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Here, Ashker explains how her experience as a five-star eventer helps with her upper-level Grand Prix dressage movements and vice versa. You can also watch a video of her demonstrating this concept below.

From Drop Jumps to Pirouettes and Piaffe

“In eventing, especially when coming down to the head of a lake or dropping into water, you have to create balance in your horse. You can see in the video as I prepare for my left half pirouette turn, I stay behind my horse so he can more easily lift his shoulders for the turn. And then I ride him out. We repeat it one more time. I take my time and am very patient as I continue to stay behind him to keep his shoulders lifted.

“In piaffe, it’s the same idea. You want your horse’s shoulders to lift, not his head. There’s a big difference. And in order for the horse’s shoulders to lift, his back and rear need to drop. You horse can’t do this if you’re ahead of him all the time.

“Here, I’m going to demonstrate my position. You should always be able to draw a straight line from your shoulder to your hip and down to your heel. It’s very similar to our takeoffs over some cross-country jumps because it requires us to naturally balance our horses. The jumps actually help us do this. In dressage, we obviously don’t have jumps, so we have to use our position and posture to achieve that balance.

“In the piaffe, it’s a very light aid with the hand. Then, my legs alternate to ask my horse to lift his front legs. There’s a very fine line here between throwing him out of balance with my position. I continue to stay behind his motion to allow his shoulders to lift, and I might allow him to travel just a bit to keep the steps the same.

“In summary, if you do both eventing and upper-level dressage, be proud of being an eventer. Improving your position on cross country will only make your position that much better in your dressage work, no matter your level, and it will be more supportive for your horse.”

About Laine Ashker

Five-star eventer and dressage professional Lainey Ashker has competed in numerous FEI competitions at the five-star level, including the Blenheim Palace International Horse Trials CC14* and the Defender Burghley Horse Trials CC15*. The horsewoman, who trains out of her Keystone Acres farm in Chesterfield, Virginia, also won the National Eventing Championship (Advanced Level) in 2013 aboard her long-time mount, Anthony Patch. More recently, she won her first CDI in May 2023 aboard her upper-level dressage horse, Zeppelin.

For more with Laine Ashker, click here.

This video is brought to you by Absorbine.

Which Kentucky CCI5*-L XC Jump Is the Most Intimidating? Poll

Vote on your pick for the most intimidating Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L cross-country jump! Check out a selection of the jumps below and scroll to the bottom to cast your vote and we’ll report back on the results.

For current results of the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI5*-L, click here. CCI5*-L cross country begins tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. ET. Click here for ride times.

View the full CCI5*-L cross-country course here.

Thanks to Kent Nutrition Group and Blue Seal for our coverage of the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event. It includes lead-up events, rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more.

Every cross-country course also tends to progress in a similar way. I would consider Fences 1, 2 and 3 to be gallop fences, but they’re also lead-up fences. You want to use these fences to solidify your rhythm and ensure you and your horse are confident before tackling your first real question—a challenging obstacle or combination of obstacles. Typically, you can expect Fence 4 to be your first question on course, followed by more gallop fences that allow you to regroup and regain your rhythm before another question. 

How you introduce your horse to these questions in schooling sessions directly impacts your partnership. The goal of every cross-country schooling session should be to build confidence and make the session totally bulletproof. To do this, you need to work your horse through a progression to develop his confidence so he’s able to execute the questions. This way, at competitions he’ll come out of the start box, jump the lead-up fences and be ready to tackle the first real question on course. 

In this article, I’ll first explain how to boost your horse’s confidence with two questions—a water jump and a ditch. Then, I’ll teach you how to build on that foundation by introducing him to accuracy fences. I’ll also share my tips on how to best prepare your horse for tackling these questions on course. You may not be able to get through all these questions in one schooling session, as every horse is a unique individual and will progress at his own pace. If your horse understands the questions quickly and easily, you can move on to another question but pay careful attention to your horse. If he seems physically or mentally taxed, revisit it another day.  

Cross-Country Schooling Versus Competition

It’s important to note that schooling and competition are two different scenarios. A student once asked me why she shouldn’t immediately jump her horse into water during a schooling session, rationalizing that she’d have to do this at competitions. I don’t think the two situations relate. If you run your horse at a question he’s not confident about when you’re schooling, you can create a moment of doubt or hesitation, which is more detrimental and will ultimately catch up to you at the competition. You never want to put your horse in a position where he doesn’t understand or trust what you’re asking him to do. If he starts to doubt you, it’s going to take a lot of work and time to rebuild that trust again. 

When introducing your horse to a new obstacle like water or a ditch, always walk alongside it as opposed to walking him straight at it. Think about the way your horse reacts when you catch him in the field. If you walk straight up to his head, he’s probably going to step back and be hesitant. But if you walk toward his side, he will be more receptive. Follow that same logic when introducing him to cross-country jumps. Always ask him to walk next to the obstacle and yield him toward it. Then, walk him around to the landing side so he gets the whole picture. If you introduce him to the fence this way, he’ll be quick to realize it’s not as scary as he might have thought and will be more willing to accept the concept.

The Water 

When introducing your horse to water, walk him back and forth alongside it instead of walking him straight toward it. It’s crucial that you keep him walking so he doesn’t stop or step back. Walk him back and forth, trying to get him closer in, keep walking him back and forth until he does so without hesitation. Then, try it at the trot. 

Whether you’re working with a 4-year-old on his first cross-country experience or a seasoned five-star horse going out for a routine schooling session, always walk through the water before asking him to jump into it—even if he’s jumped it before. Your goal is to always create confidence in your horse and the question you’re asking him, and there’s no harm in walking or trotting through first. This allows him to get a sense of the water’s depth and the footing. If your horse is more experienced, you can build on this and eventually canter him down a drop or jump a rail into the water.

Tackle the Water on Course

Beginner Novice: By the time you’re going Beginner Novice, your horse should be walking, trotting and cantering through water without hesitation. At this level, you’ll be asked to go through water on course without any jumping elements, but you may have a jump and then several strides away, a turn to the water. Your job is to help avoid the element of surprise. Instead of following the mowed path from the jump to the water, it may be wiser to jump the fence a little away from the water and then turn wide to give your horse an extra moment to think about it, instead of facing him with a jump, turn, surprise—water! 

Novice/Training: At Novice, you will have a single fence like a rolltop, and then two to four strides to the water’s edge. At Training, you may have a drop into the water on its own or a rolltop with three strides to the drop. Even if your horse has successfully jumped a rolltop many times, he might hesitate because he can see the water on the landing side. Think about making your turn wide enough so your horse has time to process the question to avoid a stop at the rolltop. 

Preliminary: At this level, you could see a fence with one stride to a drop into the water or a fence with three strides to a one-stride to a drop into the water. Apply the same theory as the Novice/Training fence before the water, but keep in mind that this combination isn’t as forgiving so it’s important to give your horse time to process the question. Your goal is to be balanced and accurate at the first fence so you have the momentum to give him confidence to drop down into the water. If you’re canter is weak at the first fence, he’ll land weak, which will lessen the chances of him dropping into the water with a potential refusal.  

Ditches 

In an ideal schooling setting, there will two or three different-sized ditches next to each other. Introduce your horse to ditches the same way you introduced him to water. Walk him alongside the ditches, turning him back and forth to give him the opportunity to see them out of both eyes and from either side. Notice how your horse reacts every time you turn him. He will essentially tell you when he’s ready, as he begins to be more accepting of the ditches. 

When your horse feels ready, walk or trot him over the smallest ditch. Try to create a soft connection with his mouth, keep your body behind his motion and support him with your leg. More than any other question, ditches require riders to stay behind their horses’ motion. This is crucial because your horse might jump it in an exaggerated way, especially if he’s new to ditches. If you anticipate the jump and lean at it, he might hesitate on takeoff. By staying behind your horse’s motion, you’ll also be more balanced and in a position to easily recover if he stops or overjumps the ditch.

Once your horse has jumped the ditch, ask him to go over it in the same direction two or three more times until he’s relaxed and jumping it quietly and confidently. Then, reverse and jump it in the other direction. When you reverse, be prepared that your horse might jump the ditch like it’s a completely different question. Next, canter the ditch in both directions. If this is your first time introducing him to a ditch, there’s no need to jump the bigger ones. If, however, your horse is more experienced jumping ditches, you can practice the medium ditch until he’s jumping it confidently in both directions. Then, you can progress to large ditch if it’s appropriate for your level. 

Conquer the Ditch on Course

Beginner Novice: The ditch will be on its own. Much like the water question, if you can provide your horse with an extra moment to read the question and get organized—by making a wide turn to it—always take it. This is beneficial even if it means risking some time on course—you can always make it up elsewhere.

Novice/Training: At Novice, expect an element either in front of or behind the ditch. At Training, there will be an element in front of and behind the ditch. Just as you did when first introducing your horse to ditches, support him with your position and stay behind the motion. If you get ahead of the motion, you’ll likely create hesitation on takeoff, leading to either a stop at the ditch or a stop at the element after the ditch. 

Preliminary: Like Training level, you can expect an element in front of and behind the ditch, but at this level, the elements and ditch will be larger. You might also face an accuracy question at the “C” element behind the ditch. As you approach the ditch, think about bringing your horse’s ears up. This will help create a balance where he’s more on his hind legs and light in the bridle. Stay in a three-point position (with your legs and seat in contact with the saddle) with a defensive upper-body balance so you can navigate any hesitation from your horse.

Accuracy Fences

Once your horse is confidently jumping water and ditches, you can introduce accuracy questions, such as corner or skinny fences. But before attempting these questions on cross country, introduce your horse to them in a ring at home to help boost his confidence.

Skinny setup: To build a small skinny fence, put a simple barrel on its side, using rails as wings on either side. The wings act as a tunnel and make it obvious what you’re asking your horse to do. 

Corner setup: To build a small corner, lay a barrel on its side. About 10 feet from it, place two standards close together with cups facing the barrel. Rest one end of a
12-foot rail on the barrel and put the other in the cup. Repeat this with the second rail and standard. Place ground poles at the base of each vertical. To create a wing to make your intention clearer to your horse, put one end of another rail on the front of the barrel. Place the other end on the ground, angled to the outside of the jump at approximately 100-110 degrees. 

Start by trotting both fences to give your horse an extra moment to process what you’re asking him. Hold your reins a bit wider than you normally would to help tunnel your horse’s shoulders evenly between them. Sit back and support your horse with your leg and the connection of the reins. This will give him confidence to leave the ground on the path you’re asking. Once he has the idea at the trot, approach it in the canter.

Once your horse understands these questions and is jumping them successfully in the ring, introduce him to the fences on cross country. Especially if your horse is new to these questions, incorporate the wing rails you used in the arena to give your horse confidence and guidance when he first tackles them in the field. Start at the canter and ride the fences the same way you did in the ring. Once your horse is jumping these questions confidently and consistently, remove the wings and jump them again.

When you’re comfortable jumping the accuracy questions on their own, you can work them into your cross-country schooling session. I typically warm up over straightforward gallop fences, then jump a corner and then go back to simple gallop fences before jumping a skinny. It’s important to include straightforward jumps between the accuracy questions so you don’t overface your horse by jumping several accuracy questions in a row. 

Remember to always introduce your horse to cross-country questions in a systematic way, giving him the opportunity to do what you’re asking by allowing him to process the question, supporting with your position and building on a progression. This will set you both up for success—in your schooling sessions and in competition. 

Master Accuracy Fences on Course

Beginner Novice/Novice: At the lower levels, accuracy questions are usually introduced in a soft way. There might be fences that look or feel like genuine corners or skinnies, but they jump a bit more like a regular fence. For example, the course could include a jump that’s slightly narrower than a regular gallop fence so you have to set up your horse a bit more, or a corner with a larger margin of error.  

Training: The accuracy questions will have a smaller margin of error than Beginner Novice or Novice, and you’re more likely to see both corners and skinnies on course. Be sure to set up your horse and create a powerful, collected gallop stride—you don’t want a big, open stride. The goal is to get a more organized, medium distance to the takeoff to ensure your horse has accurately read the question and is going to jump through the flags.

Preliminary: Corners and skinnies are even more technical because they’re in related distances to other fences. Therefore, it’s even more important that you create a powerful, organized stride to ensure your horse understands the question.

Train Your Eye

At every level, you will likely see a fence that has both low and high parts. Examples:  

• bench  

• staircase (has a low step and then another two or three steps above) 

• ditch and wall 

• ditch and brush  

On the approach to this type of your fence, your eye will tend to wander. Train yourself to focus on the part of the jump closest to where you’re taking off to improve your accuracy.  

For More:

• To read more about Ryan Wood’s methods for introducing your horse to corner jumps, click here.
• For more of our coverage on the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, click here.
• From short training tips to how-to videos and insider-access to private clinics and lessons, learn more from top eventing experts on EQUESTRIAN+.

Thanks to Kent Nutrition Group and Blue Seal for our coverage of the 2025 Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event, including lead-up events, rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more!

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Practical Horseman.

About Ryan Wood

Australian native Ryan Wood competed successfully throughout Australia, completing his first five-star at age 19 at Adelaide. He trained with Australian eventer Guy Wallace, Olympic dressage trainer Norbert van Laak and champion show jumpers Ludger Beerbaum and Ernst Hofschröer. In 2008, Wood moved to the U.S. and worked for Phillip Dutton before starting his own business, Woodstock Eventing, which is now based out of his and wife Lillian Heard Wood’s Lanefield Farm in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Wood has become one of top eventers in the U.S. and is known for his successful cross-country record. 

Tim Price, who’s representing New Zealand, and Vitali emerged in the lead after a solid cross-country run during Saturday’s competition. The former Olympian rocketed into first place after clinching a third-place win following the dressage phase.

“I think he is the all-round event horse who hasn’t showed it in all three phases yet, but he will. He gave everything he had today—he was just class,” Price said of Vitali. “His show jumping has also been good recently. I think I’ve got a bit of a plan in place. He’s buzzing with fitness and wellness, so hopefully that will help tomorrow. But I’m just going to enjoy it for today.”

William Fox-Pitt and Grafennacht landed in second place after cross country; coming out of dressage competition, the pair was tied for eighth place with Georgie Goss and Feloupe.

“I was trying very hard. She is an amazing mare, just fabulous. She always says yes,” Fox-Pitt said. “The long route [coming out of the water]—that was my long choice. She was going so well.”

Fox-Pitt admitted this is potentially the last time he will compete at Badminton and that he wanted to return home well and in good health. His two sons, he noted, would have given him a rollicking if he hadn’t.

“I am very lucky. I’m 55, and I’ve had an amazing time here at Badminton,” Fox-Pitt said. “This is my 26th completion which means I am slotting in nicely behind Andrew [Nicholson] and Toddy [Sir Mark Todd] in completions. And I am happy to be in that slot. I probably ought to grow up and get a new habit.”

Heart of a Lion

Perhaps most surprising was Lucy Latta and RCA Patron Saint’s comeback. After finishing 46^th during the dressage phase, the amateur rider representing Ireland now sits on the podium in third place. She and RCA Patron Saint jumped the fastest round of the day, coming home one second over the optimum time.

“He is truly one of the great cross-country horses out there. While he actually isn’t that fast, he doesn’t pull. [This horse] lets me go smoothly to the fences, doesn’t waste time and has the heart of a lion,” Latta said. “[RCA Patron Saint] doesn’t have two extra gears like a racehorse, but he stays galloping. He gave it to me everywhere. He was just unbelievable.”

Martin Completes First Badminton

Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF had a couple of run outs toward the end of the course that resulted in the pair finishing in 38^th place following cross country. Martin and the gelding were in fourth after the dressage phase.

“I was going great guns at first and perhaps hunting around too much. I saw a terrible turn off the skinny. For anyone watching, it was an error of judgement,” Martin said. “He’s a good old horse, and he would have made it. It was rider error.”

Martin, however, now has his first Badminton cross-country completion.

Badminton Cross Country 2024: Rider Experiences

Pippa Funnell (GBR) and Majas Hope: “This horse only came to me last year, and he is an amazing talent. I just have to channel him in the right way,” said Funnell. “He stood up in front of the ground jury at the horse inspection, and he’s been really anxious about coming into center stage. I had to have a hunt horse escort me into the field of play.

“William [Fox-Pitt] is a good friend, and we talk a lot. It’s a real struggle at our age. We experience so many highs and lows, it can play on our brains. When I heard Oliver [Townend] was out, my money was on William. It would be so brilliant for the sport. I had my big win in 2019, and I really want him to have this.”

Tiana Coudray (USA) and Cancaras Girl: “I saw a post about a green, 6-year-old mare on Facebook. I liked her breeding and she was cheap enough. I thought she was a pretty little mare I would sell to a kid,” Coudray said. “Her jump wouldn’t knock your socks off, but she was so straight for a young horse. So, we picked her up. Everything is a work in progress, but her heart and her brain got her here, and now she’s a Badminton horse!”

Bubby Upton (GBR) and Cola: “First of all, I am so proud of my horse. He never failed to give me his absolute all. He is an absolute machine and has proved it time and time again,” Upton said. “I am gutted about the pin [11 penalties]. He just got in too close. It’s one of those things. The support and the love I’ve felt over the last eight months since my accident has been unbelievably touching.”

Show Jumping Caps Off Badminton 2024

All eyes are now on tomorrow’s horse inspection, which takes place in front of Badminton House at 8:30 a.m., before the show-jumping phase begins. Of the 15 first-time competitors at the start of this year’s MARS Badminton Horse Trials, seven remain in the competition.

Thanks to Zoetis for our coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics, including rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more.

I have an exercise that gets horses back into the rhythm of jumping and riders reacquainted with their aids. It involves a serpentine pattern over fences. In this exercise, riders must use their aids to accurately and deliberately maneuver their horses through the turns. Additionally, horses must be responsive to those aids. 

Both inside and outside aids need to be applied to execute the exercise correctly. If the inside aids are not applied, the horse will drop his shoulder and fall to the inside through the curves of the serpentine. The same is true for the outside aids—if they are not applied, the horse will bulge through his ribcage, drop his shoulder and fall to the outside.  

Study the diagram below illustrating the exercise. You will need three jumps in total, set side by side, end to end. The tables in the diagram are set in a cross-country field, but you can build the exercise in whatever space you have, even using standard jumps if you don’t have access to cross-country obstacles.  

Ride the Serpentine Exercise 

Before you ride the serpentine exercise, warm up your horse on the flat. Do this in both directions until he is responsive to your aids. 

1. Pick up a canter on the right lead. Use your legs to establish a forward pace to ask your horse to move into your hand. 

2. Look over your right shoulder to the farthest (first) jump to find a straight track to it. Ride through the corner with your eye on the jump. Open your inside rein and push your horse out with your inside leg through the turn. Use a supporting outside leg and hand to keep your horse balanced and to prevent bulging.  

3. When you are straight to the jump, use even pressure from both legs and hands to maintain straightness. Keep a steady, even pace to the jump.  

4. Maintain support over the jump and think ahead about the right-turn track to the next obstacle. 

5. Ride a straight line and keep the pace as you send your horse away from the first jump. Look over your right shoulder to get your eye on the middle (second) jump.  

6. Turn to the middle jump using the same turning aids as you did in step two. Keep the pace through the turn.  

7. Use even leg and hand aids as you did in step three to maintain straightness to the middle jump. Support your horse over the jump and think ahead to the left-turn track to the third fence.  

8. Ride a straight line away from the jump, this time looking over your left shoulder to the third jump.  

9. Again, apply the same turning aids as you did in step two as you turn left toward the jump. 

10. Repeat step three when you are straight to the jump. Support him over the fence and ride straight away from the jump.  

Once you’ve executed the exercise, reverse direction and repeat the exercise starting on the left lead.  

Troubleshooting 

Your horse makes a bid for the jump. In other words, grabs hold of the bit and rushes to the fence. Rather than fighting with him, try softening your hands and body to allow your horse to relax into the bit. When you tighten your upper body and pull, he is more likely to clamp down on the bit and raise his head. When you soften, the tension is released, and the horse can relax into the hand.  

You get a deep distance to the jump. When you feel that you’re going to be deep, soften and allow your horse to figure it out on his own. Maintain your supporting leg and hand, but allow your horse to work out the distance. This teaches him to back off the jump of his own accord, rather than you pulling to a short distance.  

About Phillip Dutton

Phillip Dutton is a seven-time Olympian and three-time Olympic medalist. Originally from Australia, he represented his home country in three Olympics and four World Championships. He became an American citizen in 2006. Since then he has represented the U.S. in four Olympic Games and three World Championships. His most recent Olympic appearance came aboard Z at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. There the U.S. team finished in sixth place. Phillip and his wife, Evie, own, manage and train out of two farms. These include True Prospect Farm in West Grove, Pennsylvania, and Buck Ridge Farm in Loxahatchee, Florida.

Thanks to Mane ‘n Tail for our coverage of the 2024 Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, including rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more!

James Alliston Inherits the Lead

Six of the completions did not have jumping penalties, but only two went double-clear. James Alliston with Karma and Madison Temkin with MVP Madbum were those two envious combinations.

With the withdrawal of Cooley Moonshine, Alliston’s score of 32.6 moved him into the lead. The double-clear round for Temkin vaulted her from 10th place into second with a score of 38.4. Jessica Phoenix and Fluorescent Adolescent also went clear but had 3.6 time penalties. On a score of 39.3, she moved up from sixth to third.

The U.S.-bred Karma, who is owned by Alliston Equestrian, most recently won the Advanced level division at the Twin Rivers Summer Horse Trials in California and earlier this season was eighth in the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event CCI4*-S. This event marked her debut at the 4*-L level.

“I was thrilled with her,” Alliston said of his mare. “It’s her first four long, and she is a typically really good cross-country horse, but obviously she’s never gone this distance, or this difficult.

“I was really, really happy with her, and it was kind of hot as well, so sometimes that makes the galloping part harder, but she really galloped well and jumped the jumps well.”

Challenging Cross-Country Course

Numerous riders commented on the solid course designer Ian Stark put together. They were particularly focused on “The Bayou,” which was the first water combination and the sixth element in both the four-star long and short courses. It proved to be a challenge for many of the riders. Alliston came through it well, but he noted that it was a big question early on the course. “Normally they sort of ease you into it a little bit. You get the feet wet and then the big jumps would come later into the water. It was a very, very strong first water, so that was definitely challenging.”

Andrew McConnon and Wakita 54 into the Lead in the CCI4*-S

Andrew McConnon purchased his mount Wakita 54 as a coming 6-year-old. The 2013 Dutch Warmblood mare bred in the Netherlands has only been competed by McConnon. Earlier this year, they finished fifth in the CCI4*-L at the Tryon International Three-Day Event.

On the cross-country course, none of the riders came in under the optimum time, but McConnon came the closest. He did not have any jumping penalties and only 1.2 time penalties.

“She’s a really good cross-country horse,” McConnon said of Wakita 54. “She’s bold and brave. She loves it. I’m not able to go quick all the time with her. But I do choose a couple events in which I go a little bit faster. She would like to go quick all the time, but I think every few events we just take it easy.

“So, I targeted this as one to let her travel a little bit to help with her fitness and the hills,” he continued. “I was very aware of the elevation, but I’ve never been here before, so I didn’t know how she’d cope with that. But she is very fit just in nature, and she loved it, so she had a really good time.”

McConnon credited the travel grant he received from Rebecca Farm as what made it possible for him to make the trip from Southern Pines, North Carolina. “I did, fortunately, which, to be honest, without that generosity, I wouldn’t be able to come out. Like I said, I own this horse myself, and it’s a long way to do it. And so, I wouldn’t have been able to come out here otherwise. So that was a huge contributing factor into coming out. But yes, I did receive the grant, and I’m really thankful for that.”

Tamie Smith aboard Kynan, who led after dressage, was also clean but amassed 17.2 time penalties. That slowdown dropped her into second place. Emilee Libby and Toska, who were third after dressage, held onto their position.

Final Round on Sunday

Sunday afternoon closes out the entire event with the CCI4*-S and then CCI4*-L stadium jumping courses. For the CCI4*-L, this round will be very important in deciding the winner. With less than two rails separating the current top three finishers, a clean round will be necessary to win it all.

Follow along with Practical Horseman as we cover the final day of competition tomorrow with stadium jumping. Coverage sponsored by Cosequin®.

Riders and horses from five nations will compete in the CCI5*-L dressage tomorrow and Friday. Crossing the pond to compete are the FEI World #1 rider Tim Price of New Zealand riding the 10-year-old Selle Français gelding Coup de Coeur Dudevin. Great Britain’s Oliver Townend and the 11-year-old gelding As Is and Harry Meade and the 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding Superstition will contest the competition.

U.S. riders set to compete include Phillip Dutton and 14-year-old Zangersheide gelding, Z; Doug Payne and 11-year-old German Sport Horse gelding, Quantum Leap; Buck Davidson with 15-year-old Holsteiner gelding, Carlevo, and the 11-year-old gelding, Sorocaima; Will Coleman and 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, DonDante; and Lauren Nicholson and the 16-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, Landmark’s Monte Carlo. Liz Halliday-Sharp will compete 11-year-old Irish Sporthorse gelding, Cooley Quicksilver. The ground jury held Halliday-Sharp’s Deniro Z during the inspection and did not accept him upon re-inspection. For a complete list of riders, click here.

The CCI5*-L competition starts tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. EST with Halliday-Sharp and Cooley Quicksilver. Coleman, Dutton and Davidson will compete Thursday as well. Friday’s competition starts at the same time and includes Payne, Meade, Townend, Nicholson and Price.

Horse Reports: Quantum Leap and Danito

This event will be the fourth five-star for Payne’s Quantum Leap, owned by Payne, his wife, Jessica, and Susan Drillock. “We’re finally getting all the pieces and parts put together,” Payne said after the horse inspection. “The flatwork is still coming along, and I think it just continues to get better and better. I was just trying a little bit different configurations or warm-up routines to figure out how to maximize his comfort level and then his performance as a result. So I think we’ve got it pretty well dialed in.

“His mindset would be very much that he’s an overachiever and a trier. … He wants to do it right,” Payne continued. “And if he doesn’t do it right, then he gets worried about it. My job is to try and figure out how to make it flowing, easy and simple for him. And that’s going to be tough going into dressage. The jumping stuff is fine.”

West Coast rider Tamie Smith will be riding in the first five-star competition for Susan Bley’s 13-year-old Hanoverian gelding, Danito. They ride their dressage test tomorrow. The horse broke his withers in January in a freak barn accident where he fell asleep and got startled and fell. His first event back was at The Event at Rebecca Farm in July where “he felt better than ever,” Smith said.

“He’s quite, quite smart in the first phase,” Smith continued about the dressage. “He really shines. If he’s with me and doesn’t get tense, he could have quite a good test. Cross country, he feels like a machine now. Our partnership is very solid and good. I think that he’ll read everything very nice. It’s his first five-star, so you never know, endurance-wise, how he’ll handle it. But I’m lucky to have him. I really believe in him, and I think he’s a super horse.”

Maryland 5 Star Cross-Country Course

Course designer Ian Stark has modified the CCI5*-L course slightly from last year, moving the start and finish areas. The course has 29 questions with 11 combinations.

“Certainly it’s gonna be a true test at 11-1/2 minutes,” Payne said. “There’s a number of really solid combinations. I’m very lucky to have a good galloping horse and one that’s super-quick on his feet. … It’s a very rewarding course … not one that’s trappy or tricky. It’s kind of laid out for you just to go attack it and make it happen.”

In addition to the changes in the start and finish areas, horses will gallop into the Main Arena used for show jumping and dressage to jump Fences 6 and 7AB. “If that’s really packed, that’s going to be a big environment for [the horses] to go, especially early in the track,” Payne said.

“The main water’s quite late,” he added. “You’re nine-and-a-half minutes [in] I think, [to get to] that main water. So that’s definitely a big ask there. You just have to gauge your horse and figure out how best to present it to him.”

For more information on the event, click here. For how you can watch the event, click here.

Thanks to Mane n Tail Equine for our coverage of the 2022 Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, including rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more!

Clinicians ranged from 8-year-old Hayden Swartz who rides at the Beginner Novice level aboard her pony, Gracie, to Kelly Coile and her Thoroughbred gelding, Rebel, who compete at Training level. Over the course of the day, Davidson coached the riders through show-jumping and cross-country exercises. Groups were split up based on riding level, and Davidson adjusted the jump heights and cross-country questions accordingly. During every session, he shared various lessons that each horse and rider could benefit from. Here are 12 of his best takeaways from the clinic.

1. Amanda Murphy pointed out that her horse was uncomfortable with the right lead. “If there’s something [your horse] can’t do, that’s what you have to do,” Davidson told the her, explaining that her horse can’t get comfortable with an exercise if she doesn’t practice it.
2. Each show-jumping group started with the same exercise—Davidson asked the riders to trot a crossrail and canter down to a second jump in three or four strides, depending on the horse or pony, then halt. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re hoping to go Beginner Novice or if you’re on a team somewhere around the world. These are all clear exercises to practice being clear with your horse. That’s the most important thing—that you guys are clear.”
3. Davidson explained that pressure and release should be used as a training tool. “Release the pressure so that the horse understands that what he did was good. The language that you speak with your horse is the pressure and release.”
4. Horses naturally move their bodies’ to maintain balance with the rider, Davidson explained. “Imagine you’re carrying a bag of feed over your shoulder. If the bag starts to slip, you move underneath the bag to avoid dropping it. It’s the same concept with your horse. Every time you move, he’s going to try and readjust to stay underneath you. Help your horse by staying in the middle of his back and not moving around.”
5. Davidson offered a second analogy—”It’s like driving with a cup of coffee. If you hold the cup of coffee with a stiff arm, it will spill out. Instead, you naturally move your hand with the feel of the car. It’s the same thing when you ride your horse—you want to naturally move with your horse.”
6. Davidson asked the riders to focus on two things that he uses to make himself and his students better—”First, worry about where you want to go. Second, how fast you want to get there.” But, he added, if you’re not clear, both the rider and the horse can get frustrated.
7. Davidson explained to the riders that everything in riding is counterintuitive—”Horses move away from pressure. If you pull on the right rein, the horse is going to go left. If you use your right leg, the horse is going to go left.”
8. He emphasized knowing where you and your horse are at all times in respect to the question ahead. “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. Don’t try to prepare your horse for the jump right at the jump. That’s too late.”
9. Emma Lilleywhite struggled with relaxing her hands and arms and was sending her horse mixed signals. Davidson told her to “touch her horse’s ears” and think about being soft in her elbows. “Your hand can’t be the gas and the break.” With a looser arm and clearer aids, Emma didn’t catch her horse in the mouth and he rode the exercise more smoothly.
10. To demonstrate how control comes with power, Davidson asked Emma, “Have you ever driven a boat? When you’re going slow, it’s really hard to do anything with the boat. It doesn’t really steer that well, you can’t go, you can’t slow down, it’s just plowing through the water. But once you’re brave enough to get on plane, then you can slow it down and it’s easy to steer. It’s the same with your horse. You have to be able to get him up ‘on plane.'”
11. When landing from a jump, Davidson told the riders to focus on going straight and to wait until the horse is even in both reins before turning. “Think, go straight, then when the horse is even, take both reins like you’re passing a plate of food and that’s how you turn.”
12. To get the riders’ hands into the correct position, Davidson used a carousel horse analogy. “When a kid jumps onto a carousel and grabs onto the pole, they are in the perfect position to ride a horse. Your hand should be up in front of the wither.”

Find More on Practical Horseman OnDemand!

Visit Practical Horseman OnDemand to watch the full Win-A-Day clinic with Buck Davidson, including how riders applied the tips above and even more lessons from Davidson!

Thanks to Mane ‘n Tail for our coverage of the 2024 Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, including rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more!

“I think from last year, we get a very good partnership,” Jung said of the 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding who is competing in his first five-star competition this week. “Just [having] to know on a five-star level, how to ride him on a long course, on a tough course, how much time he needs on some fences to prepare him.”

Boyd Martin and Tsetserleg TSF also produced a double clear cross-country ride to move move up from sixth place to second. And Great Britain’s 24-year-old Yasmin Ingham and Banzai Du Loir moved up one spot after dressage to third place.

Under mostly sunny skies, 43 horses and riders started over Derek di Grazia’s course of 28 questions with 45 jumping efforts. In addition to Jung and Martin, Phillip Dutton and Sea of Clouds rode a double-clear round to move up 24 places to seventh going into tomorrow’s show jumping. Of the starters, 32 pairs completed the course, 24 of them without jumping penalties, seven were eliminated, four were retired and two, Lauren Nicholson’s Vermiculus and James Alliston’s Paper Jam, were withdrawn before the cross country.

Jung was pleased with how his horse tackled the course. “I had just a really great rhythm on the last combination, [Fence 26AB],” he said. “I take a bit of time on the last water [Fence 23ABC]. But he’s so fast on the gallop track. It’s just amazing to feel this power.

“I’m just very proud of my horse today,” Jung continued. “He’s a great horse, a lot of talent, super quality, like yesterday in the dressage, and then today in the cross country. He’s so fast-running on the flat, great jumping everywhere with the brain always with me. It was just a great feeling and just to enjoy it.”

With their clear round, Jung and fischerChipmunk head into tomorrow’s show-jumping round on their dressage score of 20.1, with more than two rails to spare. Boyd Martin and “Thomas,” a 15-year-old Trakehner gelding, also finished the day on their dressage score of 29.3. Like Jung, Martin spoke of his partnership with Thomas. “He’s got a big heart. He’s experienced. He’s seasoned. Like I feel like I think something and he understands it. You know, it’s a really weird connection that we’ve got after all these years.”

Completing the course this year was a redemption for Martin after the pair fell close to the finish line on last year’s course. “I gave him a big pat after I went past this big dent in the ground where I crashed last time,” Martin quipped. “Yeah, I just eased up a bit last time mentally, and [this time] I just said to myself, ‘OK. Keep riding every step of the way until you cross that finish line.'”

The cross-country course was also Banzai Du Loir’s first five-star competition, and they incurred 2.8 time penalties. “I wanted to make sure that I was very clear with the lines and the distances,” Ingham said. “But he really picked up on everything really well and just really put his brave pants on. There are some really big fences out there, and he made them feel really small. He’s such a good jumper.”

As for the personality of the 11-year-old Selle Français, Ingham said, “He’s very much the main character in the yard, and he thinks he’s the most important person to walk the planet. So anything he demands, he sort of expects. So he’s quite funny, really. He lives by his routine. He loves going out in the paddock and fields and goes on hacks. He’s just a real true gentleman and an absolute pleasure to ride.” They go into tomorrow with 30.9 penalty points.

Buck Davidson and Carlevo dropped one place from dressage to finish cross country in fourth place. “He’s never jumped that well all the way around,” Davidson said. “He never gave me a funny moment, and look, he’s not a race car, but it’s about fast as we’re going to go.” They had 10 time penalties to finish to day with a score of 37.4.

Great Britain’s Sarah Bullimore and Corouet who were second after dressage incurred 20 penalty points at Fence 26A, a skinny brush table, which was part of the final combination on course. She said early on the course, Corouet was fantastic and jumping “ridiculously high over all the fence.” But “he got a little tired at the end, and it was one question too many.”

Two horses suffered injuries that required them to be transported to Hagyard Equine Medical Institute. Fleeceworks Royal, ridden by Tamie Smith, sustained an injury to the left front foot at Fence 11C and was bandaged immediately. She will be assessed further to determine the problem and treatment options. 

Emporium, ridden Ashlynn Meuchel, was injured navigating the water portion of the Head of the Lake. Emporium was anesthetized to aid in removal from the water and is currently under further evaluation at Hagyard.

For complete results, click here. To see more photos of CCI5* photos, click here.

CCI5*-L competition at the 2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event will resume tomorrow, May 1, at 2:30 p.m. EST with the show-jumping phase.

Thanks to Kent Nutrition Group, Mane ‘n Tail, and Cosequin® for our coverage of the 2022 Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, including rider interviews, competition reports, horse spotlights, photos, videos and more.