Former five-star eventer Anna Warnecke on why Burghley’s Leaf Pit is like riding through fire, and the thrill of an 8,000-strong standing ovation
When my top horse, Twinkle Bee, retired from eventing, I was approached to train the horses at Kynren, in Bishop Auckland, for their evening show, An Epic Tale of England, depicting 2,000 years of British history. We had been living in the area for years and it felt like the right time – my whole family are involved, from my daughter and partner to my long-term groom, Laurie Robinson.
I got my first pony, Winchy, when I was 10, and we moved from Berlin to the countryside. It felt like all my dreams had come true. My friends were the donkeys, the geese and the rooster, and it’s funny how now I can see that my young life was going to prove useful later on – I look after all the animals here at Kynren. I’ve always loved that partnership – Winchy was everything to me, my companion.
{"content":"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"}
You may also be interested in…
Meet some of the stunt horses of the silver screen and the person behind them
Have you ever daydreamed about working alongside famous actors as their stunt double, pulling off thrilling stunts in blockbusters? For
More than 80 horses were taken to Ireland for the show's largest screened battle *warning: violent scenes in video*
Meet Benjamin Atkinson and his wonderful team of horses, Atkinson Action Horses
H&H features editor
Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
