Rider Profile: Tallulah Mcintosh
Welcome to the Lynbrae Rider Series. I want to celebrate the everyday rider and learn more about our incredible community. Over the next few months, I will be interviewing riders from all different backgrounds. From the high level dressage riders, to the endurance riders and everyone in between.
Tullulah MacIntosh is a rider who was born in Singapore, moved to Brunei and now lives in New Zealand. She leant to ride on a pony owned by the Sultan of Brunei and her love for horses grew from there! She believes the passion, kindness and the relationship with your horse is key and you can tell she lives by this, by the incredible bond she has with her horse, Princess.
Hey! My name is Tallulah McIntosh and I'm an 18 year old rider who doesn't really have a set discipline! During the season I Show Jump, compete in the pleasure ring, do mounted games and also do hunter classes! During the winter I hunt over the stunning Wairarapa hills with the Wairarapa Hunt thanks to the generosity of our many wonderful land owners.
I currently only have one horse. Her name is Princess and she is a 15.1hh Stationbred mare. She's a complete sweetheart and I love her to bits! We do everything that we could possibly do together and she's the best partner in crime.
I'm at university from Sunday night to Friday midday during the week so this makes riding hard! I'm lucky that my horse was fit from the competition season so two of three rides a week is enough for her when I can fit them in. My younger sister also rides princess when she can and mum lunged her for me as well! She's currently turned out for six weeks but I've timed it so I can bring her back in during my holiday! I couldn't have a horse and go to uni without mum and my sister. They have supported me so much and I owe them both so much and I'm so grateful for them both.
I first started riding when I was three! Mum took me to the Sultans polo club in Brunei and I learnt to ride on one of their companion ponies! When I was five we moved to New Zealand and I started riding at a local riding school. I bounced around different riding schools for a while until I got my own horse aged ten! He was a lovely older stationbred who taught me about freedom out of the arena and the regimental riding school way. We had a lot of fun together before he retired and went out on the hills. I've also owned/leased goblin a 15.1 Stationbred gelding, Murphy a 16.2 TB, broom a 14.1 Gisborne bred mare, poppy a 14.1 German warmblood mare and now princess!
How did you come across Princess?
Well it's a bit of a funny story! I'd just sold my pony in the winter of last year and we had planned to not get another horse as I was off to uni in February. But about three weeks later my riding instructor approached me and said that she had the perfect horse for me. Princess had come straight out of a paddock from a few months turnout to be sold on behalf after her owner had injured herself. She had had a few weeks of schooling and was still a bit unfit when I first rode her and we didn't click at all! Her paces were awful because she was unbalanced and struggled to maintain her paces. She drifted into fences and was all over the show. However, I wasn't trialling her to buy her, I was just seeing if she was suitable to take on a two day hunt. I took her on the hunt and she was amazing. I called mum after day one and just said "mum I've never ridden anything like this before, we have to buy her" and the rest is history!
Favourite part of being in the horse community?
I love the hunting community I'm involved in. They all do it for the love of the horse and they are some of the kindest people I've ever met. Sometimes you can learn the most from someone who's never stepped foot in a competition arena or jumped over 1.10m. I also love the support we have for each other. Sometimes this isn't there as much as it should but when it is, it's amazing. Your riding family can be your biggest supporters.
Biggest setback in your riding career and how did you overcome it?
I spent a season being dumped between the first and fifth fence! I didn't get around clear without a stop for a whole year and that was hard! I couldn't see a way out of it and I didn't have an instructor at the time so it was really hard. I started to hate riding and I'd have breakdowns when jumping and I spent a lot of time in tears.
The best thing I did was find a good instructor! I found her almost by accident but we really clicked. Kate from Unicorn Equestrian has turned my mindset around and helped me see where I was going wrong and what I needed to change to become more effective. She has totally changed my life, as a rider and a person in general. I wouldn't be where I am without her. I also had a lot of support from my mum and dad which helped so much. I'm very lucky to be surrounded by such amazing people.
Who is your riding inspiration and why?
Charlotte Dujardan is easily my favourite rider. Her battle with depression and how she has overcome a mental battle and come back so much stronger is amazing. I also love how she started at the bottom and worked her way to the top. Her story is one of hard work and passion which is really inspirational and shows just how important hard work is. She can also do squats on a Swiss ball which is pretty awesome!
Thanks for reading the first of the Rider Series. If you have any suggestions on anyone you think would be interested in being interviewed, please don't hesitate to touch base.
You can follow Tallulah's journey on instagram by following her account @mcintosh.eq