William Fox-Pitt demo at Merrist Wood 24-09-14

Just going to write the things I can remember in random order and may put it more logically once I've remembered everything!

• before an event he would do fast work on Wed, jump Thur, flatwork Fri, hack Sat and event Sunday
• to try and get a better medium trot, get a good engaged canter then come back to trot and straight away ask for medium
• when you do shoulder in or any other movement, even if it wasn't great make sure you finish it obviously
• you don't need flash to do well in an eventing dressage test, just don't do anything wrong - everything correct and in the right place will get lots of marks
• he doesn't start them eventing too soon - they would do a few local shows and things at 4/5 but wouldn't event until 6.
• shoulder-in down the long side to the outside prevents them drifting across the school
• a good brain is the most important thing
• they hack out for 20-30mins before schooling for 30-50mins
• they either live in at night or during the day and will go on the walker once a day
• and good conformation - make sure they look comfy on their feet, stand equally over each limb etc
• jump from trot lots
• jump fences not always on the ideal line - ie. corners - you might not be on the exact line you walked in competition and horse needs to learn to deal with it
• don't need flags to practice skinnies - what if the flag had fallen down on the course - horse needs to learn to lock onto jump, not necessarily flags
• gridwork and exercises in winter, courses in summer
• good long holiday after season ends
• do lots of leg yield - really good suppling and relaxing exercise in trot and canter
• warm up in canter before trot and stay off the back in canter to let them come through and go forwards.
• in the extended walk the poll should be level with the withers and the nose out, keep the activity and when you come back to medium walk as well