An apprentice groom at Scone Palace

For many young equestrians, the dream of working at an international horse trial feels a long way off.

For 18-year-old Holly Wood, a Level 3 Equine Management apprentice with Helen Martin Eventing in Wiltshire, that dream became a reality this summer when she travelled to Scone Palace International Horse Trials with Helen’s horse SFS Bold as Brass or ‘Delilah’ to her stable mates.

Holly began her apprenticeship via Haddon Training after completing her Level 2 at college, where a regular weekly placement with Helen first introduced her to the busy life of a professional eventing yard.

Holly’s days are full and varied, everything from mucking out and checking hooves to preparing competition horses and even riding the quieter ones on the gallops or a hack.

Preparing for Scone Palace Horse Trials

Heading to Scone was a first for both Holly and Delilah, who were entered in the 2*L. Holly admitted there were a few things she felt unsure about beforehand, but the support of Helen’s former competition groom and the wider team gave her confidence.

“I had a good idea of what to do, but it was great to have help with packing and organising. I learnt how to quarter mark properly, and we made plenty of lists, on my phone and on paper! That support really helped.”

The pair set off at 3.30 am, with planned stops along the way to give Delilah a rest, water and a leg stretch. By the time they arrived in Scotland, Holly was feeling a mix of nerves and excitement.

“Seeing all the lorries and tents was a little surreal at first, but once the stable was set up and Delilah had settled in, I felt much calmer. We were both pretty tired!”

Finding her rhythm at an international event

With a plan in place each day, Holly found the routine surprisingly smooth. She enjoyed the buzz of the stables and the chance to bond with Delilah through plenty of hand grazing and downtime.

One moment that made the whole team smile was the vet check. Holly handled Delilah (15.1hh) so confidently that she was asked if she was competing in the pony section!

Dressage day felt calm, but the cross-country brought new emotions.

“I’ve been to big competitions before as a visitor, but I was so nervous watching Helen head out of the start box! It went really quickly, but it was such a buzz.”

Her best highlight came after the showjumping:

“Helen and Delilah went clear, inside the time. I was so proud. That was definitely my favourite moment.”

And the most challenging part?

“The warm-up before showjumping! It felt like ten minutes of total chaos. I didn’t know where to look first.”

Rider Helen Martin was quick to praise her apprentice:

“Holly has excelled herself. She is calm, organised, and really thinks for her rider, which rubbed off on me. She’s caring, kind, and always one step ahead. There were so many times I thought, ‘We need to do…’ and she had already done it. That’s a rare quality, and it allowed me to focus fully on our performance.”

Lessons learnt

Despite the pressure of her first international, Holly came away with a renewed sense of confidence.

“I feel more switched on now. Even little things like taking Delilah’s temperature gave me one-to-one time with her and built a stronger bond. My advice for anyone doing it for the first time would be: stay calm, know your times, and work backwards from there. Always give yourself extra time for things like plaiting or quarter marks.”

There were also some lighter moments: cooked meals together in the lorry each evening, Helen’s homemade flapjacks, and the occasional chance to sit down with a cuppa between jobs.

Rider Helen also came away feeling positive: “We came 11th in a huge field, and I know Holly’s organisation contributed to that. She’s always smiling, lovely to be around, and Delilah received the very best care. We’re all incredibly proud of her.”

Looking ahead to the future

For Holly, Scone was just the start. She’s now looking forward to more outings with Helen’s younger horses at one-day events this autumn and is already putting her newfound skills and confidence into practice back on the yard.

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