Chatsworth International Horse Trials Tips & FAQ2026* · Chatsworth House

In eventing (also often known as 3-day eventing or horse trials), a horse and rider compete against other competitors across the 3 disciplines of dressage, cross-country, and showjumping. The competition may be run as a 1-day event (ODE) with all 3 events on one day or a 3-day event (3DE), which is more commonly now run over 4 days, however, Chatsworth is still over 3 days.

• Dressage – described as one of the highest expressions of horse training where the horse and the rider perform from memory a series of predetermined movements usually to music. The test is judged by one or more judges, who are looking for balance, rhythm, suppleness, and most importantly, the cooperation between the horse and rider
• Cross-country – consists of approximately 12-20 fences (lower levels), or 30-40 at the higher levels, placed on a long outdoor circuit. The fences consist of solidly built natural objects (logs, stone walls, etc.) as well as various obstacles such as ponds and streams, ditches, etc., and combinations. The rider is required to cross the finish line within a certain time frame (optimum time). Crossing the finish line after this time results in penalties for each second over. If a horse refuses an obstacle, penalties are added
• Showjumping – stadium or showjumping is the final phase of eventing competition and tests the technical jumping skills of the horse and rider, including agility, obedience, fitness, and athleticism. In this phase, 12-20 fences are set up in a ring. These fences consist of elements that can be knocked down, unlike cross-country obstacles. This phase is also timed, with penalties being given for every second over the required time. Time is added on for each obstacle knocked down, creating more penalties