Pippa Funnell: Take the Reins (PC CD)

So how are the horses today, Pippa?
All the horses are very well and seem pleased to have started competing again. The season started at the beginning of March and will run through to October. Today the young horses had a day off and went out in the field as they competed yesterday and the older ones had plenty of work because they run in a competition tomorrow.

When did you realise you wanted to work with horses and what made you want to start?
I've always ridden horses - I used to ride before school every morning or, if I couldn't, after school. There are some people who started three-day eventing later in life, but it is one of those sports that, the younger you start, the more advantage you eventually have. Starting young, you learn your balance naturally. I've been doing this sport seriously since I was 16.

We didn't have any land or stables when I was growing up, but my mother had a horse that she kept a mile away. I had my first pony when I was six. The sports commentator Raymond Brookes-Ward was my godfather and, when his sons had grown out of it, he let me have Pepsi, their pony. I was a member of the local pony club from when I was seven to when I left home at 16. I did a few Pony Club tests, although I think I failed the last one I took.

What was the first competition you won and how old were you?
I cannot remember the first but I know it was on my first pony called Pepsi and I know it was a Gymkana event, something like the bending race. I would have been 6 years old.

Describe your typical day working in the stables?
The horses have their breakfast at 7am and then they are mucked out and hayed by my girls who are a huge part of the team. This I did for many years until I was in a position when I could pay for staff, now I help when I am short staffed and over holiday periods. After pottering around the house catching up with wifely chores and maybe spending some time on the phone or in the office, I try to be on the first horse by 8am, from then on it is riding all day, with the occasional coffee or tea break. No time to stop for lunch. There are 12 horses to be worked, and l try and ride anything from six to eight a day, the rest are hacked out by the girls. We try and aim to feed at 5.30 and are finished just after that. Then it’s into the office and onto the phone keeping in touch with the owners of the horses and returning calls which I have missed during the day. Then back to being a wife and cooking supper or food shopping or washing. I then collapse in a heap onto the sofa before I collapse into bed.

What do you think of the digital version of yourself, and why did you decide to get involved with creating a computer game?
It is great being in digital because I don’t look so old and haven’t got so many wrinkles. I think there are many girls and possibly a few boys that are pony mad, and many of them might well live in towns or are not fortunate enough to have a pony, so the game gives them a real insight into what the horse world is about and who knows, one of them could be inspired by the game and become a future champion.

Horses aside what's your favourite animal?
Apart from horses I adore dogs especially my two. But I am a serious lover of all animals.

If you were confined to a desert island, with only three products from Amazon.co.uk for comfort, what would you choose?Without electricity most things would be useless so I would have to say three books. One about how to survive on a desert island, another one would be a natural cookbook giving special recipes using food only found on a desert island, and the third would be the thickest, biggest book Amazon has, which would be a very good read but could also be used to get a good fire going in order to cook the food and keep warm. Must remember to take some matches!

What advice would you give to people who have played the game and fancy getting into eventing?
I would say dreams can come true, but boy do you need to put a huge amount of work in and have plenty of patience, dedication and determination and a whole heap of luck. It's a very long staircase but worth climbing up.

What have you got planned for the rest of today?Sadly the day is over for me and I have to get up at 4am in the morning to drive to a competition in Norfolk with three horses. No one else drives my lorry so I am a trucker as well!