Work–horse balance
The Environment Agency senior water resources officer
Work life…
I’ve worked for the Environment Agency (EA) for 21 years across a variety of roles, including as a freshwater ecologist (working with macro-invertebrates and fish). Around 15 years ago, I started working in Water Resources, which balances the needs of the environment/ ecology with those of people and elements like drinking water, agriculture, etc.
When I met my husband, Graham, 12 years ago, I moved from Devon to Somerset and became senior water resources officer. I also have a National Incident role, which means I’m on duty 24/7 when it’s my turn (roughly one week in eight), as well as a tactical response role. This means I work with staff and organisations covering incidents such as flooding, fires, droughts, dry weather and Covid, to name but a few.
How I got here…
I studied environmental science at Hertfordshire University, specialising in aquatic ecology. Rivers and ecology had always interested me. After graduation I spent 18 months working in two national parks in Poland, and by the time I returned to Britain I knew I wanted to work in the environmental field. Working for the EA was a goal from then on, and I got a job in 1999 after spotting an ad at a temp agency. It was the work experience in Poland that helped me to net my dream role.
My horse…
I’ve got one horse, Pippin, whose passport name is Grapefruit. She’s a 10-year-old 14.1hh gypsy cob and was actually bred by (on loan at first) I’d only done a few hacks with friends on borrowed horses. I really did lack experience and I didn’t know much about horse care either. However, Pips has given me confidence and helped me to learn. She has always been a total star on the road — you can take her past the largest tractor or lorry and she won’t turn a hair. She loves jumping — at speed! — and is such fun to ride.
Having fun…
We do a bit of everything now, from fun rides to hacking. I’m lucky to live within
11hh strawberry roan pony who belongs to a neighbour. Pepper is totally laid back and they are best buddies, but Pippin does like to boss him around.
Horsey roots…
I don’t have any! While I was growing up, my twin sister, Alison, was horse mad and we did a few holiday rides, but that was it. It wasn’t until I hit a milestone birthday — my 40th — that I finally decided to do something about it. Enter Pippin, who went on to exceed all my expectations.
My motivation…
I love seeing Pippin’s ears over the hedge every morning. It doesn’t matter what the conditions, Pips is always pleased to see me — she’s my best friend. Seeing her makes me smile and keeps me happy.
A busy schedule…
My typical day goes something like this… 7am Get up, make a cup of tea and walk our crazy dog, Yara, with other ladies from the village.
7.30am I visit the yard — which is a two-minute walk from my home — to feed Pippin and Pepper and bring them in.
8am I head to my loft where I have my office and start work, which involves checking emails, checking in with my team and joining meetings. I spend a fair amount of time on the phone planning work and answering technical queries. We cover the whole of England and support other teams with water resources issues. I’ll often have breakfast at my desk, with some more much-needed tea.
12:30pm I quickly pop to the yard to check on Pippin and feed Pepper some lunch (he doesn’t have many teeth and so has a mash). I’ll grab some lunch with Graham and then collect the chicken eggs.
1pm Back to the loft to carry on working. 4-4.30pm If I’m planning to ride, I’ll head out for a hack now and then turn out Pips afterwards. There are two other horses on the yard and I’ll often go riding with their owners. If it’s a day without riding, I’ll put Pips in her field and muck out the stable. 6pm I return to work if I need to make up some hours. If not, I’ll walk Yara and do a final check on Pippin and Pepper on the way home. Then it’s time for dinner and bed, not forgetting to feed Murphy the cat.
Working from home…
I’m so lucky to be able to work from home. Prior to Covid, I worked two days a week from home and the rest either in Bristol or in London or Birmingham for meetings.
This meant long days and using a head torch when carrying hay and buckets of feed across dark, muddy, wet fields. I’d often leave the house at 6am and not return until 7pm, so on these days Pippin would stay out around the clock, meaning even more poo picking at the weekend.
The Environment Agency has a very flexible work policy and so I’m able to fit my work around my life, including riding during the day if that suits me. This really does mean a fantastic work-life balance.
Hobbies and pets…
Yara is a Small Münsterländer who is now 16 months old, Murphy is a Siberian cat, and we also have 11 chickens, a cockerel and a pond full of Koi carp. Graham and I enjoy gardening and we grow vegetables in our own slice of paradise — our back garden. We also have an old Somerset orchard from which we’re about to pick the apples for the village cooperative that makes cider with them. We both love a Scandi crime drama, cinema, friends and entertaining, although not too much of that has happened so far this year.