18 • Everything Equine


Why we’re silly for our fi llies


Owner Sam Lewis explains why the British will always hold horses close to their hearts


E


ver since I sat on a pony as a toddler, I’ve been mad about horses, fantasising about


owning one until my dream came true some 30 years later. A decade on and I’m still obsessed by them — and the eff ect they have on people. I know friends and acquaintances


who spend every spare penny they earn on horses, and every possible minute riding and caring for them. T eir homes are a mess, but their


stables are immaculate. T eir horse’s diets are carefully balanced, their own meals are prepared in seconds with any old leftovers in the fridge. Hours are spent plaiting and


pampering their ponies. Many ruminate over colour coordinating matching fl y veils and boots, or impulse buy the latest innovative air-sprung saddles using interest-free credit cards already groaning with physio and vet bills. While historically used for food


and transport, to win wars, herd farm animals and plough fi elds, the majority of Brits no longer need a horse — but many wouldn’t be without one.


So why do we have such an


endearing love of them? T e royal family has a rich history


of owning horses with the Queen riding into her 90s and the Duke of Edinburgh, like his grandsons, an avid polo player. Princess Anne and her daughter Zara Tindall have both competed in the Olympics on horseback (in eventing) and all remain enthusiastic supporters of equestrian events. But it’s not just the upper echelons


of society that are horse mad; all manner of people pass through the turnstiles to make racing one of the best attended spectator sports in the country — and many top riders don’t hail from privileged families. T e British clearly have a talent and


affi nity with horses and our English thoroughbreds remain revered worldwide. Proud of our heritage, we also strive to preserve those breeds — such as the Suff olk Punch and Clydesdale — that arguably have little use anymore, while we fervently protect ponies on Dartmoor and Exmoor for the pure joy of seeing them run wild.


T e Countryside Experience • Sunday 12 August 2018


Like many owners, my horse off ers


escapism from modern life when I’m in the saddle. Shoulders drop and my worries temporarily disappear as I hack through the countryside experiencing things I wouldn’t in a car, such as the wind on my face. Adventure beckons and like a kid


I sometimes ride bareback to the fi eld, or discover untrodden paths in a forest, crossing streams and occasionally get lost dropping my reins to leave my horse to fi nd the way home. Sometimes I seek an adrenalin


rush and rise at dawn to drive hours to compete or, inspired by professional riders, book lessons with


Sometimes I seek an adrenalin rush and rise at dawn to drive hours to compete or, inspired by professional riders, book lessons with top trainers to help me improve


top trainers to help me improve. I’ve learnt to be patient, that I can win a rosette one day and on another, land with my face in the mud. On other occasions, my friends and


I help each other out when our horse gets lame or sick. Sometimes we have to end their lives and we plan it stoically with dignity, but mostly we laugh at their funny faces and antics. Like many affl icted souls, horses


have clearly got under my skin. I enjoy working out their diff erent characters and temperaments, reading their mood through their ears, eyes and nostrils, fully aware that as living creatures, no one knows what they’ll get up to next.


Free entry! Horse Sanctuary Redwings


Norfolk, Essex, Warks & Angus!


Visit us in Meet friendly rescued horses and donkeys nose-to-nose


Open 10am to 4pm every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday www.redwings.org.uk | 0870 040 0033


A fun,


free family day out!


Dog friendly!


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