“Sonny” was started under saddle the following year aged four and went on to become a best friend to Lisa’s daughter Grace, who was seven at the time.
Lisa told H&H Grace and Sonny went on to do “everything” together from showing, Pony Club and showjumping, but the 11.2hh gelding took a particular shine to the hunting field.
“He hunted with all the big horses and jumped everything. The hunt master arrived back and said ‘Where is this pony from? He’s incredible’ and I told him ‘Off the side of the road’. He couldn’t believe it,” she said.
Grace, now 13, grew out of Sonny but selling him was never on the agenda.
“I put an ad up last May looking for a full-time loaner and now a young rider called Daisy has taken him on. He’s still at the same yard so Grace still gets to see him every day,” said Lisa, adding that Grace is getting on well with her new pony Stan.
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Daisy and Sonny
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
“Daisy had just come out of the riding school and is having the best time learning on Sonny. They started with in-hand showing, and now they are doing preliminary dressage and getting top marks. She’s doing really well with him, and she adores him.”
Lisa previously said “if Sonny was 16.2hh he’d be worth millions”.
“No matter what he is always happy and has his ears pricked forward. He’s just a little poppet. When Grace used to get on him he’d get so excited, and when Daisy gets on him he really takes care of her and goes slow and steady – he just knows,” said Lisa.
“It’s so lovely he is now giving somebody else such lovely memories.”
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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.
