‘I hope to be riding into my 80s’
RIDER: Pamela Bartrip, 76, from Oxfordshire is a retired teacher and a current coach at her local RDA centre HORSE: Star, a 15hh, 18-year-old cob x Thoroughbred who she has owned since 2019
When did you start to ride?
I first sat on a horse at the age of four, but I only began riding properly when I was 12. My godmother had a farm and I used to ride her milk delivery pony and later her 17hh Shire. I also had a friend called
Vicky who let me ride one of her ponies until I moved to Chepstow. My friend and I had lessons at a local riding school, and we used to stay to help and ride the ponies back to their fields — no saddles!
I also fondly remember riding my godmother’s horse to Sunday lunch at Clyne Castle when I was at Swansea University. It was done as a dare as you were supposed to wear gowns to lunch and I had my riding habit on.
Have you ever taken any breaks?
I didn’t ride much when I had my first two children, but I bought my own pony when I was 36 and have had five more horses since then. I also stopped riding in 2008 for eight months after I broke my leg, and again in 2010 when I broke my other leg. After losing my mare in the spring of 2019 to peritonitis, I had a break while I looked for another horse. I bought Star in August 2019. How did you get involved with #Hack1000miles?
I initially signed up to do the challenge because I had been mainly doing dressage on my previous horse andi fancied doing something different. When Covid came along I stopped having lessons and we went hacking instead. I’m now on my seventh go at Hack 1,000 Miles — I love it. I completed the challenge last year with Star.
How long do you hope to continue riding?
I hope to be riding into my 80s if my horse andi are able because it keeps me fit and healthy.