Household Cavalry riding instructor

Lance Corporal of Horse Liana Nicholas on being the Household Cavalry’s first female riding instructor, guarding The Queen, and teaching recruits how to pick out a hoof

- Laura Walters

I lived in New Zealand until my early twenties, but I needed a change. I’d finished university during a recession and was struggling with my two horses. I came to England and on a day trip to London, saw these guys on horses at Whitehall and thought: “Why shouldn’t I do that?”

I’d looked at joining the New Zealand Defence Force, but I never thought I’d have time to have a horse as well. This job was an opportunity to do both and be paid for it. When I went to the recruiting office, they told me the guys I’d seen in Whitehall were Household Cavalry, but they didn’t take girls. Instead, they told me about the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery. I had no idea who they were, but thought: “Let’s go!”