Eventing
3 Seasons
Eventing, an Olympic sport, is best described as an equestrian triathlon. The sport originated as a cavalry test and is comprised of three phases: dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. Eventing tests horse and rider pairs more completely than any other. Learn from the best eventing riders and trainers in the world. Search for your favorite coach or by training topic.
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06:34Episode 1
Novice Level Banks | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 1
William has the riders jump up and down a bank. He tells them to imagine it is level ground with jumps and not think of it as jumping up and down. He wants everyone to stay relaxed. The canter should be collected so that even if they get deep they are still able to jump up or down the bank.
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05:23Episode 2
Novice Level Mounds | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 2
William wants the riders to keep the same canter rhythm up and down the hills. He doesn't want them to let their horses break to trot. They need to keep cantering, keep their balance, keep their reins short and stay organized.
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18:33Episode 3
Novice Level Water | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 3
They end the day at the water complex starting with trotting in and cantering out. When they add a jump, William tells them to keep the canter short through the water so the horses don't get too fast and flat. They finish with a short course that includes the water.
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Training Level Cross Country - Warm-up Course | William Fox Pitt
Episode 4
William has riders start over small jumps to warm up. This gives the horses the chance to see some jumps and build confidence. He wants the horses to go in a forward and soft rhythm.
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Training Level Cross Country - Ditches | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 5
William coaches riders over ditches first and then ditches with fences before and after the ditch. Adding the jumps makes the rider stay straight over the ditch to avoid a run out. If the horse spooks and stops at a ditch, William wants him to jump it from a standstill.
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Training Level Cross Country - Banks | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 6
The riders next school banks as part of a series of jumps. William advises them not to let the horses get too quick. The horses should have a bouncy canter, and the rider should be sitting up straight. He wants all of the riders to keep looking up and ahead, especially on the down side of a bank.
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Training Level Cross Country - Mounds | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 7
When galloping and jumping up and down hills, William stresses the riders controlling their own shoulders and keeping them up and back to help with their balance and their horse's balance. In addition, he wants them to keep the horses's shoulders straight so they stay straight.
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Training Level Cross Country - Water | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 8
William puts together a small course featuring the water complex and wants the horses to keep a relaxed rhythm from beginning to end. He stresses shortening the canter through the water so the horses don't get too long and flat.
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Young Horse Warm-up Course | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 9
William works with a group of riders on young horses. He likes starting the warm-up with low jumps so neither the horses nor the riders worry much. It is easy enough to make the jumps bigger later.
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14:08Episode 10
Young Horse Ditches | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 10
William coaches riders over ditches first and then ditches with fences before and after the ditch. If the horse spooks and stops at a ditch, William wants him to jump it from a standstill. He reminds riders that they don't need to be nervous, but they do need to stay alert on young horses.
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06:08Episode 11
Young Horse Banks | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 11
William has them jump up and down a bank. He tells riders to imagine it is level ground with jumps and not think of it as jumping up and down. He wants everyone to stay relaxed. He wants the canter to be collected so that even if they get deep they are still able to jump up or down the bank.
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04:39Episode 12
Young Horse Mounds | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 12
When galloping and jumping up and down hills, William stresses the riders controlling their own shoulders. He wants to make sure the horses stay cantering, and they do not come back to trot to change leads. He says that they must learn how to change leads themselves, especially on the cross count...
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10:22Episode 13
Young Horse Water | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 13
William has riders canter through the water with jumps at beginning and end. He stresses shortening the canter through the water so the horses don't get too long. He then has them take a small jump up and down into the water, through it and out over a jump.
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Preliminary Cross Country - Water | William Fox-Pitt
Episode 14
The riders take their horses through the water complex. Most horses handle it in a relaxed manner. William puts together a small course featuring the water and wants the horses to keep a steady rhythm from beginning to end.
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Marking Cross Country Jumps for Safety | John Michael Durr
Episode 15
John Michael explains the hows and whys of marking cross country jumps for safety. Course designers want the horses to be able to clearly see the top of the fence as well as where a jump begins and ends. He also explains some safety features of the jumps.
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The Same Jump Can Be Different Heights | John Michael Durr
Episode 16
John Michael answers common questions about why cross country fences appear to be different heights and how the same jump can be used in different divisions. He explains how course designers measure cross country jumps and shows how placement of the jump on the ground (uphill vs. downhill) can ch...
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Cross Country Jump Colors for Safety | John Michael Durr & Colleen Routledge
Episode 17
John Michael discusses how horses see color and what colors they can see easily. As a result, cross country course designers pick colors of their fences for the best contrast and clarity for the horses. For safety reasons, they want the horses to be able to easily see them, especially the tops of...
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Safety Tips for Galloping Cross Country | John Michael Durr
Episode 18
John Michael demonstrates a safe way to gallop at speed through trees. He emphasizes staying balanced over the horse so as to not throw the horse off balance. He also shows what can happen to the horse when the rider makes abrupt changes in position.
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Tips for Galloping to a Jump | John Michael Durr
Episode 19
John Michael talks about the importance of being able to go from a forward gallop to a balanced canter before a jump without disturbing the horse's rhythm. It is important to conserve energy and be as fast as possible. Then Colleen demonstrates galloping up a hill, prepare for, and then jump the ...
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Tips for Jumping Downhill | John Michael Durr
Episode 20
John Michael explains and Colleen Rutledge demonstrates the idea of jumping downhill. He stresses the importance of staying out of the horse's way upon landing and focusing on the next fence (if there is one) or traveling across the ground.
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01:18Episode 21
Tips for Jumping Uphill | John Michael Durr
Episode 21
John Michael shares details on how to jump uphill for a Novice level horse/rider. He stresses that the most important thing is for the rider to sit up and balance the canter going uphill. Keep the eyes up and allow the horse to find his way to the jump.
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Tips for Riding a Keyhole Jump | John Michael Durr
Episode 22
John Michael explains his thoughts behind how a keyhole jump is set from a course designer's perspective, and he explains how to ride it. Then Colleen demonstrates how she would ride it.
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Tips on Riding a Corner Jump | John Michael Durr & Colleen Rutlegde
Episode 23
John Michael explains and Colleen Rutledge demonstrates how to properly ride a corner jump seen at the more advanced levels. He points out the markers that are used to identify the front, back and corners of the jump so the horse can see what he needs to clear when galloping at speed.
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Tips for Deciding on a Line | John Michael Durr
Episode 24
John Michael talks about the decision a rider has to make when there is an object such as a bush in the middle of a line. He stresses that there is no wrong answer and explains the pros and cons of each while Colleen demonstrates them.