‘I shall probably carry on riding,’ says former jockey who celebrated her 100th birthday in the saddle

A former eventer and point-to-point jockey who hunted into her 80s celebrated her 100th birthday with parties, a card from The King – and a ride on a “lovely” mare.

Elizabeth Breton’s centenary came on 31 December and she told H&H she had been hoping to have a canter on her regular ride Lily.

“I had a splendid ride on my birthday,” she said.

“We went up the middle of the village. We can get on to the Downs but I only ride for about 50 minutes now. I wanted to have a canter but my horse had been out of work and my ‘minder’ for the day said we could only trot. I got a lovely card from The King, with a nice message that just touched the right note, and I’ve got it sitting on my table.”

H&H reported four years ago that Mrs Breton had no plans to give up riding after at that point some 94 years in the saddle. She started aged about two and went on to pointing and eventing wins, only thwarted in her ambition to ride at Badminton by injury.

She stopped riding for years but got back in the saddle in her 70s, hunting, and winning a cross-country championship class aged 78.

“I rode today,” she said on Thursday (9 January). “We couldn’t go on the Downs as it was too frozen so we went on the road, which wasn’t as nice; most people are very sensible but I think about one in four drivers hasn’t got a clue about horses. So it was peppered with dodgy incidents but we got back safely.”

Mrs Breton said she was not entirely sure whether or not she will keep riding but her carer Esha told H&H: “After three parties last week, she was exhausted and I said I didn’t think she’d be able to ride but she said no, she wanted to. And today, we were told by the stables that it was too cold and frozen and they didn’t think she should ride, but she said ‘No, I’m going’. So I don’t think she will stop!”

Esha said she thinks the horses and riding have contributed to Mrs Breton’s longevity.

“And the Alexander Technique, which she had every week, lots of activities – and a bit of whisky every evening!” she said, with which Mrs Breton agreed.

“I’m sitting here by my lovely fire and I’m not sure what I think, but I do enjoy riding,” she said. “It’s good fun and I’m friends with all the people there. So I shall probably carry on.”

To read an interview with Elizabeth Breton, see this week’s H&H, out 9 January.

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