New year proposal fulfils rider’s dream — after horse knocks his front teeth out
(Image credit: Katrina Felton)
When Kieran Baslington told his partner Will Price he would like to be proposed to either out hunting or on top of the London Eye, Will knew there was only one option.
Matters did not go entirely according to plan at the Wheatland’s meet on New Year’s Day, as Kieran was minus his two front teeth by the time Will dropped to one knee — but it was the verdict everyone wanted.
“He said his dream was to be proposed to out hunting or on the London Eye, and I thought I’m not going to the top of the Eye!” he said. “My best friend Jo Davies is the joint-master of the hunt and New Year’s Day is usually her day but she said this year it was Sophie Motley, the other joint-master who’s also a friend, and that she’d be ok with it so she spoke to her and it all went from there.”
Will had someone ready to hold his horse, who behaved perfectly. Kieran’s horse, not so much.
“He was on a new one, hunting for the first time, and just beforehand, the horse had been cavorting around and Kieran had lost his two front teeth,” he said. “There was a bit of blood but I had it all planned, so I couldn’t stop. He said afterwards ‘You could have picked a day when I had my front teeth’!”
Will said he is no fan of public speaking and was “petrified” beforehand.
“I don’t know how I did it, it just happened,” he said. “Sophie had said to me ‘He is going to say yes, isn’t he?’ I said I was 99.9% sure. When he said yes, everyone screamed with joy.”
The couple are planning to tie the knot in 2023.
You might also be interested in:
‘Will you marry me?’: Christmas Eve ‘dress rehearsal’ pays off for rider
No decline in popularity of festive meets, after 17 years of the Hunting Act
Great Yorkshire crowd delighted as stunt rider proposes to girlfriend in main ring
Subscribe to Horse & Hound magazine today – and enjoy unlimited website access all year round
TOPICS
