If you’re competing in the British Show Horse Association (BSHA) Rising Star hack, riding horse or cob finals at the London International Horse Show (LIHS), then it’s time to grab a notebook. Rising Star hack, riding horse and cob judge Danielle Heath gives us insight into her background in horses, and tells us what she will be looking for when she is judging.
Mr Vincent and Danielle Heath head home with the 2025 Royal International cob championship.
(Image credit: Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves)
Danielle Heath’s equestrian background
“When my mother and father were in their thirties, they decided to learn to ride,” says Danielle. “They both went and had riding lessons, got the bug, and quite quickly, they got into hunting, and joined the Cheshire Forest hunt, and that was it. I was about four years old at the time, and so I grew up with horses around me.
“We moved to the property where I am now, which had stables, and so I had ponies around me from a young age. Mum would enjoy buying youngsters and all sorts that couldn’t have much done with them, especially from the Beeston sales. She would bring them home and we’d play around with them, and then Mum would sell them again. She really enjoyed a project.”
Danielle explains that she and her older sister Aysha started competing in showing at local level in the cradle stakes classes, before moving onto nursery stakes and moving up through the working hunter pony divisions.
“Aysha lost interest in showing and went eventing, but I stayed with it and grew to love it. Show hunter ponies were introduced when I was about 13 years old, and Mum found a pony called Morning Melody, a 143cm, at a local riding club show. She bought it, and we went on to win the Royal International with her. And that was it; then I really had the showing bug.”
Despite Danielle enjoying an early win at Hickstead, she had to wait 20 years longer for a win at HOYS.
“I was a latecomer,” she jokes. “I had to wait until I was 37 years old and then I won the middleweight hunters with Oathill Take The Biscuit, and went on to stand hunter champion.”
Danielle’s original career ambition was to become a graphic designer, but her life changed when her mother became unwell when she was just 17 years old, and she left school.
“That was my passion, and horses were my hobby. But then after I sadly lost my mum at 21, I was torn as to what to do. Horses became a kind of saviour through the grieving process, and I gained comfort from showing. When I went to shows, the showing community was like family to me, because they were people I’d grown up with. Showing was a comfort blanket.
“Still, there are certain shows such as Royal Windsor where we went as a family from when I was about nine years old, and the memories remind me of my mum every time I go to those showgrounds.
“In a way I fell into producing, as people asked me to carry on riding horses that they had bought from me. That’s how it all progressed.”
Forgeland Hyde Park and Danielle winning the hack championship at Royal Windsor in 2022.
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
Prior judging experience
Danielle started judging early in her career, having graduated to the Sport Horse Breeding (SHB GB) panel when she was just 22 years old.
“Royal Windsor was one of my early appointments; I was 23, and it was a huge thing for me, because again it’s such an important show to me, and to be judging was a massive honour,” she explains.
“The likes of David Tatlow, Robert Oliver, Bill Bryant, Jilly Tatlow, Ali Oliver and Guy Landau in the ring – people I really looked up to. And it was an honour to be riding horses that I’d admired and watched. There was a lightweight hunter called Finn McCool, who was a massive superstar in my eyes – I admired him a lot. I got to judge him there, and I think we had him champion, which was a really special moment for me.”
The other appointment that stands out in Danielle’s memory is her first appointment at HOYS.
“It was 2010 and I judged the ladies horses with John Newborough and that was a special time. He’s a very knowledgeable, kind man and that made the experience even better.”
This will be Danielle’s first appointment at London International.
“It’ll be fantastic to go to the London show for one thing – that’ll be lovely – and to have an opportunity to get in there with the up-and-coming and the newcomers, and to give a bit back to showing which I think we all should do,” she adds.
“I feel passionate about not letting standards drop in what we do. Everybody strives to be better, and I think if we can help people do that and understand why horses win when they win, and to understand about conformation and type and way of going, we can give people a better understanding.”
What will LIHS judge Danielle Heath be looking for in the ring?
At the final, judges of the Rising Star finals are encouraged to decide between them who assesses performance and who assesses ride, and they often swap in between classes. Whichever she’s assessing, Danielle will “want to see a horse that says ‘look at me’, that goes forward, looking through the bridle like it’s enjoying itself,” on the go-round.
Rising Star hacks
“A hack should be elegant and light on its feet,” she says. “And a hack should be quality with manners. A hack’s schooling has got to be ‘bang on’ in terms of transitions and so on.
“I’ll be looking at at the rider, too. It’s important that the rider looks elegant as well in the whole picture.”
Should she be on conformation for the hacks, Danielle says, “A hack should be quality, with good quality, flat bone and no conformation faults. A hack should also be a lovely mover, and a straight mover.”
Rising Star cobs
“In a good cob, I’m looking for something that’s not too heavy on the ground. Although it’s a cob, it should still have lovely, straight, paces and cover the ground. Of course a cob should be workman-like, but they should also have a bit of quality about them,” says Danielle.
“Close up, I’ll want a cob with clean conformation. I’ll want a cob with short cannon bones, nice big knees and a strong second thigh. It should be low to the ground and square, but with a good length of rein.
Rising Star riding horses
“A riding horse has got to have good limbs. They should be between a hack and a hunter, so should have some substance to them with a good depth of girth and a good length of rein.
“Again, a good riding horse should be light on its feet, but cover the ground more than a hack, and it should give a good gallop. It should always be mannerly, too, and looking through the bridle.
A riding horse must gallop well – as demonstrated by Danielle and thrice RIHS riding horse champion, Times Square II.
(Image credit: Elli Birch/Bootsandhooves)
LIHS Rising Star judge Danielle Heath’s pet hates
“Yes,” she says. “I hate to see competitors bunched-up on a go-round, and don’t like to see people not give themselves a space. Try to keep plenty of space around you to show your horse off. If you find yourselves in a bunch, use your ring craft and get out of the group into a space of your own.
“I also like to see a good walk. The walk is the first and last thing a judge sees, so make sure your downwards transitions are good and you finish with a good walk that shows your horse off.”
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.
