under the hat
‘Under The Hat’ Helene Mauchlen
“I have been running British Horse Society Scotland for 18 years. I am a farmer’s wife, mother to three grown up children, grandmother to Angus aged three and two-year-old Nel 2 and a qualified riding instructor holding my BHS AI, which I sat in 1976! I was formerly a journalist and if I do not swim,
The happy team outside the BHS trade stand
run, ride, walk or cycle in a day, I do not consider that day lived. “We live near Crieff in the centre of Scotland – which is fortunate, because I am responsible for the society in the whole of Scotland. Luckily I love Scotland and my job has taken me off the beaten track to beautiful parts you would never think of visiting.
Working from home is a huge privilege.” Helene was employed by the British Horse Society (BHS) in the late 90s to “further the aims of The Society in Scotland”, which she confirms is “a very broad remit! She reveals; “I have seen the BHS grow to three times its size since then
Helene Mauchlen is always busy, but always with time to enjoy her own horse
The equine industry is an interesting mix of professionals, amateurs and volunteers who all share a love of horses, ponies, riding training and breeding. In this month’s feature, looking at who is ‘Under The Hat’, Helene Mauchlen shares an insight into her rewarding role.
and I have three colleagues now. I am involved in all things national that affect horses and riders and I suppose the best way I tackle ‘running Scotland’ is by concentrating on national matters in safety, welfare, access and training. Nearly all legislation pertaining to the ‘The Horse’ is devolved to Scotland, so our Scottish team tries and be a ‘One Stop Shop for Scottish Government’ and of course we try and look after all horses and riders, especially our cherished members. The BHS could not function in Scotland without our volunteers; they do most of the local work. The equine industry is important so I represent that where I can too.” It’s easy to work out that for Helene, such a varied role must have produced a good number of highlights over the years and asked about the most recent of these, she says without hesitation; “The equestrian access conference we held last autumn was probably the hardest thing I have ever undertaken because access issues can be so difficult and we tackle some really frustrating cases; making sure that tracks remain multi-use and horse riders get their fair share of (responsible) rights is a huge challenge. “It’s true to say thought that every event we run is a small triumph, like having a really happy trade stand at the Royal Highland show where everyone
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