Pony Club instructor

Robert Blane on the value of the B test, a late foray into point-to-pointing and how endurance teaches key life skills

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Dad was a dairy farmer and I grew up on a farm in Cheshire with my two brothers. Our parents weren't horsey and when I was five they presented us with a four-year-old, recently gelded pony to ride. That pony used to put me on the floor every day.

All three of us were members of the Cheshire Hunt South branch of the Pony Club and did all the rallies, camps, tests and eventing as well as hunting. I started enjoying riding when I got my next pony, 13.2hh Night Hawk. When I was 13 we qualified for the Pony Club eventing championships, which in those days was an open class jumping 3ft 7in.

I've been involved with the Bedale and West of Yore (BWY) branch of the Pony Club since 1980 and I'm now teaching the children of students I taught 30 years ago. I love it when they say to me, "Robert you haven't changed a bit."

Every weekend during the summer is filled with Pony Club competitions and qualifiers. I love teaching the members, watching them improve and gain confidence and pride myself on calling a spade a spade.