H&H’s eventing editor Pippa Roome highlights a growing trend among top riders to adopt a “less is more” approach to dressage preparation, emphasizing horse body health and freshness over intense drilling. Riders like Tim Price and Monica Spencer focus on keeping their horses strong, loose, and mentally fresh, reflecting a shift toward longevity and welfare in eventing as horses compete longer at the top level without the previous demands of roads, tracks, and steeplechase phases.

Roome also discusses the introduction of the under-25 World Championships as a new pathway for young riders bridging the gap between lower-level events and senior championships. While this provides valuable experience, there is concern it might encourage some to delay progressing to five-star competitions. Examples like Yasmin Ingham and Zara Tindall, who succeeded at senior level by age 25, suggest that talented riders should aim high early. The article invites readers to share their views on the best development routes for young eventers amid evolving competition structures.