Medal-winning showjumper Will Fletcher and accredited coach and grand prix rider Joao Charlesworth get to the root of the problem with water trays, while a successful amateur reveals how she has turned her mare’s phobia around in this exclusive feature for H&H subscribers

Teaching your horse to jump water trays is an essential part of showjumping training if you want to make any progress up the levels. From Hickstead’s infamous Devils Dyke to the seemingly innocuous rectangles of blue foam that lurk under coloured poles in newcomers classes up and down the country, so-called Liverpool fences come in all shapes and sizes and can cause even the most experienced horses to look twice.

This obstacle has always been found in working hunter and working hunter pony classes, but water trays can now also feature in British Eventing competitions from novice level and above since the updated 2026 eventing rules, which means learning how to jump a water tray is now just as important for eventers, too.

“Some horses are naturally more cautious than others,” points out capped Nations Cup senior team rider, Will Fletcher, who has produced many young horses through the levels. “The appearance of the tray – whether or not it contains water – and where it is sited, plus factors like the reflection if it’s a sunny day, can all have an influence and make it more or less inviting.”

Will points out that when a horse is tentative it’s a fine balance between training to instil confidence and not overthinking the issue and adding to the problem.

“Often, it’s not the horse that’s lost confidence but the rider,” he says. “If the rider has any doubt in their mind then the horse will pick up on it.”

Like anything, quiet exposure is the key to developing confidence and Will explains that horses should learn right from the beginning that water trays are not a big deal.

How to introduce your horse to water trays

“We introduce our young horses to them very early on, as soon as they start jumping their first courses, so that it becomes part of the routine,” he says.

For a more nervous horse, or one that has had an issue, Will recommends having a lead.

“If you follow really close behind a confident, experienced horse, it’ll give the more nervous one confidence,” he says, adding: “You don’t need to buy an expensive water tray, a tarpaulin safely held down will do the job fine, and you can start by making it very narrow.”

Top rider and coach Joao Charlesworth advocates working horses quietly around a water tray in an arena without asking them to actually jump it.

“The mistake people make with a young or nervous horse is to ask them to jump a water tray straight away,” he says. “Instead, you should work on the flat around it, incorporating it into your loops and circles by passing close by. Then, when you eventually ask the horse to jump it, it won’t come as a big surprise.”

How to teach your horse to jump water trays

1. Take the influence of the rider away and lunge or lead your horse over a small water tray, using a lead horse if necessary. Seeing your horse popping the obstacle will give you confidence and, similarly, it will reassure him through not having the rider hanging on to the reins. Some riders like to loose-jump young horses over water trays to give them confidence.

Joao finds that the most inviting way to teach a horse to jump water trays initially is by placing it under a simple cross-pole.

“The cross-pole makes it a filled fence, which is more inviting to the horse and will naturally draw him to the middle,” he says. “Keep it easy and uncomplicated and build up slowly.”

2. Get back on with a neck strap, and ensure you have a correct and secure lower-leg position. Sit with your upper body slightly behind the vertical, as being in front of the movement makes it easier for your horse to stop.

Approach the water tray in trot. Do not allow your horse to rush, but keep him straight and in front of your leg. Remember to praise him, especially if he’s nervous.

3. Practise over lots of small water trays varying in colour and design, then gradually increase the degree of difficulty and approach in a bouncy, balanced canter.

“Repetition is the key, even with older horses,” says Joao. “One of my top rides, who is jumping in 1.50m grand prix classes, is naturally suspicious of water so I make a point of always schooling him over a water tray the day before a show.

“For older or more experienced horses I will often build a double of water trays with one stride in the middle and I will play around, quietly popping each element separately on an angle before putting it together.”

An amateur’s perspective

Amateur showjumper Fiona Osborne, who recently won the 1.10m amateur championship second round at Golden Cross and has competed up to 1.30m, has spent seven years scratching her head over her mare Fridaynight Du Vlist’s dislike of water trays.

“Friday’s generally very level-headed and we’ve jumped at a lot of championships together, but when she takes exception to a water tray she’ll stop so violently that I’ll hit the deck more often than not,” says Fiona, who believes the mare had a fright as a young horse that she’s not forgotten. “There is no point in being cross with her or getting frustrated as that would only fuel her anxiety.”

Over time, Fiona has laid strong foundations and has a system in place that means she can minimise the chances of a mistake.

“To begin with I spent a lot of time playing around at home over tiny, homemade water trays to gain Friday’s trust,” she reveals. “I started on the ground, on the lunge, letting her sniff the tray and make friends with it. I filled a sandpit with water and put it in her field and even bought a blue gym mat [like this one] which, once she was happy to be led over, I positioned in the door of her stable so that she had to walk in and out over it.”

Over time, this confidence filtered through to Friday’s ridden work and, eventually, to the ring.

“Another major turning point came when I started doing some arena eventing,” Fiona continues. “I took Friday cross-country schooling for a bit of fun and she loved it. I could feel her gaining confidence from walking and trotting over little ditches and natural obstacles. The more she did the bolder she became and now she’s used to seeing lots of different things under fences.”

While Fiona admits that she will never completely cure Friday’s apprehension, the duo rarely run into problems in the ring now.

“She can be spooky with trays that reflect the light, so I make sure I train at different times of the day, with the sun in different places, to get her used to this,” she says. “I also always jump her over a water tray at home to prepare the day before a competition.”

Fiona has worked on her own mindset as a rider, too.

“It’s easier said than done when you’ve had issues in the past,” she admits. “If there’s a spooky water tray in the course I have to consciously make sure I don’t over-ride it. Instead, I concentrate on keeping an even rhythm and staying positive, with my body slightly behind the movement.”

Will Fletcher’s tips for riding a water tray

• Sit deep in the saddle so you’re in a strong, secure position and don’t get ahead of the movement.
• Keep your eyes up – if you look down at the water tray this signals hesitation, so look up and beyond where you want to go.
• Ride forward but keep the rhythm – if you watch the top riders jump water or anything with a ditch or tray underneath it, they ride positively from their seat but, crucially, they keep the same even rhythm.
• Maintain a contact – an easy mistake to make is to ride forward but drop the contact, which signals to the horse that something is amiss. You need to support the horse down the rein until take off.
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Help your horse sharpen up his technique with the advice from European young rider gold medallist Will Fletcher and grand prix rider and accredited coach, Joao Charlesworth, in this exclusive article for H&H subscribers

Not all horses are born with the ability to tuck their knees right up, dropping their head into a perfect bascule. And while many showjumpers get along just fine in their own style, knowing how to improve a horse’s jumping technique will ultimately make you safer and more competitive in the ring.

“There are plenty of good horses who don’t tuck their front legs right up, but who are very, very successful,” says four-star grand prix winner Will Fletcher, who reels off several household names – past and present – whose forelimb techniques were less than copybook.

“Growing up I can remember watching a brilliant German stallion called Embassy, ridden by Hans-Dieter Dreher, who jumped with a very ‘open’ technique rather than folding quickly at the knee,” says Will. “He was so powerful and careful that it didn’t matter that he didn’t bring his front legs right up underneath him. He made it look easy.”

Even more famous was Milton, who had a habit of dangling his front legs and over-jumping, especially at the beginning of his career. His rider, John Whitaker, once said that his legs were “all over the place”.

There is no question that being snappy in front is a desirable trait in a top-notch jumper, but the good news is that there is plenty you can do in training to encourage a horse to bend his knees and sharpen his reflexes.

“If a horse can leave the fences up I don’t worry too much if he is a bit untidy, so long as he has the power and conscience to make up for it,” says Will.

Grand prix rider and top coach Joao Charlesworth agrees.

“Horses that don’t have a classic fold are mechanically slower to bring their forearms up and over the jump, but if they’re brave enough and you’ve built their heart up, they can still jump clear rounds,” he points out.

The role of conformation in jumping technique

There are many factors that influence a horse’s foreleg technique, with conformation being one of the most important.

“A horse who is straight through the shoulder will find it harder to bring his knees up than a horse with long, sloping shoulder,” points out Will, who explains that there is a big difference between a horse that hangs its forearm and one that dangles its legs below the knee.

“A dangly forearm is much more of a worry,” he says. “No amount of gridwork is going to fix that, but a young or inexperienced horse may jump with an open technique because he doesn’t yet have the strength to be neat in front. This often improves over time,” he adds.

Exercises to improve a horse’s jumping technique

Both Will and Joao agree that the focus on how to improve a horse’s jumping technique should revolve around building core strength, confidence and self-awareness. Here are some jumping exercises to try.

1. Add a groundline

“A horse that doesn’t snap up quickly needs to be given more time in front of the fence,” says Joao. “Using a good groundline can help with this as it will give him more time to fold his legs and bascule.

“If you get in too deep to a fence too often, you’re not giving the horse the opportunity to organise his legs and that’s when he might lose a bit of self-belief.”

Joao explains that at home he uses shorter distances in tandem with groundlines to encourage the horse to work harder and be quicker with his reactions.

“The groundlines will be pulled out a foot or so from the base of the fence to give him room to get his forearm up and over,” he says.

Joao uses this simple gymnastic exercise to help a horse use his shoulders and sharpen up his technique.

2. Introduce “V” rails

This groundline exercise can be built on by adding V-shaped guide rails.

“Set up a placing pole three yards away from a small upright (starting at no more than about 70cm) with a ground rail, followed three yards later by a slightly taller vertical with “V” guide rails to encourage the horse to stay in the middle of the fence and use his shoulders.

“Keep the fences small to start with and the “V” rails pulled apart so you don’t surprise the horse. Approach in a short, bouncy canter. Be prepared for a green horse to have a look, so keep your leg on and don’t get in front of the movement.

“When the horse is jumping through this set-up confidently you can add another upright seven yards after.

“For a more experienced horse you can play around with shortening the distance between the final two uprights. I find this exercise is great for building the horse’s confidence in his jump.”

3. Speed up reactions with bounces

Will Fletcher’s go-to exercise to help improve core strength and encourage quicker reactions is a very simple row of bounces.

“I do a lot of bounces with my horses at every stage of their career as it teaches them to be quick-thinking, athletic and to use their shoulders,” he says.

“I start with two bounces on a 12-foot distance and add in one more bounce at a time until there are four in a row.

“Approach in a quiet canter and ‘pop’ in over the first part, making sure you stay soft through your arms and follow the horse’s movement.

“It’s important not to overdo this sort of work. Bounces are hard work physically and mentally and doing them four or five times is enough.”

Tactics in the ring

Once you’re in the arena, you won’t have the benefit of a judiciously placed ground rail or a row of bounces to help you warm up.

“You need to think about giving your horse a little bit more room in front of the fences,” says Joao. “This isn’t an easy thing for an amateur to do, but you can start by making sure your canter has plenty of power so you’re not creeping into deep spots.

“You also need to consider how you ride related distances. For example, if you have a five-stride distance, you don’t want to be pushing down the distance and ending up with your fifth stride too close to the base of the second fence or you run the risk of your horse not getting his front end out of the way quickly enough. Instead, sit up as soon as you land and rebalance early, so you can then ride forward to the second fence without ending up too close and deep to it.

“Similarly, if you have a regular three- or four-stride distance it can be a good idea to treat it as if it were on the short side, so you’re giving the horse more room in front of the second fence. Sit up on landing and support the horse between your leg and hand, so you’re not too open and floating between the fences.”

Will adds: “You can help the horse by keeping your upper body up, especially in the last few strides before a fence, so you’re giving him time and space to bring his shoulders up without restricting him.”

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Medal-winning showjumper William Fletcher said he hopes to “come out strong next year”, after he sustained multiple injuries to his leg in a fall.

The 26-year-old rider was competing at Hickstead during the All England September Tour (27-31 August and 3-7 September) when he suffered what he described as “the first major injury of my career”, dislocating and breaking his leg and ankle, in three places in total.

“Sadly this has cut my season short as I will be out of the ring for the next couple of months, with my surgery booked in for next week,” he said. In an update yesterday (17 September), Will said the surgery had been carried out, and his road to recovery could start in earnest.

“I have to say a massive thank you to everyone who has reached out over the past week, it has been massively appreciated by me,” he said, before the operation. “Also a huge thank you to Eefie, Will, Ryan and Carmen for coming with me to the hospital which made the long wait a lot more enjoyable.

“Let’s hope that everything goes well in the surgery and we can come out strong next year with my super team of horses.”

Will has twice represented Great Britain at youth Europeans with his former event horse ride Persimmon, who retired this summer aged 20. He had been enjoying a good summer season, winning and securing top-10 finishes at the Royal International Horse Show, Bolesworth, the Hickstead Derby meeting and in Europe.

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British showjumper Will Fletcher has revealed “with a really heavy heart” that he has made the decision to retire his “long time companion” Persimmon.

Boasting the unique feat of representing his country in Nations Cup teams across two disciplines, eventing and showjumping, the 20-year-old gelding has enjoyed a long and illustrious career in both spheres.

Persimmon: eventing silver medallist and showjumping grand prix winner

With event rider Kitty King, the Salute RP x Indorado gelding won team silver and finished fourth individually at the 2015 European Championships at Blair Castle and took the runner-up spot at Bramham CCI3* (now CCI4*-L). The pair won seven times internationally before it was decided that “Percy” might be better suited in the showjumping ring. In 2017 he joined Will Fletcher’s Oxfordshire stables.

“He really has been the horse of a lifetime and made so much possible for me, from taking me to my first Europeans where we medalled, first senior Nations Cups and first international grand prix win, even winning grands prix when he was 19 last year,” says Will. “I owe him more than I can put into words.

“But what makes him even more special is, as well as what he achieved with me he was also a senior medallist in eventing – one of very few horses to compete at such a high level at both disciplines.

“He really has been a horse that has changed a lot of people’s lives and I’m so happy that he’s retired in a good way, very happy and sound. We’ll miss having him at the stables but will never forget everything he’s given to us all.”

Will Fletcher on Persimmon: “He’s 16hh at a push and I’m 6ft 2in”

When Will took the reins on the Dutch-bred “small horse who’d fallen out of love with dressage” he explained: “We took it slowly for the first year as I was in the middle of my A-levels.

“He did well in 1.20m and 1.30m classes but then we jumped a Foxhunter second round, which was by far the biggest course we’d done, and I thought ‘OK, this one has more in the tank than we thought’ and we went on from there.

“He’s 16hh at a push and I’m a full up 6ft 2in but his strength comes straight from his heart; he wants it more than any other horse,” said Will. “He has so many quirks though! The first time I jumped him after a break during lockdown, he splatted me like a 12.2hh pony at a tiny cross-pole and I was left on the floor with him standing over me – I’m sure he was laughing. But once he’s in the ring he’s in the zone. What he’s done to help me with my career has been unbelievable.”

Kitty King bought Persimmon as a rising six-year-old thinking “he could certainly go out and win a few nice classes, but I wasn’t necessarily expecting him to go on to the European Championships!”

“But he stepped up at every level and found it all very easy – he was very bold cross-country and enjoyed his jumping,” she said. “He was tough mentally and physically and although dressage wasn’t his favourite phase, you could work with him and produce the test you needed to on the day. My proudest moment was finishing fourth at the Europeans at Blair. He’s an amazing little horse.”

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Earlier this month, H&H paid a visit to the Oxfordshire yard of high-flying showjumping brothers Will and Olli Fletcher. It was a brief interlude at home just north of Lambourn in between Will’s trip south to the Sunshine Tour, and Olli’s flight to Doha for his first experience of the Global Champions League.

We hope you enjoy this exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the yard, meeting some fabulous horses with fascinating backstories. Don’t miss the full interview in the current issue of the magazine (22 February).

1. “I owe Percy everything”

Will with 19-year-old Persimmon (Percy), who finished fourth at the European Eventing Championships with Kitty King before switching to showjumping and winning young rider medals with Will.

2. Hello William’s party trick

Olli has taught his top horse Hello William to kiss him on command. Olli has an especially strong bond with the 12-year-old by Waldo Van Dungen, who started his career as an event horse. He recovered from colic last season to be placed in a five-star grand prix.

3. The boys run separate yards – and separate businesses

Will, pictured with one of his top rides, Israel, keeps his string in a row of new exterior stables decorated with pretty purple hanging baskets, while Olli houses most of his horses in an indoor barn.

4. Sweet treats

Mum Tina offers Hello William a sugar lump after his jumping session.

5. Polework coincides with flat sessions

Besides a large 40x85m outdoor school, where they do most of their jumping training, there is a smaller arena for flatwork and polework.

“They do plenty of polework as it keeps them athletic and gets the muscles working properly, without putting too much stress on them,” says Tina, who coaches her two sons.

6. An all-weather track circumnavigates the paddocks

The Fletchers’ dad, Graham, laid down a canter track using the old surface of the school when they were renovating it. It offers a useful alternative to hacking. Here Olli rides Kandoo Z, an eight-year-old owned by Will, ahead of Will riding Quintine Van D’Abdijhoeve (Clover).

7. Love is in the air

Olli has a soft spot for the delightful eight-year-old Love (Diamant De Semilly x Heartbreaker). This pretty little mare is “so scopey” and will step up to rankings classes this season.

8. An Irish hunter in disguise?

Will aboard another eight-year-old mare, Quintine Van D’Abdijhoeve, who was placed in the seven-year-old final last season and is owned by Alison Walton.

“She looks like an Irish hunter but she’s so light off the ground when she jumps,” says Will. “She’s come on leaps and bounds.”

9. Keeping the show on the road

Each brother has their own head groom. Eefie Billson (pictured above leading Israel) works for Will and also competes her own showjumper, Pudding. Gemma Chapman (pictured below with Kandoo) is Olli’s groom and also helps with the riding.

10. A quiet jump at home

Tina explains that the horses “never jump big at home”: “A horse doing 1.50m classes won’t jump more than 1.40m. We just want to keep them relaxed, happy and enjoying their job.”

11. “Percy does whatever he pleases”

Persimmon is the yard favourite. He occupies the first box in Olli’s yard, even though he’s Will’s ride – “because that’s where he wants to be”. The veteran is still winning grands prix as a 19-year-old.

12. “They help each other out”

Dad Graham admits he’s surprised at how well the family business has worked out. While there is plenty of banter, he says: “I can’t remember them ever having an argument about the horses – they help each other out.”

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The gallant Persimmon gives Will Fletcher two thrilling rides for a big class double, while Mark Edwards lands the grand prix spoils at South of England Showground, Ardingly, West Sussex

THE glorious sound of a round of applause has never been so welcome or, in the case of Will Fletcher, so richly deserved, as it was after his victories at South of England.

When commentator Gareth Jenkins ushered the winning 22-year-old to canter round on a second circuit of the ring after his brilliant International Stairway success, he said, “Enjoy it, Will, you haven’t heard that noise for 18 months,” and the cheers intensified, adding to a buzzing atmosphere we all enjoyed immensely over three full days.

“It was lovely to lead the lap of honour not once but twice, with a crowd. It makes such a difference,” said Will, who had partnered the great 16-year-old Persimmon to victory in both Friday’s area trial and Sunday’s feature class, the 1.55m International Stairway, with two sizzling performances to match the soaring temperatures. Will also landed a 1.20m on Sunday with Stella Bunn’s lovely seven-year-old Baloutero.

A quality field of nine jumped clear over what looked to be a decent test set by Ben Townley in Friday’s area trial and Will fielded two through to the jump-off in Persimmon and the exciting 10-year-old Valento.

With the advantage of final draw, courtesy of his lightning-quick opening round, Will and Persimmon powered around, taking a flyer to the final oxer to stop the clock in 39.05sec. They rocketed to the top of the leaderboard above second-placed Joe Fernyhough, riding his father’s Calcourt Quicktime and Mennell Watson was a nostril behind in third with his great partner Whisper In The Wind.

Persimmon loves this kind of challenge, said his beaming rider.

“He’s some man,” he enthused. “He comes alive at shows with a big grass ring. And it’s lovely for me to be back jumping at a super county show like this – my first since Newbury in 2019.

“It helped that I had two horses in it, even though they’re so different. With Valento, I took strides out everywhere and he was three seconds slower. ‘Percy’ is shorter-striding, but he can turn up so fast. He’s quick across the floor, so even if I’m taking an extra stride, he’s still making the time. But I watched Joe [in penultimate draw], who rode a fantastic round and he just went a bit wider from fence one to two, so I thought I’d just be able to nip in there to win.”

Also singing the praises of his sixth-placed Van Helsing gelding Valento, who was jumping in his first area trial, Will added: “We got him at the end of last year and we’ve taken it a bit slowly. He was clear in the two-star grand prix at Wellington, but this suited him down to the ground. He has everything. He’s so careful, so scopey, I don’t think it’ll be long before he’s going bigger and better and just getting a bit quicker. I’m excited for the future with him.”

Will and the pint-sized superstar Persimmon returned for his second victory on Sunday over a mighty 1.55m track, claiming the honours after a brave challenge from the Breen Equestrian-based Jack Ryan on KBS Major Player, with Mark Edwards third on the ever-consistent Montreuxs Tale.

“He’s done so much for me and I can’t put into words what this means to me,” said Will. “I think we’ll do five of the Stairways, so if we ended up top of the leaderboard that would be excellent – and to qualify for the international at Horse of the Year Show [HOYS] would be a bonus.”

“He’s a joy to have about”

MARK EDWARDS is always a force to be reckoned with at these shows and he provided fierce opposition all weekend, finding the winning formula in Saturday’s grand prix with Tinkers Tale, also taking fourth with Montreuxs Tale.

“Tinkers Tale wins most of his classes on grass, so we took it easy year last year when there wasn’t much happening, so it was really nice to get a win like that on him,” said Mark, who pipped Angie Thompson (Fremont VDL) into second with Joe Fernyhough third, this time on Calcourt Particle.

“I knew Angie had gone quick so I didn’t have too much to spare, but it was lucky I went after her otherwise I think she would have been a bit quicker again. It definitely helps having two horses in those classes and Montreuxs Tale had a great show, too. He’s a joy to have about.

“It definitely makes it feel more important when there’s a crowd watching; it was a good feeling.”

Many riders were hotfooting it between the busy jumping rings over the three days and Joe Fernyhough found success in the 1.35m and 1.40m classes in the Balcombe ring riding Gurtera Cara Dubh.

“He could be a very good one”

BILLY McDERMIT showed all the credentials of a future top-class horse when landing Friday’s HOYS grade C qualifier, held for the first time in the show’s main arena, providing a superb showcase for future equine stars. Rider William Funnell has long held his home-bred eight-year-old – who is out of the same dam as Billy McCain and by Tangelo VD Zuuthoeve – in high regard.

“He was a bit difficult cantering in the beginning, but he looks like he’s going to be a good horse,” said William. “Because it’s only me who rides him and I’ve been away so much, he hasn’t been to a show for a long time. He just did that one class and jumped even better in the jump-off than in the first round. He’s careful and scopey and his canter is improving, so I think he’s a nice one.”

Praise for course-designer Ben Townley and the show team

RIDERS heaped praise on course-designer Ben Townley, whose tracks over all three days proved “spot on”.

“I think he’s a huge asset to the UK. He has a brain and you can see that in his course building,” reflected William Funnell.

“He thinks so much about the colours he uses, he uses the whole ring and he thinks about the crowd as well as the riders, which sometimes we forget about until we go to county shows like this. His jump-offs were spot on. I think he’s going to be one of the best.”

Mark Edwards added: “He built up the tracks over the three days and Sunday’s Stairway was a really stiff test, but he had six clears, which is exactly what he wanted. He got it right all week.”

Will Fletcher also credited the groundsmen for providing “perfect” turf footing.

“They’ve done a fantastic job; it looked gorgeous, it felt brilliant and what looked a tough track for the area trial produced 10 clears, which proved the horses were jumping well off it,” he said.

William Funnell also said: “It was fantastic that they went ahead and ran the show. Somebody took a big chance as it would have been easier to cancel than to take a chance with it. It was great to see thousands of people, who were clapping even for the grade C. Well done to the team for taking the initiative.”

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This report can also be read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 17 June

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Boasting the unique feat of representing his country in Nations Cup teams across two disciplines, this former world-class eventer is now enjoying a second career as a showjumper. Jennifer Donald talks to his connections to find out more about the diminutive character who likes to have the last laugh...

Persimmon

Age: 15

Stable name: Percy

Breeding: Salute RP x Indorado

Owner-rider: Will Fletcher

Breeder: MP Toering (Netherlands)

Greatest achievements: Persimmon is believed to be the only horse to jump on Nations Cup teams in eventing and showjumping; first British Eventing six-year-old championships 2011; team silver and individual fourth at the European Eventing Championships 2015; under-18 champion at the British Showjumping National Championships 2017; European young rider team silver 2018; third in the Queen Elizabeth II Cup at RIHS 2019.

Rider Will Fletcher

“After ‘Percy’ left Kitty King, Tom McEwen called and said he had this small horse who’d fallen out of love with dressage but who jumped well, would I like to try him?

“We took it slowly for the first year as I was in the middle of my A levels. He did well in 1.20m and 1.30m classes but then we jumped a Foxhunter second round, which was by far the biggest course we’d done, and I thought, ‘OK, this one has more in the tank than we thought,’ and we kicked on from there.

“He’s 16hh at a push and I’m a full-up 6ft 2in, but his strength comes straight from his heart – he wants it more than any other horse. He has so many quirks though! There are fillers at home we can’t have out, yet he’s never spooked in the ring.

“The first time I jumped him after a break during lockdown, he splatted me like a 12.2hh pony at a tiny cross-pole and I was left on the floor with him standing over me – I’m sure he was laughing.

“In the trot-up, he’s so graceful and does this full-on extended trot, but he tries to bite you and he’s kicked me twice. The vet actually turned him and my brother Olli away in Valkenswaard because he was so naughty. However, once he’s in the ring, he’s in the zone.

“What he’s done to help me with my career has been unbelievable, but I’d love to do a five-star show with him – it would be a push for him and me, but I’d love to give a big grand prix a go.”

Groom Stacey Greenshield

“Persimmon is complex! He keeps us on our toes and has to get to know you before he trusts you – he’s a sensitive soul, you couldn’t tell him off. He’s scared of the farrier and he remembers who they are, so that’s tricky. He also goes through phases with his food, he’s very fussy. He has his own pen in the field, but if he’s in one of his moods, he’ll only let Tina [Fletcher] or me catch him.

“Iona Quigley looks after him at most shows and he likes to catch you out – he’ll be stood like a donkey at the side of the ring, then the music will start and he’ll spin round in circles, buck or just generally lose his mind and you think, ‘Where did that come from?’ Looks are deceiving with him – he looks like an old man but he’s very funny, just a ball of personality.”

Former rider Kitty King

“I bought Persimmon as a rising six-year-old from Tim Warren, who sells a few horses locally and had brought him over from the Netherlands having done a bit of amateur jumping. He was a very good mover and jumper and wasn’t crazy money, so he was one to get the owners involved in the sport. I thought that he could certainly go out and win a few nice classes, but wasn’t necessarily expecting him to go on to the European Championships!

“But he stepped up at every level and found it all very easy – he was very bold cross-country and enjoyed his jumping. He was tough mentally and physically and although dressage wasn’t his favourite phase, you could work with him and produce the test you needed on the day.

“My proudest moment was finishing fourth at the Europeans at Blair. He was pathfinder so I was asked to go a long route and that probably cost us individual bronze, but I was delighted. He’s an amazing little horse who’s done a great job.”

Ref Horse & Hound; 15 October 2020

The showjumper on failing French, teaming up with the great eventer Persimmon and cooking up some cordon bleu cereal

British showjumper Will Fletcher won gold as part of the young rider team at the European Championships. The 21-year-old son of Tina and Graham Fletcher has represented Great Britain on senior Nations Cup teams, and he also hosts a weekly showjumping podcast.

What is the last book you read?

I’m not a big reader but when I was younger, I read the Harry Potter books over and over again.

What are your favourite tunes for a road trip?

My music taste is very random. But anything to sing along to during the graveyard shift helps.

Which famous person would you invite to dinner?

Whichever famous person would like to buy me a horse! Seriously, though, Thierry Henry was my absolute favourite football player and I would love to meet him.

What was your first pony?

I wasn’t much of a rider when I was younger, but my first pony was a Shetland called TomTom. We didn’t do much but we did nail some of the local gymkhanas.

If you weren’t a rider, you’d be…

Ideally something to do with sport but the most likely outcome would probably be something boring in an office, so I’m delighted that I’m riding full time.

Do you speak any other languages?

I wish! I failed my French year eight exam so many times that I was told to give up. But I did manage an A in Spanish.

What’s your favourite country?

I love going to Vilamoura in the spring before the season starts, so Portugal would be one. Everyone is so relaxed and the weather is great so that’s hard to beat. I’ve only been to America once when I was 13, but I would love to compete there one day.

What’s your most annoying habit and your best trait?

I’m incredibly forgetful. I’m great at recalling stats and results from years ago, but if you ask me to remember something right now I’m hopeless. My best trait is that I’m very honest. Maybe that’s a bit of a disadvantage at times, but I will always tell the truth.

Give us the lowdown on your current top horse

We were very lucky to get Persimmon as he was a top eventer with Kitty King, winning team silver at Blair in 2015. But he didn’t fancy doing dressage any more, although loved jumping. Since I got him, we’ve jumped on senior Nations Cup teams, two young rider European Championships and been placed in grands prix up to four-star level. He is very sharp and opinionated. We have a few fillers at home which we can’t use because he will throw a tantrum and not go near them, but he never spooks in the ring. You just have to let him do what he wants to keep him happy.

What is the best dish you cook?

I’m very lucky as my dad is a great cook, so I haven’t had to fend for myself much. Does cereal count?

If you could have any horse in the world, which would you want?

I feel you’d be lying if you didn’t say Ben Maher’s Explosion W – that horse is just a freak of nature. But when I saw Big Star, I thought I’d just love to sit on him to see what he felt like.

Your favourite tipple?

I don’t have much variety in alcoholic drinks – beer is usually my only choice; Doom Bar is my favourite.

How many pets do you have?

I have a dog called Harry. He’s my companion and travels with me to every show, but he is so sad when he’s left at home.

What got you into the most trouble as a child?

When I was in year six, I pulled a friend’s trousers down in the school playground and unfortunately everything came down – it’s fair to say my teachers weren’t best pleased.

H&H 13 August 2020

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“We were the dream team!” said William Fletcher after winning the Glenbrook Property Mini Major Pairs in partnership with 10-year-old Alfie Diaper at the TheraPlate UK Liverpool International Horse Show.

William, who rode Di Wilson’s 11-year-old mare Tiger Bright, and Alfie, aboard 22-year-old Euro Magic, sped round in a time of 50.11 seconds.

“Alfie did an amazing job with very tight turns.”

Second were Ireland’s Mikey Pender and Saroise O’Neil in 51.91 seconds, while Eve McCoy – daughter of the legendary National Hunt jockey AP McCoy – and Anthony Condon were third in a time of 54.36.

Alfie, who lives in Dorset and is a member of the Poole and District branch of the Pony Club, is having a stellar week at Liverpool. Yesterday — the first day of the four-day show — he won the first heat of the Jones Brothers Shetland Pony Grand National.

“My dream was to win a rug,” admitted Alfie, “and now I have.”

William said: “It took me four years to win a rug here!”

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There were two showjumping classes for amateur riders at TheraPlate UK Liverpool this morning. Grace Wallace won the Black Cat Building Consultancy 1.25m competition with the 10-year-old mare Eau Claire V, while Melissa Garry was second on Hotesse.

The opening 1.15m class, sponsored by Jolliffe & Co, went to Tony Pearson (Berlin). Ireland’s Carol Gee of Fernhill Sports Horses was second on Fernhill Splash.

Check back on horseandhound.co.uk for more updates from the Liverpool International Horse Show plus report in the issue of Horse & Hound magazine dated 9 January.

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