Which native breed makes the best first pony?
Many of us have fond — or fairly hair-raising — memories of learning to ride on a native pony. Reminiscing on your horsey childhood can sometimes feel like flicking through a book of breeds. For me there was the Exmoor with no brakes, the New Forest who had a penchant for attempting to eat grass mid-canter and the Connemara who finally gave me my first positive taste of jumping. We’re certainly not short of choice — but which native would you back as the perfect first pony?
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A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.