Horse&Rider Magazine – September 2025

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When you watch your favourite riders achieving great success in their chosen discipline, alongside the excitement you feel there’s probably also a sense of wonderment. How do they reach such amazing heights with their horses? Surely there is some magical fairy dust that’s sprinkled over them? Or perhaps their horses are supernatural winning machines. Right? Of course talent and hard work play a huge part, but careful management is a hugely important element. And while there is definitely progress to be made in the way some elite horses are managed, more and more top-level riders are keen to share their ‘back to basics’, fairy-dust free management styles. Carl Hester has long advocated the benefits of maximum turnout time for his horses, including household names such as Valegro, and London 2012 dressage gold medallist Laura Tomlinson recently shared the benefits she’s finding of removing part of the partitions between her horses’ stables. Or, rather, that her horses are finding – happy ponies enjoying mutual grooming sessions make the best reels, it turns out. Meanwhile, in this issue, Ros Canter shares her management ethos. Spoiler alert – it includes maximum field time, horse-first planning, realistic routines, and forage-based feeding.

Ready to take your dressage skills up a notch? Tania Grantham is back with the second part of her series – put her exercises into practise and you’ll soon be achieving a personal best at Prelim. And if you’re in need of some polework inspiration, advice on how to make hacking a more relaxing experience for you and your horse or some quick and effective exercises for a productive schooling session, then we’ve got everything you need. Plus, find out more about horseback archery – even if you’ve never shot an arrow in your life, this rapidly growing discipline is suitable for riders of any level so why not give it a go?

We’re all guilty of planning the very best for our horses, yet how often do we pause to ask what we truly want from our riding and time spent with our horses? In this issue, Alison Buttery shows you how a little bit of time, planning and mindfulness can help turn your dreams into reality. Whether you’re searching for your first, fourth or fifteenth horse, bringing a new equine into your life is an incredibly exciting time but it doesn’t come without significant responsibility. In her new series, clinical animal behaviourist Anna Haines explains what you need to consider and how to build a strong, trust-based relationship with him so you can enjoy many years of fun together. You’ll also discover how to reduce (and prevent) stress in your horse, 13 facts about digestive health and how you can become a more sustainable rider to help save our planet.

Until a few years ago, Assistant Editor Sarah had spent most of her riding life in the showjumping arena – but when her friend finally convinced her to go eventing, she wasn’t expecting it to be so physically demanding. “I knew my horse’s stamina needed to increase, but I paid little (ok, I’ll admit – no) attention to my own fitness in the run-up. Luckily, my horse Prince is a straightforward ride, but speed isn’t of the essence in his world and I felt exhausted half-way round the cross-country course. This moment sparked my interest in the impact rider fitness can have on a horse’s performance, and how that demand can differ so much between disciplines.” So, if you’re looking for a tailored workout to ensure you – and therefore your horse – can perform at your peak, pick up the September issue of Horse&Rider to discover our PT’s tips.

All this and so much more in the September issue of Horse&Rider – on sale now!