Best of Britain: The Princess Royal on horses
The Princess Royal tells Country life why Britain owes a great debt to the horse


The Princess Royal Former European Eventing Champion and President of the Fédération Équestre Internationale from 1986 to 1994
‘The British Isles owe a debt to horses, ponies and donkeys for their contribution to its development and success. Their roles as the main providers of transport and logistics and source of power on farms may have changed, but their place in the hearts and fields of the British people suggests a strong connection that still has real benefits for both people and horses. Attractive and challenging, they eat grass, employ people and contribute about £7 billion to the UK economy. Owning, riding, watching-what pleasure and fun we can derive from them, especially if we maintain the environment that they enjoy the most: open spaces, grass fields, hedges, trees and clean waterways. We still owe them a debt. '
Simply the best
Badminton Horse Trials The Grand National Cheltenham Festival Hickstead Lucinda Green The Whitaker family Valegro Riding for the Disabled Newmarket Jennie Loriston-Clark The Pony Club
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Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.
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