How do you train a horse to settle and show correctly in the flat phase of Working Hunter?

The flat phase of Working Hunter requires the horse to show at walk, trot, and canter with the same qualities evaluated in Hunter Under Saddle — ground-covering, rhythmic movement, correct manners, and a relaxed, workmanlike way of going. Many horses that jump well struggle in the flat phase because the energy and focus required for the jumping course leaves them tense, hot, or difficult to settle when asked to work quietly on the flat. Training the horse to transition smoothly between the excitement of jumping and the settled, rhythmic work of the flat phase requires deliberate practice of exactly that sequence. Schooling sessions that combine jumping work with immediate flat work afterward — asking the horse to settle to a consistent trot or canter within a few strides of landing from a fence — teach the horse that the transition from jumping to flat work is a normal and expected part of its job. The horse that can land from its last fence, make the turn to the flat work area, and immediately present a correct, settled way of going will score well in this phase. Horses that arrive in the flat phase still rushing, tense, or above the bit need more systematic work on this transition. Walk work between jumping and flat schooling sessions, combined with long, patient warm-down periods that prioritize relaxation, helps many horses learn to shift mental and physical gears between the two phases. Consistent flatwork training that develops a genuine, rhythmic way of going at all three gaits ensures that the horse's flat work quality matches its jumping quality when both are required in the same class.