About Ginny.
There are riders who find eventing, and then there are riders like Ginny – born into it and shaped by it.
She learnt to ride before she could walk, growing up in a Pony Club family, attending Heythrop Hunt Pony Club events with her brother and sister. Her competitive career started when she was 10, on her talented, but rather tricky pony Rosie. This helped to make Ginny the gifted rider she is today.
“I have been fortunate enough to have had many wonderful horses come into my care over the years,” she says. “Some less orthodox for the sport of eventing, but I take pride in myself and my team for producing horses to top level without huge financial backing and on horses that really shouldn't have made it!”
That philosophy has shaped her entire career. Ginny has been shortlisted for multiple British teams, all on horses she and her team produced themselves. A testament to her eye, her patience, and innate skill with horses.
Her rise through the levels was defined by Cavort, whom she brought on and produced from intermediate to their first 4* at the world-famous Badminton Horse Trials. At just 21, she was one of the youngest riders to compete at Badminton, delivering a superb, clear cross-country round and finishing ahead of many of the top Olympic riders.
In the build-up to Badminton, Ginny and Cavort, as a combination, were selected for the Young Rider British Team in 2007 and, in 2008, were selected for the final trial, before heading to Blenheim CCI***.
Eventing is a high-risk sport, and accidents happen. Sadly, in 2009, Ginny lost Cavort, her top horse, in an accident at Gatcombe. This devastating loss is a moment that Ginny still describes as the lowest point of her career. But it ultimately made her a stronger person, with deep resilience and a determination to succeed at the top level. She went on to compete at two further 5* competitions,
on a “particularly tricky horse in the dressage” that then qualified for Badminton following a competitive 18th result at Pau 5* - which was, in Ginny’s words, “just amazing.”
Then came the Irish pocket rocket: 16hh, small but mighty, “with the heart of a lion.” He delivered multiple double clears at 4* before being sold by his owner to guide a young rider up the levels. More recently, an Irish hunter type surprised everyone by exceeding expectations and competing internationally at 4* and Advanced. These horses, each so different, all share one thing: Ginny’s ability to see what they could become.
“My ultimate aim is to fulfil every horse's potential, whatever the level,” she explains. “Yes, I would love to have another 5* string and be back at Badminton riding, not just for Media reporting, but in the meantime, the young horses I currently ride are the best I've ridden.”
Her breeding programme is thriving, producing young horses she describes as “top class,” and her coaching is another source of pride. “I have fantastic pupils that I coach, and seeing them achieve their goals is so rewarding. So, the future is very exciting for them and me.”
Of course, producing horses of this calibre means some must eventually be sold; a practical reality she embraces with honesty. “Ultimately, to fund the future, I do need to sell some of the gorgeous, well-bred young horses. So, if you are in the market for a talented, well-produced and not rushed British-bred young horse, do get in contact.”
It’s clear that Ginny’s story isn’t just about results or rankings. It’s about resilience, instinct, and a lifelong commitment to bringing out the best in every horse that crosses her path. And if her current string is anything to go by, the next chapter looks very bright indeed.
