I am sooo excited. I just happened to be in London the weekend of the Royal Windsor Horse Show. I will be staying in London and catching the train out for a day (or two, weather dependent). Anyone have any tips or tricks?? I have been to the Rolex several years, so get the general jist but just wondering if anyone has been. I will hopefully going for the cross country driving classes.
Oh, how wonderful!!! Have fun! Tell us about it - with pics if possible. Insert nodding head icon here :D)
I have always wanted to go but at this point will settle for a poster from the event. I wish my Barnes and Noble still sold the British horse mags. One of them at least would have a feature on the event. I wish they would televise it here, too.
I went a few years ago. It was much more compact a show than I expected and easily walkable. Easy to see everything. We stayed in an apt. in Eton just over the Eton Walkway bridge from Windsor and walked over to the show grounds. Waterproof footwear were helpful as it had rained a fair bit before the show so the ground was a little wet in parts. Shopping was fabulous. Plan ahead!
I was in the UK on business trip during the Royal Windsor horse show once. I had a week long workshop so my colleagues and I decided to go a few days before to prep for it and then hang out over the weekend.
As the taxi was taking us to our hotel by the castle (we always stayed in Windsor when visiting our site in Slough) I saw all the signs for the show. I asked my colleagues if they were interested and they were so we walked down on Saturday and spent the day there. They loved the shopping and drinks and enjoyed the horses.
We saw Jessica Springsteen competing and the Queen and Harry watching one jumper class that was made of of teams from the various service organizations (police, military etc). Alas we did not see Bruce although he was there. 
Then at night we had tickets for a military horseback exhibition and I believe Canada was the country invited to perform that year. I highly recommend if they still have that. The Queen and royal family members were in their box watching that as well.
As someone else said, it is very walkable with fabulous shopping and all the rings had lots of stadium seating so super easy to watch too.
One of my all time favorite business trips! LOL
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We happened to be in London when the show was on in 2018. It is a really wonderful, diverse event â you will see everything from exquisite âshow poniesâ that look like small TBs or WBs to native breeds to jumping, draft horses, and if you are there on the right day, the competitive driving event, which is all 4-in-hands.
As with any outdoor activity in London, be prepared for rapidly changing weather. We were not, and it went from sunny in the morning to a chilly deluge in the afternoon â not fun! I would highly recommend waterproof shoes or boots, a good raincoat, etc.
This is where I found JustChaps.com, which sells very nice half-chaps in a wide range of lengths and widths. (I wear a Short XW, which is almost impossible to find anywhere else.) The neoprene ones are great for keeping oneâs legs warm in cold weather.
We were there on the CDE Marathon day, so we got to watch that â and it was impressive and crazy at the same time. My favorite memory was from the water crossing, where a pair of Canada geese was raising their family. There were a couple of volunteers in the stream to chase away the geese every time a carriage came through.
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And if this happens, there is a shoe store a 10 minute walk from the show site that sells Dubarryâs. 
Then again, you also could buy some nice country boots at the show itself but in my case we got there before the show started so I needed the boots first.
Yes, but itâs been about 20 years ago. It was great! I especially liked the pony classes. If you get the chance to see the police teams do a jumping class, definitely go. Iâm not sure what the class is called, but it consists of teams of police officers from different regions completing a course of jumps.
Itâs obvious that the different stations/precincts/whatever they call them donât always have four experienced riders for a team. Some are very talented, but some look like they got roped in to complete the team and have had a bare minimum of lessons.
But donât cringe. It isnât a replay of the Olympic Pentathlon. The jumps are small and the horses arenât hit or stressed.
Have a great trip!
Windsor is an easy journey from London by rail. There are two stations, which is a bit odd in such a small town. The most convenient is London Waterloo to Windsor Riverside which arrives almost opposite to the gate into the show ground on the Home Park. Paddington to Windsor involves a change at Slough and arrives in the town centre and the showground is a 10/15 minute walk. Coaches leave regularly from Victoria Coach Station but the train journey is far more pleasant.
There is a lot of shopping. American Express might not be accepted - absurd fees so not popular with businesses - but other cards will be. As an American tourist you might like to check out VAT return rules before you go shopping because it is possible to obtain a refund under certain conditions. Iâm not a financial expert. A lot of what is on offer is âlife styleâ rather than âequestrianâ so, who knows, a pretty bracelet and an evocative painting as well as a beautiful new bridle⊠There is a lot of food, more expensive than usual but easier to buy at the show rather than taking food and drink with you. It isnât only greasy burgers and fries but international street foods, even healthy salads one year Regiments of portaloos around the site, all cleaned regularly. If it rains, the ground can get heavy as the show is mainly on turf with walkways down in key areas. Shoes ok if the weather is good, waterproof boots if wet.
There is a huge diversity of classes each day, starting early and on into the early evening. One day will be natives, another will have Iberian classes, etc. Some classes are unique to Windsor such as best Polo Pony and the best-turned out Cavalry Trooper. The full schedule will be available online so you can pick the best day to go. There is top class showjumping each day. There is top class dressage one day. Hounds are paraded some days. The international driving is huge fun as the obstacles are placed out in the Great Park and as you walk to them the view of the castle changes. Watch out for the supporters of individual drivers hooning after their carriage by riding bikes: pedestrians need to jump clear of the pelaton as they are focused. The show ground is actually really compact so it is easy to navigate but expect to spend your time trotting between the rings as you go to watch the next thing on your list. The main arena has limited free seating so it may be worth buying a grandstand seating ticket if there is a particular performance you want to watch. The various displays, particularly the Kingâs Troop musical ride, are excellent. The big evening performance (donât recall what it is this year) is a separate event and will require a entry different ticket. It has a different audience.
One of nicest things about Windsor is that after the formal stuff, sitting in her Royal Box in the main arena, the Queen reappears in walking shoes and a headscarf and mingles in the crowd, watching her many horses and ponies strut their stuff, usually with only one or two protection persons with her, wearing their tweeds as well. As fellow horse people, the crowd ignores her so she can enjoy her event in her back garden. On the other hand, chunks of the UK and Commonwealth military and police are available, competing on site. Other royal family members are out and about, often doing horsey things as well. I do hope she manages to go this year as she so evidently enjoys RWHS but the Queenâs health is sadly in decline.
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I saw that too and it was very cool. That was a class the Queen and Harry attended.
Although, when they did the parade before the class started, one horse was quite nervous about the crowd and was acting up and trying to rear. The rider did a good job trying to calm him and after a few seconds, brought him down safely. Then some in the crowd cheered and the horse promptly went up and over. 
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Living over here now and hoping to go down for a day. 
Iâll be down at Badminton the week prior so I hope I can make it work!
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