The equestrian world is full of unsung equestrian heroes, working with equine charities, teaching, training, breaking and schooling and generally devoting their lives to horses. Sara Walker talks to Cheshire-based Linda Rose about her work promoting the sport of driving — and the two Shetland ponies who can turn their hooves to anything.

“I started riding when I was five — that seems a long time ago now!” laughs Linda. “I was the typical pony-mad child, making showjumping courses in the garden of our house in Scotland out of washing props and chairs. I got my first pony, Tinker, when I was 11, in the 1960s. We’d moved to Jersey by then, and I was lucky enough to get a lot of competition riding at a riding school where I helped out.

“All through school, all I wanted to do was work with horses so I’m afraid I didn’t really apply myself! I finally did my BHSAI when I was 18, but only worked with horses professionally for a couple of years before deciding that lifestyle wasn’t for me. Instead, I went travelling round Europe before marrying and moving to Cheshire. A friend then told me of a thoroughbred mare who needed a home. I went to see her and of course ended up buying her! She was practically a rescue case when I got her, thin as a hat rack, but that mare won me first prizes at Wembley, Hickstead and the NEC. I later bred a daughter, a grandson and a granddaughter from her, and kept them all as competition horses.

“I also joined Wilmslow Riding Club, which had been going since the 1950s and at the time was one of the biggest clubs in the country. I was on the club’s committee for more than 20 years — I think I did every possible job with them from cleaning toilets to being chairman! I was working full-time in IT support, and fortunately had an extremely understanding husband as the club took up so much time. In the 1990s, the club was recommended by the BHS to take part in an annual exchange visit with a German riding club, which continued for many years and was a fantastic experience.

“In 2002, something happened that would change my life although I didn’t know it at the time. My husband John and I used to go for walks and would regularly see two Shetland ponies in a field. They were young stallions, completely unhandled. The owner was about to lose his grazing and was on the point of sending them for meat, so John and I stepped in and bought them, naming them Blackie and Brownie. I had mares at my own yard so couldn’t take them home, so a friend with grazing and a barn nearby offered to help.

“Gradually, we worked with them, got headcollars on them and eventually had them castrated and started breaking them. I’d thought all along I wasn’t going to keep them, but I’d got so close to them by this point that I gave in! I brought them home, and a local riding school used them on Saturdays. A lovely girl called Anna also rode them and competed with Blackie and Brownie. At competitions, everyone always thought we’d brought them as companions for a big dressage horse — the look on their faces when they realised they were competing was priceless. And even more so when the Shetlands won! Another local family, the Hodgsons, also brought their two small sons, Mike and Richard, to ride and compete both ponies, doing very well at shows.

“I’d done some driving in Germany, and when it became apparent these ponies were staying, I decided to drive them myself. They took to it immediately. Mike Hodgson switched to driving when he was 11 and did fantastically well, winning against juniors and adults alike and even going abroad with team GB. We competed at Sandringham and Windsor — I remember Prince Philip saying he was amazed to see a team of Shetlands competing at such a high level!

“There used to be a series of indoor driving events in Cheshire, and gradually they’d died a bit of a death, so in 2008 I decided to restart them with my good friends Lesley and Andrew Goodden. Indoor events involve precision and paces, cone and obstacles, so they’re a really good work out for the horses as well as being great fun. We worked under the umbrella of Chester Horse Driving Trials, and again we did everything from organising to setting up cones! The events are still thriving now, and are held at Reaseheath College near Nantwich.

Continued below…

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“I still drive now, and Blackie and Brownie work as Riding for the Disabled ponies as well as taking part in musical rides with our local Pony Club. I’ve made so many great friends through driving, it’s a real community sport and everyone is so friendly. I worry about the amount of traffic on the roads these days, so I’m a member of the Countryside Access Forum, liaising with the police about rural road safety and working to save and increase off-road routes.

“When I first saw Blackie and Brownie in that field all those years ago, I’d never have believed where we’d all end up together. They’ve touched so many lives, people recognise them wherever they go!”

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday

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With so much depressing rain as well as short days, indoor events are a Godsend! I have enjoyed indoor club events with the ponies and am really excited to have got my dad driving too (pictured top).

My sporty Welsh section C, Mr J, is proving to be an excellent teaching pony even though he is a bit of a Ferrari! He has taken giving lessons in his stride and is now getting used to different drivers taking up the reins.

I was amazed when my dad expressed an interest in having a go, given that he has been involved in helping since I was 10 but still does not consider himself at all “horsey”.

One of his first driving events was the club Christmas fun day and dad’s smile stretched broader and broader across his face as he got more confident driving the cones courses and then the obstacle. Finally in the grand finale arena challenge he got a winning clear round.

I can safely say he has become hooked on driving and has struck up a great rapport with fellow father Mr J (who has sired several stunning foals) as “team dad”! As dad has just celebrated his 60th birthday it proves you are never too old to start in this super sport.

Years of driving a car and horsebox, then lorry and trailer seem to have given him especially good spatial awareness as he very rarely knocks a ball off in the cones and positions himself superbly for the tight turns in an obstacle. On 3 January I was unwell and the rain was unrelenting but we competed anyway as dad was so keen.

Mr J looked after both of us, giving me best dressage, clear round cones and very fast obstacles to win the open pony section and dad the win in the newcomers class with a very good cones round.

You can’t find better entertainment indoors than Olympia Horse Show in London.

I was thrilled to be given a press pass to the event and the highlights had to be the extreme driving and the Horse Welfare celebrity scurry.

Extreme driving is an absolute masterclass in speed, precision and horsemanship. Watching at close quarters as the drivers so skilfully manoeuvred teams of four horses in such confined space and such an atmosphere was so so exciting.

The Horse Welfare display was very special too, as many watching will now realise what can be achieved with rescue ponies. They were brought back from the brink of death to put on a dazzling performance with speed and stamina and obviously loving their new careers in driving.

Finally there was also indoor horse shopping heaven at Olympia. Although I didn’t dare spend as much in the equestrian shopping hall as on past visits (as I am meant to be a responsible spender now I am self-employed with my carriage driving) I still came home with excellent bargains for my driving ponies. Meanwhile, my friends were staggering, weighed down with bags of goodies. What a wonderful event Olympia is!

Emily

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Individual world driving champion Boyd Exell fought to take back his Olympia title in front of a sell-out crowd at the London International Horse Show on Saturday (20 December).

This was Boyd’s fourth consecutive world cup victory having already won in Stuttgart, Stockholm and Geneva this year. In Switzerland last week (14 December) Boyd won with three borrowed horses to save his team for London.

He was competing on a wild card at Olympia, however, so will not score any world cup points.

The Australian faced stiff opposition from last year’s winner Ijsbrand Chardon.

Boyd was last to go in the first round and went into second place, behind Ijsbrand, after he picked up five penalties. Ijsbrand then piled on the pressure in the second round putting in another clean quick performance. However, Boyd then shaved five seconds off his time in the previous round and went clear to take the title.

“My plan was to drive cleanly and quietly in the first round but my leader knocked down a ball with his nose,” Boyd said.

“I knew we could better the time second time round — I really don’t have to push my horses; there’s lots more to come from them yet.”

Ijsbrand, who is lying second behind Boyd in the world cup rankings, said he couldn’t have gone “any faster with this team in order to stay clear.”

“This competition was very important for me, I needed the world cup points so that is why I decided to use my experienced leader horse again,” he added.

“At the moment it is very difficult to win from Boyd. I gave everything I had and I am now in the final so I can test my new leader horse at my last competition in Leipzig [15-18 January 2015].”

Sweden’s Fredrik Persson drove steadily and claimed third place.

There are now just two events left in the world cup series — Mechelen (26-30 December) and Leipzig (15-18 January 2015) — before the final in Bordeaux (6-8 February 2015)

For full report don’t miss 1 January issue of H&H.

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It’s the time of year when you notice just how many different driving activities there are with national championships in so many categories including pleasure, sports driving and showing. It brings home to me that I have missed so much driving this year working hard on my MSc and dissertation right up until a couple of weeks ago.

As a short break I was able to get to the driving trials national championships which were held at a new venue at Cirencester. Although I qualified with Alfie, I took Mr J as he had performed so well in the World Championship Scurry & Trials the week before. Moreover, Mr J had competed in my new Revolution carriage, which I wanted to showcase at the championships for British Carriagedriving and use for all three phases.

I drove my dressage in the early morning mist and was pleased with our performance, especially as it was Mr J’s only dressage test this year. Tony Mould’s lovely test put him well ahead of the field in our open pony class but second to fifth were closely grouped and so lying fifth we were well in touch for the rest of the competition.

I was feeling very positive about the marathon, the obstacles would suit Mr J well and cones is always our best phase. Imagine my disappointment when I had to withdraw due to problems at home in Wales after the night’s heavy storm. Oh well – it’s all to play for next year when I hope I can really focus on both my ponies through the season and get to lots of driving events.

The British Driving Society Championships at Addington featured top drivers of the showing scene with traditional vehicles and well-filled exercise classes. Several junior drivers from my local British Driving Society (BDS) area took part. Our most experienced is 17-year-old Rhian Ralph who has had an amazing season driving Anthea Birch’s lovely Section C Merlin (Penclose Wotsit).

I have competed with Rhian and Anthea for the past seven years and seen them progress from a 12hh section A ,Toddi, put to a Bellcrown carriage, to private driving classes with a small country vehicle. Over those years Rhian has won numerous junior whip classes culminating in the championship at Smiths Lawn and the presentation by the Queen.

Since upsizing several years ago, Rhian is a serious force to be reckoned with on the showing circuit in adult classes. It has been exciting being part of their project to get Merlin going well for driven showing. This year they have been very successful with a lovely Norfolk cart with many local championships. It was wonderful to end the season winning the National Junior Championships for 15 -17 year olds and coming second in the country vehicle class at Addington.

The Welsh Trec Championships are coming up and offer yet another form of driving competition. This is perfect for the day-to-day driver who wants to show practical skills in a less pressurised event than trials, scurry or showing.

Driven Trec is very popular in Wales and each BDS area holds an event with qualifiers for the annual Welsh championship. For more information on this enjoyable activity please see my blog from 18 April on Trec.

This year the championships are being held at Pembrey Country Park in South Wales so the drive and orienteering will encompass the wonderful scenery of parkland, lanes and coast with driving on the beach. The skills phase involves some cones and hazards but as it is judged on skill and obedience not speed it is far removed from fast paced action of the two recent scurry championships and scurry and trials. Any type of equine and any driver can enjoy and succeed at Trec.

But the excitement of fast competition driving is not over! As some driving ponies are turned away or prepare for a winter season of pleasure driving others, like Alfie and Mr J, are all set for an exciting indoor season of one-day driving trials which has already started!

Emily

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The Carriagehouse Insurance British Indoor Horse Driving Trials Championships this weekend (3-5 April) will feature a new international competition.

The event, at The College Equestrian Centre, Keysoe, Bedfordshire, will include for the first time an international showcase event, based on the rules of four-in-hand World Cup competitions.

Two obstacles will be set out, together with cones and a bridge, and drivers from England Ireland Scotland and Wales, as well as possibly some European drivers, will try to get round in the fastest time.

Each country can put forward two pairs drivers and two singles drivers for the competition on Saturday (4 April).

Selection trials have been run in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the national teams are:

England

Manager: Barbara Nadin.

Team: Chris Orchard, pair; Julie Hoskyns, pair; Frank Campbell, single; Cathy Willis, single.

Reserves: Fiona Powell, single; Philip Reeves, pair.

Ireland

Manager: Christine Legate-Baggs

Team: Joseph Adams, pair; Christine Legate-Baggs, pair; Jackie Ellis, single; Adam Wyllie, single.

Scotland

Manager: Amanda Saville

Team: Amanda Nisbet, pair; John Nisbet, pair; Ollie Dermie, single; Meggan Carruthers, single.

Reserve: Christine James

Wales

Manager: James Broome

Team: Gareth Roberts, pair; Modris Kesans, pair; Jonathan Rees, single; Emily Hams, single.

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After being turfed out of the offices that have been home to Horse & Hound for the past 30 years on Friday lunchtime in preparation for our move to a new building, I headed off to the indoor driving finals at Keysoe.

Not long after turning up, I spotted James Broome schooling his open pony Fred Bojangles in the outdoor arena. Never one to miss a free ride, I asked James if I could jump on the backstep. He slowed down to a fast walk to let me climb aboard, but I mistimed my jump and ended up falling flat on my face. Fortunately, I emerged physically unscathed, although the same could not be said for my pride as I’d performed my unsuccessful leap in front of about 30 people.

Later on, it became clear I was not going to quickly live my mistake down. I was kneeling on the floor beside an official’s car while helping to measure a cones slalom, when James passed by. He joked from the back of his vehicle: “Oh dear, have you fallen out of the car as well?”

The following day I enjoyed providing some commentary during the cones competition before sitting in with scorer Tom Petitpierre and commentator Phil Nadin during the obstacle phase of the competition.

Having watched Sarah Garnett become the winner of the inaugural veterans’ class and Alan Clarke take the teams division, I spent a few hours catching up with Chariots of Fire Amanda Nisbett, who had tackled one obstacle driving a pair of sheep! Amanda is an amazingly enthusiastic character and helps an army of children, who wouldn’t otherwise have the chance, get involved and compete in driving trials.

Sunday was an early start with a lot of classes to get through. Unfortunately, there was one nasty incident when talented youngster Ollie Dernie, from Amanda’s camp, tipped up in the final open pony obstacle with her pony Prince. As the carriage overturned, Prince’s leg got caught in the shafts and he became trapped while Ollie and her mum, Merlin, who was on the backstep, were thrown from the vehicle.

One of the arena party quickly pinned Prince’s head to the floor to prevent him struggling while fellow competitors rushed to free him from the shafts and harness. Merlin was still on the floor and an ambulance was called. Ollie went with her mum in the ambulance, but I am delighted to report that it was only bruising and mum, daughter and pony are all fine.

During the course of the day I watched James Broome become supreme champion and open pony champion, while Dick Lane finished reserve supreme champion and open horse champion. Lesley Cox claimed the tandems class, Paul Mills took horse pairs with Amanda Nisbett taking the pony equivalent and Dan Wilson was crowned champion young junior. Mark Bell kept his senior junior title, Janet Doe was an ecstatic novice horse winner and Colin Wheeler left as novice pony champion.

The indoor driving crowd are one of the noisiest and friendliest bunches of people you are ever likely to meet, and I left the show with a feeling of excitement for the season to come. The winter season’s over, and Brighton beckons as the start of the summer outdoor national driving trials season.

Read a full report on the indoor driving finals, with photos and further analysis, in Horse & Hound (12 April, ’07)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now