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How to get your horse fit like world number one event rider Harry Meade

Harry Meade has risen to the top of the eventing tree in a large part thanks to his extraordinary ability to go clear inside the time at five-star level. This isn’t just down to innate speed of the horse he’s riding, given he has consistently achieved fault-free clears on a range of horses with varying pedigrees. In this article exclusive to H&H subscribers, Harry reveals the meticulous fitness system that underpins his performance

  • The new eventing world number one’s recent cross-country record at five-star is outstanding. In his last nine runs at the highest level, he has produced six clears inside the time, results that speak volumes for how Harry Meade gets horses fit.

    Many horses and riders never go clear inside the time at CCI5*; Harry has repeatedly steered more than one horse on the same day to beat the clock. The majority of this achievement must be thanks to years of experience in honing a natural talent, but there’s clearly a skill in producing so many different horses to perform at their peak at elite level.

    The son of the 1972 Olympic champion Richard Meade admits: “We have quite an orthodox approach; it’s a combination of old-fashioned horsemanship with reliable, proven science.”

    It sounds so simple, but Harry is exceedingly meticulous. It all begins with bespoke treatment for every horse.

    “We’ve always had the philosophy of trying to treat each horse as if it’s the only one on the yard,” says Harry.

    How Harry Meade gets horses fit

    The foundation of Harry’s successful horse management is fitness. He doesn’t run his horses fast at national one-day events, yet they are primed to perform when it really matters.

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