Helen Francis Amateur Showjumper

Hi! I’m Helen Francis. Welcome to my blog! 

I am an amateur showjumper, amateur in the French sense of the word, for the love of the sport and not the English “a little bit s**t” Credit to Clare Balding for that fabulous expression – it tickles me!

For me, you can’t beat the buzz of tackling a challenge with your best friend. #2hearts2minds. 

I find the world of showjumping both glamorous and humbling and I can’t get enough of it. As riders we are always at the mercy of our horses’ amazingly kind hearts; I am grateful for every minute they allow me to spend training with them.

Jumping great rounds takes power, precision and partnership. I love learning the personalities of my horses. My first graded horse Smartie Sometimes knew exactly when he had gone through the finish line. He would stop, stretch his nose out as far as he could and amble out of the ring. It took longer to leave than it did to jump round! But there was no hurrying him, this was his time to admire his audience and he was going to savour every moment, thank you very much!

My blog will keep you up to date with my progress in combining a professional career with a full time hobby. My horses give me a reason to get up in the morning. What's yours?!