Born: 17th May, 1999.
Based: County Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Discipline: Showing / Working Hunter / Showjumping
Best results:
– 1st place SJI ‘The Bowl’ 80cm league (May 2017)
– Working Hunter Champion Horse (May 2016)
– Armagh Show 2026 Senior QUEST Champion Traditional Cob
– Saintfield Show 2026 Senior QUEST Champion Traditional Cob & Ridden Champion
– Antrim Show 2026 1st Traditional Cob
Hello! My name is Sasha, and I currently compete primarily in showing with my Traditional Irish Gypsy Cob, Taylors Magner, or in working hunter and showjumping with my Connemara X Appaloosa Benvarden Toltec. We compete around Northern Ireland at present with the goal of progressing to shows in the South and travelling across to TOYS in England in 2027. You can read more about my horses in the “my horses” section of this website. Although I primarily compete in these disciplines, to be honest, I will have a go at anything! I don’t like to tie myself down to just one discipline. I am currently competing around the 80cm level. My day job is a secondary school teacher, and alongside that I am working on completing my BHS qualifications.
I run two Youtube channels, my main channel – where I upload vlogs of random days on the yard and shows, ‘official’ videos, such as tack hauls, ride with me, what’s in my tack locker, etc, and edited videos of myself and my horses to music/audio. I also have a second channel where I upload show ‘raw’ clips of my rounds and also random clips of training or having fun with my horses throughout the year. Although these days, you will find me more active on TikTok and Instagram!
You can find my youtube channels by clicking the links below, at the footer of this page or by the links in the navigation menu above.
Main Channel – equistoryni
Second Channel – swxtobias
I also update my Instagram account daily, so if you would like more updates feel free to follow me on there –
Instagram – @equistoryni
TikTok – @equistoryni
Further history…
For as long as I can remember I have been completely obsessed with horses. I always wanted horsey toys, and went as far as using VHS tape cases to make them all stables – I gave them all names and got little bits of paper and sellotape and put their name plates on the door!
I started riding lessons at a young age as my mum is also horsey. She has always been supportive of my riding (even when I continued to fall off, a lot) and continues to support me and is definitely top groom!
I started riding lessons at aged 3 at a riding school while my mum rode one of the other horses on the yard – Tullynewbank Stables. I absolutely adored a little coloured pony (pictured left). I rode her and a little grey pony before transferring riding schools and leaving these ponies behind.
I moved to a riding centre more local to my house, Laurel View Equestrian Centre, and there I rode a variety of horses and ponies, joined the pony club and did everything I could to spend as much time as I could with horses. I absolutely adored every single aspect, and loved earning pony club badges.
My love of riding just grew from here. A lot of people ‘phase out’ of horses, but my entire life continues to revolve around them.
At age 11, my mum surprised me with my first horse – on loan, Bailey (Golden Galaxy). He was a 15hh flaxen chestnut thoroughbred who I had for 6 months. Bailey gave me my first real taste of riding, as once you are out of a riding school you progress so much faster. Bailey sadly had to be returned to his owners and retired as once he came into full work with me, he became too sore.
It was then that we came to look for another horse – we only viewed one other horse before I found my horse of a lifetime, Tobias. Tobias was a complete random find, as we originally wanted another horse on loan and he was for sale. He didn’t fit the profile we wanted.
He was young – rising 5 – and quite tall – considering I was 11 (standing at 15.2/15.3hh).
Luckily Tobias was a gentle giant. He was very, very, quirky but he taught me how to ride. I fell off him, a lot, but surprisingly never hurt myself. I also had this habit of going up before coming down – but he was the most honest horse I will ever own. Tobias had a bad habit of injuring himself and ended up semi-retired at 8 years old, before we sadly had to make the decision to get him put to sleep following some neurological changes in 2022 at age 16.
I have had several horses between now and then, with several bad falls along the way – but there’s that saying, you can’t be a good rider until you’ve fallen off a lot – so I guess I’m halfway there!