I don’t remember learning to ride, it just happened! I consider myself incredibly privileged to have been involved in this wonderful world of horses for all of my life. I didn’t really know what I wanted to be when I grew up, but it would seem I have become a grown up with a job that I absolutely love. I have always had amazing support from my family and friends that has enabled me to work hard and follow my dreams. I always had an interest in racing with my mum and uncle both riding and training point to pointers. I pony-clubbed, show-jumped, evented and hunted, all of which gave me a great grounding. My love for racing really took off when I left school and went to work for Henrietta Knight in 2000. During the following years I rode out for many trainers and worked for the point to point trainer Julie Wadland before starting out on my own. 

It was my time spent at Charlie Longsdon’s that really kick-started my race-riding career. Charlie and his Head Lad Alan Roche were hugely influential in building my skills and confidence in schooling horses and race riding. I have been lucky enough to have enjoyed many racing successes including; winner of the South Midlands Area Leading Lady Rider Championship numerous times, winner of the AGA Championship in its inaugural year, runner up in the National Ladies p2p title twice, leading Hunter Chase rider in the 2015/16 season. My 100th winner aboard Western Diva (pictured above, whom we had bought cheaply as a bit of a lunatic!) in May 2017 was a real highlight. The highs were incredible and the lows could be terrible but my love of the horses and over-riding feelings of teamwork and camaraderie always kept me going. I hung up my racing boots in 2021, it was time to step aside and to concentrate on the business.

After starting out in Chipping Campden I moved the business to Fern Farm in 2014 when Claire Hart Equine was born. After 8 years there we moved to our beautiful yard near Blockley in spring 2022. This was the start of a new chapter for us, allowing us to really focus on our niche services. My favourite part of the job is schooling and working with the youngsters, mainly because it’s where you really get to know them as individuals, what makes them tick and how that can run through the rest of their lives. Giving them a good start in life is my passion and watching them progress is so rewarding.

I would not be where I am today without my team. I am very fortunate to have talented and loyal people around me that enable all that we do. We are always looking forward, to building relationships and enjoying successes with anyone that we work with, be you horse or human!