Growing up in rural Suffolk, horses were a huge part of my childhood. My family owned horses and taught me to ride from a young age – I don’t recall exactly how old I was when I first rode a horse, but I imagine it was before I could ride a bike! I had regular lessons at a local riding school and often hacked out with my cousin and her ponies - she even guided me through my first (and only) show!

That being said, I have never had a horse of my own. My parents weren’t keen on the idea and, if I’m being honest with myself, I wasn’t cut out for the early mornings. However, I have seen the sacrifices people make for their horses, and this was something I always wanted to explore through photography.

During my second year at university in 2023, we had to produce a short film and photo series on a subject of our choice. This was the perfect opportunity to explore an equestrian story and develop my skills in documentary photography. My goal was to capture an honest review of the equestrian lifestyle - one that acknowledges the highs and lows - and it seemed the only way to do this would be to speak to people within the community and observe their relationship with horses.

At the time, I was back and forth between Suffolk and Cornwall, so I decided to make life really easy for myself and interview people from both sides of the country.

One of my bucket list activities has always been to gallop a horse on the beach, and I finally did this in February, 2023 with Reen Manor Riding Stables (it was more of a fast canter, but counts in my book). This is where I met Tilly, one of the guides on our beach ride and a fellow photographer! We both studied at Falmouth and she was kind enough to offer to help out with the project. After this, it didn’t take much persuading to get my family onboard - I arranged interviews with my cousin, Georgie, and my Nan, who have both owned horses since childhood.

In an attempt to understand their pursuit of this lifestyle, I asked them to describe their individual experiences – how they were introduced to horses, the emotional and physical benefits of horse riding, and some of the challenges they face.

Tilly

“I feel like you're just born to do certain things, and I was just born to be around horses.”

Whilst it sounds glamorous, it’s not all white sand and sunshine. Looking after a horse comes with huge responsibility, and Tilly often has to put Flint’s needs before her own. She spends a considerable amount of her time at the yard – feeding, changing rugs, mucking out. And there are no shortcuts in winter. It is arduous work, but it is also a conscious choice.

“You have to trudge through the mud, you have to get your clothes wet and do a thousand washes a week, but ultimately you’d do it all over again if you could.”

“They are a big part of me and a big part of my life, and I think they always will be a big part of my life. I can't really see a life without them.”

Georgie

Portrait photography — I grew up with Georgie; she spent many hours teaching me to trot, canter, jump, and navigate the countryside. We often rode out as a pair with our Mums following on bikes, and made some incredible memories. I always looked up to her strength and devotion to the sport, wondering how she coped with the early mornings and late nights - an example of true passion. She was pregnant with her first child when we shot these photos.

“It's one of those hobbies that either you're 100% in, or you’re not.”

Georgie has owned horses since she was seven years old and has competed in a variety of events including dressage, showjumping and in-hand. She is a qualified vet nurse, talented writer, and typical country girl (a compliment, by the way). She works extremely hard to develop a solid relationship with her ponies, demonstrating her patience and persistence as an individual.

“From having horses from really young, I've learned that you don't always win. I've learned that you have really bad days, I've learned that you can't give up on them.”

She talked about some of the physical challenges that come with riding horses, including falls and injuries. Accidents are not uncommon, and Georgie has had her fair share.

“It definitely takes a toll on your body - I'm never going to have a very feminine body, because I put it through a lot of strain.”

Equally, the financial pressures of owning horses are more prevalent than ever. Heavily impacted by the cost of living crisis, horse owners have been forced to adapt to increased costs of bedding, feed, and many other essentials. While this hasn’t prevented Georgie or Tilly from continuing to do what they love, many have been forced to give it up.

“I spend a lot more money on my horses than I do myself, and I have to work quite hard to pay for them.”

Nanna (Ann)

“I feel that it's always worthwhile getting yourself a horse, because it takes you away from the world. There is nothing that I have come across like it.”

She described the feeling of horse riding as ‘almost like flying’, comparing it to our Grandad’s love of motorbikes. Although it is not so easy for her now, she occasionally rides out with the help of her family. This challenge has provided motivation for her even in times of fear.

“It was the one thing after my stroke that got me going again, because my one thought was, ‘I've got to get back on the horse’, and if I could get back on, I was going to be okay.”

Not only has she experienced the benefits of horse riding on a personal level, but she has also shared this passion with her five children. Whilst my Mum wasn’t so taken with it, my aunts all learnt to ride and some of them passed it down to their children. Nan expressed how grateful she was to raise her children around horses, particularly because it ‘kept them away from the boys’.

With elements of joy, humour, and nostalgia, this interview was perhaps the most eye-opening. It felt incomplete to not ask about her future with horses, to which she responded;

“I sincerely hope they'll always be with me, I hope that I will have horses right to the end.”

The black and white image below is Nanna as a young girl, taken by a professional photographer. The image on the right was contributed by family and shows her riding the most wonderful pony, Theo, after recovering from her stroke.

Nanna as a young girl, taken by photographer

Nanna riding post-stroke, contributed by family

At the end of each interview, I asked the participants to recount a favourite memory they had with one of their horses - it felt fitting to include these as a conclusion to the post…