Sassy, determined and doing it the old-school way: meet the tiny pony and rider showing adults how it’s done

Meet the tiny pony and rider who have been showing the grown-ups how it’s done on the trail-hunting field – and enjoying every minute of it.

Stella Musgrave’s nine-year-old daughter Betty – who has only been riding for 18 months – and 12hh Welsh section A mare Valentine are regulars with the Badsworth, Bramham, York South hunt. Stella told H&H others often remark on how nice it is to see youngsters out in the field – and that Betty is thriving on what may be an older-fashioned approach to riding.

“She rides bareback all the time, which I think is why she’s got such a good seat,” Stella said. “She rides in a headcollar and lead rope, and she’ll ride anything.”

Stella has always ridden but her older two children were not interested. She said Betty did start having lessons when she was younger but Covid put a halt to it. Then 18 months ago, she started again and has not looked back.

“We got her little Val last October, and it went from there,” Stella said. “I have a rescue horse who we backed last year; he’s brilliant and she rides him as well. She rides a friend’s horse to jump and we’ve got a section D, who she rides as well.

“Valentine is just brilliant; she can be very sassy but she’s really good out hunting. We go out as many weekends as we can and we just tend to stay at the back. Bett is a little wild; she has a reputation as being a bit of a daredevil. So we go out and they absolutely love it.”

Betty – whose favourite fence to tackle is a ditch, and who told H&H she loves trail-hunting as “I like going fast!” – also showjumps and takes part in Pony Club activities, as well as hacking everywhere and riding on the beach.

“She’s got a really good seat, all from experience,” Stella said. “We go all over the place, always out hacking or riding. People always say ‘I can’t believe she can ride like that for her age’. And when I say she’s only been riding 18 months, people are shocked.

“But apart from the really young, lead-rein, children, there’s not really any kids out hunting any more. We were always jealous if we couldn’t go to the meet, and there were always loads of kids there. People at the hunt always say that we really need to get more kids coming up, and enjoying it. They love the fact Betts is out enjoying the fun, and giving it her all with her sassy, determined, confident little attitude.”

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