Arena eventing
- kirstenmbinnie
- Feb 23
- 4 min read
the thrill of the cross-country,
the precision of the showjumping
ARENA Eventing is the perfect discipline for those don’t want to go round in circles or take part in traditional eventing over a full cross-country course.
If it appeals to you to jump on a prepared surface in a more controlled environment – and often indoors if the weather is inclement – then this reasonably new addition to equestrian sport might be the one for you.
Dressed in cross-country colours and wearing the compulsory body protector, riders don’t have to put up with restrictive showjumping jackets and the difficult-to-keep-clean white breeches, the horses don’t need multiple saddles for various disciplines – a GP will suffice – and they still get all the fun of showjumping, and the chance to ride artificial working hunter style jumps and fixed cross-country fences at speed.
Already some arena events have been held across the North-east throughout the winter months and now NMW Riding Academy proprietor and instructor, Rachael Doubleday, is planning a specialist masterclass on 30th March.
Focusing on the two phases of the arena event, riders can go on a course walk with the day’s instructor Jen Morris and then jump their round before they are given feedback to help improve their skills.
Rachael said: “Arena eventing benefits the horse and rider in the sense that they are seeing many different types of fences – this means in training you will have introduced your horse to the different fences and different questions that you may come across when it comes to putting it together in competition.
“You then have the confidence to understand the question and how to ride it. It also gives you the skills to take out onto the cross-country course and put it into practice.
“I think is also gives the riders a much better understanding and responsibility about their distance travelled per minute and the speed they travel at in preparation for meeting the optimum time.
“I think meeting the fences in an enclosed arena and on a surface can give riders and horses the confidence to understand them without the stress of studding up and skidding or sliding and potentially losing confidence. It can also be easier for the coach as they can be closer to the riders to help them, rather than out in a cross-country field.”
Although mostly held in winter to utilise indoor and outdoor arenas, this year a few arena events will be held in the summer outdoors on grass in the North-east.
The event is usually two phases with eight to 10 showjumps immediately followed by 10 to 12 cross-country style fences.
The goal is to finish with a clear round in both phases with no penalties in either jumping phase, and as close to the optimum time as possible. There are penalties for knock downs, refusals and being too fast or too slow. Sometimes the final fence is a ‘Joker’ which is set higher than the rest of the jumps.
Throughout the winter a number of arena events have been held as part of the ACE SCOTLAND league, and Rachael says they are a great opportunity for riders to gain experience and set themselves a goal.
“I think it’s a good thing as people who don’t wish to ‘event’ have the chance to qualify and go to the final but they can also stay in the arenas to compete although they still have to understand the questions presented to them and the horse, and have to try to get close to the optimum time,” she added.
“There are also Pony Club qualifiers for arena eventing and the final for those is held annually at the Pony Club Spring Festival. It means arena eventing can be held out of season because we can use surfaces. It is also something we can use to start to get event horses out and about and fitter for the upcoming season.”
Arena Eventing is designed to be more affordable than traditional eventing a way to get riders involved so that they hopefully move on to one day eventing in the future.
Penalties (in general) are as follows: knock down in showjumping – 4 penalties; knock down in cross-country – 2 to 4 penalties depending on the rules; refusal – 20 penalties for the first, 40 penalties for the second, elimination for a third refusal.
A number of events held in the winter were qualifiers for the Harry Hall One Club – Anyone Can Event (ACE) which runs during winter and spring, starting at 60cms and going up to a 100cm course. There are six to eight showjumps and eight to 10 simulated knock-down cross-country fences.
ACE SCOTLAND’s championships is at the Scottish National Equestrian Centre on 29th March 2026. The qualifying period is from September 2025 to mid-March 2026 and classes are split into under 18s and seniors. The remaining qualifiers are:
7th March – Netherton Equestrian Centre, Perthshire.
7th March – Tillyoch Equestrian, Aberdeen.
22nd March – Champfleurie Equestrian, West Lothian.
29th March – Scottish ACE Championships.
The arena event training day and masterclass at NMW Riding Academy, Inverurie, will take place on Monday 30th March 2026 with Jen Morris and will include a presentation by Jen and a Question & Answer session followed by a course walk. The riders will then ride their course and be provided with feedback.
The cost includes lunch and riders can hire a pony from NMW or bring their own. Contact Rachael Doubleday at https://www.nmwridingacademy.co.uk or book a place on https://www.horsemonkey.com
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