Vivienne

Growing up in a bush suburb on the outskirts of Sydney, my obsession with horses started early - around aged two, waiting eagerly at the front gate for the postman to arrive and the thrill of sitting up on his horse! Early life was filled with equine-themed adventures and friendship, and I continued to ride at every opportunity after moving to the inner city for work.

Once I’d relocated to London in 1990, my work as an agent and tour manager for dance music acts (and the lifestyle that went with it!) left little time for riding. But it was always my mission to ride on holidays, and I had a couple of weeks every year with my sister’s horses in Oregon.

Then in 2015, while cycling through Lea Valley in late summer, I chanced across the Riding Centre. One thing led to another and there I was, on my birthday, riding lovely Baron for my assessment.

I started lessons at Lee Valley soon after, eventually progressing into the Intermediate/ Advanced group. I had also started taking jump lessons around the same time, and was pleasantly surprised to place second with Hyland in my first show jumping competition the following year.

After lockdown in September 2021, I was finding it impossible to book suitable group lessons at Lea Valley. But I’d been taking fortnightly private lessons with Heather Young at Quendon Dressage since April 2019, and luckily I managed to increase this to once a week. Heather is a superb Grand Prix trainer; I’ve learned so much from her and my riding has come on in leaps and bounds. And I have the pleasure of riding the stunning Diego every week!