Our 124th weekly episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast, supported by Horse First, features an interview with young five-star event rider Bubby Upton. Bubby talks frankly about the highs and lows of her 2023 season so far. We review the action from HOYS, then our news team discuss the importance of having a plan in place for your horses should the worst happen and how British para dressage is preparing for the future. Finally, we introduce the first in our new eight-part mini series with veterinary equine behaviourist Dr Gemma Pearson.
Episode 124 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, our popular audio service currently supported by Horse First, which is available every Thursday morning, is now live.
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Our 124th weekly episode of The Horse & Hound Podcast features an interview with 23-year-old five-star event rider Bubby Upton. She talks frankly to podcast host Pippa Roome about the pressures of combining doing a degree with eventing at the highest level, bouncing back from difficult moments at Badminton and Luhmühlen, exciting plans for the future, including a new yard, and how she thinks being the youngest of five children in her family has influenced her.
“A high percentage of top athletes are the youngest child, because you’ve always had to be better to be included in the game, run faster to keep up. I definitely think that’s part of it” – Bubby Upton on her motivation and drive to be the best
H&H’s showjumping editor Jennifer Donald then catches up with HOYS reporters Alex Robinson and Eleanor Jones on their favourite moments from Horse of the Year Show 2022.
“It was brilliant, there was so much positivity around the rings. I think a lot of people left feeling really motivated for next season” – H&H’s Alex Robinson
We then hear from our news team who discuss the importance of having a plan in place for your horses to ensure they have a secure future should you pass away unexpectedly, as well as how British para dressage is planning for the future after finishing off the team podium at the World Championships.
“Losing a partner is an awful thing to go through, but when you then add in horses that partner who’s been left behind may find themselves in a role they didn’t have before” – H&H’s Becky Murray on why a horse-related sub-group has been set up of bereavement charity Widowed and Young
Finally, we welcome veterinary equine behaviourist Dr Gemma Pearson for a new eight-part mini-series. This week she talks about what a veterinary equine behaviourist does and how horses learn.
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“The aim for an equine behaviourist is to understand what motivates the horse’s behaviour and what is reinforcing it. From there we can make a differential diagnosis and start to treat the unwanted behaviours” – Dr Gemma Pearson
We would love to hear your feedback on all our podcasts, so please do send your thoughts to pippa.roome@futurenet.com
Horse & Hound Podcast: episode 124
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
