Alice and Mr Higgles. Alice can’t wait to get back to competing
Hello, my name is Alice, I’m 22 and I live in the Suffolk countryside with my gorgeous horse Mr. Higgles, who I am fortunate enough to keep at home. I work for my family business by day! I have owned Higgles (Shingletown Hero) for 8 years now. He is a 14-year-old, 16hh Tobiano Irish sports horse. We started off our partnership eventing for about 4 years before we caught the dressage bug and now that is solely what we do! He means the world to me. He’s taken me from winning our first BE to competing for the Eastern region at the BD youth home internationals and being selected for the BD youth foundation academy 2020!
How did your horses come into your life?
After growing out of my 14.2 Connemara, we were on the search for something bigger. We had been looking for a while and after having a horse on loan, my trainer Tammy, told us about Higgles and that she thought he would be the perfect match. We weren’t really looking for something as big as him, so we sort of forgot about him and continued the search. After a few weeks we still couldn’t find anything and Tammy urged us to go try him, and when we did it was love at first sight. That was it! At that time I didn’t know my parents had got him for me as I was away that week on a school exchange trip to Oman, when I returned home, Higgles was in the stables and it was the best surprise ever!
How long have you been riding?
Since the age of around 5, so that’s 17 years now
When and where do you ride?
Alice doesn’t have an arena at home, so twice a week they travel to her trainers yard for a lesson
Unfortunately, we do not have an arena at home, so twice a week I box over to my trainers for a lesson, and in between I hack/lunge at home (mud permitting)
How did you start riding?
My mum is horsey, and has always had one of her own, I think she was determined to make either me or my brother ride which was successful because we both did! But as my brother grew out of it, my passion was only getting started! I had lessons at a local riding school and then I had a very cheeky Welsh section A called Sparkle who taught me a lot about stickability!
What you and your horses currently working on?
We are currently working on getting prepped for the next foundation academy camp, and hopefully finishing our petplan qualifications and having a go at a few mediums.
What do you love about riding?
What I love is the partnership and bond you share with your horse, it’s not like anything else and I think it’s hard to understand if you aren’t horsey.
What you would you like to be doing in the future and do you have any goals?
Mr Higgles has taken Alice from winning her first BE to competing for the Eastern region at the BD youth home internationals and being selected for the BD youth foundation academy 2020!
In the future with Higgles I would very much love to be able to compete again on the BD youth teams if covid permits them next year. Our goal is to qualify for the petplan area festivals at medium and have a go at our elementary freestyle.
Have you ever had to deal with nerves in riding?
My 2019 season was the first year where I felt a bit of nerves as it was a busy year for us competition wise, I am not a competitive person so I try and never put any pressure on it all.
How do you deal with them?
When I get nervous, I think to myself how amazing Higgles and I have done to get where we are today. I try not to over think it all and just enjoy what we are doing because we deserve to be there
Your Top Tip
Seeing as we are heading into the winter months. I would 100% recommend the Nettex mud away! So amazing and keeping his legs white and clean without all the faff
The Final Furlong
Who would be your dream horse to ride?
I know it’s cliche, but who wouldn’t want to have a cheeky ride on Valegro?
Who is your equestrian hero?
Jock Paget
If you could have 5 people to dinner who would they be?
Ryan Gosling
David Attenborough
Beyoncé
Meggan Grubb
Mary Berry
Favourite colour horse?
Palomino
Favourite horse event
Has to be Burghley
Favourite food
Hmm probably ice cream
Favourite way to relax
Have a bath, pop in a lush bath bomb and watch something on my iPad
Favourite film
I wouldn’t say I’m a film fanatic, but I do really enjoy the Mamma Mia films
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