Our introduction to the equestrian world has certainly been a very twisty path seeing us through 2025 and into 2026!

But let’s start at the beginning.

As a little girl, I was completely horse-mad. I didn’t just want a horse.. I had a plan. I vividly remember borrowing books from the local library so I could research horse ownership properly, then creating an actual PowerPoint presentation to try and convince my parents to let us keep a small Shetland pony in the back garden.

And honestly? My idea wasn’t that wild. They had a huge garden, and a wooden shed that ran the entire width of the bottom fence… basically screaming “convert me into a stable”. Logical. Practical. Totally reasonable.

Sadly, my beautifully researched presentation fell on deaf ears and remained firmly in the “nice idea” pile. I did have riding lessons for a good chunk of my childhood, but as the teenage years rolled in, horses quietly slipped away into the background.

Fast forward quite a few years, to my middle daughter Eva’s fourth birthday and this is where our equestrian journey really begins.

Eva started weekly riding lessons, and once the Covid lockdowns were behind us, Elsa quickly followed her big sister. (Freya, my eldest, won’t feature much in this story – she has absolutely zero interest in horses… although she has been spotted sneaking in the occasional cuddle.)

Anyway… back to the ponies.

Eva and Elsa’s love for horses grew fast. Eva in particular became completely obsessed, spending over a year talking about future plans, college courses, and careers involving horses. While weekly lessons were brilliant, I couldn’t shake the feeling that they weren’t teaching her the full picture – the everyday horsemanship, the care, the responsibility, and the realities of horse ownership.

At the beginning of 2025, a little opportunity popped up that felt like a big step. A friend kindly allowed us to help look after a Shetland pony at her yard. Enter Ted. Ted was the perfect introduction to grooming, tack, and general yard jobs. Unfortunately, while Eva was light enough to ride him, she was far too tall – so Elsa happily took over riding duties and soaked up every second.

Naturally, this sent me down the very slippery slope of looking for a bigger loan pony.

Over the next nine months (which somehow felt like a lifetime), we loaned a pony at a local yard, then moved on to leasing, and eventually found ourselves doing the thing I swore I’d never do… buying our own ponies. I’m skipping over a huge chunk of the story here because it’s all a bit complicated – but if you want the full version, I’ve shared it in much more detail over on TikTok.

So here we are. The proud, slightly chaotic, owners of two ponies: Dawn and Conker.

This is Dawn. She’s our 14.1hh grey Connemara, almost six years old. We bought her unseen from a reputable dealer in Ireland, and when she arrived she was what horse people politely call under-conditioned… or, in simpler terms, rather skinny.

Dawn has the gentlest nature with a little streak of stubbornness (don’t we all?). She absolutely loves a cuddle and is incredibly affectionate. Over the past seven months, we’ve really enjoyed getting to know her and watching her settle into family life.

Because ponies are quite possibly the most expensive things I’ve ever purchased, I wanted something that would grow with Eva. That’s why I chose a younger pony – despite many horsey friends strongly suggesting an older, “been there, done it” type.

Dawn hasn’t been the easiest introduction to horse ownership, but there’s no doubt she’s teaching us all so much – especially Eva. I’ve been unbelievably proud watching Eva persevere, learn, and grow alongside her.

And then there’s Conker.

This gorgeous boy was bought for Elsa after a really tough year. Elsa had suffered a big fall on a potential loan pony, followed by some tricky experiences that knocked her confidence. We wanted something kind, steady, and reassuring – and Conker is exactly that.

He’s a 13.2hh skewbald Irish Cob, ten years old, and joined us back in October. We’re still getting to know his personality, but what we do know already is that he’s the perfect confidence builder for Elsa. I can’t wait to see their partnership grow.

So that’s us.

It hasn’t been the easiest journey. It’s been muddy, emotional, expensive, and exhausting at times – but it has also been magical. I feel incredibly proud and so grateful to be able to give the children this lifestyle… early mornings, messy ponies, and all.