James Avery and One of a Kind II navigate Bramham’s hills. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Read more from our Welcome to Eventing series here!

For the first decade of my riding career, I competed in the hunters and dabbled in show jumping. The most riding I ever did outside of the arena was the occasional trail ride around the property (note: don’t be me). When I decided to make the switch to eventing, learning how to ride across terrain was intimidating, but crucial. Now, it’s something that I truly enjoy. There’s no better feeling than moving out across a big open field on top of your favorite horse.

While longtime eventers seem to trot and gallop up and down hills without even thinking, recovering hunter riders, like me, or new riders will have to think about it a little bit more. Because I love concrete step-by-step instruction, I’ve broken down the nuances of riding up and down hills to hopefully make it a little more attainable for new eventers.

Note: I feel woefully under-qualified to give someone else instruction about how to ride terrain. So, I’ve turned to my bible, Training the Three-Day Event Horse and Rider, by the late, great Jimmy Wofford for support.

Training over hills isn’t just good practice when it comes to your own fitness and position. It’s one of the best things you can do for any horse – even a dressage horse! Jimmy wrote in his book, “Working over undulating terrain, practicing lengthenings uphill, practicing collections downhill, doing a medium walk on the bit while going down a steep hill, lateral work across slight inclines – all are useful. The horse finds it difficult to resist when his topline is continually changing attitude and shape” (68).

Before we get started on the nitty-gritty details of how to ride over hills, first you have to have the right equipment. Particularly with green horses, you’ll want to protect your horse’s legs to provide some padding from interference. When they’re first learning how to use themselves over terrain properly, they’re more likely to bang their legs against one another. I’d recommend a full coverage boot, like this one.

Another essential piece of equipment are gloves. While gloves are always a good idea, they’re particularly useful when you’re trying to get your horse to sit back as you ride down a hill. If your horse is built downhill conformationally, they’re more likely to lean on your hands and use you to balance themselves. Gloves will help prevent the reins being pulled through your grip.

Getting out of the ring and out into the country is good for your horse physically and mentally. And, for me, it feels like the under-saddle equivalent of soul food. However, it does take a little practice. According to Jimmy Wofford, concentrate on maintaining a vertical stirrup leather while moving out over terrain in a two-point position. “This will provide a base of support for you as you either push your upper body forward going up the slopes, or allow your upper body to get behind the stirrup, with the stirrup leather in front of the girth, when going down a slope or landing over drops” (91).

Of course, here Jimmy is discussing steep degrees of elevation, such as landing over a drop. For the beginner eventer, these principles still apply, just more subtly.

Mélody Johner and Toubleu du Rueire climb the hill from 17 to 18 at the Pratoni test event last May. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

When moving up a hill at either the trot or canter, think about softening your position. Let your arms flow forward with the horse. If you’re posting, think about pushing your thumbs towards the horse’s ears every time you’re out of the saddle.

Close your hip angle as the horse moves up the hill. I’m purposefully avoiding saying “lean forward” here as this can lead to riders jumping up their horse’s neck. Closing your hip angle, instead of leaning forward, allows you to keep your weight centered in the saddle and back. Don’t arch your back or slump your shoulders as you close that angle. Think about keeping your spine in a neutral position and keep your chest open with your shoulders back.

Allow the horse to use their body freely by posting the trot or sitting in a half seat or light seat at the canter. You should feel their stride lengthen slightly, their back engage, and the hind end push underneath their body to power up the hill.

Have you ever been told to think about a marionette string or pole that runs through your spine and out the top of your head? Many instructors use this visual to help their students stack their spine and sit up tall. Go back to this visual to help you sit extra tall and long as you go down a hill.

Tuck your tummy and pull your belly button back to your spine. It should almost feel like a crunch. Your goal is to use your core to support yourself and your horse down the hill, keeping them straight and encouraging them to use their hind end and shift their weight back instead of plowing down the hill on their front end.

If you have a horse who really likes to shove themselves on their front end and rush down the hill, a good neck strap can really come in handy. Going down the hill, reach forward and grab the neck strap while still keeping your body back. Gently pull upwards on the strap to apply pressure at the base of the horse’s neck and remind them to sit back. Use it like a half halt. Don’t just haul on your horse’s neck, but apply pressure briefly and release.

Being able to balance the gallop, and moderate energy use, down hills is crucial for an economic round at Pratoni. Emiliano Portale heads down to fence 8 with Aracne dell’Esercita Italiano. Photo by Tilly Berendt.

Despite crunching your abs, your legs and hands should be soft. You don’t want to feel like you’re braced against your horse’s mouth, as this will create tension and stiffness in their body. As a matter of fact, you should strive to always maintain a soft lower leg position, even when galloping on the flat. On the topic of maintaining a two-point position while galloping, Jimmy writes, “Do not stiffen your knee or straighten your leg and take up the shock of the horse’s gallop stride by waving your upper body at the horse. This causes you to work out of rhythm with the horse’s stride and to unbalance the horse by continually moving from slightly in front of the motion to slightly behind the motion” (97).

There’s a lot of nuances to riding up and down hills. When it comes to eventing, riding up and down hills becomes a lot more difficult than the classic trail riding rule of ‘lean forward going up a hill and lean back going down a hill.’ And, like most things when it comes to horse sports, those nuances make all the difference.

The best advice my trainer, Carly Nelson of Stoneleigh Equine, gave me was to work on your position and these skills for two or three rides and then let your position come naturally up and down the hills. After all, every rider is built differently and has different conformation. Everyone will have their own way of moving with their horse over terrain.

And remember: perfection is an impossible goal.

This article contains sponsored links. Be sure to visit our awesome supporters, Breeches.com, to find all the supplies you’ll need for your eventing journey.

Photo by Christine Quinn Photography.

Eventing is unique from any other discipline in that it has three different phases requiring a few outfit changes. If you’re getting ready to head to your first ever horse trial, it can be confusing to know what to wear for what phase. Whether you’re an adult amateur who’s new to eventing or a parent of a riding school student who’s about to take the plunge into the world of horse trials, the need-to-know info is largely the same.

Most riders wear one or two pairs of breeches per horse trial. The main requirement is that you have a pair of white breeches for the dressage phase, like these TuffRider Full Seat Breeches. Unlike riding tights, the breeches should have belt loops, a button and zipper, and be made of a slightly thicker fabric. While most competitors ride in white breeches, beige or light tan breeches are also acceptable. You can technically wear the same pair of white breeches for all three phases, but some riders prefer to change their breeches before cross country to protect them from stains. Nothing ruins a pair of white breeches faster than falling into the water complex!

If you’re going to change your breeches before cross country, keep in mind that there are very few regulations around the breeches you wear on course. They can be any color and made of any fabric. Many riders prefer to wear cross country breeches that are made of a technical fabric that has sweat-wicking and cooling properties, like the Equine Couture Coolmax Breeches. Whatever breeches you choose to wear, make sure they have good grippy knee patches or a full seat to help you stay in the saddle if you get into a sticky situation. 

For the dressage and show jumping phase, you’ll need a formal show shirt, like the Equine Couture Cara Show Shirt. It has to have a stand-up or wrap-around ratcatcher collar and be a conservative color, usually white. While it is most likely to remain hidden under your jacket, it’s important to wear a show shirt that follows all of the rules, so that if jackets are waived, you can ride without your show coat. Keep in mind that if you’re riding below preliminary level, you don’t have to wear a show coat. 

While your show shirt in dressage and show jumping can be either long or short-sleeved, it must have long sleeves to be appropriate for cross country. Most eventers choose a shirt that showcases their cross country colors. A bright shirt means you’ll be easy to spot from across the field. Look for something that uses moisture-wicking technical fabric that will still be breathable, despite the long sleeves. The TuffRider Technical Sport Shirt checks all the boxes for a great cross country shirt, plus it’s available in a variety of colors. 

Photo via JPC Equestrian, taken by Cassidy Brooke.

For the dressage and show jumping phase, it’s encouraged to wear a show coat over your shirt. While it’s not required until you’re riding at the preliminary level or above, most riders want to look their best and choose to wear a show coat. Recent rule changes have started to allow riders to wear a wider variety of colors. However, for your first attempt at a horse trial, it might be a good idea to wear a more conservative coat, like the Equine Couture Raleigh Show Coat. That way if you decide eventing isn’t for you, you can still wear the coat in the hunter/jumper ring or if you go out fox hunting.

If you’re wearing a show coat, then you have to wear a stock tie! It also works the other way around– if you’re not wearing a show coat, then it’s considered a faux pas to wear a stock tie. For your first horse trial, choose a pre-tied stock tie, like the Equinavia Cavalleria Venice Stock Tie. It’ll save you time fiddling with a tricky knot when you’re already nervous prior to entering the ring. 

Gloves are a must in all three phases. And they aren’t just for looks– gloves provide crucial added grip when you’re galloping around the cross country course or flying around turns in the show jumping ring. Your gloves should be black, white, or beige. Most riders, particularly at the lower levels, choose to wear black gloves as they’re easier to care for. Leather is technically fine for all phases, but consider wearing them exclusively in the dressage ring and choose gloves with more grip for cross country. If you only want to invest in one pair of gloves for all three phases, consider the TuffRider Grippy Riding Gloves. These gloves have the grippy palm you’ll need for jumping, but they look like leather. 

What you wear on your feet is just as important as the rest of your outfit. When you’re first starting out and riding in schooling horse trials, half chaps and paddock boots are technically allowed, but they’re not really the norm. If you’re not sure if you’ll continue your competitive eventing career, or have a child who’s still growing, half chaps and paddock boots are a fine choice, particularly if they’re leather. Make sure the half chaps match the paddock boots in terms of color and type of leather; black is a safe color choice. Look for a combination that’s designed to be worn together, like the TuffRider Belmont Half Chaps and Paddock Boots.

If you’re ready to invest in a pair of tall boots, look for something that’s economical, but still looks stylish. You can both compete and practice in the TuffRider Regal Field Boots, which gets you the most bang for your buck. Just take a little extra time to shine them up before your first show. 

There’s a big emphasis on safety gear at horse trials. Unlike any other equestrian discipline, eventers must wear a protective safety vest on the cross country course. The vest you choose should meet or surpass the existing ASTM standards, just like your helmet. While there’s many different types of cross country vests, the best vest is the one that fits you correctly. It should cover your last rib and end just below the tailbone, without interfering with your position in the saddle. 

Overall, the eventing community is a welcoming one, particularly to riders who are just starting out. Don’t be afraid to ask questions before the event. Your trainer should be an excellent resource who can help guide you in terms of what to wear to an event. If you ever have any questions about the rules and regulations regarding show apparel, particularly at schooling shows, reach out to the show administrator. 

This article is sponsored by Breeches.com, your online source for global brands that design, manufacture, market and distribute fine riding products.