Head Groom Shares Tragic Reality About The Queen's Beloved Horse, Emma
Lifestyle - News
By KRISTIN CONARD
Queen Elizabeth II had her first horse riding lesson at 3 years old and got her first pony at the age of 4, which began a lifelong love of horses. Before her death, the queen owned a Fell Pony named Emma; Fell Ponies are a native English breed, and fittingly, Emma made an appearance on the day of the British monarch's funeral.
Emma's full name is Carltonlima Emma, and she's 24 years old. She was seen waiting with head groom Terry Pendry along the Long Walk in Windsor on the day of Queen Elizabeth's funeral, and as the royal hearse passed on its way from London to Windsor Castle, Emma even raised her right front leg.
Pendry says that Emma "probably had some sort of sixth sense that Her Majesty wouldn't be riding her anymore and she did her proud by standing there so respectfully." Emma wore a white sheepskin saddle, the queen's favorite, and on top, Pendry placed one of Elizabeth's Hermes scarves with horses and carriages on it.
Queen Elizabeth owned countless horses during her life, and inherited her father King George VI's thoroughbred and racing horses and stables. The queen rode Emma for over 20 years, and the black Fell Pony was said to be one of her favorites; the last time Elizabeth rode Emma was in July 2022, mere months before the queen's death.