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‘She has a beautiful soul’: Former riding school pony once found tied to a lamp-post is off to HOYS

Bethan Simons Bethan Simons

    • A mare who was found abandoned and skinny, tied to a lamp-post, and then spent time in a riding school, has picked up her ticket to Horse of the Year Show (HOYS).

    There were tears of joy as Matilda “Tilly” Mason, 11, and Flash Dance (Dolly) were called forwards as winners of the junior coloured HOYS qualifier at the Lincolnshire Show (17-18 June).

    “We didn’t realise they were in reverse order!” said Tilly’s mother Katie Mason.

    The family bought Dolly for Tilly’s older sister Clara, as a five-year-old, three years ago.

    “Her previous owner had found her skinny, tied to a lamp post and then she’d been working in a riding school when we bought her,” said Katie. “We’d previously bought a disastrous first pony so Clara had said she never wanted to ride again. Someone suggested we look at some coloured ponies, and Clara tried about 15 before deciding Dolly was the one for her. She was just bought as a safe hack, and was the clumsiest pony – she’d crash through poles.”

    Finding that Dolly had good paces, the family contested some dressage with her, and turned to local showing but with little success.

    “We weren’t even placed,” said Katie, “But last year we started to crack it.”

    Their luck began to change slowly, and Clara bagged the family’s first Hickstead pass with Dolly this term.

    “I’m not horsey,” said Katie, “Clara does Dolly entirely herself so we have been watching YouTube videos on turnout and so on.”

    Tilly began riding Flash Dance last year and won the 60-strong equitation class at STARS, so when her own pony sadly suffered a bout of laminitis, Clara offered further opportunities to show Dolly. This was their first attempt at a HOYS junior coloured qualifier.

    The girls, who now take weekly lessons with producer Kirsty Pickles, also share Dolly with their father, Richard, who is learning to ride.

    “She’s a beautiful pony inside and out so she’ll be at a county show one day, then helping Richard practice his up-downs,” Katie said “She has a truly beautiful soul.”

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    Bethan Simons
    Bethan Simons

    H&H showing editor
    Bethan joined Horse & Hound as showing editor in January 2025, after spending two years as Editor for Showing World. Having adored ponies since childhood, she started showing as a teenager and has enjoyed wins at major shows up and down the country, including Royal Highland, New Forest, and the Royal Welsh, as well as HOYS, RIHS and London. She is particularly passionate about Welsh breeds and is also a Welsh language commentator.
    Bethan Simons

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