Classical dressage trainer Diane Thurman-Baker on the power of working in-hand and taking a bit-part in a popular TV series
I grew up in Turville, famous for being the location of The Vicar of Dibley . In fact, I appear in some episodes riding one of the Lusitanos we had at the time. My parents started a riding school when I was about ve so I was always around horses. My sister and I both live in houses next to the stables, which is now a competition livery.
My in-hand journey started when I went for a week’s training with Lord Loch, an eminent classical trainer.
When he died, my mother, Nan Thurman, bought a Lusitano from his wife Sylvia but we didn’t really know what he was capable of.
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H&H features, racing and point-to-point editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, having been part of the H&H team since 2014, who is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s reporting talents have taken her to numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
