Meet Caroline.
She started riding when she was four years old.
It was in Colombia in South America where she was on holiday
with the family’s two Spanish au pairs.
She was hooked.
Back home in Croydon, South London, she started going to the
local riding school in Warlingham, Surrey.
Caroline in action in full
riot gear>>
Or, maybe, it’s Hannah.
She started riding when she was seven.
It was at the riding school in Chelsfield, near Orpington, Kent.
Before long, she got a pony on loan called Amber.
"She was Heinz 57," she laughs. "She was a chestnut.
She had Shetland legs, a big head and humungeous, rock, solid,
neck muscles. She’s still going strong. She’s now 35 years
old."
But whether it’s Caroline Bowness or Hannah Cook, it doesn’t
matter.
Both are in the Metropolitan Police Service.
Both are
police constables in the Territorial Support Group, which is
responsible for policing and controlling public demonstrations.
Both, as a result, are super-fit, used to racing around wearing
full public order kit and being attacked by bricks and petrol
bombs and containing violent crowds.
<< Hannah on her first pony Amber
Both are also founder
members of the newly-formed Metropolitan Police Riding Club,
which was started by Kate Fredou, a Detective Constable in
the Anti Terrorism Branch at New Scotland Yard, who is more
than a side-saddle enthusiast. Even though she has only recently
started riding she has just had the full, traditional side-saddle
costume specially made for her including everything from the
skirt to the veil and hat and is determined to start competing
as soon as she can.
Says Kate, "The
Metropolitan Police Athletics Association covers every kind of sport you can think of. From
abseiling to yachting. But there has never been a Metropolitan
Police Riding Club. Up until now. Of course, there is the Mounted
Branch. But there are lots of other people in the Metropolitan
Police who ride and have horses and like to hack out, ride,
go to shows, compete and so on. We kept meeting at shows and
competitions and we kept saying, Why don’t we have our own
Metropolitan Police Riding Club.?"
Caroline in the saddle >>
A year ago, Kate formed the Metropolitan Police Riding Club.
She was made the club secretary.
Any day now, they will know whether they have been officially
recognised by the Metropolitan Police Athletics Association.
Says Caroline, "They say we must have more than 40 members,
that we’ve been running six-months and that we’ve been organising
events and activities for members. Well, we’ve done all that
so it shouldn’t be a problem."
They are also hoping to be affiliated to British
Riding Club.
Again, they are hoping to be evaluated and admitted to membership
shortly. In the meantime, Kate, Caroline, Hannah and all the
other members of the Riding Club are faced with the problems
of not only maintaining public order but also maintaining their
balance of training, riding and competing their horses.
Kate
has just got Patch, six-years-old, 15.2 Thoroughbred, an ex-racehorse.
She is busy preparing him for side-saddle competitions.
Caroline,
32, who has been riding for a couple of years, after a break
of eight-years, is getting to know Bobbie, a mare, nine-years-old,
a recently acquired Irish Sport Horse.
"I’ve only had her since February," she says. "We’re
still getting to know each other. We’ve started doing some
clinics and going to riding clubs. I’d like to concentrate
on show jumping and dressage."
Hannah, 25, however, has no catching up to do. She’s been
riding non-stop since she was a child.
"After Amber," she says, "I got Guy Fawkes. He was
14.2. He was another Heinz 57. He could jump ten-foot high.
He’s
just died. When I was 17 I got an Arab-cross. She was called
Derby, as in the race. I broke her in. I’ve now got Willow,
a mare, nine-years-old, an Irish Sport Horse. She’s jet-black.
I'm hoping to do local shows, eventing, some dressage."
Hannah & Caroline >>
As if that’s not enough, they have also got to get their
Riding Club off the ground. Says Caroline, "When we first started
we took part in a Ride for Life in aid of Cancer Research UK.
We raised around £900. We want to do more of that kind of thing.
We want to see if we can organise competitions with the Army,
Navy, Air force and, of course, other police forces around
the country. We’ve also got to start looking for advertisers
and for sponsorship. There’s plenty to do."
But, however, much time and effort it takes Caroline and
Hannah are determined to be at the Olympics in 2012.
"Don’t you worry," they say. "We’ll be there.
Policing it. Not riding in it. But we’ll
be there."
