Happy hacking

THIS photo was taken at a local gymkhana in Cheshire. I am pictured with my friend Beverley Howlett (née Heath, on the left, top of her head out of shot) and her pony Misty.

I’m riding Silver, whom my non-horsey parents bought when I was eight and he was three, so it wasn’t ideal, but somehow we managed.

Beverley and I probably hacked there although sometimes we booked a lift in a cattle wagon, which would collect each pony and load them with just a slat between them.

We spent many happy hours hacking for miles – I find it sad that young people and their ponies today are not safe on the roads and miss out on the freedom we had.