British Eventing U-18 National Trainer Caroline Moore works in
conjunction with Regional and Junior Trainers on an on-going basis
and here she offers some key tips to get your season off to the best
possible start:
1. Make some training plans. Work with your coach and develop some
exercises and work to improve weak areas for the coming season. Keep
the work varied but structured, with small, achievable goals and make
sure that you keep an account of all your work in a training journal.
2. Try to attend at least two U18 training days or even a camp which
will cover dressage, show jumping and cross country and are ideal just before the season starts.
3. Give your horse a thorough health check including teeth and check vaccinations (within 6 months
for an FEI competition). Book the farrier around your events and make sure you order stud holes.
Make sure that you have checked all your supplements, feed and anything else that you are
administering to ensure it is not a prohibited substance well before the season starts (there’s a
FEI Competitors Guide to Doping and Medication Control download on the Youth Eventing
section of the BE website) and finally check that your veterinary cabinet is well stocked and up to
date.
4. Check all the equipment that you are going to need for the season. If you have a new hat make
sure that you get it tagged at your first event with the Secretary at the beginning of the day. Make
sure that your saddle has been checked and is a good fit and your girth is in good order.
5. Get your stud kit out from last year and give it a clean out, de-rusting all the studs with a wire
brush then re-oiling and checking the threads. Re-stock now to save irritation at not having
enough studs at your first event.
6. Work out a competition plan working back from your main goal, whether it be a CIC, a Junior Trial
or Weston Park at the end of the season. Plan your early competitions as confidence and fitness
runs, then have a Plan A and Plan B depending on weather and how the season pans out.
7. Start to build some fitness work into your training on the last three weeks leading up to your first
event. Try to find some nice grassland, preferably with a hill (or when you are cross country
schooling) and build up some canter work sessions every fourth or fifth day. Build it up gradually
until you are cantering for about five minutes with some speed differences built in. This should
lead you nicely into your first event without your horse being too fit and bucking you off in the
dressage warm-up!
8. Improving your dressage marks should be high on your training list. Find some old test sheets,
video clips and work with your coach to analyse weak areas that need addressing. Use poles to
help improve your flatwork by working on straightness, improving rhythm, developing more step
and cadence (especially with raised poles) and the horse will really enjoy it. Remember to develop
your accuracy by using boards and markers regularly and monitor your improvement by going to
do some tests at a comfortable level.
9. During January and February try to jump a few show jump tracks to get your eye in for lines,
distances, speeds and controlling ring nerves. JAS is a great way to develop competitive spirit and
will test your accuracy with the narrow fences and different lines.
10. Try to get out on grass as early as possible in case we lose the opportunity if the weather
turns. Regular cross-country schooling sessions are advisable to build confidence with your horse
or pony. Keep everything small and simple at first and build up with a coach for more technical
lines later on.
11. Practice working the horse through gear changes within the canter, making sure that you
practice good body aids rather than getting the horse strong against the hand. Now is the ideal
time to get yourself fit in a forward seat so do plenty of work out of the saddle to strengthen up
your position and lower leg.
British Eventing offers a great range of training and education clinics for all levels of rider across
the country for both members and non-members. Visit www.britisheventing.com/training/courses
to find one close to you.