A personal best, a skewbald star and a debutante on a home-bred – catch up on Burghley’s Thursday dressage action

The Defender Burghley Horse Trials dressage started today (5 September) – and it kicked off with a bang when the second rider into the arena, Ros Canter, punched in a sub-20 test. She wasn’t headed all day, but there was plenty of other excitement and several interesting horses to enjoy.

Read on to catch up on all the action…

Ros Canter set a new personal best with a score of 19.9 to take the lead.

• What has Ros been working on with Izilot DHI?

Tom Jackson put in a solid test in the second group with Capels Hollow Drift and holds third overnight, behind Pippa Funnell with MCS Maverick.

• Find out what pulled Tom’s marks down slightly

A pair who were on the podium at Badminton Horse Trials also kicked off their campaign this morning.

• How did Alex Bragg and Quindiva fare?

Max Warburton put in the best test of the British debutants today.

• What has Max worked on to achieve his mark of 28.9?

Fellow British first-timer Lizzie Baugh also took to the arena this afternoon with her home-bred B Exclusive.

• What was “Buzz” like as a foal?

Further down the leaderboard, some characterful horses were in action.

• Susie Berry talks about the mare Irene Leva, who excels in the cross-country phase

Emma Hyslop-Webb’s ride is one of the youngest in the field.

• What does Jeweetwel’s unusual name mean?

Debutant Declan Cullen is the oldest rider here and rides the skewbald Seavaghan Ash.

• Why does Declan have a special connection to this horse?

Finally, riders have been giving their first reactions to Derek di Grazia’s cross-country course.

• What do the riders think of the track?

Check back in for more Burghley Horse Trials dressage tomorrow.

• Dressage times
• To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the Paralympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You might also be interested in:

Burghley dressage times released – find out when your favourite rider starts

How to watch Burghley Horse Trials 2025 live streams and on TV wherever you are

20 pairs to watch at Burghley this week – will one of these combinations take the title?

Watch William Fox-Pitt walk key fences on the 2024 Burghley cross-country course: ‘Derek di Grazia is asking some terrific questions’

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

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