Competition livery head girl

GABRIELLA TRULLI

GABRIELLA, 20, started riding on Shetlands aged four at a local riding school, working her way up to the top group. Aged 14, she bought her first horse, Saxon, a freshly gelded nine-year-old.

“I absolutely loved him, but everyone else hated him,” says Gabriella. “He was unique, and I had to learn to ride him differently to anything else I knew. That was amazing.”

That experience was to stand her in good stead. By the time she left school, she knew she wanted to work with horses.

“College wasn’t an option for me, I wasn’t interested in that sort of learning – horses were my escape,” she says.

So she embarked on an equine apprenticeship with Haddon Training, soon finding a full-time job as a groom at the 25-box competition yard Heathlands Riding, Berkshire, where she is now head girl. She works 7.30am to 5pm, with two days off a week. There are four or five grooms working every day, doing general yard work, riding, clipping, and handling horses on the treadmill.

“We each muck out six boxes, then ride three to four,” she explains. “We have our own set of liveries to ride, plus part-liveries. I decide the plan for the week – a variety of hacking, schooling, jumping and lungeing.”

Besides her own showjumper, Kev (pictured), Gabriella is helping produce her boss Toni Russell’s ex-racer, Sonic.

As Gabriella and Toni both say, “no one wants to spend their days mucking out”, but the perks of the job are plentiful.

“I just love being with horses, love seeing the liveries progress, gaining experience, helping others and achieving my own goals,” says Gabriella, whose ultimate goal is to be a pro rider running a top competition yard. “I enjoy the lessons, get to compete some of the livery horses and hunt – and work with a great bunch of people.

“You have to be enthusiastic, not mind inclement weather and have a passion for the job,” she adds. “People skills are important, too – the horses are the easy bit!”

“You have to be enthusiastic and have a passion for the job. People skills are important – the horses are the easy bit!”

GABRIELLA TRULLI