A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD girl who re-gained her confidence through horse riding has qualified to compete in the horse of the year show next month.

Nell Stephens, from Woodborough qualified for the Horse of the Year Show with her pony Lily back in July, and despite waiting for surgery on her ankle, Nell and her family are now preparing for the big day.

Nell, who has been riding since she was four years old, and Lily have only taken part in four events together, but have flawless track record winning all four shows.

Nell’s mum, Suzy Stephens said: “Nell has always been very shy, and most of her friends don’t even know about her interest in horses, let alone that she has qualified for the worlds most famous horse show.

“She is another person when she gets on horseback, there is nothing she cant do on a horse and that is her happy place where she is most confident.

“Nell is riding whilst waiting for surgery to fix ligaments in her ankle after an injury sustained while trampolining. It doesn’t cause her any pain but her ankle is weak.”

Nell and her family make the 280 mile round trip to Carmarthen to the stables where Lily the pony lives so that Nell can have a practise run before the show.

Nell said: "I love ponies, I feel very happy when I am riding.

"I have made lovely friends through the pony Club and at competitions and it is where I feel most confident.

"I like to work out the problems that my pony comes up with, I have taught my own pony everything, I often fall off but I get back on and work out a solution how to train him.

"I want to be an event rider. I get up every morning, very very early, and I watch Burghley and Badminton again and again that we recorded.

"I know all the names of the riders and their horses and I love Tina Cook and Tim Price. I want to be like them one day."