British event rider flies to America to teach Madonna
British eventer Daisy Trayford (pictured) is heading to Florida this week to coach Madonna for two weeks at the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival (7 January-29 March) at Wellington, Florida.
Daisy, 27, has been teaching the popstar for two years with the connection starting when Madonna bought two horses from Exmoor Eventing, the business Daisy (née Binding) runs with her husband Richard.
“She had the horses on trial and asked if I would go down and help get her going on them,” said Daisy. “The first year it was really busy. Last year was more difficult because she was on tour, but I was there most weekends, fitting it around my eventing.”
Madonna flew one of the horses, all-rounder Boris, out to America six months ago and last week he was joined by the second one, young eventer Sportsfield Silver Lining.
“As soon as he’s there and settled in she wants me to go out,” said Daisy, who says she will probably get 24hr notice to fly out on Thursday or Friday.
Madonna has also bought two other horses from Daisy and Richard, who are at livery at Exmoor Eventing.
Daisy describes teaching Madonna as “really good fun”.
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“She’s a dream pupil,” she said. “She’s very driven, listens to what you say and just wants to do it and improve. You can always get somewhere with someone like that.
“When I started teaching her she hadn’t jumped at all and now she can jump a course of 1.05m. Jumping and hacking are her two favourite things.”
Daisy says she wasn’t startstruck when she started coaching the star, taking it as “just another chore”.
“I’m pretty laid-back about things like that. She’s very friendly and we have been to things like Christmas drinks and her 50th birthday party and met lots of stars.”
Daisy is not the first eventer to teach Madonna, as in January 2006 Horse & Hound reported that Madonna was learning from William Fox-Pitt and particularly enjoyed riding Moon Man, who was put down in December.
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Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.