Take five with Alice Goring, owner of social media star Teddy the Shetland
The eventer and owner of social media superstar Teddy the Shetland talks Instagram, meeting Valegro and riding with her inspirational grandpa
How did you get into horses?
My grandpa Richard got me my first pony when I was nine. He was a stocky Camargue and he did things very much on his own terms. Grandpa has always raced and team chased. He and his twin brother completed the Pardubice in the Czech Republic, one of the oldest and most difficult steeplechases in the world.
How often do you ride?
I ride my eventers every day, as well as going to events with Teddy. I work full time, so I mostly ride in the dark under floodlights in the winter.
Do any members of your family ride?
My sister Molly events and we love training together. She’s also the ‘voice’ of Teddy and keeps us all entertained! My grandpa is 81 now and he’s still riding — as well, if not better, than he did when he was younger. I went drag hunting with him a few weeks ago and I couldn’t keep up. He flies over massive hedges and is an inspiration to us all. We’ve just started an Instagram page for him called @mygrandpaandotheranimals as he’s hilarious (often without meaning to be, which makes it even funnier).
Tell us about your horses…
My top eventer is The Little Frenchman. He’s only 14.3hh, but you’d never know it and he went clear around his first advanced level event in 2018. He has the heart of a lion. My youngster Theodore has a huge jump and completed his first season last year, going double clear at BE100. Then there’s Teddy, of course, who I’m not sure comes under the category of horse as he thinks he’s a dog! We bought him as a companion for the eventers, but his life gets more exciting by the day. His work as a therapy pony is incredibly important to us and we visit Shooting Star
Chase Children’s Hospice once a month. We’re also massive supporters of the charity Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony. Hannah’s pony Doris is Teddy’s long-term girlfriend.
And about some of your favourite times with Teddy…
He was on TV with Valegro early in 2019 which was pretty special and they spent an hour grazing nose to nose on the Queen’s lawn at Windsor.
Grand National day last year was also memorable for us for different reasons — one of the little girls at the hospice we visit got her wish of riding Teddy around the hospice, waving to the crowds as if she was in the National.
What’s your day job?
I’ve recently completed a PhD and now work as a research scientist, studying bone disease.
Do you have any pets?
We have two dogs and Teddy lives in the garden, so I guess he counts as a pet.
What’s been your most memorable riding moment?
Going clear in my first advanced and doing the Hickstead Eventers Challenge — although my horse lost both front shoes going down the bank, which wasn’t ideal!
“Teddy and Valegro spent an hour grazing nose to nose on the Queen’s lawn at Windsor”