Judging your horses cross-country speed is a fine art and one that requires practice if you are to avoid picking up time faults for being over (or under) the optimum time.Each level of competition has a different metres per minute speed and it will be signposted somewhere. Good places to look are near the start line, in the secretarys tent, and/or in the schedule.We asked CCI5* event rider Emma Thomas, the 2024 under-25 British Champion who finished best of the British first timers at Burghley in 2023 (she was 18th aboard Icarus X), how to ride cross-country at speed in a safe way and it has little to do with galloping as fast as you can.Calculating speedAt the higher levels of eventing, minute markers are useful as checkpoints around the course when youre competing. They ensure that the rider knows whether they are behind or ahead of time while travelling around the track. Speed can be calculated while course-walking in a variety of ways, either with a measuring wheel, a sports watch, or with smartphone apps.If youre competing at the lower levels, youll need to be able to ride by feel, knowing where you are in the course and an understanding of how quickly your horse is travelling.Getting a feel for speedPractising over a known distance with a stopwatch can be invaluable when trying to get a feel for a certain speed. You can use the time taken over a set distance (ie between two markers) to calculate your natural cruising speed and whether you need to speed up or slow down.Remember that when youre riding a course, there will be fences to factor in and these will slow you down.Speed training is specific to each individual horse, says Emma. If you have a lazier horse, find them a fast work partner to inspire them and make it more fun. Whizzier horses are generally better galloped alone to maintain calmness. Naturally fit horses with a good gallop technique will need less speed training than those who find it difficult, adds Emma.Practise at homeYou can practise speed training on the gallops or out on a hack. If you have a hacking area with good ground, measure the distance with a wheel and make your own minute markers along it, suggests Emma.You can then add some fast work when youre hacking and also practise riding at a certain speed.There are two types of speed training that event riders use:Interval training This consists of short sprints accompanied by short rest periods to increase a horses ability to exercise intensely and recover quickly, explains Emma.Endurance canters These are longer, slower canters that increase general fitness and get the horse used to going at speed continuously for extended periods of time.Hills are also incredibly useful. Any type of fitness work done uphill gives less concussion on the horses legs, says Emma. It also benefits their hind end and core strength.Walking the courseCourse-walking is as much of an art as riding. It is specific to each horse, and visualising how they will feel at any given point on the trackis key. Think about how much time it takes you to balance your horse back to a jumping canter from a gallop before a fence, says Emma. For some horses this can be three strides, for others it can be 20!Relative to this is the topography around the fence. If you have a downhill approach you need to start your balancing aids a bit earlier, whereas uphill you could leave these a little later.Walk the lines you intend to ride and remember to look back at where youve come from to make sure you have come the most direct way.Taking long lines unnecessarily will waste time.Thinking aheadThinking ahead is important when youre riding against the clock. On the approach to an A element when tackling a combination fence, your focus should already be on the B obstacle, and so on. If you wait for the landing of one fence before thinking about the next it is often too late, advises Emma. For precise angled and turning lines find something in the distance to use as a marker to line up with before the A element.Save time at fencesEfficiency over fences can be improved by balancing for a fence at the correct moment (earlier rather than later) and dispensing with late and unnecessary extra aids. You can practise this at home:Start with a single showjump that you feel confident jumping. Ride a couple of laps of your arena or field in a forward seat to build up a cross-country rhythm. Come down a couple of gears so that youre in a correct jumping balance and then approach the fence. Look up to a point in the distance so that you cant try to predict the stride pattern. Count the rhythm out loud. Maintain a soft, half seat body position and make no adjustments in front of the fence, instead allowing the horse to meet and measure it on their own. Repeat this until you both feel comfortable and fluid. Then repeat the exercise while cross-country schooling.By teaching the horse to measure their own stride into a fence they can be quick from any take-off point, states Emma. By practising this fluid jumping feel, horse and rider will be able to balance for the fence later, allowing for longer periods at top speed.Use the right gearA confident cross-country horse needs to have a range canters and gallops that you can use during your round or schooling session.These are key to speed, safety and having a smooth ride so that you can meet each fence at an appropriate pace.With correct and clever use of these five cross-country gears, you will be able to complete a course clear and within the optimum time. Find out more about these gears here.Also bear in mind that a horse that is rideable and adaptable is quicker than a horse who fights against the contact when you ask them to change gear in the approach to a fence.Land and goThe landing side of a fence is typically the least efficient moment. When the horses front legs reconnect with the ground, they shift the momentum backwards, explains Emma. This can be improved through teaching the horse to sprint away on landing.As soon as you land from a fence, forget about it and look ahead to the next one.Adapt a land and go strategy this will help you to think forwards and keep moving at a good pace.Main stock image Your Horse Library/Kelsey Media Ltd. NB Emma Thomas is not pictured riding.Related contentFive gears a confident cross-country horse needs to haveRide confidently in and out of the startbox with this advice from Emily KingPole exercises that make clever, confident horsesTina Cooks top tips for jumping on grassThe post Five-star event rider explains how to avoid time faults during a cross-country round appeared first on Your Horse.

Honor Bills Everett and Godiva Quality will represent Ireland at the FEI European Jumping Championships next monthThe Irish Junior and Children on Horses show jumping squads have been named for the upcoming FEI Jumping European Championships in Riesenbeck on July 7th-13th.Horse Sport Irelands High Performance Youth Jumping Selection Panel has chosen its squads of five athlete/horse combinations for the upcoming championships as Irish teams bid to extend their incredible run of medal-winning form of recent years.Following some excellent results in the spring Nations Cup campaign, HSI Youth Show Jumping Lead Consultant Denis Flannelly and the selection panel, which includes senior international showjumper Denis Lynch, and Chair Sally Anne Tobin, completed the task of choosing their five-strong squads in the Children and Junior category.Flannelly said: It was an incredibly tough process to narrow it down to five combinations in each category, such is the strength and depth we had to choose from.We could only select five for each squad and of course that meant disappointing athletes who have performed brilliantly for us in Nations Cups, where we reached the podium in Sentower and Zuiwolde, as well as winning in Compiegne and most recently in Hagen.On top of that, our Children on Horses team also won bronze in Hagen after a three-way jump-off, so that capped off a wonderful week and a wonderful series of shows.I am immensely proud of all our athletes, not just those selected, because they have contributed immensely to the programme so far this year and have led us to where we are at this point. They all have such bright futures in the sport and I have no doubt that they will be selected to represent their country in the very near future.This is my first year in the role and so far things have been going very well, but the obvious main target was the European Championships and we are now fully focused on furthering the success of the programme.That being said, while Europeans were the number one objective, we will also have the final of Youth Nations Cup Series to look forward to later in the year so there is plenty more to look forward to.Jack Kent won Pony European Championship gold in 2024 and he has been chosen on the Irish Junior team with Castlefield Kingston (ISH)I must thank the selection panel, Denis and Sally Anne, for their input into selecting these squads and Liz Brennan, our Youth Athlete Liaison, for all her hard work so far we are very much looking forward to the championships and performing to the best of our ability.As I have said since taking this role, winning medals is one part of my job, but what we continue to do is to try develop these athletes as young men and women as they grow and mature in the sport and in their lives. We want them to be focused on the task at hand but also to enjoy, and learn from, the experience.Lynch was brought in by Horse Sport Ireland as part of the selection panel to offer the youth programme technical depth and expertise in performance standards, preparation, and championship mindset, and he heaped praise on all the considered athletes.Im very pleased with the selections we have made and how thorough the selection process was. No stone was left unturned as we selected the teams and I believe we have an excellent chance of success at the championships.Regardless, the fact that selecting just five combinations in each category was so difficult shows that the Horse Sport Ireland Youth High Performance programme is in rude health currently and the future looks very bright for Irish show jumping.The Horse Sport Ireland Children on Horses team for the FEI Jumping European Championships, in alphabetical order, is as follows:Honor Bills Everett with Godiva QualityRyan Horgan with AjaccienneLucia Keane with EliaElla Rushwith Beach Buggy (ISH)Elsie Tunneywith Flexible Flight (ISH)The Horse Sport Ireland Junior team for the FEI Jumping European Championships, in alphabetical order, is as follows:Jack Kent with Castlefield KingstonTabitha Kylewith BP Goodfellas (ISH)Emily Moloney with Temple Alice (ISH)Paddy Reape with Mr Rocky Blue (ISH)Alice Wachman with KillarneyThe Irish High Performance Show Jumping Programme is exclusively funded by Sport IrelandBucas official supplier to Horse Sport Irelands High Performance programmeThe Horse Sport Ireland Youth High Performance programmes are kindly sponsored by Equieire, TRM Nutrition, Berney Bros and DubarryThe post Youth jumping teams chosen for upcoming FEI European Championships appeared first on Horse Sport Ireland.

Welcome to Horse Illustrateds weekly installment of the Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, offered in partnership with the ASPCAs Right Horse program. This weeks adoptable horse is Fancy! Check back weekly for a new featured horse so you can find your Right Horse.Photo courtesy Horses HavenAdoptable Horse: Fancy, an 18-year-old, 15.1hh Arabian/Dutch Harness Horse mareOrganization: Horses Haven, Howell, Mich.Get to Know Adoptable Horse FancyIf youre looking for a truly breathtaking equine partner to share your days with, look no further than Fancy. This regal, registered Arabian/Dutch Harness Horse is the definition of equine elegance. With her refined features, expressive eyes, and proud carriage, she turns heads wherever she goes.Fancy has a riding history, but also a known tendency to rear, which she has demonstrated with Horses Haven. Because of this, she is available as-is and is not currently recommended for riding.She is currently participating in Horses Havens training program, where she is working on ground-driving, longeing, and property walks. Intelligent and expressive, shes an ideal match for someone interested in liberty work, groundwork, or simply enjoying time together in a low-pressure, positive environment.Fancys beauty, presence, and unique character make her an exceptional companion for someone who appreciates the artistry and soul of horses. Whether youre an experienced horse person looking for a pasture ornament, a liberty enthusiast, or simply someone wanting a majestic friend to share your property, she may be just the one to steal your heart.She would thrive in a calm, patient environment with someone who understands complex horses and values them for who they arenot just what they do.Contact Horses Haven today about ASPCA Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week, Fancy!Photo courtesy Horses HavenASPCA Right HorseASPCA Right Horse is the online adoption platform of The Right Horse Initiative, a collection of equine industry and welfare professionals and advocates working together to improve the lives of horses in transition. A program of the ASPCA, their goal is to massively increase horse adoption in the United States. To find more adoptable horses and foster horses, visit www.myrighthorse.org. To learn more about The Right Horse, a program of the ASPCA, visit www.aspcarighthorse.org.The post ASPCA Right Horse Adoptable Horse of the Week: Fancy appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Coen Williams and Floeis R Z have been chosen to represent Ireland at the upcoming FEI European ChampionshipsIrelands show jumping squad has been selected for the upcoming FEI Jumping European Championships for Young Riders in Riesenbeck on July 7th-13th.Horse Sport Ireland High Performance Show Jumping Manager Michael Blake will take charge of the Young Rider squad in Riesenbeck, and has chosen his five combinations for the championship.Blake has called upon riders with a wealth of Youth European Championships, and senior five-star Nations Cup experience, as the team bids for three gold medals on the spin, having won in Peelbergen last year and Gorla Minore in 2023.The Horse Sport Ireland Young Rider team for the FEI Jumping European Championships, in alphabetical order, is as follows:Tim Brennan with Diadema Della CacciaMax Foley with Sumas Knockout (ISH)Niamh McEvoy with BP Rocket Man (ISH)Tom Wachman with Oboras LauraCoen Williams with Floris R ZBlake is looking forward to the championship, having selected a strong quintet. He said: Im very happy with the team. Obviously the competition will be very strong as Im sure some of the other nations will select athletes with senior Nations Cup experience.Im lucky that I have the likes of Niamh and Tom to draw on they have jumped for Ireland at senior level, having come through the youth programme, and bring that experience to our team.Max Foley has been jumping superbly well this year and fully deserves his place in the squad, while Coen and Tim have both recently won European championships medals themselves and know exactly what is required at this level.They are five very talented young riders who have excellent futures in the sport and Im excited to be working with them in Riesenbeck.The Irish High Performance Show Jumping Programme is exclusively funded by Horse Sport Ireland and Sport IrelandBucas official supplier to Horse Sport Irelands High Performance programmeThe Horse Sport Ireland Youth High Performance programmes are kindly sponsored by Equieire, TRM Nutrition, Berney Bros and DubarryThe post Young Riders chosen in bid for hat-trick of European wins appeared first on Horse Sport Ireland.

Ocala, FL Twenty-one talented rising star Jumping athletes, all ages 25 and under, vied for the win in the $32,000 1.45m Grand Prix CSIU25 during Week III of the World Equestrian Center Ocala 2025 Summer Series. Ultimately, it was Jake Endicott (USA) and Weslands Farms Kariludine S (Dallas x Mermus R) who claimed the top spot after a blisteringly fast jump-off. FEI Level[...]Read MoreThe post Jake Endicott and Kariludine S Speed to Victory in $32,000 1.45m Grand Prix CSIU25 appeared first on World Equestrian Center.

Ocala, FL Sports at WEC will work with MLS forward Erik Hurtado to launch elite soccer player development programs at World Equestrian Center this summer. With more than a decade of professional experience and MLS appearances for clubs like the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Sporting Kansas City and D.C. United, Hurtado brings top expertise and high-level training to players in the Greater Ocala area.In July[...]Read MoreThe post Sports at WEC to Offer Elite Training with MLS Pro Erik Hurtado appeared first on World Equestrian Center.

Ocala, FL The $63,000 Florida Coast Equipment Grand Prix CSI4* welcomed 34 top horse-and-rider combinations representing 11 countries to compete for top honors. Ultimately, it was the pathfinding duo of Lauren Balcomb (AUS) and her longtime partner Verdini Dhoutveld Z (Verdi Tn X Caretino 2) who emerged victorious. World-renowned course designer Alan Wade (IRL) built the winding and complex track for Thursdays qualifier, which[...]Read MoreThe post Lauren Balcomb and Verdini Dhoutveld Z Make Triumphant Return in $63,000 Florida Coast Equipment Grand Prix Qualifier CSI4* appeared first on World Equestrian Center.