Do you know what it takes to ensure your horse shines in under-saddle flat classes? Trainer and large ‘R’ judge for both hunters and equitation Keri Kampsen has judged some of the most prestigious shows in the country from Devon and the ASPCA Maclay Finals to Capital Challenge and WEF.

Here, Kampsen shares her flat-class do’s and don’ts at the walk, trot and canter and how to optimally position your horse on the rail to get the most out of his gaits in any under-saddle flat class. Plus, she talks about how you can impress the judge from the moment you enter the show ring and her pet peeves as a judge.

At the Walk: Mind Your Number & Get Your Horse in Front of Your Leg

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a hunter or equitation flat class, you want to showcase yourself and your horse in the best light.

“As your class is called to order, position your number slightly toward your outside hip in whichever direction you’re tracking first so the judge, who’s usually on the outside of the ring, can clearly read your number. If the judge can’t tell who you are, you can’t be evaluated. But be careful not to pull it over so far that your arm ends up blocking it.

“When you’re being judged at the walk, establish a nice, forward gait. You don’t want to be dinking along or slouching. If you don’t care, why should I as a judge care? You want to have a light feel of the reins and your horse should be in front of your leg, because you know the rising trot is coming next.

“I have my assistant Vanessa acting as our judge on the far side of the ring, so I’m going to try and do my best work in front of her while she can see me and my horse clearly.”

At the Trot: Position Yourself Wisely

“As we progress to being judged at the rising trot, I didn’t love my horse’s headset and he was being a little fussy. So, I used the corner and went to the outside of the ring to make the necessary adjustments where I could hide a little bit.

“As you’re trotting, look around and try to identify the best mover in the class, and position yourself away from that horse. You can also look for a horse who’s not the best mover and place yourself closer to that horse to make yours really shine.

“Here, I have a nice medium trot, but my horse is a little unfocused so I’m going to use this corner to guide his nose on the track. We’re traveling on the quarterline and there are jumps in the way, so I have to go through and then steer back around. That won’t show my horse in his best light.

“What I want to do is establish a nice trot in a place where there’s not another horse between me and the judge. Then, I get him in front of my leg while keeping his head down and just leg him go. If he gets a little low, I’ll pick his nose back up in the corner and then give again.”

At the Canter: Straight Track to Help Your Horse Lengthen and Shine

“When you’re asked to go back to walk following the rising trot, find a medium walk to prepare for canter. To avoid picking up the wrong lead, which is a major fault, think about where you are in the ring and try to position yourself where you have the best chance of picking up the correct lead.

“I like where I am now, so I strike a canter right away. I like to canter in two-point, but other very famous riders like to stay seated. It’s really whatever works for you and what shows off your horse in the best light.

“This was a poor turn on my part because I have to weave in and out of the quarterline jumps again, which is more challenging at the canter. It also puts me at risk of falling off my lead. If that happens, I’ve already lost my class and will use the rest of it as training for my horse.

“Keep your horse in front of your leg, and you want him to be interested in his job. The smart track here is to go to the outside of the quarterline, so we’re moving on a straight track where my horse can lengthen and really shine without me touching his face. This horse holds a very nice shape; his nose is out just a notch and he has a good rhythm and look to him.

“When I go back to the walk before changing directions, I trot a few steps. It’s always a good idea to reverse to the inside, maintaining that medium walk and not dinking along. Keep your horse focused and interested. And when you reverse at any gait, always remember to slide your number over to your outside hip to ensure the judge sees you from the different side.”

Tips and Pet Peeves

• “We all come into the show ring because we’re working toward something. That might be as simple as becoming a better rider at home. So take pride in what you’re doing.
• “If you come in the ring and your boots are dirty, or your horse is, that doesn’t impress me as a judge. If you didn’t care enough to take the five minutes needed to polish your boots, then why should I care about your performance in a flat class?
• “You don’t need to have the flashiest, most expensive horse or the most expensive clothes. Just present yourself in a very nice, traditional way in the hunter ring. I don’t like to see a lot of bling because the rider should aim to disappear and allow her horse to shine.
• “I want to judge the horse and not be distracted by a rider’s outfit or messy hair. These are all things that are within your control before you enter the ring.
• “If your horse misbehaves or isn’t paying attention, correct him in a polite way. Don’t kick or rip on the reins or get angry. That does not teach him anything. Riding is always a work in progress, and you should strive to learn something new every day.
• “This is a presentation-based sport and I want you to show me that you care enough to put that effort in, first and foremost. Then, your performance comes into play.”

For More:

• For more hands-on training tips and video demonstrations with Keri Kampsen on EQUESTRIAN+, click here.
• You can find more of Kampsen’s advice on how to improve your performance in the show ring on Practical Horseman here.

About Keri Kampsen:

U.S. Equestrian “R” judge in hunters and equitation, Keri Kampsen is the owner and founder of Two Goals Farm, LLC, in Wellington, Florida. She has judged prestigious competitions such as the Devon Horse Show, The Capital Challenge Horse Show and the 2021 ASPCA Maclay National Championship, which she won in 1997 in Madison Square Garden in New York City. As a junior, she also rode Monticello to the 1996 Large Junior Hunter and Overall Junior Hunter Horse of the Year titles. Since then, she has won multiple championships and horse of the year titles in the hunter divisions as well as ribbons in the grand prix ring. Kampsen and her business partner, Lexy Reed, specialize in the training and sales of hunters, jumpers and equitation horses and also teach riders of all levels.