”

1977 – George

Win number three came on Elaine Straker’s George, a handsome horse but one with a few blots on his record. Lucinda accepted the ride, however, as a distraction from her father’s looming death from cancer – miraculously, he was well enough to lead the horse around in the 10-minute box, and the win came, appropriately, on St George’s Day. Later that year, they won the European Championships.

“This was an extraordinary win because the omens were not good,” says Lucinda. “It was a very low period for me because my father was dying, and I was reluctant to accept the ride on George because he had fallen in his last five events. But my family encouraged me not to turn down the challenge, and I always believed that every horse had something to teach me.

“After the steeplechase, I didn’t want to jump another fence; George had jumped so badly. The weather was terrible, I was freezing and wet and didn’t think he could get around the cross-country. I remember sitting in the loo thinking: ‘It’s not going to be possible, but I’ll just have to go out there and wait for the fall.’

“Frank Weldon [Badminton director] had built a bounce into the Lake – the first ever into water – and I was sure George would fall there. But Elaine said, ‘I promise he’ll look after you’, and she was right.

“George jumped for his life in the most atrocious conditions – the bank was giving way at the Vicarage Ditch and as he took off, it disintegrated, but he just ejected himself upwards and out of trouble and saved us. He was brilliant.

“I couldn’t believe that he had frightened me so much and then pulled out this amazing performance.”

1979 – Killaire

Despite his unlikely chubby shape, Charles Cyzer’s Killaire is the only horse ever to have finished first, second and third at Badminton.

“Killaire has an incredible record, considering he was very much just a hunter,” says Lucinda Green. “He was exceptionally slow and he had no stride or scope to speak of, but somehow he battled on. If he made the steeplechase time, it was a miracle, but his middle name was ‘Try’ and he had a heart the size of a football.

“He was first to go in 1977 so we were the first to attempt the first ever bounce into water. I will never forget the feeling of riding towards it – all of us were completely unaware if the fence that we were approaching was even possible. The distance between the two elements measured 15ft; Killaire popped in a tiny stride and succeeded in landing safely down the drop into the Lake. After that a bounce into water was built on an increasingly shorter distance, now around 12ft.

“I have deep respect and love for Killaire, as he wasn’t cut out to be a Badminton horse, let alone a winner.”

1983 – Regal Realm

At the time of her fifth victory, Lucinda and SR International’s Regal Realm, a former Australian stock horse who was a superb jumper despite being ewe-necked, were the reigning world champions. The following year, they won a team silver medal at the Los Angeles Olympics.

Lucinda recalls: “Regal Realm gave me probably the best ride I have ever had around Badminton – Village Gossip [second in 1978] comes a close second – and perhaps because he was more talented than the other horses, I remember this win the least. Also, it wasn’t so unexpected, as we had won the World Championships in Luhmühlen the year before.

“I bought Regal Realm at Fontainebleau in 1980 where he was reserve for the Australian team. As I was thinking of spending my entire savings on him, I wanted to find out whether he was a brave jumper, so I jumped him over a couple of crowd barriers around the collecting ring. He then took me full tilt into the forest.

“Regal Realm was not particularly talented in the dressage phase, but he was a brilliant jumper and that year at Badminton only he and Jessica Harrington’s Amoy, who was third, finished inside the optimum time. It was a magical round.”

1984 – Beagle Bay

The striking part-Welsh grey, owned by SR International, who gave Lucinda a remarkable sixth Badminton victory, had an erratic career and could be naughty, but in 1984 he was on his best behaviour.

“He was perhaps the least sensational of my Badminton winners,” says Lucinda. “Beagle Bay was pretty, could do a good dressage test, jumped well and had stamina, but he was difficult to keep sound. He was ponyish and you had to watch him – he could put in a stop if you weren’t 100% with him. I adored him, but had less of a love affair with him than the others.

“There is a dramatic photograph of us jumping into the Lake, me with no reins. He had let his – rather large – tummy down on the fence into the water, and this bounced me a foot out of the saddle, making me drop my reins. Amazingly, he kept going through the water with his ears pricked and generously kept straight, unaided by me, for the fence out.

“Beagle Bay exemplified the wonderful effect Badminton had on my horses. They all seemed to unfurl their particular brand of genius there.”

Other Lucinda Green Badminton rides

Lucinda Green had a few more rides at Badminton, on horses like Shannagh, Willy B and Minns Lincoln, not with any particularly distinguished results, but by the end of the 1980s her career had mostly metamorphosed into writer, broadcaster and trainer. For many people, however, the sight of her primrose colours, her joyous approach and the visible empathy with her horses will forever epitomise all that’s best about cross-country riding.

How to watch Badminton Horse Trials

If you are interested in watching Badminton Horse Trials live from the comfort of your home, wherever you are in the world, you will need to subscribe to Badminton TV. To sign up, visit watch.badminton-horse.tv – click the “Sign Up” link in the top right corner of your screen, then follow the instructions. An annual subscription to Badminton TV costs £19.99 and gives you 365 days of access to all of the content in the Badminton TV library, the ability to watch the action live, and the option to replay all of this year’s action later.

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How to watch Badminton Horse Trials live from anywhere in the world

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Meet the ‘quirky but talented’ horse heading to Badminton after a slightly unconventional route to five-star

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

You can use the scales of training to self coach and improve your own riding, say two of Britain’s top eventing coaches.

British eventing performance manager Dickie Waygood and coach Chris Bartle talked about this and the importance of the basics in every day training in a webinar published by the Lucinda Green XC Academy, hosted by six-time Badminton Horse Trials winner Lucinda Green.

Dickie spoke about how he encourages riders to incorporate the scales of training – rhythm, suppleness, contact, impulsion, straightness and collection – into their own progress and how you can use them to improve your riding.

“When people come to me and don’t know the scales, I ask them to print three copies and laminate them – one for in their horse box, one for their tack room and one for their bedside locker,” he said.

“You can look at the sales of training just before you ride, or when you’re in the horsebox on the way to a show or before going to bed. You can look through your scales and give yourself a mark for where you are – I got a six today for straightness, so in my training tomorrow, how am I going to make that a 6.5 or a seven? Where am I for rhythm? It keeps fluctating, I’m on a five – so how can I get that to a six?

“So you can use the scales to self coach – it’s a really easy way of using the scales of training, using the basics.”

Lucinda asked what the equivalent was of the scales of training for cross-country performance.

Chris said: “Frankly I think it’s an important point that the word dressage comes from a French word meaning training. The training we want to make our horses effective on the cross-country – to go clear inside the time – that training is very much connecting the three phases. The dressage training that we want to see, the dressage performance we want to see in the arena, is one that’s going to lend itself to that effective cross-country riding and then of course showjumping.

“I keep emphasising that in my cross-country training as much as in the dressage arena, that starting point of the scales of training.”

Dickie added – and Chris agreed – that he would slightly change the order of the scales for event horses: “It’s part of a jigsaw, but for me with an event horse, straightness comes before impulsion in the scales of training because of the nature of what we’re doing with our horses – the back legs following the front legs, even on a circle. That way we know the horse stays on railway tracks and biomechanically can shorten or lengthen.

“We know the horse’s job is to avoid a skinny fence and if they go out through the shoulder, they lose the ability to shorten or lengthen. You see many brave horses glance off fences across country, because their biomechanics will not let them shorten or lengthen when they’re out through their shoulder and not straight.”

Three rules for cross-country

Dickie also spoke about his three rules for cross-country and again how as a competitor, you can use these to improve your riding.

“The rules all have sub paragraphs, but firstly the rider must sit in balance, secondly the rider must put the horse in the correct way of going for the question in hand, and thirdly the rider must provide the line,” he said.

“I hear Chris saying to riders, ‘Which rule did you break?’ So again you can self coach and if you stick to those rules the outcome looks after itself. It’s a simplistic way of looking at it, but it seems to work.”

Dickie also spoke about the fact that the best athletes are not necessarily those with the best technical skills, but those who have the attitude and temperament to follow the system at events.

“You only need enough technical skills to get the job done – if the fence is 3ft high, the horse only needs to clear it by 3ft and half an inch,” he said, mentioning the example of Michael Jung at the Rio Olympics, who did not have a stellar score in any part of his dressage test with La Biosthetique-Sam FBW, but delivered consistency.

“The horse only had so much in his trot, so much in his canter, so much in his walk, but he delivered and just had enough technical skills. But most importantly, both horse and rider had the character to deliver on the field of play under pressure.

“So we go back to you need enough technical skills to get the job done, but that attitude and character is absolutely essential to deliver on any given day of 365 days of the year.”

Dickie added: “If you have a bad day in the office, if you stuck to the system and stuck to the rules and it doesn’t come off that day, you can look yourself in the eye, but if you come away from a competition and you broke the rules, you’ve not stuck to the system, it’s hard to look yourself in the eye. That can take a long time for an athlete to get over, that under pressure they haven’t stuck to the system.”

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

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

From herding cattle in Australia to winning world eventing gold, this headstrong horse – who didn’t do Polos or affection – became Lucinda Green’s “most talented of all”, as Martha Terry discovers

LUCINDA GREEN has had many beloved champions.

Six Badminton victors, seven gold and five silver-medal winners. And while they all had their fortes and foibles, Regal Realm – her fifth Badminton winner and 1982 world champion – is the horse she puts “in the position of the most talented of all”.

Regal Realm’s story begins 10,000 miles away from the scenes of his great victories, under the fierce Australian sun on the dusty Comboglong cattle station in New South Wales. Bar the brief and rather brutal invasion of humans into his life for branding and castration, the young thoroughbred spent the first two years of his life almost untouched, roaming the vast outback in search of food and water, and developing the tough, independent spirit that would later become his hallmark.

Headstrong and defiant when it came to being broken in, Regal Realm – nicknamed Poncho – soon became the one stock horse that all the jackaroos wanted to ride. He was quick, nimble and incredibly sure-footed, pounding over the iron ground for up to 10 hours a day, seven days a week.

While Poncho was spending his time heading off stray cattle, Australian event rider Merv Bennett was finishing 12th at the Montreal Olympics in 1976 on an inexperienced horse called Regal Reign.

“After Montreal, our team manager Sir Alec Creswick told me he’d find me another Olympic horse,” says Merv. “Sir Alec identified an exceptional station horse among those on his cattle station [Comboglong]. He phoned and told me to pick the horse up as he had found ‘the one’.”

Sir Alec had picked out Poncho, a small, wiry six-year-old with a sun-bleached coat, so renowned for his brilliance as a stock horse that he looked like a scarecrow because he was so overworked.

“The station hands told us that he was the favourite horse everyone wanted to use as he was so handy at everything,” Merv adds. “He was even still saddled from work that morning when we came to pick him up.”

WITHIN three years, Merv was back at the Olympics – the alternative version held in Fontainebleau in France after the boycott of the Moscow Olympics – with both Regal Reign and his reserve horse, Regal Realm. For the Australians to make the great trip north to Europe, they planned to sell their horses after the three-day event – it was the only way they could pay their way.

Lucinda Green was also in Fontainebleau, riding Village Gossip, who finished seventh. But she was on the lookout for a new superstar.

“After Gossip, I didn’t have any top-level horses,” Lucinda says. “I’d done some testimonial work for Rolex and had £10,000 in my account, so I was ready to buy something decent. At the end of the competition, all the Australian horses were for sale for £20,000, except for Regal Realm, who was £10,000 as he was only reserve.”

The Australian rider David Green (later her husband) told Lucinda “that’s a really good little horse” and encouraged her to try him out.

“There wasn’t anything to jump, and I wasn’t about to part with £10,000 – the most I’d ever spent – without checking that he could,” says Lucinda. “There were some steel crowd barriers at about four feet high, so I pointed him towards them, jumped over and then he tanked off with me into the Fontainebleau forest.”

The Australian chef d’equipe Bill Roycroft was furious.

“He said, ‘You shouldn’t have done that! It’s not your horse to risk.’ I felt so small.”

But this uncontrolled foray into the forest sealed the deal. Regal Realm came home with Lucinda to Appleshaw, Hampshire.

IT was a rocky start. Within three weeks, the horse was “crippled lame” with a problem in his front fetlock joint.

“It was shattering as all my money had gone on him and it was as good as down the drain,” says Lucinda.

The FEI vet Paul Farrington decided that Regal Realm was “short of oil in his joint capsule”, and pioneered a treatment that has since become routine in competition horses. His suggested cure was a hyaluronic acid injection – originally derived from a cockerel’s wattle but now a synthetic oil – into the joint capsule.

“It was a new science and no one knew much about it,” explains Lucinda. “Paul himself hadn’t tried it but he recognised that it could cure this problem. It was his pièce de résistance.”

Regal Realm “never took another lame step” over the next five years of competing at the highest level.

However, his physical wellbeing wasn’t Lucinda’s only concern in the early stages of their partnership. Thanks to his background in the outback, he was unused to affection.

“He was an extraordinary horse, very hard to get to know,” says Lucinda. “My idea was always to have a love affair with any horse I rode, but he just wasn’t interested. He’d spent seven years in the bush and people weren’t important to him. He didn’t do Polos, or cuddles. He was his own man who kept himself to himself. It took a year to get inside his trust. Gradually, though, we learnt to connect. But he never liked Polos.”

Lucinda believes she has Village Gossip to thank for her ability to get the best out of Regal Realm. Both horses were brave and wanted to go flat out across country, but they were also sensitive and resented being told what to do.

“I’d learnt the hard way, following a great deal of tears and refusals, that if I let Gossip go the speed he wanted to, he wouldn’t refuse; it was an incredible lesson in the art of cross-country riding,” Lucinda explains. “This was an unorthodox sort of horse – Gossip would come flat out into coffins, but he’d slow and right himself in the last two strides. If I slowed him down, he lost confidence and would stop.

“Regal Realm also needed to be allowed to go, and think everything was his own idea. And he was an amazing package, an incredible athlete. He was completely hollow, but it never mattered. We’d go round with his ears in my mouth, but he was a genius – and I could feel that from those two Fontainebleau crowd barriers. The Australians thought he could have been an Olympic showjumper, too, although he never basculed, but he just went ‘boing’ into the air.”

HOWEVER brilliant and scopey Regal Realm’s jump, dressage was always a struggle due to his conformation. He was ewe-necked and “narrow as a razor blade”. He was well set in his ways by the time Lucinda started training him and so sensitive that she reverted to doing her dressage tests in a jumping saddle.

Lucinda modestly believes that a sponsored trip to America in 1981 to train with Bert de Neméthy proved pivotal in their World Championships bid.

“I stayed with General Jack Burton near the USEA [United States Eventing Association] training establishment [where Bert was], but it snowed and so I couldn’t get out to drive to my lessons,” she says. “I decided I’d walk through the three feet of snow, and I think my determination made an impression on Jack.

“He was judging a few months later at the World Championships in Luhmühlen. We came into the dressage arena in a novice outline in a jumping saddle, and General Jack gave us 49 when anything under 50 was considered good. We went on to win double gold, and I always think it’s because he was judging – I think he only saw the snowdrifts I’d walked through. I’m always grateful for his generous marking.”

Badminton followed in the spring of 1983, and once again vet Paul Farrington came to the rescue.

“Regal Realm overreached early on at a big oxer after the lake, when he stumbled on landing,” says Lucinda. “He took a big chunk out of the bulb of his heel.

“In those days, you could attend to your horses throughout the night, and Paul went into his stable every few hours to ultrasound it. He trotted out sound the next morning and won – I was incredibly lucky. Paul should take so much credit for this horse’s success.”

This superstar pairing franked their Badminton form with double silver at the Europeans in Frauenfeld that autumn, and headed to the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 as hot favourites.

“I always maintain we were lucky to win the world title, but at LA we paid our dues. For there was a very good Swiss dressage judge, Anton Bühler, in LA, who gave us our rightful mark – 53,” says Lucinda. “Regal Realm was by then going in a better outline than at Luhmühlen, and he did a really good test for him, but our team was horrified by our mark.

“Across country, he did his usual brilliant job to go inside the time. There was an oxer off a bank on to the golf course at fence three with shocking dimensions. It was fair, but a proper course, and Regal Realm was made for it.”

All the British team had to jump clear to win gold, which they didn’t quite manage, but Regal Realm’s foot-perfect round clinched silver and individual sixth.

“There was so much disappointment from everyone else, as he was tagged as the gold medallist, but I really thought he couldn’t have done better. He did his best in all three phases when it mattered most; there were just five others better on the day.”

They were also sixth at the European Championships at Burghley the following year, having almost been dislodged by a virtually impenetrable bullfinch.

“We were early to go and the bullfinch was a big black wall – you didn’t think any horse could jump it,” Lucinda remembers. “It was too big to jump over, but he just read it and bravely pushed his way through it. I nearly got pulled off with the branches, and told the rest of the team to grip tight.”

After five years with Lucinda at top level, Regal Realm took his first lame step since his joint treatment after arriving at Appleshaw.

“We’d never had any trouble in five years; he’d done all you could ever want a horse to do,” says Lucinda. “So we gave him another injection, did Burghley [double clear and seventh] and his sponsor, John Burbidge of SR Direct Mail, very kindly flew him back to Australia, with me as flying groom, to spend a comfortable retirement in Jim and Sue Gunn’s outback home in Queensland.”

And so the little horse with a huge heart turned a full circle. The best stock horse on the ranch who flew across the globe to become the best eventer in the world – and back again.

“Brilliant from the start”

“When we first got Regal Realm home and found him fussy with his mouth, we discovered he had a tooth growing sideways which had to be surgically removed, and the resultant hole required daily care from then on,” says Aussie Merv Bennett, who trained him from stock horse to Olympic level.

“He was a brilliant jumper from the start, winning numerous showjumping competitions. He took longer to take to dressage. Because of his tooth, he had learnt to carry his head high, and it took time for him to accept the bit. But he had extremely good stamina, no doubt as a result of his sire being placed in a Melbourne Cup.

“He was very similar to my [Olympic team bronze medallist, pictured] Regal Reign – highly strung and extremely intelligent,” adds Merv. “But Regal Realm was smaller and would always be more suited to a smaller-framed person than me.

“We knew from the minute we saw Lucinda on him, they were a match made in heaven. I rode Regal Reign at the Luhmühlen World Championships and it was a delight to watch Lucinda win on Regal Realm. His success gave his former owner Sir Alec Creswick huge enjoyment and we all still reflect on his career with great fondness.”

A golden promise

“When Regal Realm won the World Championships in Luhmühlen in 1982, Britain hadn’t won double gold for some time,” says Malcolm Wallace, chef d’equipe at the time. “We were watching the showjumping and, of course, Lucinda jumped clear and Lord Hugh Russell said, ‘Ah’ rather sternly.

“‘Is there a problem?’ I asked.

“‘You’ll see later on,” he said.

“We had a party that night to celebrate and invited every team. I spent £1,000 on champagne. Lord Hugh Russell arrived on a bike under an umbrella, under which it transpired he was wearing just a pair of Union Jack underpants. He’d made some promise if Britain won gold.”

“A cage fighter”

“Regal Realm wasn’t very big, but he was one of the toughest horses on the circuit,” says Ian Stark, who was on the same silver medal-winning Olympic team in Los Angeles (pictured). “He was like a terrier of the horseworld. He was a brilliant, brilliant cross-country horse.

“Conformationally, he wasn’t the best; he was very upright and didn’t have the best paces, but he had such a good attitude and Lucinda rode him very well. He shuffled his way round the dressage arena and came into his own in the next two phases. He was a jumping machine, in both cross-country and showjumping, an absolute athlete. You could rely on him to produce a double clear.

“He made sure we won Olympic silver in LA with his clear showjumping. I was riding Oxford Blue, who hated showjumping and we had a few down. It was funny them being on the team together – they were total opposites. Regal Realm was like a little cage fighter, while Oxford Blue was a gentleman in a bowler hat.”

“Unique style”

“What I remember best about Regal Realm was his extraordinary athleticism,” says Ginny Elliot (pictured, with Lucinda), who was on the same Olympic team, riding Priceless, in LA 1984. “On the cross-country, he and Lucinda were like a pair of gymnasts.

“Lucinda always said Regal Realm couldn’t do dressage, but I wonder what would have happened if she’d had him from a four-year-old. She produced him fantastically well.

“I admired the way Lucinda dealt with the horse’s style, with his ears in her nose. Instead of insisting on him approaching fences in a classic way, tying him down, she adapted to him and trusted him.

“It’s a wonderful example of the rider adapting to the individual needs of the horse, making compromises.

“I took the memory of this example of horsemanship when it came to riding [1993 Badminton winner] Welton Houdini, who also carried his head very high. I remembered Regal Realm and thought if that’s the way he’s got to do it, so be it.”

This report can also be read in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 29 April

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With six Badminton wins on six horses, not to mention countless championship medals, Lucinda Green is the hugely deserving winner of the 2020 H&H lifetime achievement award.

Former Badminton media director Julian Seaman, a former rival of Lucinda’s on the eventing circuit, presented her with the award, the last to be announced during this year’s three-part virtual ceremony.

“I’m very touched to win this,” she said. “What I’ve done with my life has been a huge and exciting journey with the help of so many people – there’s no way I could have done it without them. I’m just the lucky one who got my name out there.

“And my goodness we’ve had some fun. Heartbreak, too – for every one fabulous moment there are nine disappointments, but I have had plenty of fabulous moments and I’m so grateful to have this recognised on behalf of those wonderful people who helped make it happen.”

In a video created to mark her award, Lucinda charts her journey, from travelling to her riding lessons on the back of her nanny’s bicycle — “before the police stopped me and I had to take the bus” — to her first Badminton win on her “great love” Be Fair.

She remembers her many British team appearances and medals, the lessons that made her an eventing legend and her debt to her late trainer Pat Burgess, not to mention her top horses: Be Fair, Killaire, George, Regal Realm, Wideawake and Beagle Bay.

“What was common to all of them is they had a very, very special quality, which is hard to identify – it’s heart, it’s spirit, it’s wanting to do it for you,” she said.

Continues below…

H&H Awards crown the decade’s best after thousands of votes

“For me this is more than the moment of the decade, it’s the moment of a lifetime”

Horse & Hound crowns the great and the good of 2020 in virtual awards

We can’t wait to celebrate with you all in person next year, but until then will be raising a glass

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H&H Editor in Chief Sarah Jenkins added: “Six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green has been a heroine to and inspiration for so many riders at all levels, and has given so much back to the sport – she’s also one of the nicest people you could meet, with time, charm and kindness for everyone.

“Lucinda is such a deserving winner of the H&H lifetime achievement award, and watching her interview with Julian Seaman reiterates quite how much Lucinda has achieved in the sport. She reminds us as well just what goes into creating the magical moments we so enjoy as spectators, heartbreak and all.

“She truly is remarkable – a superlative horsewoman and born storyteller – and it is an honour to be able to give her this award, which I know has pride of place by her TV!”

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The 2019 H&H Awards in partnership with NAF took place on Wednesday, 4 December, at Cheltenham Racecourse. With 320 guests and 24,000 votes from readers, this fourth renewal of the H&H Awards was the biggest one yet.

Eleven worthy winners were crowned on the night and guests enjoyed champagne and a three-course meal before dancing the night away to a live band.

Two police horses from the mounted unit of the Gloucestershire Constabulary greeted guests on arrival.

Multi-medalled event rider Nicola Wilson and her husband Alastair travelled from Yorkshire for the evening.

Six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green chats to Marcus Rich, CEO of H&H’s parent company TI Media.

We were here! H&H livery yard blogger Katy Malone and Emily Skerrett grab a selfie.

H&H showjumping editor Jennifer Donald with Rupert Bell and Sam Lloyd of Lloyd Bell Productions.

Avail McKinley, Tara Tapperden and Joanne Heep, who represented short-listed club Ulverston and District Equine Club.

Trevor Dickens, whose Vanir Kamira — the Badminton winner with Piggy French — was named Horseware Horse of the Year.

Showing royalty: Robert Walker, Natalie Reynolds, Stuart Hollings, Simon Reynolds and Sarah Walker prepare for a fun night.

Former British Horse Society chair and chief coach at Wellington Riding David Sheerin.

Rob Melvin, who was shortlisted for the NAF Five Star Groom of the Year award, and his employer Charis McCormiskie-Gray.

Event rider Adam Harvey, who took home the trophy in the Pikeur Amateur Rider of the Year category.

H&H dressage columnist Pammy Hutton and her husband Brian.

H&H magazine and eventing editor Pippa Roome with Kitty King — best of the Brits at this year’s eventing European Championships — and her husband Ben.

Annie Joppe, who has ridden for Britain at championship level in endurance and who is an H&H blogger, with her husband Robert.

Awards presenter Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes.

Simon Healy, Ellie Healy, Finn Healy and Sarah Healy — Finn won the Saracen Young Rider of the Year award, having taken double gold at the pony European Championships on his sister Ellie’s Midnight Dancer II.

Floss Bish-Jones, Laura Stockdale, Joe Stockdale — who collected the Absorbine Inspiration of the Year award — and Rose Williamson.

Jay Halim — who presented the first award on behalf of NAF — with Edward Jackson.

Hugh Thomas, who stepped down as director of Badminton Horse Trials in May this year, and his wife Mandy.

Irish event rider Susie Berry, Amy Phillips (winner of the NAF Five Star Groom of the Year award), Amy Culler and Sam Merry.

Dressage rider Maria Eilberg with Lucas Eilberg, Marion Rigal and Thomas Bolois.

Former H&H editor Lucy Higginson with Ceris Burns (red dress), sponsor of the Ceris Burns Equestrian Professional Rider of the Year award, which went to Piggy French.

Mollie Summerland — who has had an excellent eventing season this year — with Joss Riley.

David Ingle, chairman of The Showing Council.

Mark Phillips, who won the H&H Lifetime Achievement Award last year, and his partner, US showjumper Lauren Hough.

H&H showjumping editor Jennifer Donald (left, blue dress) hosts a table including commentator Stevie Wilde (opposite in glasses) and British showjumping performance manager Di Lampard (right, green dress).

Russ Williams conducts the auction in aid of World Horse Welfare.

Event rider and H&H blogger Coral Keen (centre) is flanked by Jess Crofts and Pippa Hawksfield.

Twenty-four lucky guests found a golden envelope in their goodie bag and were invited to open a door on the giant advent calendar. Here Kitty King’s husband Ben claims his prize.

Article continues below…

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H&H blogger Simon Grieve with Kitty King and James Horswell.

Jane and Jonathan Clarke (left), who own Pippa Funnell’s Burghley-winning ride MGH Grafton Street and collected the Horserail Moment of the Year award on behalf of Pippa, with World Horse Welfare’s Roly Owers and H&H magazine and eventing editor Pippa Roome.

H&H Editor-in-Chief Sarah Jenkins (right, red dress) hosts a table including BE CEO Jude Matthews (opposite), event rider Nicola Wilson (right, blue dress) and her husband Alastair (on Nicola’s right), Kitty King (left, blue dress) and Lucinda Green (green jacket, back to camera).

Pictures by Peter Nixon and Lucy Merrell

Read more about the fourth H&H Awards in next week’s magazine, out Thursday 12 December.

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Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Eventing legend Lucinda Green says she and her “lovely” horse are recovering after a fall at Saracen Horse Feeds Houghton International Horse Trials.

Lucinda and Riddick VEH fell at fence 12b, a corner, of the CCI3*-L (formerly CCI2*) cross-country course on 25 May, and Lucinda told H&H she is “mystified” as to the cause.

“I have no idea what happened,” she said.

“I remember the last few strides thinking ‘this is great, just what I wanted’, the right stride, the right power, then I don’t remember anything for 15 minutes.

“I’ve watched it on video, again and again; I’m so glad I’ve been able to watch it as otherwise I’d have thought I’d done something wrong, or he did – but the poor little horse just went straight into it.

“I just can’t see what went wrong; I’ve sent the video to all sorts of people, and we were straight, everything in our favour, I’m completely mystified.

“I just felt so sorry for him, he’s such a sweet horse, who always tries his heart out.”

Lucinda added that Riddick was well warmed up by fence 12 and had jumped other combinations on the course.

The 12-year-old gelding has developed a haematoma on a forearm but is “looking marvellous”, and expected to make a full recovery, while Lucinda was kept in hospital until Tuesday, so doctors could carry out “every test you can imagine”.

“I’m waddling around now!” she said. “I’m very lucky. I’m slightly suspicious as my hip is hurting, so I’ll have another X-ray on that to be sure.

“I don’t think I’ll be riding for a few weeks but then I had other plans so wasn’t intending to be riding much now anyway.”

Continues below…

Ride of my life: Lucinda Green

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Lucinda said she will see how fast she heals and take her plans for the rest of the season from that point.

“We were very lucky, we could have got thoroughly crunched,” she said. “This is the nature of the sport but it’s a big positive as we could have been hurt a lot worse than we were.

“I probably don’t bounce as well as I used to but it’s such a privilege to still be riding; I count every blessing.”

Read the full report from Houghton International in this week’s H&H magazine, out 30 May.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Improve your cross-country skills with advice from the six-time Badminton winner — from being flexible with bits to making sure your horse sees the fence

1. A strong contact is difficult for the horse because he takes his head and neck through up to 180 degrees in order to focus on the fence in that last couple of strides and if he’s rooted by the contact, he gets taken out of that really good balance and position for jumping.

Across country you need to slip your reins a tremendous amount and the more difficult the course, the more you’re slipping your reins and having to ride from element to element on turns on a long rein — you have to pick up a contact, so you have to open your hand (make your hands wider to keep a contact with long reins) and find a way to that fence.

2. Make sure your horse sees the fence. Use your eyes, legs and hands as a triangle to channel him — think of your legs going to his eyeballs.

3. Remember the three “fs” — fun, focus and footwork. Those three things are what I want to train for.

I want to train for my horse to look what he’s doing, to take me to that fence and be clever in front of it. I’m not fussed if he’s wrong or right in terms of stride, his job is to get me to the other side of the fence, mine to stay in balance.

4. Horses need a framework of discipline. Within that framework, they become the artist they want to be. They jump how they want to, but I will make sure they don’t run out, that they keep the quality of pace they need, because I know what the fence looks like.

Continued below…

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5. I rarely do an exercise twice, because the horse knows what’s going to happen, but I’ll try to build a similar exercise elsewhere.

6. A lot of people say if you ride a horse properly, you don’t need to change the bit, but in my experience of teaching if the horse is 12-years-old you want to go out and do something, so you have to find a way to ride it, a way to help you find a balance. If the horse is comfy in their mouth and respectful enough, and not really hating the bit, you have half a chance, so I’m very flexible with what I use in terms of bits.

7. When doing cross-country exercises, halt in a straight line after the final fence.

8. Cross-country doesn’t always go as planned, so if someone walks across a fence in training or a dog turns up in the field, keep going. There’s always a dog, or a fence judge’s car or a shadow over a fence when you’re competing. Your reaction should be that you’ve got to work it out, not that this isn’t fair. 


For all the latest news, reports and analysis don’t miss the latest issue of Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday

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Fans of eventing legend Lucinda Green have the chance to join her for a “year to remember” this season, for £2,000 each.

The six-time Badminton winner is looking for 10 people to sign up to a supporters’ scheme to help fund her horse Riddick VEH.

Benefits include an invitation to join Lucinda at a members-only event at Badminton Horse Trials on 3 May, and join a Badminton cross-country course-walk.

All will also be invited to a members-only mid-season barbecue with Lucinda, and to one event this season as Lucinda’s guests, including a “detailed lead-up and debrief”.

Lucinda told H&H the idea came when she told Shiwon Green, of Lucinda’s sponsors Fenlandz Health, that she was going to have trouble running Riddick this season as his part-owner had pulled out.

“Shiwon said maybe she would get a syndicate together,” Lucinda said. “I never thought I would hear any more from her after that Christmas party, but she remembered, ran with it, and set it up – amazing!

“It’s a very exciting possibility to team up with a few people to see what Riddick and I can make of a year’s eventing – aiming we hope for the new three-star level – we will both need to knock off some rust, but it should be a fun and interesting journey.”

Lucinda imported the 11-year-old Australian thoroughbred, having “taken a shine” to him while teaching over there, and he competed up to intermediate level in 2017.

He had to have most of last year off, but is now “fully recovered” and getting fit for the 2019 season.

Shiwon Green added that campaigning horses is expensive, and “even legends require help with this”.

“The best of the best riders are usually only available to those with very deep pockets,” she added. “As this is not an ownership as such, the supporters are able to enjoy nearly all of the benefits at a fraction of the cost. Lucinda is very generous with her time and knowledge and I know that anyone who spends time in her company comes away with insights and inspiration.”

A Fenlandz spokesman added that the project is “unique”.

Continues below…

Lucinda Green rides Sprinter Sacre: in pics

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“It enables the eventing enthusiast access to the highest level of sport and expertise at an affordable level and have a lot of fun in the process,” she said. “Supporters are strictly limited to 10 people to allow plenty of opportunity to have personal contact and conversation with Lucinda.”

For more information, visit the Fenlandz website.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

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Horse & Hound’s eventing editor Pippa Roome takes her “sports pony” to try out Slades Farm, a new cross-country schooling course in Surrey — and gets Lucinda Green’s verdict on the facilities

There are plenty of perks to working at Horse & Hound, but when our features editor suggested I go and review a new cross-country schooling course, I knew I’d hit the jackpot. Take my horse and ride him over some nice new cross-country fences, in the sun, rather than sitting at a desk and answering emails? Oh, I expect I could just about manage that.

When I say “my horse”, I really mean “Mum’s horse”. Alfie arrived last October, after a long search. He is her pride and joy. He’s barely allowed out of her sight. “Will it just be you or is your Mum coming?” asked Rachel Lewis, who was setting up my visit to Slades Farm. Oh Mum will be coming. There is no way Alfie would be allowed to jump solid fences without her in attendance. And frankly, if he was, who would take the videos? Reader, you know you want to see videos.

I call Alfie the sports pony or the sports cob because he’s a Connemara, 15.1hh and up for a bit of anything. Mum thinks this is vaguely insulting, but I mean it as a compliment. Who doesn’t want a sports pony?

The sports pony had had a few quiet weeks before this outing. Mum had been away and I had been a touch busy with that little event called Badminton. But because he’s an obliging sports pony, Alfie accepted his role as a prop in an H&H feature with aplomb, tucked up his little tummy (yes, he has been put on a mini diet after we viewed the photos and videos from this day) and hopped into the trailer.

Getting to Slades Farm

First point to note if you are heading to Slades Farm, which is five miles south of Guildford, in Surrey. Do follow the instructions on the website about which way to approach (off the A281 at Palmers Cross or via Lodkin Hill just north of Hascombe on the B2130). Some of the routes in are very narrow and we found ourselves squeezing between parked cars and an unforgiving wall at one point, having disregarded the instructions. Luckily Mum is made of stern stuff as a driver and we made it unscathed.

The parking

The parking area is a good size, on gravelly hard-standing. Riders are asked to book online and then sign the visitor’s book and a disclaimer on arrival, standard stuff. The course is through a gate — sensible, so that horses are not loose onto the road in the event of falls and I’d suggest one on the entrance to the car park might not go amiss either. The sports pony has been known to untie himself and wander off if not watched at all times.

The owners

Owners Ed and Lulu Hutley appeared for a chat before I headed out on the course. They are both joint masters of the Surrey Union and the inspiration for this cross-country schooling course grew out of the hunt putting up jumps across their land. Having decided to go for it, they chose top names to realise the course, with Badminton course-designer Eric Winter as the designer and Dominic Moore of Jump 1 as the builder. Dominic counts Tweseldown’s course among his credits.

The course

The course was started last autumn, with the aim of being finished by March, but as with so much this spring, wet weather de-railed things somewhat and it actually opened in mid-April. One of the first clients won a one-day event soon after her schooling session and things were off to a flying start.

It’s worth pointing out at that Slades Farm has considerably more than just a cross-country schooling course — New Zealand event rider Hollie Swain will be based here and is running clinics, plus there is a trekking business and accommodation for both horses and humans for holidays, with horses also available to hire. Cross-country schoolers can pop into the club house overlooking the lake for coffee and biscuits afterwards and of course there’s a loo — because who doesn’t need a wee before cross-country schooling?

Ok, enough about the biscuits and the loo. Let’s get to the action.

Lucinda Green’s verdict

Lucinda Green recently visited Slades Farm and said she was delighted to discover the course is on grass and undulating.

“I often get asked to teach on flat, all-weather courses, but this isn’t realistic,” she says. “Cross-country is not naturally flat; your horse needs to build the skills required for natural terrain, and all-weather surfaces take away the skill of riding. Slades Farm gives riders a chance to have a realistic experience.”

The course is in a natural bowl, with great grass cover. The going is sandy and free-draining and the Hutleys are aware they will need to work on maintaining the going — a few places were starting to become set in firm ruts when I visited and they plan to put down wood chip on the take-offs and landings where it’s needed.

This is designed as a schooling course, so everything is convenient and an instructor could easily see their pupils. The fences are from 50-100cm level and there is great variety, including several open ditches, an extensive set of steps up and down, a big water pond and a couple of corners.

Don’t just take my word for it — Lucinda says: “The three fundamentals of training your horse in cross country are ditches, banks and water, and Slades Farm has them in spades. The large water jump offers huge possibilities for competitors.”

Some of the fences are flagged to be jumped both ways, some one way, some are not flagged at all. I would have liked to see the second little corner flagged as although the sports pony has never shown a desire to run out, I do prefer jumping narrow fences with flags.

As you can see, Alfie and I had a fabulous time cruising around and trying out all the fences. And before anyone asks, yes, I know he needs to go forward a little more (forgive me, I’m really a writer, not a rider) and no he’s definitely not for sale!

The cost

The Hutleys are restricting the course to four horses per hour session (£35 per horse per hour, with at £25 offer until the end of June) which should allow good access. Those organising clinics and bigger groups can contact them directly via the website.

Also on offer is a 900m grass gallop, situated on top of a hill high above the cross-country course. We strode up to take a look and admire the view, both out over the surrounding countryside and back over the cross-country course, although I admit I felt the sports pony had done enough so I didn’t carry out an action test.

Overall this is a great new facility for grassroots horses and riders — find yourself a sports pony (or horse) and give it a go.

Find out more at sladesfarm.co.uk

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

 In this week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine, out on 24 May 2018, don’t miss our “cob special”, including how to find the perfect cob, meet champion cob Our Cashel Blue and more

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Even at lower levels of eventing, getting your timing wrong can scupper your hopes of success. We asked the experts for their tips on achieving the optimum time going cross-country

1. Know your rhythm

“Rhythm is the key to riding inside the time,” says Francis Whittington. “Choose a rhythm, stick to it and practise consistently. Be aware of your rhythm on the course, check your time-faults and practise again next time out.” Francis explains that the top riders work on “rhythm, balance and control”. “Repetition at events allows them to engage their inner clock and this helps them to ride to the time,” he says.

2. Look over your shoulder

Have you ever walked a cross-country course backwards? The 1964 Olympian James Templar maintained it was the way to find the quickest route. His Pony Club pupil, six-times Badminton winner Lucinda Green, passes this on to her own students. “I advise riders to look behind them constantly while walking the course, to detect the most direct route,” she says. “It’s fascinating how you can’t always see this just by looking forwards.”

3. Practise changing gear at home

Harry Meade says that his experience of pace was garnered in the hunting field. “I have hunted all my life and learnt to ride as sympathetically as possible, because a horse that is ridden in a rhythm, in balance and on efficient lines stays fresh and can cover more ground during a day,” he says. “In fittening work at home, I use the full range of speeds and incorporate many changes of gear to make the horse more responsive. At four-star, you spend a lot of time travelling faster than 600 metres per minute, but also have to travel at walking pace — for something like Burghley’s Leaf Pit.”

4. Find the right note

Amateur rider Vicky Franklin taught herself rhythm using measured distances. “I used Ordnance Survey maps to measure a distance and time myself,” she says. “I learnt how fast a hand canter was and sang a song to keep the tempo, then a full canter — with a song to match — and finally a steady gallop. All 3 songs kept me and my horse within a good rhythm throughout, leaving me to concentrate on riding the fences.”

5. Start as you hope to continue

British Eventing trainer Sally Billing, who has ridden up to three-star level, likes to jump off strongly, so that if complications ensue towards the end of the course, she has seconds in hand.

6. Don’t hang around on landing

Sally Billing also rarely encourages inexperienced competitors to ride for the time, but still advises them not to hang around on landing. “Many riders jump the fence and waste four strides thinking about how that went,” she says. “It’s better to gallop away positively than head into a fence too fast.”

7. Don’t dwell on every fence

“Unless you have a very hot horse, start kicking in the air, urging the horse to land running,” says Lucinda Green. “Land, go, pat — rather than land, pat, go.”

8. Save those seconds

“If you can save half a second after every fence on a 30-fence course, that can make a big difference,” Harry Meade points out. He believes too much time is wasted setting horses up for single fences. “You need to be able to set a horse up at a gallop,” he says. “You should not have to slow down to prepare for a non- combination fence, such as an upright table.”

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9. Make use of your turns

Four-star rider Lauren Shannon advises using “turns to set you up, rather than wasting time fighting on a straight stretch”. “The most common reasons for not making the time are setting up too early, killing the canter before you get to the fence and then not moving off afterwards,” she says.

10. Spot the rhythm

Finally, an insider’s-tip from Frances Whittington. “Every course-designer has a rhythm, it’s about finding that rhythm each time.”

For all the latest news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound, out every Thursday

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Lissa Green’s plans to follow in her mother’s footsteps by competing at her first Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials have been scuppered at the last minute.

The 28-year-old, who is the daughter of eventing legend Lucinda Green, was on site at the event with her 15-year-old ride Malin Head Clover, known at home as Ali G, when she broke the news that he was going to be unable to compete.

She posted on her Instagram page shortly before the first horse inspection was due to get under way: “Sadly I have had to withdraw MALIN HEAD CLOVER (Ali G) from [Burghley Horse Trials].

“I am in total shock, he has felt brilliant in this whole lead up, he was sound this morning on our wonderful ride together through Burghley Park and now, for whatever reason, he is not.

“I have no idea why or how this has happened – it could be anything from a bang in the stable to something in his foot to God knows what. Although not immediately obvious, it is there and I can’t risk competing my beloved boy in this condition.”

Lissa has been sharing her Burghley preparations with Horse & Hound readers in a guest blog on the website, in which she explained the lengths she had gone to to ensure that both herself and her ride were in tip-top condition.

She closed her Instagram post by saying: “What makes this even worse is that this was always going to the Ali’s last top level competition. I can’t believe we don’t get to do it together, we were really looking forward to going out on a high. ❤ Love you Ali ❤”

Continued below…

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Lissa made her four-star debut at Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials in the spring, jumping round the cross-country course with one stop. However, she had to withdraw from the holding box at the trot-up the next morning when Malin Head Clover was unlevel.

Lissa’s mother Lucinda won Burghley twice, in 1977 on George — when the event also hosted the European Championships — and in 1981 on Beagle Bay.

Don’t miss our exclusive form guide for Burghley Horse Trials in the 31 August issue of Horse & Hound magazine

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With just a week to go until the start of this year's Badminton Horse Trials (3-7 May 2017), excitement is building at Horse & Hound HQ. We've dug into the archives to find some of the event's biggest rider frighteners through history. Nerves of steel would be an understatement...

1962

In 1962, Anneli Drummond-Hay sailed around the sizeable cross-country course to take the title, having won the inaugural Burghley with Merely-A-Monarch the previous year. Two years earlier Anneli had finished third at Badminton with Perhaps — a horse that she had saved from the slaughterhouse, paying just £15 for him.

1967

In 1967 a clear showjumping round moved Celia Ross-Taylor and Johnathan up from third place to victory, after this hairy-looking cross-country round.

1969

Caroline Bradley and Alpaca sail over the 1969 elephant trap in style.

Badminton final scores

1974

Captain Mark Phillips records a third victory at Badminton in 1974, this time riding The Queen’s striking grey gelding Columbus. The plan had been for Princess Anne to ride Columbus, but he had proved too strong for her.

1977

Crowds of spectators watch Captain Mark Phillips as he flies over the tiger trap in 1977. Lucinda Green (née Prior-Palmer) took the title that year with the 16.2hh George.

1978

Lucinda Green (née Prior-Palmer) and Village Gossip secure second place to Jane Holderness-Roddam in 1978.

1979

Jane Starkey and Topper Too go clear cross-country in 1979. The pair had finished third in 1978 and Topper-Too completed Badminton a total of five times. His last Badminton was in 1982, when he was 15 years old. The title in 1979 was won by Lucinda Green (née Prior-Palmer) on Killaire — bringing her Badminton tally up to four.

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1979

Previous Badminton winners Captain Mark Phillips and Columbus in 1979.

1984

Lucinda Green and Village Gossip finished fifth in 1984 and she went on to win that year’s title with the part-Welsh pony Beagle Bay, which was her sixth Badminton win.

1985

Mark Todd and Charisma IV at the footbridge in 1985. Ginny Elliot (née Holgate) took the title that year with Priceless, and was also third on Nightcap.

Don’t miss our Badminton preview guide in tomorrow’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine (27 April 2017)

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Do you know what your three jobs are as a cross-country rider and how to train your horse to safely get to the other side of every fence? According to six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green, there is a science to achieving this and it has to be learned, perfected and continually practised.

1. Remember the three ‘Fs’

Focus

There are three ingredients for focusing a horse so that he sees a fence and reads it correctly — your eyes, hands and legs.

“A lot of riders don’t think eyes, but eyes are for intention and I was always taught that if you don’t have intention, don’t bother to ride,” says Lucinda. “I find it helps to imagine there is an invisible wire linking my horse’s eyes to my calves so that we’re focusing together.”

Footwork

“If a horse has agile footwork in front of a fence, he is much less likely to fall. It’s good for horses to have to think for themselves,” adds Lucinda.

Fun

“It’s not fun if a horse doesn’t want to jump a fence and you have to ask yourself why — does he lack confidence or is he naughty?”

2. Learn the three ‘Fs’ at home

When teaching, Lucinda uses a course of five narrow 4ft poles that are no more than 2ft high. Jump them in trot and halt for 10 seconds after clearing the last.

“There are two rules: no running out and no cantering because that will be too fast for the horse to see the jump,” says Lucinda. “It doesn’t matter if they knock it down, but if they stop don’t turn away. The fences are small enough to walk over.”

Looking ahead to the next fence is important.

“Look where you want to go before making the turn so that you give your horse intention. If you’re not focusing, how can he?”

This exercise is a good way to see how both horse and rider cope under pressure and in a tight space.

“Cross-country isn’t just about big galloping fences — there are combinations that require a more controlled pace and a horse that pays attention,” adds Lucinda.

3. Aim for the feeling of putting your horse in a tube of your legs

“It’s not a constant grind, just a connection — your hands guide and legs steer while your eyes focus. Think of it as a cuddle, not a severe squeeze,” explains Lucinda.

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4. A good cross-country rider has three jobs to do. The easiest way to remember is by an acronym — ELBOW

E is for engine

L is for line

B is for balance

OW if you forget one of the above

“About 200 yards out from a fence I start to change the balance and the speed, put my horse in the tube and really focus his eyes. Once I’ve done my three jobs it is up to him to jump the fence,” says Lucinda.

Don’t miss our exclusive interview with Lucinda Green and her daughter Lissa in this week’s issue of Horse & Hound magazine (16 February 2017)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Yesterday (13 November 2016) Nicky Henderson announced the dual Champion Chase winner Sprinter Sacre's retirement. As we celebrate the National Hunt hero, find out how Lucinda Green got on when she went to ride the chaser back in 2013

Read what Lucinda had to say about her ride:

It’s just amazing the power these horses have. This is a really sensitive horse and a delightful horse to ride, but obviously completely terrifying because you’re so worried you will do something wrong and this champion of all champions will hurt himself. But I hope he has come back in one piece.

I was asked by Nicky to stay six lengths behind Long Run and that would be absolutely fine and Nick said, ‘don’t worry he’s quite strong’, anyway I didn’t manage six lengths, I think I managed two.

I’m just chuffed to bits to be in the presence of two such great horses let alone be on top of one of them.

Big Buck’s was a different horse all together. He was much narrower, he was much gentler. This one is such an enthusiast, he’s like a coiled spring from the moment you walk him out of the stable, I thought, good heavens, this is going to a rough morning.

I thought this is going to be interesting. I’d better do my stirrups in the yard because I won’t be doing them when I get near the gallops by the feel of this. I got them at what I thought was roughly short enough.

He was just amazing he’s just a bubble, he’s bubbling away all the time. When we turned to look down the gallop he was quite happy to wait at the very top of the hill with the world at his feet for the rest of the string to finish – they all finish on a sagging rein, I can tell you I finished on a tight rein. He does not have to make an effort.

And then I walked down and he was really bouncy to the start again for a second one.

I’ve been incredibly lucky to ride some very smart event horses and some very smart race horses and this horse would be amazing to event.

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I just spent a few minutes with him in the stable and he is the most loving horse, which I never got the feeling of [when I was riding him] because he was so up for it and go-getting it. But in the stable he just wants a cuddle and kiss – just divine – the sweetest horse.

I would love to jump this horse. I tell you why – I don’t feel safe on every horse I get on but he’s got such a beautiful high head carriage, in the right way, round, and this incredible shoulder and you sit right down low, low, low, so you feel really safe on him even though he’s bouncing all the time. He’s just delightful.

Ref: 7 November 2013 issue of Horse & Hound magazine

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

We ask the experts to tackle some common cross-country problems, from dealing with green horses to keeping your horse focused

1. Fitness tips

Q. What is your advice on getting my horse fit for going cross-country?

A. “The most crucial thing with fitness is to find a regime appropriate for your horse,” advises Francis Whittington. “You can’t just follow a set programme because each horse, even within the same level, needs different work. Get advice from a trainer who knows your horse well and who has practical fitness experience. I also like to take my horses cross-country schooling about once a month during the event season — it builds up their confidence and their fitness.”

2. Tackling skinnies

Q. What exercises should I be using to improve how my horse and I jump skinny fences across country?

A. “I do a lot of work on skinnies at home in the arena using single fillers. 2ft is big enough — it doesn’t need to be big,” advises J-P Sheffield.

“Begin by placing poles on the fillers in a v-shape and approach in trot to start. Trot is an easier pace to control and you can place the horse at a deep take-off spot. Never kick for a long stride at a skinny because it gives a horse too much opportunity to run out.

“Then place the poles on the ground and attempt it again in canter — make sure your canter is short and bouncy and you must sit up. Once the horse feels comfortable doing this, you can make it harder by placing another filler a few strides away in line from the first. This can then be built up to three fillers.”

J-P adds: “By regularly doing exercises like this, skinnies become second nature. If at any point you feel it going wrong, step back one stage until you feel your horse growing in confidence.”

3. Warm-up tips

Q. Do you have any handy tips for warming up before the cross-country?

A. “Start off by jumping the warm-up fence (begin over the smallest fence) in a straight line a couple of times to get you horse in the zone,” advises Angus Smales.

“If you have a corner fence to jump in your course or any angled fences, it is always a good idea to angle your warm-up jump a few times to get your horse’s eye in before you head out across country. Also if you plan to run faster, try jumping the warm-up fence a bit quicker than usual — this will help get his eye in.”

4. Improving straightness

Q. I have taken on an ex-racehorse but I’m having problems with him running out across country and then I feel we both lose confidence. How do we overcome this?

A. “Straightness is the most important factor here. You need to work really hard on teaching him to stay straight,” says Nick Gauntlett. “Using grids at home is the best way to achieve this, but keep them small and easy so his confidence levels are maintained. Try jumping different types of fences, rather than trappier combinations, which will only catch him out.

“When you go schooling begin with straightforward fences, then progress to more complex ones and go back to the easier ones after that to reassure him. If he starts running out again, take him back to basics. Take him to as many small shows and hunter trials as possible so he sees lots of different fences. Build a pyramid of experience from the bottom up.”

5. How to keep focused

Q. I can often feel my mare losing concentration on the approach to fences, usually during cross-country when there are other things to look at. What should I be doing to make her more focused?

A. “It is vital for you as the rider to establish communication with your horse,” says eventing icon Lucinda Green.

“Fundamentally, you need to have a ‘stop’ and ‘go’ button — if she mucks about, you need to go back to basics until she understands discipline. Focus your horse’s attention on the fence by putting her in what I call ‘the tube’ — wrap your legs around her, imagining your calves are attached to her eyeballs by invisible wire — and locking on to the fence yourself.

“You might have to get tough with your legs and hands to metaphorically say ‘this is where we are going’ but being tough at the wrong moment will take her focus away from the fence on to evading you.”

6. Is side saddle too dangerous across country?

Q. I have grown up eventing but wanted to try something a bit different last year, so took up side saddle. I have been out hunting side saddle and loved it but would you say that going cross-country is too risky?

A. “There are a couple of things you have to take into account before going cross-country side saddle, as yes, it does present more of a health and safety risk,” says professional eventer and side saddle rider Fiona Davidson.

“In the event of a rotational fall a side saddle rider won’t be thrown clear. Although we hunt over big country you don’t tackle combinations in the same way you do on a cross-country course and rotational falls are rare out hunting.

“Current British Eventing rules prevent you from competing affiliated side saddle, but I do feel riding side saddle leads to a marked improvement in how you ride. You sit up straighter and this carries through to when you ride astride so you can hope to do a much more elegant dressage test.

“When you ride side saddle you are forced to keep your shoulders more upright — allowing for a cleaner jump. You will see some horses definitely jump better with a side saddle rider rather than one that is astride.”

7. Bringing back confidence

Q. I suffered a bad fall last season while going cross-country and I now lack confidence when out competing. What can I do to rebuild my cross-county confidence?

A. “Keep things simple by spending time perfecting the smaller fences and simpler tracks, which will provide a great boost,” says Mary King.

“At home, for example, start with a cross-pole to get going. Consider going back to a lower level to regain some confidence and remember you don’t have to do anything, so remove any expectation of yourself to do things that you aren’t completely confident with. If you don’t want to move up a height or level then don’t.

“If things go wrong there must be a cause, so go back to the early stages to iron out any issues. It is useful to have someone on the ground to assess you and the horse.

“Two final things. One, relax and have fun. Nobody enjoys being stressed and horses are good at sensing it. Secondly, get out there. Whether it is showjumping, a clinic or local show they are a good way to stay familiar with a competitive atmosphere.”

8. Seeing a stride

Q. I have recently bought a new horse and want to take him cross-country schooling, but I’m worried my ability to see a bad stride will be detrimental to his training. What should I do?

A. “Take your horse cross-country schooling and start off with some simple logs just to see how he reacts,” advises top rider Nick Gauntlett.

“The biggest difference between eventing and showjumping is that most eventers ride a rhythm and most showjumpers see a stride. You need to believe in the rhythm and ride strong, instead of worrying about seeing a stride. Make sure your horse is going forward and in front of the leg to give him confidence.

“I can guarantee a good rhythm is better than a good stride.”

Like this? You might also enjoy reading these:

7 jumping questions you thought were too obvious to ask

10 training tips that top riders swear by

9. Knowing when your horse is ready to event

Q. I have a four-year-old who I want to start eventing soon but he is very green across country. What can I do to help him become more confident?

A. “It is important with a four-year-old not to push him too much, you have to learn to have fun. There is no need to hurry a youngster — sometimes less is more,” says Nick Gauntlett.

“Make sure that you are always riding positively and use your lower leg to keep his canter engaged. Keeping your hands wide will help him focus and never be tentative on the approach to a fence — he needs to be forward-thinking.

“Once you feel your horse is positive and balanced cross-country schooling go and do some hunter trials — but make sure they are well built and the ground is good — before taking him to an affiliated competition. Most importantly, give him time to grow up and enjoy it.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

In the fourth part of our exclusive cross-country video series, brought to you in association with Petplan's Masterclass with Lucinda Green, the six-time Badminton winner offers her advice on how to string several fences together with a young horse

Six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green and her daughter Lissa have a very clear approach to a horse’s cross-country education. In this exclusive video series, Lucinda and Lissa take four-year-old ‘Jay’ (Boleybawn Identity) and five-year-old ‘Snoop’ (Corraggio Z) cross-country schooling.

Build up from walk

Having warmed up by walking over fences, then introducing water, steps and ditches, Lissa proceeds to stringing several fences together with Jay. Fences look different when approached at speed, which is why Lucinda prefers to build up from walk, to trot and eventually canter. Horses coming to a fence a little faster may be surprised by an element – when Jay has a refusual, Lucinda emphasises the importance of keeping fences small enough to encourage the horse forwards and jump from a standstill. Keeping them in trot at first is important to give the horse time to look and assess the fence.

Shadows can be the spookiest element for a young horse, particularly in bright sunlight. Lissa jumps down the line both ways because ‘everything looks different’. Jay is finding it difficult to assess one particular fence, which Lucinda feels may be due to the odd shape of the planks. Different shapes can make a simple fence much more difficult than it first appears, especially for a young horse.

Like this? You might also enjoy reading these:

Lucinda Green: How to tackle coffins

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Give the horse time

Lissa allows Jay to find his own stride to fences as they move into canter, letting his confidence grow. The morning’s training is certainly effective as Jay willingly negotiates a combination followed by the coffin he had schooled over earlier in the morning. At this stage Lissa does not correct Jay when he lands on the wrong leg, giving him time to balance himself. Lissa also makes sure to practise jumping away from Snoop so that Jay is happy to leave his companions behind.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

In the third part of our exclusive video series, brought to you in association with Petplan's Masterclass with Lucinda Green, the six-time Badminton winner offers her advice on how to tackle coffins on a cross-country course

Six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green and her daughter Lissa have a very clear approach to a horse’s cross-country education. In this exclusive video series, Lucinda and Lissa take four-year-old ‘Jay’ (Boleybawn Identity) and five-year-old ‘Snoop’ (Corraggio Z) cross-country schooling,.

They start by introducing the ditch on its own to the horse in walk or trot so that the horse pays attention to what he is doing, repeating the exercise until they sensibly cross over it without any fuss.

Don’t worry if they step into the ditch — they will learn. Lucinda prefers using ditches that are quite deep so that the horse recognises the fact they need to pass over it cleanly.

Once your horse is accustomed to the idea of the ditch, Lucinda recommends then jumping the ditch to a rail. Trot to the ditch so that he doesn’t rush. Once your horse is happy with this, link all three parts of the coffin together, remembering to not let your horse rush.

If your horse stops

If thigs don’t quite go to plan and your horse stops at a fence, Lucinda says to avoid turning your horse around to represent.

Lissa says that she would rather rein-back from the fence to let the horse re-read the question, and then give the horse a kick forwards to jump it. She says this is because: “turning away from a fence is a big no-no as your horse will learn that they get a break if they stop and then you turn them away. Whereas going backwards is difficult for them and they never lose sight of the fence.”

Lucinda warns that you should only do this if it is safe to do so.

Like this? You might also enjoy reading these:

Fun, focus and footwork: must-have cross-country riding advice from Lucinda Green

Petplan’s Masterclass with Lucinda Green

• Find out more about Petplan’s Masterclasses with Lucinda Green

Thanks to Petplan Equine, Lucinda Green, Lissa Green for their help with producing these videos as well as Rabson Manor for use of the cross-country schooling facilities.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Six-time Badminton Horse Trials winner Lucinda Green gives us some helpful pointers on effective cross-country riding that you can put into practise while riding in an arena.

1. “It is up to us as riders to ensure before you start jumping across country that our horses are switched on and up for the job in hand,” says Lucinda.

2. It’s hard to get into a rhythm and maintain pace when cross-country schooling in an arena. But if you think forwards and towards riding at a speed of 400-450mpm this should help to recreate the pace you would jump from out on the course.

“It is important that you don’t get stuck in a canter going nowhere,” says Lucinda.

3. If you are tackling very narrow fences, the horse’s natural reaction will be to avoid the obstacle and run out. Therefore, take it slowly and make the question you would like answered clear. Approach it in a steady trot and once you have jumped the obstacle, halt, turn around and jump back over it.

“Repeat this until the horse is confident with where he is going and he is taking you to the fence without wavering on his line,” explains Lucinda.

4. Horses don’t reason. If they associate a fence, for example a narrow obstacle, with running out, it can be hard to make them change their mind.

“So try to make sure you get it right first time and if things don’t go to plan, don’t make a huge issue of it and go back to basics and clearly explain the question to your horse again,” says Lucinda.

Continued below…

Caring for your horse’s legs after cross-country: what you need to know

The correct care of event horses after the demanding cross-country phase is vital when keeping a horse in good health

10 ways to improve your cross-country timing this season

Even at BE100 getting your timing wrong can scupper your hopes of success. We asked the experts for their tips

5. “Think of riding your horse as a ‘tube’,” says Lucinda. “Keep them between your hand and leg and make sure you ride them so that they register the fence they are tackling early. Remember to always ride towards and away from your fences.”

6. “Our job when riding combination fences is to show the horse where we went them to go next,” says Luncinda. “Be sharp with your reactions to prevent any problems.”

7. “The art of doing nothing is quite an art to master,” says Lucinda. “We must, as riders, understand the danger of thinking about distances and not get obsessed over strides. Instead we must ride what is happening underneath us and your horse will do what he needs to in order to get over the fence, no matter if you are on the right stride or not.”

8. We must ride through corners when schooling and competing.

“Imagine you are driving your car, running late for lunch,” explains Lucinda. “As you drive into a corner you change down a gear. As soon as you have passed the point in the corner where you would have crashed if you hadn’t slowed down, you put your foot down and accelerate out of the corner. Put this into a riding context and you should be able to ride efficient corners on your horse.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Competition success often comes down to your horse’s fitness levels. H&H asks the experts what the key fitness indicators to look out for are.

1. BREATHING: six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green always used to gauge whether her horses were fit enough by the recovery rate of their breathing after a hard workout. “After galloping or going across country, I would expect a fit horse’s breathing to return to normal after 20min,” she says.

2. HEART RATE: this is less easy to measure than breathing as it requires a heart-rate monitor. An increase in fitness is associated with a reduction in a horse’s heart rate after any one given workout. “I used to use a heart-rate monitor — it is a useful piece of equipment,” says Lucinda.

3. FEEL: if your horse is giving you the same feel at the end of a session as at the beginning, you know that he is feeling in tip-top shape. Grand prix dressage rider and List 1 judge Mark Ruddock says: “If he turns down the centre line at the end of a test feeling less powerful, flat or lacking the cadence and spring he had at the start, then he’s probably not fit enough.”

4. APPEARANCE: a horse’s coat and body shape reveals a lot. Eventer and H&H blogger Rosie Fry says: “You can tell if a horse is ready to run as he will look well and ‘hard’ in his condition. His coat will shine and his muscles will ripple.”

5. STATS: by logging the various parameters of your horse’s fitness programme and training, you have a baseline to work from. “I encourage riders to keep a diary of the work they do with their horses, their recovery times, how long they’ve worked and how they feel,” says trainer Caroline Moore.

Don’t miss this week’s training special in Horse & Hound magazine (15 January 2014), where we look at whether our competition horses are fit enough, how to improve your indoor jumping results and get Lars Petersen’s top dressage advice

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

When the curtain falls on the eventing season, riders inevitably turn their focus to dressage and jump training — but it appears a handful of top eventers have also taken to the team chasing turf recently to satisfy their need for speed.

Phoebe Buckley is the most familiar eventing face to grace the team chasing scene. A regular out on the hunting field and having also ridden in point-to-points, Phoebe set the trend by campaigning her popular former international eventer, Little Tiger, when the diminutive mare retired aged 16.

Phoebe has since helped many a team to chasing glory including the Cunning Stunts and has qualified for the 2015 national championships with the Dapper Dobbins aboard her team chasing partner Colin.

Debuting their all-eventing team called Saddled and Addled, Rodney Powell, Tom McEwen and Megan Heath were out in force at the Cotswold team chase in October. Flying over the natural obstacles in style, they finished a commendable fourth in the intermediate bogey time class.

Spectators at November’s Bicester with Whaddon team chase were treated to an international feel to proceedings — Swedish Olympic rider Ludwig Svennerstal (pictured above) joined the Saddled and Addled line-up for his first team chasing taster over the beefy Bicester hedges.

Some eventing royalty have also caught the team chasing bug — Lucinda Green has been spotted having a spin. Meanwhile her daughter Lissa was part of the winning intermediate team, Roger That, at this year’s Berks and Bucks team chase.

But it doesn’t stop there — others to follow suit include Ruth Edge. The Derbyshire-based rider won the intermediate pairs class riding her ex-racehorse Bouquetot Destiny at last year’s Meynell & South Staffs team chase alongside her groom and fellow eventer Jodie Stokes — who is a regular member on the Dapper Dobbins team.

Piggy French has been spotted at the Fernie team chase while eventer Dee Kennedy has previously chased with the Hair Raisers.

Team chasing: how to get started

Looking for a new challenge? Find out how team chasing works and how to get involved

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

It’s Lucinda Green’s 61st birthday today – to mark her special day we thought you might enjoy revisiting our exclusive video of the eventing legend riding hurdling star Big Buck’s. Many happy returns to Lucinda from the H&H team!

Six-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green was treated to a ride up the gallops on board National Hunt star Big Buck’s as part of Horse & Hound’s exclusive ‘Lucinda Rides’ feature.

Fans of Big Buck’s will be pleased to hear that since he retired in March 2014 he has settled in well to his new life on the hunting field.

Lucinda says: “So we are in the ‘sweet shop’ of National Hunt racing — The Fortnum and Mason’s part of the sweet shop. This is Big Bucks at Ditchett and it’s such a privilege to be here. Kauto Star is behind me, Denman is over there. How could we be so lucky as to be here?

“It’s boring to say that it’s the most amazing privilege, but when you sit on this horse and walk out of the yard, you feel something really, really special. I know talking to Clifford and Donna, head lad and travelling head girl, they were saying the others aren’t always like this. Denman, for instance, doesn’t walk at all.

“Then they said, ‘you won’t think much of the trot’ and sure enough he trotted for just a few paces, and there isn’t a trot there. But they don’t do much trotting, they just walk and canter.

“He set off up the gallops with Kauto Stone, Kauto Star’s half brother. Donna said ‘just stay with me, just do exactly the same as me’ and I thought ‘Oh god, I’m not that strong. I’m sure I’ll never hold him’, but he just kept the most beautiful pace. Never asked to go faster, never asked to go slower, never lazy, never strong. It’s really steep that hill. I’d forgotten how steep it is.

“Then he starts to make this little whistle and I turned to Donna and said: ‘Is that me or is that you?’. She said: ‘No that’s you, you’re fine.’ This horse who has had all these wonderful wins, and this extraordinary burst of power that he produces, and yet all the time he’s making a little whistle. So he defies a lot of experts on that score.

“The other thing that fascinated me was when I walked into his stable I noticed he’s got a very small eye, which normally means not such a generous horse. There is NOTHING ungenerous about this one! It’s a beautiful eye, it’s just small compared to his 17hh height. He’s a big boy, but he’s so balanced and sensitive. I don’t think I can remember riding a racehorse — I haven’t ridden that many — where he started to cut in on one of the corners, because the gallop is quite twisty, so I put my leg on and straight away he straightened up. Valegro look out!

“He gives good credence to the story that it doesn’t matter how a horse trots. His engine is there is walk and it’s really there in gallop — well all we did is canter because the hill is so steep. He’s lovely walking home, just puts his head out and rolls along. I’m surprised how uncomplicated he is. Having read about the box-walking and the goat he left behind in France, I thought he would be quite a highly strung horse to ride, but he feels so chilled.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Every top rider has a particular forte — whether it’s gleaning every possible mark in a dressage test, riding a perfect jump-off turn or giving a young horse confidence across country.

We might be in awe of how Michael Whitaker sets his horses up for a fence, how Scott Brash rides a jump-off or how Piggy French makes cross-country riding look so effortless.

But who did some of our biggest names aspire to emulate when they were starting out in their careers?

5 top equestrians reveal their riding icons

1. Yogi Breisner

“When I started out in eventing Mark Todd was winning the first of his two Olympic gold medals, so I took a great deal of interest in what he was doing. The British riders Richard Meade, Sheila Willcox and Mary Gordon-Watson were all in a league of their own in the mid-1980s and I really admired both their success and their level of horsemanship.”

2. Geoff Billington

“When we were kids, John Whitaker and I used to sit in the stand at Olympia and watch all the top riders. Our eyes and ears would prick up when Harvey Smith, David Broome or Eddie Macken (pictured) came into the arena. They all had very different styles and we used to pick the things we liked about each of them and try to emulate them.”

3. Lucinda Green

“Mary Gordon-Watson took me under her wing. I can remember my training stays with her at Blagdon Farm in Dorset in the early 70s: they consisted of wonderful riders across the Dorset downs, more often than not coursing behind her whippets. I suspect all that a budding young rider would see of a world champion’s facilities nowadays would be the inside of their arena.”

4. Robert Oliver

“The late Roy Trigg. He was one of the last great nagsmen and he was an inspiration to me and countless other riders. He was a perfectionist and a showman.”

5. Rob Hoekstra

“Harvey Smith and David Broome were in a league of their own. They were great technicians over a fence. Then they handed over the mantle to the likes of Nick Skelton and John and Michael Whitaker. Now, Scott Brash and Ben Maher are fast stepping into their shoes.”

Don’t miss this week’s ‘The moment’ in Horse & Hound magazine (16 October 2014), where Mary Gordon-Watson talks about taking part in the first ever team chase

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Sadly my re-route to Blenheim Horse Trials with Wellshead Fare Opposition (Derby) didn’t quite go to plan. I made the decision to retire again on the cross-country and I felt incredibly deflated.

I had a few tears back at the lorry, when I was wondering when things would start to go right, but my amazing family and team picked me back up to fight another day.

Before going to Blenheim, I’d had a cross-country schooling session with Lucinda Green where we swapped Derby’s noseband for a grackle and it had really done the trick.

I was having the most amazing ride on him at Blenheim, possibly the best ride of my life, and he was skipping over the fences. We were 10sec up on the minute markers until we came to fence 22, the Hollow.

It was a rail to a ditch to a big skinny triple brush, which had caused problems all day.

When we walked it I really studied it and thought at the time it was highly unlikely that a horse would run out to the left. However Derby proved me wrong and he ran straight past it in that direction, as did many others also!

He’d already jumped some tricky combinations really well, so I didn’t think we’d have a problem or that there was any need to go the long route.

The Hollow is in quite a dark area on the course and it’s quite tight so I decided not to represent and retired. With 20 penalties added to our score we were no longer competitive so I thought I would save him for another day.

I was absolutely gutted as up until that stage he had literally breezed over the fences. He felt amazing.

Before the cross-country, he did a super dressage test, although there was some disparity between the marks with one judge giving us 185, which would have put us in the top five, and another giving us 153 – a huge difference of 32 penalties.

But Yogi Briesner and Tracie Robinson, dressage trainer to the British eventing team, both thought he had done a super test.

On Saturday evening I really started to question whether all the hard work is worth it, but an afternoon off on Sunday, when I went with my family and friends to the Radio 2 concert in Hyde Park, cheered me up and by 4am on Monday I was on the road to Pontispool one-day event with three horses.

I was very pleased with both Zoe and Wiverna, while Pluto (Aphrodisiac) had a stop across country. He’d done a beautiful dressage test and jumped clear showjumping.

The vet was already coming to see Derby to give him a thorough check, so Pluto was added to the list too.

We found Pluto has a tear in the joint capsule in his fetlock, which explains why he didn’t feel himself. He will now have six weeks off, which will allow the joint to stabilise and he should be fine.

I’m also relieved that we have found a very tiny problem with Derby, which might explain why he ran out on Saturday.

After Blenheim he trotted up 3/10ths lame so the vet nerve blocked his foot today and it looks like he has aggravated an overreach he picked up at Hartpury.

While you can’t actually see he’s had an injury, underneath the surface it’s a similar action to rubbing your palms together with the parts that make up the bulb of the heel not quite knitting together properly.

It’s not serious and with some corrective shoeing, we should be able to stabilise his foot.

He will have some time off now, although I may give him another run in an open intermediate or advanced class depending on his recovery, as there are still six weeks to go of the eventing season. I am not overly happy about leaving his mindset as it is — walking home from the cross-country at two events — until next season.

Last night we left for Ballindenisk in Ireland with Wiverna and Zoe. We drove through the night to get the ferry from Fishguard at 2.45am and we’ll now be spending a few days in beautiful rural Ireland in Co Cork.

Fingers crossed for some Irish luck!

Coral

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Coral Keen was H&H's Burghley blogger and as her updates were such a good read, she will very kindly continue to keep us up to date as the eventing season continues.

Derby (Wellshead Fare Opposition, pictured above) and I are at Blenheim having successfully made a late entry on Monday evening following our slightly disappointing time at Burghley last weekend.

That morning he’d had some time in the field before I took him to Lucinda Green’s at Marlborough who had very kindly offered to give me a hand after our run outs at Burghley.

Lucinda is fantastic for giving advice on everything from your tack to your general way of riding which might be affecting the horse.

She changed his noseband from a combination to a grackle which has given him more movement through his jaw while at the same time making it harder for him to lock against my hand.

Then we worked him over a series of fences that appeared to be at the most impossible distances but I had a really good feeling down the rein and a great reaction from him in that he came back to me straightaway.

When you ride across country, you expect this to be halved, but even so I was very happy with him.

We didn’t do too much as he’s had a lot of work in the build up to Burghley so we put him on the lorry and then made some plans.

I’d initially decided to take him to Ballindenisk but the issue isn’t how big and bold he jumps and whether he has the capability of jumping around the bigger courses but the fact that the atmosphere and crowd affect his concentration and the adjustability I have with him.

Blenheim is a hugely popular event so there’ll be a huge crowd that will be perfect for our continuing education.

Yesterday I had a jumping lesson with Corinne Bracken. I rode the five-year-olds and Wiverna, Zoe and Aprhodisiac who are all going to Pontispool on Monday ahead of their three stars, with the first two heading to Ballindenisk and Aphrodisiac going to Waregem. Derby had a little pop at the end and he felt lovely.

I’ve come up to Blenheim on my own as the girls really needed some time off this week. My friend Gemma Pudney, who is working at Blenheim, has offered to stay with me in the lorry which is great so I won’t be a complete Norman no mates!

Megan Lockyer will join me at the weekend when she drives up with my Dad who has been particularly understanding.

Not only does his company Total Equestrian Construction sponsor me but he’d also bought a load of tickets for a Radio 2 concert in Hyde Park on Sunday that we now all have to miss.

I do feel incredibly selfish with so much having to change so that we could come here but I hope the decision to re-route will pay off in the long run.

I got to Blenheim yesterday and gave Derby a pick of grass before settling him into his stable and unpacking the lorry. I had a lovely hack in the afternoon around the parkland and beside the lake.

I’ll be focusing on encouraging Derby to stay as relaxed as possible in the dressage and not worry about what’s going on around him before trying out my new brakes across country on Saturday.

Coral

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A second famous eventer’s daughter is on the injury list as Lissa Green, daughter of Lucinda, suffered a crunching fall while competing at Sapey on Wednesday (20 August) which has left her hospitalised with a broken jaw and collarbone, and cracked ribs.

Lissa’s fall comes just four days after Emily King’s dramatic tumble at the Junior European Championships at Bishop Burton, where she fell at an elephant trap with Brookleigh and sustained serious bruising.

Lissa was on a new ride, Malin Head Clover (Ali), a 12-year-old gelding that had jumped clear around Bramham CCI3* earlier this year with his previous rider Tom How. She was competing in the open novice.

She posted the following on Facebook, along with a “thumbs-up” picture: “I was having such fun riding Ali round our first competition together. He was going so well, coming back well for all the combinations and jumping really smoothly. Unfortunately, as can always happen in this sport, we had a fall at an extremely simple fence. The sun was glistening off it making it difficult for me to read – and he would have almost certainly had the same problem.

“He is 100% fine, which is all that matters… and I can’t wait to ride him again… [But] I might have to wait a little while as I have broken my lower jaw and the two parts have split. I have also broken my collarbone in two places… and I have a few cracked ribs.”

She is due to undergo an operation today and tweeted earlier this morning: “Thank you so much to everyone for [your] kind words. Am doing really well and can’t wait to get riding again. Will keep you updated on the op.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

With Badminton now having reasserted itself as the ultimate eventing challenge, hopefully the rightful influence of the cross-country phase will percolate downwards.

This would enable competitors to come through the grades better prepared for the ultimate challenge, if indeed that is their goal.

Eventing has for too long been dominated by the subjective phase of dressage, and by the showjumping. Horses have been bred, bought and trained with this change of emphasis in mind. That is not all bad , but there has been less regard for what makes a really solid top end cross-country horse — primarily class, strength of character and training.

Cross-country is both an art and a science. It needs studying and developing just like the other two phases, and like them it takes time. In general, riders do not practise it nearly enough and often eventing seminars do not even feature the phase.

Most of us see ourselves losing either in the dressage or the showjumping or both — and many cross-country courses are soft enough to encourage this self-perpetuating attitude.

I have watched with fascination as the Germans have learnt to ride across country in the past 10 years — because they have studied it. They still, however, have to prove themselves over the sort of course we had on Saturday.

If Badminton holds its nerve — and, yes, tweaks the course a little with the benefit of hindsight — we will have our sport back, with its heart firmly based in the reason everyone events in the first place.

Eventing legend and H&H contributor Lucinda Green turns 60 today. Many happy returns Lucinda from the H&H team!

To celebrate we have selected 60 pictures from the H&H archives across Lucinda’s many successful years in the saddle.

Also don’t miss the latest edition of our exclusive ‘Lucinda rides’ series in today’s magazine, which features top steeplechaser Sprinter Sacre.

Here are some more picture galleries you may also enjoy from H&H:

WEG dressage: highlights in pictures

H&H’s Storm Johnson brings you dressage highlights from the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games

WEG individual reining: in pictures

Action from the second individual qualifying round of the reining competition at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which is being held in Caen Exhibition Centre. One British rider has qualified for the individual final after Team GBR finished in eighth place in the team competition.

Oliver Townend’s career in pictures

Before eventer Oliver Townend headed off to Normandy for World Equestrian Games (WEG) 2014, we took a look back at his career in pictures — from competing at WEG in 2006 with Flint Curtis to clinching the Badminton title in 2009.

Imperial Cavalier retires: his career in pictures

Following the news that Mary King’s top horse Imperial Cavalier (Archie) has been retired from top-level competition H&H looks back at highlights of this special horse’s amazing career from our picture archives

Grand National winners: in pictures

The world’s most famous horse race, The Grand National, is watched by millions of viewers worldwide.

Over the years many popular horses have taken the spoils — with some surprise winners too. H&H looks back in pictures at some of our favourite past victors including Red Rum and Mr Frisk.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Teenager Lara Prior-Palmer, the niece of eventing legend Lucinda Green, has won the world’s longest horse race.

The 19-year-old became not only the first British rider, but the first woman and the youngest person to win the 1000km challenge since the race began in 2009.

American Devan Horn crossed the line first but race rules stipulate that each rider’s horse must pass a strict veterinary inspection at the end of each leg. Devan’s horse’s heart rate did not recover in the required time and she was issued a 2hr penalty.

Lara crossed the line an hour later and passed the vets inspection, thereby becoming the winner.

“I can’t really believe it. I came into the first station last because my horse was so slow and I had to walk him in,” Lara said.

“I thought that would be the end of my Mongol Derby.

“I knew that there were 30 people and nearly all of those 30 wanted to win. I really just wanted to finish.

“If you compare my first few days to my last few days I was going so much slower and suddenly I just got the hang of it — how to ride the horses and what to do to catch up with the rest.”

Half of the 30 riders who started had to withdraw during the gruelling race.

“It is quite extraordinary,” 6-time Badminton winner Lucinda told H&H.

“I sent her off with my Gatehouse helmet, some Tubigrips and something called Monkey Butt cream that I was given in Kenya for the saddle sores.”

“Before she left I told her ‘you might not finish but it will still be an amazing experience’. So for her to win is just unbelievable, it is a seriously tough event.”

Clare Twemlow, fiancé of National Hunt trainer Neil King, came third in the race.

This year the first five past the post were all female riders.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

A rider whose horse broke its neck on a Lucinda Green XC the Safe Way Clinic has received a £35,000 out-of-court payment.

Rachel Wallace and her novice eventer Gallant, known as Chester, took part in a clinic at Newton, Notts, on 21 February 2008.

Mrs Wallace claims Lucinda asked her to jump an obstacle from the wrong direction. They had a rotational fall and the horse broke his neck.

Chester has since recovered and competed at novice level last season with another rider. Mrs Wallace received the settlement last September.

“We had jumped the fence once, but it didn’t feel good,” she told H&H.

“I attempted to get a better stride but got it wrong.

“Chester tried to brush through the top of the fence, as it just looked like a 4ft hedge, but there was a telegraph pole on the other side.”

Lucinda said: “This is the first time in 25 years someone has tried to take me to court.

“If you train 1,500 people a year, somebody is going to fall off and eventually somebody is going to sue.

“The fence did have the red and white discs on the other side, for a hunter trials, but was perfectly jumpable from both directions,” she added.

This news story was first published in Horse & Hound magazine (7 March 2013)

Related content from Horse & Hound:

Mary King recovering from cross-country fall at Salperton Horse Trials

The Olympic medalist was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital after suffering a heavy fall from Kings Temptress

Bruno Bouvier killed in cross-country fall at Barroca D’Alva

The French event rider has been killed while competing in the cross-country phase of the CIC** at Barroca D’Alva in Portugal

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Dressage gold medallist Charlotte Dujardin, eventing legend Lucinda Green and rider fitness coach Jon Pitts are among horse industry figures and riders to be recognised in equestrian safety awards organised by the campaign group Riders4Helmets.

The 2012 Craig Ferrell MD Equestrian Safety Awards took place at the Riders4Helmets Safety Symposium on 18 February.

World number one Charlotte is one of a small number of top-level dressage riders who choose to wear a safety helmet rather than a traditional top hat.

She was among 13 professional riders who won the “exceptional role model award” for wearing helmets.

Others included fellow dressage riders Isabell Werth (Germany) and Adelinde Cornelissen (Netherlands), and showjumper Reed Kessler (USA).

Lucinda Green won the exceptional role model award for 2012 (non-helmet related) for her XC the Safe Way clinics.

Former US dressage rider Courtney King-Dye, who suffered a traumatic brain injury three years ago, was one of five people to receive awards for their campaigning for equestrian safety in 2012.

Jon Pitts, who trains riders how to be fit to ride and how to fall safely was also recognised in this category.

The 2012 awards were named after former chairman of the FEI medical council Dr Farrell, who died in a fall in May 2012 while playing polo.

“We were delighted to name the 2012 Equestrian Safety Awards after Dr Ferrell who worked with us on the campaign for over two years,” said Lyndsey White, of Riders4Helmets.

“Dr. Ferrell not only worked tirelessly with the United States Equestrian Federation and the Federation Equestrian Internationale (FEI) in order to make equestrian sport safer, he was also well respected by many equestrians whose lives he touched when he had their personal safety interests at heart.”

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Lucinda Green is out of action for a couple of weeks after being injured by a horse.

She told H&H: “I’m fine, I just got trodden on and have a hole in my foot.

“It was a complete freak accident, I was trotting up a horse and she spooked and trod on my boot, I then fell over and the boot fell off.

“The poor little horse did her best to try and ‘dance’ over me but somehow managed to catch the underside of my bootless foot and ripped the skin about 8cm along and about 2cm deep.

“I had to have surgery and have got to spend a couple of weeks with it in the air but they let me out of hospital once I could master the crutches.”

One of her visitors in the hospital was fellow eventer Mark Todd (pictured) who brought her a bottle of champagne as she had to spend her birthday (7 November) in bed.

Read more stories from H&H about Lucinda:

Charlotte Dujardin and Lucinda Green win equestrian safety awards:

World number one Charlotte is one of a small number of top-level dressage riders who choose to wear a safety helmet rather than a traditional top hat

Lucinda Green rides Big Buck’s [VIDEO]

Watch Lucinda Green riding Big Buck’s up the gallops and find out why she is so impressed by the hurdling star

Lucinda Green: a proper Badminton course — now let’s train for it! [H&H VIP]

As a guest columnist for H&H, 6-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green argues that there are lessons to be learnt from this year’s cross-country fallout rate

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

More than 70 readers joined Horse & Hound at a Reader Evening at our London offices last week to hear the Olympic predictions of an expert panel and fire questions at them about riders, formats and more.

After drinks on the terrace against the backdrop of the City, readers listened as our expert panel of H&H showjumping columnist Graham Fletcher, contributor and six-times Badminton winner Lucinda Green and dressage legend Kyra Kyrklund (chaired by H&H Editor Lucy Higginson), discussed their own extensive Olympic experience and explored our medal hopes at the coming Games, why the world has suddenly become so good at dressage, and why Olympic event riders appear to be getting older.

Graham Fletcher revealed how close the battle for showjumping selection had been – and explained why Germany’s showjumpers could be mistaken for track and field athletes these days.

Readers then asked questions on topics ranging from rider fitness to Paralympic chances before catching a final chance to chat with their equestrian heroes.

Read more stories from H&H about Lucinda:

Charlotte Dujardin and Lucinda Green win equestrian safety awards:

World number one Charlotte is one of a small number of top-level dressage riders who choose to wear a safety helmet rather than a traditional top hat

Lucinda Green rides Big Buck’s [VIDEO]

Watch Lucinda Green riding Big Buck’s up the gallops and find out why she is so impressed by the hurdling star

Lucinda Green: a proper Badminton course — now let’s train for it! [H&H VIP]

As a guest columnist for H&H, 6-time Badminton winner Lucinda Green argues that there are lessons to be learnt from this year’s cross-country fallout rate

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The main topic of conversation in the H&H office this week has been Aintree. While a few lucky H&H staffers headed up to Liverpool on Thursday (see the Horse & Hound facebook page for a photo of H&H news writer Amy Mathieson standing beside The Chair) to see the awesome Big Buck’s collect an incredible 17th victory in a row, those of us left in the office gathered around a couple of computers to watch the race via the BBC Sport website.

Of course the result was never in doubt as the long-distance hurdler cruised round leaving his rivals in his wake when powering up the home straight. There was no last-minute burst of speed from the 16.3hh gelding — there was simply no need to as his cruising pace is so fast and his stamina so deep that those racing against him simply fell away.

A few weeks ago Horse & Hound enjoyed the unique chance to ‘get up close and personal’ with the champion — and his stable companions the great Kauto Star and Denman — when we visited Paul Nicholls’ yard for the latest edition of our exclusive series “Lucinda rides“. You can find out what Lucinda thought of this fabulous horse, and watch a video of them in action via your smartphone, in the current magazine (12 April, 2012).

As you might expect, there has been much debate about who each of us are going to back in the big race on Saturday. The H&H form guide (p28-29) has been pored over at length, although there may be more to choosing your horse based on the jockey’s silks than previously believed! The Grand National is a unique challenge, which rarely fails to produce a great story. After the controversy of last year’s race, I am keeping my fingers crossed this year’s race is great for all the right reasons.

Can Synchronised become the first horse since 1934 to do the Cheltenham Gold Cup-Grand National double? Will Ballabriggs become one of just a handful of horses to win the great race back-to-back? Or will girl power finally triumph with a win for either Nina Carberry or Katie Walsh? And most important of all — who will be buying press-day cakes for everyone on Monday with their winnings?!

Of course, win or lose, our primary hope is that all horses and jockeys will return from the ultimate steeplechase fit and healthy to race another day. Good luck and God speed to you all.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

The Country and Land Business Association (CLA) has launched a report requesting that the government frees the equine business sector from red tape.

The report, entitled Clearing Hurdles, calls for a relaxation of restrictions on planning, insurance and tax that, it says, are currently stifling growth of the industry.

CLA President Harry Cotterell said: “Equine businesses are unable to develop because of planning restrictions.

“The CLA is calling on the government to reform the planning system to so that it is cheaper, simpler and faster to use, and recognises the limited impact of well-managed equine businesses on the environment and landscape.”

The report was launched by Olympic eventer Lucinda Green.

She added: “I am very pleased the CLA is lobbying for much-needed changes to the law and giving practical advice to equine businesses on how to overcome the challenges they face. For many in the industry, this is just the kind of leg-up they need.”

Read more equine business stories from H&H:

Equestrian apprenticeships to undergo radical overhaul

Standardised apprenticeships hoped to be in place by 2017 which aims to aid the equestiran industry as a whole

Equine charities warned to put their house in order

The Charity Commission is calling for all equine charities to review their financial procedures after a recent investigation into a horse sanctuary

Equestrian industry celebrates at awards ceremony

The Animal Health Trust UK Awards were cause for celebration for some of the equestrian world’s best contributors

New equine groom apprenticeship launched

In this third phase of the government’s initiative 700 employers will design 76 apprenticeships across various professions including equestrianism

Grooms are risking travel without insurance

Hundreds of British grooms work abroad, but 86% said they have no insurance to cover them for medical treatment

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Listen to Lucinda Green’s live appearance on the Eventing Radio Show yesterday, where she answers questions from listeners.

Read some of Lucinda’s responses to listeners questions:

Can a horse learn to jump?

A horse jumps and he has to learn where to put his feet and you can’t teach him that – he has to teach himself.

As a youngster I would present him with all sorts of different obstacles and they wouldn’t be big and as difficult to knock down as possible.

He’s got to learn and I will show him lots of different variations. But first of all I’ve got to get him to understand that stop means stop and go means go and I’ve got to be able to steer him.

I don’t want him to learn to run out, I’ve got to have him schooled enough to keep the fence in front of him.

I go for repetition if they don’t understand, provided I’m making myself clear. But they don’t need endless repetition because horses jump naturally.

If you’ve come across a horse that doesn’t jump naturally that’s very bad luck because they usually do.

I have just returned to the sport I used to event to Intermediate but now I have a Novice horse. I am much more nervous than I used to be, how can I get my confidence back?

I really feel for you – after pregnancy I didn’t have any balance and the most difficult thing was my reactions got so slow. It can unnerve a lot of people.

Don’t over face yourself and wait until you are really enjoying it and want to jump another fence and another fence.

And if find you don’t want to jump and stick to dressage, just do that.

The whole levels have gone up so much and the showjumping is so big, they can rattle around the cross-country, but in the showjumping there’s not the room for error.

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Enjoy some behind-the-scenes footage of cross-country legend Lucinda Green riding Nicola Wilson’s world and European team gold medallist, Opposition Buzz, and read what Lucinda had to say about her ride.

It was blowing horizontally the day of my visit, but Dodi (as he is known at home) was remarkably good with all the outdoor arena sides flapping — delightful compared to my own horse, Bill, who flinches at the twitch of a leaf.

Nicola warned me he is quite lazy at home — he gets bored and lives for his jumping and cross-country — but you certainly feel safe as soon as you climb on. His size — not too big or wide — is right up my street. He is terrifically light-footed in all his paces and, though his trot is lovely, he is a completely different horse in canter. His whole front end comes up and rather than feeling different strides that step through his body, he glides, as though you are sitting on a slipper being pulled over ice.

You feel you are sitting on rows of gentle springs — he is very soft, but not in a big “warmbloody” way. Everything is just there ready to explode.

I was worried about doing very much with Dodi because he’d only recently finished his post-Badminton break. But Nicola was determined that I should jump him.

They put up three fences, including a ridiculous skinny only about 2ft 6in wide.

I have never been in a Harrier jump jet, but I imagine it must feel much like this horse elevating over a jump. All of a sudden you are in the air — nothing has changed — you just find yourself sailing upwards. Though we did not jump anything above 3ft, Nicola must spend ages in orbit.

She told me: “I hear all these ‘whoooos’ from the crowd and I think, ‘you think it looks hair-raising, what do you think it feels like…?’”

Nicola then divulged that she hardly ever jumps him at home and ordinarily would not have jumped him again until July. She used to jump him often to try to teach him to do it properly. Now he’s proved himself, every jump is an unnecessary jar.

As he’s grown older, Dodi has become stronger and Nicola has swapped from a snaffle bit to a Waterford to go cross-country and, post Badminton, is wondering which is the next best slightly stronger one.

Read more of Lucinda’s thoughts on the British team’s pathfinder in Horse & Hound magazine (24 June, 2011).

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Six-times Badminton winner Lucinda Green is to officially open a new cross-country training course in Surrey.

Lucinda will be opening the Parwood Cross Country Training course next Tuesday, 5 April at 2.30pm.

Fences on the course are built to British Eventing standards and range from intro to novice level with some intermediate options. There are also some small training fences.

The course will be open for bookings from Wednesday, 6 April.

For more information visit: www.parwood.co.uk

Read more news stories from H&H featuring Ludinda:

Equine charities warned to put their house in order

The Charity Commission is calling for all equine charities to review their financial procedures after a recent investigation into a horse sanctuary

Equestrian industry celebrates at awards ceremony

The Animal Health Trust UK Awards were cause for celebration for some of the equestrian world’s best contributors

New equine groom apprenticeship launched

In this third phase of the government’s initiative 700 employers will design 76 apprenticeships across various professions including equestrianism

Grooms are risking travel without insurance

Hundreds of British grooms work abroad, but 86% said they have no insurance to cover them for medical treatment

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

If you are after tips from the top, then book in for cross-country training with the world’s most prolific Badminton winner, Lucinda Green.

Now a leading cross-country coach and British selector, Lucinda is taking 11 Petplan Equine XC the Safe Way clinics around the country between 1 March and 14 September.

Lucinda provides expert advice on how horses think and react, while sharing the techniques and skills that brought her so much success in the sport.

“The important message that I try to impart in these clinics is that cross-country riding isn’t about sitting on a horse, going flat out,” she says.

“There is a science to it, and a rider’s job is threefold: keep the horse’s engine going, keep a good line into a fence and keep both of you in balance. A horse that thinks for himself and — in equal measure — listens to the rider is going to be a safe cross-country horse.”

Clinics are for riders of all levels starting at those capable of jumping a course of 2ft6in to 2ft9in. There will be a technique session using poles before going out on to the cross-country course.

Petplan Equine’s marketing manager Alison Andrew said: “Lucinda Green is not only one of the finest exponents of the art of cross-country riding, but also shares our desire to help riders of all levels develop the skills to enjoy the thrill of cross-country riding as safely as possible.”

For information visit www.petplanequine.co.uk/events.

2011 dates

Two-day Clinics

• 1-2 March, Reigate, Surrey
• 3-4 March, Downlands, Wiltshire
• 7-8 March, Milton Keynes, Bucks
• 9-10 March, Arena UK/Newton, Notts
• 4-5 May, Chilham Park, KentOne-day clinics
• 15 March, Crown Farm, Oxfordshire
• 28 April, Ledbury, Herefordshire
• 4 May, Chilham Park, Kent
• 9 May, Stockland Lovell, Somerset
• 16 May, Melton Mowbray, Leics
• 14 September, Ledbury, Herefordshire

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

Lucinda Green has been hired to help the Austrian eventing team qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

“They are obviously underdogs,” said Lucinda, “but their enthusiasm is wonderful and I’ll support them all the way.”

To secure an Olympic berth, Austria must produce one of the two best performances at the European Championships in Luhmühlen (25-28 August), excluding Britain, Germany and Belgium, who have already qualified for 2012.

The alliance begins in Austria on 27 February, when Lucinda meets the team for the first time.

“We are very happy to profit from her experience in cross-country,” said Austrian eventing manager Claudia Möller.

However, Lucinda’s first task is to get her team to the European Championships. Only two members of the Austrian squad — Harald Ambros and Margit Appelt — are currently qualified, but a third, Harald Siegl, has four-star experience.

“Lucinda has been my idol since I started eventing,” said Ms Appelt. “It will be a great challenge to try to qualify for the Olympics. We have no national CCIs, so travel up to 2,000km to do the bigger events.”

Two spring clinics have been scheduled, and Lucinda will accompany the team to Vairano CCI*** in Italy (15-17 April).

“The [coaching] agreement is until Luhmühlen. If we qualify we’ll see what happens next,” Lucinda said.

Austria has never won an Olympic eventing medal and they last qualified in 2004.

This news story was first published in the current issue of Horse & Hound (3 February, 2011)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now