Any young rider aiming to make the step toward the top eventually runs into the term "squad." The KNHS (the Dutch equestrian federation) places talented young riders into ascending selection tiers, each with its own program of training, guidance, and competitions. Below you'll find a rough outline of how that squad system is built and how you get into it.
What a Squad Actually Is
A squad is a group of riders put together by the KNHS that receives extra guidance at a given level. You aren't placed in one because you sign up, but because you stand out through competition results and assessments. The idea behind it: spot talent early, have it train under national coaches, and prepare it step by step for international youth championships.
Good to know:
- For the Olympic and Paralympic disciplines (dressage, para-dressage, show jumping, and eventing), the youth pathway runs through the KNHS Talentenplan; since January 1, 2024, the squad structure there has been simplified into a single line, with the KNHS Topsportkader for youth and the TeamNL squad for seniors. Non-Olympic disciplines such as driving still have separate A and B squads.
- The squads are split by age category — Ponies, Children, Juniors, Young Riders, and U25.
- Age limits and the number of places can change each season; the current breakdown is on knhs.nl.
The Structure: From Broad to Narrow
The Talentenplan works as a pyramid with three named tiers: a broad group with promise at the bottom, a small group competing for European and World Championship selection at the top. Here's how the breakdown is structured (figures according to the KNHS, 2026 season):
| Tier | Who's in it | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Nationale Beloften (National Promise) | The broad intake: young riders who stand out at competitions and talent days | roughly 90 riders |
| Nationaal Talent (National Talent) | Squad members in the ponies and juniors/children squads | roughly 30 per squad |
| Internationaal Talent (International Talent) | Squad members in the young riders and U25 squads, and above that the KNHS Talententeam (ages 18 to 25) | 30 young riders, 10 U25, 10 to 12 in the Talententeam |
The boundaries between these tiers aren't fixed. A good season can move you up; a rough patch or an injured horse can move you back down. Placement almost always applies for a set period — usually a season — and is reviewed again afterward.
How You Get Selected
There's no sign-up form for a squad. The route runs through performing at competitions that count, plus the assessment of the discipline and national coaches. In practice, these factors play a role:
- Competition results in the class that matches your age and level. Consistency counts for more than a single standout result.
- Selection trials and observation days that the KNHS designates per discipline. Coaches watch closely at these.
- Assessment of the combination (you and your horse together) — not just you as a rider, but also whether the horse can handle the level required.
- Trainability and attitude, as coaches see them during clinics and training days.
Many young riders first make a name for themselves in their own region. The regional structure and talent plans work as a discovery ground: perform well there, and you get noticed by the people who oversee the national squads. What counts exactly in a given year — which competitions, which class, how many points — differs per discipline and is published by the KNHS.
What a Squad Place Gets You
A squad place isn't a prize — it's a working environment. What it roughly includes:
- Training days and clinics under the guidance of national coaches.
- Access to expertise on medical and mental support, nutrition, and equipment — the exact offering differs per level.
- A mapped-out competition path toward national and international starts.
- Sometimes a contribution toward certain costs, but don't count on full funding. Boarding, transport, and the horse itself usually remain your own expense.
The flip side: expectations are high and the place is temporary. Riders who don't perform or don't keep up move back out. That's part of a selection system and doesn't say everything about the rest of your career — many riders still make the step up later on.
The Horse's Role
In youth sport, the combination is the starting point, not the rider alone. A talented rider on a horse that can't handle the level rarely stands out in a selection process. At the same time, an expensive horse is no guarantee: coaches look at how a rider develops and directs a horse, not just at what's underneath the saddle.
For many young riders, this means a difficult trade-off between the horse they currently ride and what the next step requires. There's no fixed answer to that; it depends on your age category, your discipline, and your ambition.
In Practice: Keeping It Manageable
- Look at where you stand now. Which class do you ride, which age category do you fall into, and which competitions count in your discipline?
- Ask for the current criteria. The selection requirements and squad breakdown are published per discipline on knhs.nl and change each season — use that as your source, not stable-yard stories.
- Look for the regional route. Talent plans and regional training sessions are often the first point of contact with the people who select.
- Build consistency. One good competition gets noticed; a string of good competitions takes you further.
- Keep the horse in the equation. Placement is about the combination; a suitable horse is part of the story.
From the outside, the squad system can look closed off, but the logic is simple: keep performing in the class that suits you, show yourself at the moments that count, and selection follows on its own. For the precise, current requirements in your discipline, knhs.nl is and remains the authoritative source.
Sources (verified September 2, 2026): KNHS — Talentenplan · KNHS — New squad structure for TeamNL riders · KNHS — Talentendag
See also: KNHS Youth Team Entry Criteria · How Selection Trials Work · Level: Talent Pathway