Working alongside Burghley’s cross-country course designer Derek di Grazia, it’s Philip Herbert’s job to construct the obstacles for one of the toughest equestrian challenges in the world…

Sworn to secrecy, Philip Herbert and his team have been working hard for months to finesse the obstacles that this year’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials participants will face as they tackle the cross-country round of this year’s competition.

“Normally, creation of the course begins before the previous year’s Horse Trials has even taken place, but with Covid, this year’s course has been a little longer in the making,” says Philip, who works alongside his son, Guy.

Philip is based in Oundle, but his team also has a workshop and barn adjacent to Burghley Park Golf Club. The team is responsible for constructing and positioning 45 ‘jumping efforts’ which may comprise a single obstacle or several for this stage of the competition.

“I work for a number of pony clubs, and for larger eventing fixtures like Thoresby Park – formerly the Belton fixture – but I’ve worked with Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials since 1981, firstly alongside Mark Phillips and now with Derek di Grazia.”

“The FEI stipulates the maximum safe dimensions for an obstacle – 1.2m high, up to 4m wide and up to 3m front to back.”

“Once the course designer has determined the obstacles, and their placement, we can begin their construction. In years gone by they were all permanent obstacles with posts in the ground and rails. From the late 1990s we began to use forklift trucks and now most obstacles are portable, removed and stored in our barns. They weigh anywhere from half a tonne to three tonnes, and usually, about a third of the course is different each year, allowing for new interest and a fresh challenge each year.”

“Obstacles are brought out of storage, washed and then repainted before they’re moved into position and decorated with wood chips, greenery and props.”

“At one point, when Land Rover was making pick-up trucks, the vehicles were used as obstacles themselves, but their vehicles are a bit larger and more expensive to serve that purpose these days!”

“The skill of a course designer isn’t just the dimensions of the obstacles themselves, but where they’re positioned in relation to one another. It’s surprising but even the colour of an obstacle is given consideration when planning the course.”

“Much research has been conducted into a horse’s visual perception, and we know they can see white or blue more easily than green – especially against a grass course – so an obstacle covered in green foliage is more challenging. A horse’s vision is less acute immediately in front of them, too.”

“It’s information like this which really leads us to work with Burghley’s course designer to create a five-star course which is as challenging a test of horse and rider as possible, whilst still ensuring it’s safe in the eyes of the technical delegate and ground jury. We design the course to be challenging, but safe, making it one of the most thrilling for competitors and spectators alike, and of course, making most of the fantastic Burghley parkland!”

Find Out More: Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials takes place from 1st-4th Sept. Thursday/Friday/Sunday £22/adv, £24/on site. Saturday £38/£42. Car parking £12/day adv. Four day admission £92/adv, car parking £40/adv, membership from £265. See www.burghley-horse.co.uk or call the box office on 0344 581 4980.