The start of the eventing season is just around the corner, it is hard to know if your horses are ready to take on their first event of the year. So we asked 5* Event Rider Fiona Kashel what she does in the lead up to the start of the season, to make sure her horses are in top condition ready for their first events.
“I am very lucky to have some top horses coming into the 2023 season. I have entered 2 horses for Badminton at the beginning of May and am hoping to take another to Lumhulen which is in June. Because of this I start my fitness work early with these horses, as I never want to feel under prepared especially if the weather takes a turn for the worse.
We take them on 2 1/2 hour fitness rides once a week: We don’t do any fast work on these rides, this is purely walk trot and canter to build up their stamina.
From February we have a lovely field next door to our farm that a girl who works for me owns so we start with our fast work interval training, building up to three sets of 7 minutes at a decent canter (not gallop).
With regards to the dressage we have been schooling throughout the winter and I have affiliated the advanced boys to make sure I’m getting my arena practice in before I go down the centre line on grass as it takes me a few competitions to realise that I need to be much more accurate and on point with the movements.
With regards to the show jumping this has always been my strongest phase and have always enjoyed my pre-season jump outings. Again I affiliate them as the unaffiliated shows don’t go that big. So have been jumping 1.20/1.30’s with all of them. I will probably go to a jumping show once a week throughout March so I’m ready for my first event at the end of March.”
