My Passions: A life in the saddle just seems to get better and better

I have two sisters who both loved ponies and we were fortunate enough to learn to ride at Bowler’s Riding School in Formby. When I was three, Drummer Boy, the riding school pony that we all loved, became ours. He was 23 years old and very stubborn. We all learned to ride well, we had to, as he only behaved if you rode correctly.

At the age of seven Escley Tulaga, or Toots as we more commonly called her, was purchased for me to compete at shows. Rather than taking up the more widely known sport of show jumping, I chose to compete in ‘showing’ which is most easily described as being like Crufts, but for horses! Toots was a truly gifted and versatile Welsh Section A pony, who took me right through all the showing classes for children and also against adults in the open ridden breed classes.

My first major win in 1992 was at the British Show Pony Society’s Winter Championships. I came first in the Novice Nursery Stakes Winter final, out of over 70 qualified children and ponies.

As my passion grew, so did the ponies and I went on to win at a number of international championships including the Royal International Horse Show and the London International Horse Show at Olympia.

Competing was a passion and the excitement of riding at the ‘big’ shows never ceased to be amazing, but the real thrill was actually qualifying for these occasions at the limited number of shows we could attend round the country.

University called and I soon realised there was no time for competing any more so my focus was very much on the time at home with the ponies. Work started and I began to miss the balance that ponies had brought to my life and so Kelsborrow Cachet or ‘Cache’ arrived. For the next 10 years, he was the focus of my competing. Sadly, Cache died unexpectedly, just before Christmas. I felt as though my pony days had drawn naturally to an end. However, a winter without my ‘pony fix’ proved too much and so in March this year Creig Aine Cylone, ‘Cye’, a three year old Connemara pony arrived and so my passion continues!