Philippa Holland

Often seen riding sidesaddle behind hounds when she’s not designing fine jewellery, her love of racing inspired this month’s Dianas of the Chase race

MY hunting life began, aged eight, when I was given a pony on loan from some family friends. Having been born to non-equine parents it took a lot of persuasion. My New Forest pony was 21, had hunted all his life and carted me about the Hampshire and Garth South country in Thelwell style. Soon I loved it as much as he did.

Later, staying in Normandy with Venetia Wimborne, a boyfriend’s mother (and about the most elegant lady on or off the hunting field to walk the planet), she gave me a beautiful tweed habit to wear and popped me up on her old hunter sidesaddle and off we rode through the forest. Oddly, it felt easier than I ever imagined and so, inspired by Venetia, I was hooked.

Back in England, the family introduced me to the Quorn (Venetia’s previous husband was the renowned Captain Fred Barker, who had mastered the pack for 16 seasons). Before long I had joined forces with Martha Sitwell, who was also riding sidesaddle. We became obsessed with researching the history of sidesaddle and the brave and daring ladies who had been figureheads of their time, and started taking lessons with Roger Philpot, who taught us the importance of correct balance and a correctly fitting saddle – and also never to talk to a man from the “near side” when out hunting.