LONDON (CU)_Queen Elizabeth’s passion for horses is no secret, with reports that Her Majesty has been rising since she was just three years old. She is known to have an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of horse racing, as she has spent a lifetime spent riding and watching horses. It is reported that she received her first riding lesson at age three, and was given her first pony when she turned four. Therefore, it is not surprise that the equestrian world is playing its part in the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations this year.
As Her Majesty is set to become the first British monarch ever to mark 70 years on the throne, royal fans are being given a one in a lifetime opportunity in celebration of this major milestone. Three of Her Majesty’s horse training yards are opening their doors for a series of special tours, which will be held in partnership with Discover Newmarket, a tourist information centre in in the English county of Suffolk. The yards are reportedly owned by William Haggas, Thady Gosden and Michael Bell, three of the world’s most eminent trainers with some 6,000 winnings under their belt.
Fans can enjoy a behind the scenes tour of their stables where the Queen has horses in training. The tour will kick off with a visit to the yard, following by the observation of horses exercising at the famous Newmarket gallops. The series will also include a guided tour of The National Stud and will be concluded with a visit to the National Horseracing Museum, which is located on the original site of King Charles II’s Palace and Stables.
The equestrian world will also honour Her Majesty’s Jubilee celebrations with a guard of honour of up to 40 jockeys who ride or have ridden her horses over the years. As she arrives at Epsom Downs on 4 June, she will be greeted by these riders who will be lined up, dressed in her famous purple and gold silks.
