Interview
Looking back , she reckons the decision to leave was taken in a ‘ rash moment ’ – but says it was probably the right one . She did freelance work for a while before being approached to work for Olympic gold medallist Carl Hester : she went as a temp and ended up staying there for three years . Then it was to medal-winning dressage rider Fiona Bigwood , for whom she worked – again travelling back and forth across Europe - until last year . “ It was a fantastic job with a lot of focus on working with children , and Fiona ’ s yard is one of the most amazing you ’ ll see ” says Catherine , “ but it just got to the point where I needed a change .” And it was from that point that Catherine decided that she would once again be a freelance groom . “ By going back to being a freelance groom it will give me evenings off , and allow me to see friends and do ordinary things I haven ’ t been able to do for years , I ’ ll be happy . It finally feels as if I ’ m clawing my life back !” And as for horses ? Well , she ’ s still riding out – purely for pleasure these days – and has offered to help out at local pony clubs , in order to ‘ give something back ’. She may even go to Badminton as a spectator when she feels like it . Longer-term , she reckons she ’ d like to run her own pub – where she could enjoy displaying all the horsey memorabilia she ’ s amassed from a pretty remarkable 25 year-career .
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