Elizabeth Breton, a great-grandmother from Gloucestershire, has been riding horses since she was two years old, with a 30-year break in between due to personal tragedies. She celebrated her 100th birthday in December and continues to ride twice a week at Cotswolds Riding at Jill Carenza Equestrian in Stanton. Breton grew up near Lincoln and was competent at riding by the age of six, with one of her earliest memories being riding Snowflake.

Breton’s father was a farmer, and she recalls that riding and hunting were essential for social life in the early 20th century. She gave up riding for 30 years after losing two horses due to tragic circumstances but returned to the sport at the age of 70 when her son invited her to ride his horse. Despite not riding competitively anymore, Breton still enjoys her rides around the village of Stanton twice a week, feeling at home on a horse.

In her late 70s, Breton even won a cross-country championship class at the age of 78. She believes that riding is in her DNA and that it feels right in every department of her body. While she acknowledges that she may not have much time left, she continues to ride regularly and is grateful for the joy and connection she feels with horses.