The Queen's favourite horses

From a pair of beautiful Highland ponies to a ceremonial stalwart and a European champion, The Queen highlights eight special horses she and her family have loved riding and watching

- TERRY PENDRY LVO

Betsy

WE would have to start with Betsy, a 15.2hh black-brown mare that Her Majesty used to ride in the 1960s. Betsy was full of character and spirit and much enjoyed by The Queen.

IT’S almost impossible to name all the horses and ponies that Her Majesty has enjoyed over the decades. You have to bear in mind she breeds racehorses, carriage horses, hunters, sports and riding horses, and also polo ponies when, back in the day, His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was playing at a very high level.

There are, of course, the rare breeds such as Cleveland Bays for the carriages at Buckingham Palace and of course her beloved Highland and Fell ponies.

Here, we cover just a few of Her Majesty’s special horses and ponies. It only scratches the surface of all those The Queen has bred. There are so many more that could be spoken of. Her knowledge and expertise is well known. She names all of her horses and ponies herself and can remember the parentage of every single one.

She still enjoys riding to this very day, and it is an important part of her life. Her Majesty has a fountain of knowledge in all things equine, you might say a living encyclopedia.

Burmese

BURMESE was presented to Her Majesty in 1969 by The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and The Queen rode her in Trooping the Colour for 18 years before the mare retired in 1986 to Windsor. There she enjoyed four years before passing away at the age of 28. Burmese is buried in the grounds of the Home Park private.

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