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.
While most riders won’t encounter anything as daunting as Hickstead’s Devil’s Dyke, early training over water trays is crucial.
(Image credit: Alamy)
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.”
“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.
