Are You Ready to Move Up a Level in Eventing?

There can be a lot of pressure in eventing to keep moving up the levels. But you don’t have to.

The first question is whether you want to - and whether the level you’re at now is starting to feel comfortable, and maybe (dare we say it…) a little bit boring.

If you’re regularly finishing feeling confident, the questions seem straightforward, your horse understands the job and you’re both having fun, then it might be time to think about the next step.

Signs you may be ready include:

• You and your horse are consistently confident at your current level

• The fences do not feel particularly big or intimidating

• You’re able to deal calmly with the odd mistake

• Your horse finishes feeling positive

• Training at the next height feels comfortable

• Most importantly, you actually want to move up

Moving up shouldn’t feel like something you have to do because everyone else is doing it, because your horse is capable of it, or because you’ve been at one level for a certain amount of time.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with staying at a level you enjoy.

And if you do decide to step up, the best preparation is making sure the basics - rhythm, balance, adjustability, accuracy and responsiveness - feel established enough that the extra technicality and a bit more height and don’t suddenly make everything difficult.

Ideally, moving up should feel like the natural next question, not a leap into the unknown.