Displaying producer Kirstine Douglas, who started her profession working for Robert Oliver, says horses can supply a superb life – however that it’s a exhausting life and younger individuals at this time don’t at all times admire that.
The Scotland-based competitor talks about how she began out within the business in an interview on episode 132 of The Horse & Hound Podcast, supported this month by Spillers.
“I’m from an equestrian household – my grandfather was a Clydesdale man and so horses had been within the blood,” says Kirstine. “Mainly I used to be days previous after I was sat on my first pony and all of it went from there.
“As a baby, clearly we did Pony Membership and you probably did all the pieces – showjumping, eventing, displaying, however displaying was at all times my love. So then we targeting that.”
After serving to out the Dunlop household, the place she had “a superb grounding”, Kirstine Douglas went to the yard of supreme showman Robert Oliver for a fortnight when she was 15, which changed into a yr after which six years, with Kirstine ending up as Robert’s head lady.
She explains: “I’d by no means change it, we had a superb time and we had a few of the prime horses within the nation.
“I first went there from the Nice Yorkshire Present, so it was fairly daunting for a 15-year-old lady to go within the lorry with Robert, having not met him earlier than, nevertheless it was all good and it was like residence from residence.”
Nonetheless, Kirstine says her time at Robert’s wasn’t a simple trip.
She explains: “I believe these days the younger ones coming via simply don’t realise what it’s like. And I believe that’s a pity often because there’s a lot to study and in the event that they stick in it, there’s a fabulous life to have. Nevertheless it’s a really exhausting life.”
Kirstine says rising up, she at all times thought she was going to be a farrier.
“After which I simply actually wished to do displaying. My Dad stated: ‘Nicely, you’ll be able to go for a yr and that’s it. You’re not making a dwelling out of it.’ However I acquired my approach ultimately.”
Hear extra about Kirstine’s prime horses, her plans for 2023 and extra by tuning in to episode 132 of The Horse & Hound Podcast right here, or search “The Horse & Hound Podcast” in your favorite podcast app.
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