Grassroots Show: Training to Competition with Kirsty Chabert

Everyone talks about training. Almost nobody talks about why it doesn't show up on the day. Kirsty Chabert has just won the Nations Cup at Bicton on Classic VI, and she's admitting something most riders won't: she's terrified of heights, still can't walk to the edge of a drop fence, and has spent years working through it. If a five-star rider with that record still fights her own nerves, what does that mean for the rest of us walking into the startbox? This episode of the Grassroots Show goes straight at that gap between the arena at home and the ring at a show. Kirsty breaks down what she actually leans on when the pressure's on, why competing above your level in schooling matters more in jumping than dressage, and why she disappears the week before a big event instead of riding. Highlights Managing nerves at every level Training above the level you compete Building pressure into schooling at home Reading your own competition honestly The trot-to-walk transition that matters most A cross-country warm-up challenge to try Guests Kirsty Chabert, five-star event rider and coach, Nations Cup winner at Bicton on Classic VI. Presented by Foran Equine, part of the Connolly's RED MILLS family. EquiRatings Eventing Podcast: Follow the EquiRatings Eventing Podcast for more data-led insight, top-tier guests, and everything you need to keep up with the 2026 season on Instagram and Facebook.