Horse riding for her DofE Physical section inspired Lily to go for her dreams

Lily, 17, is hugely enthusiastic about the sport she chose for her Physical section – horse riding. She is a Gold participant at East Norfolk Sixth Form College hopes to increase her understanding of the technicalities of riding while taking part in her six month section.

Lily said: “Horse-riding has always been a great passion of mine, so I jumped at the opportunity to incorporate it into my Gold DofE Award. There’s no better way to clear your mind than to gallop across an open field; the exhilarating freedom it gives you cannot compare to anything I’ve experienced.”

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a walk in the park. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve fallen off into a muddy puddle or have knocked down a jump (and broken a pole!), but it’s what you do next that matters. Get up and try again.”

Her passion has trickled over into her Volunteering and Skills activities, too. She’s spending time volunteering with Pathways Care Farm, providing vulnerable people with an opportunity to learn, rebuild and grow through a range of hands-on farming activities. For the Skills section, she’s improving her flair for stable management.

Lily said: “You must be passionate, driven, and resilient. DofE aims to ‘unmask your inner self’ as I like to say. It’s not supposed to be easy, but as one of my favourite quotes goes, ‘If you climb into the saddle, be ready for the ride’.”