I'm not from a horsey background. When I was six, I really wanted a pony. My mum said we couldn't afford one so I saved every Christmas and Easter. By the time I was 11 I had £500 and bought a four-year-old Welsh cob called Jester. I loved jumping and would hack an hour and a half to shows, but Jester wasn't going to take me to Hickstead. So instead I taught him tricks; he learnt jousting and we went off with the circus.
I was just a typical horsey kid. I loved all the fast stuff: hunter trials, showjumping, gymkhanas, anything with speed. I went to this amazing old guy called Rodeo Dave for work experience when I was 14 and he was incredible. He used to trick-ride on a bull! I thought, "I want to do this," and he said, "I love this kid, she's mad!" So I joined his team.
In 2005, I ran away to the circus with my childhood pony Jester. I did a double act with the amazing, late Nell Gifford, and solo trick-riding for two years, followed by a spell with Zippos Circus. Rodeo Dave gave me the foundations, then at Giffords the cossacks taught me to Roman-ride.
Denne historien er fra December 14, 2023-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
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Denne historien er fra December 14, 2023-utgaven av Horse & Hound.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
Lording it over the rest
Horses who have returned from injury, a second generation homebred and a long format specialist score on the final weekend of the British season
Smith hits flying form
A \"her way or no way\" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot
Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
Access all areas Cavalier Centre
The Cavalier Centre is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art equestrian centre designed to improve lives through horse-based activities. Ellie May Forrester pays a visit
'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
Worm control in horses is vital, but established methods will not remain effective for much longer. Tim Mair FRCVS explains why and how we need to change
