Q&A with Pippa Funnell

After I had won the Rolex Grand of Eventing, I did an Autobiography with Orion which seemed very popular.  On the back of this I was approached by Fiona Kennedy, who then worked for Orion’s Children’s books, and she asked if I would be interested. My immediate reaction was that I had no time for these, but it did sow the seed and got my imagination working.  I felt it could be an ideal and fun way to educate children and to help give them inspiration to follow their dreams. And so Tilly was created.

Your series of books Pippa’s Pony Tales are packed full of expert and up-to-date advice about looking after and caring for a pony. Is this based on your own experience and is horse welfare something that’s close to your heart?

I’ve obviously had much experience over the years with horses, so I have tried to pack as much advice as I can into these books – from the managing and caring, to the riding and training. It’s all how I would do things.  Absolutely horse welfare is at the forefront of everything I do with my horses and it is really important that youngsters need to learn, and be made aware of, the responsibilities one has when being involved not just with horses but all animals.

The main character in your books is a young girl called Tilly Redbrow who lives, breathes and dreams horses. Where did the idea for Tilly come from and what is her background?

The idea came from a horsehair bracelet I was given by an owner whose horse, Viceroy, that I successfully competed very tragically died from colic.  It was also at the time of friendship bracelets.  On one of my routine exercise routes there happens to be a house that has always had a wigwam in the garden and the house is called Tiger Lily. Because of the plaited black hair bracelet, that gave me the idea of a Native American, and that is how Tilly/Tiger Lily Redbrow got her name. The imagination then grew from that point.

Pippa’s Pony Tales are also full of great riding tips and how to improve your riding skills. Were you taught is a particular way and is this something that you wanted to pass onto your young readers?

As I mentioned before, the riding tips are all what I would work on myself and how I teach other people.  Too often people make it complicated and it really isn’t. The key points are to perfect the basics and take things slowly, so you and your horse have every chance to build up a trusting confident partnership.

It’s well-known that horses can have a powerful therapeutic effect for neurodivergent and disabled individuals. Please can you explain this further?

I absolutely think being around horses has a very therapeutic effect.  They are great listeners and they can’t answer back for a start. I really feel that when you’re with them, you can get distracted from everything else. Time spent with them is a real escape from the mental and often physical challenges of life. Equine therapy has been found to reduce people’s blood pressure and heart rate, and it’s been proven that it reduces conditions such as anxiety and stress.

Your series of books is perfect for all pony lovers and will encourage any young rider to follow their dreams. Did you have a mentor who encouraged you when you were growing up?

My main mentor and trainer was an incredible lady called Ruth McMullen. She owned my first pony and then my first horse.  I left school and served an apprenticeship with her for 9 years. It was due to her that I was able to follow my dreams.

Riding and owning a horse or pony can sometimes seem like an elitist sport, but there are ways of getting involved with the equestrian world that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Can you give those who maybe can’t afford to have their own pony some advice?

There are many ways people can get involved with horses and ponies if they can’t afford to have their own.  Most areas have local riding schools, and some private yards will often need a helping hand.  I used to help out at our neighbours, sweeping yards, carrying water and all the various yard chores. Anything that meant I could be around horses. I also think that joining The Pony Club is a fantastic opportunity and you do not have to have your own pony to be a member.

Pippa Funnell’s Pippa’s Pony Tales is a heart-warming series of 18 children’s books, packed with expert and up-to-date advice, that will encourage any aspiring young rider or pony lover to follow their dreams. Samson the Stallion, the fourth book in the series, has just beenpublished. The rest of the series will follow on one a month until October 2024.