Sponsored Rider

Hello, my name is Ellie Harrington and here is a bit about myself. I am 17 years old and am currently in my first year of A levels with my gorgeous horse Peaches. We purchased Peach back in December 2022 with the hopes to bring her on to become my next event horse to go up the levels with. It has been a long and hard process to get where we are now however with the very kind and amazing help of Charlie she just keeps getting better and better! Peach is a 9 year old 17.1/17.2 dutch warmblood. She’s green for her age but as bold as anything! We currently have 2 school arena eventing championship qualifiers under our belt for later on in the year, one of which is being held at Hickstead, and are hoping to get out to some ODE’s too during this year also.

Being sponsored by Horse and Rider Sports Massage is such a privilege and honour and I look forward to representing Charlie and what her amazing work does for both myself and Peach.

2025 has been a whirlwind, marking Peach’s first full season of eventing and what a journey it has been. Peach is a sensitive yet exceptionally talented mare who has achieved some fantastic results throughout the year. One of our standout moments was completing our first BE100 at Little Downham Horse Trials, where we finished 9th in a competitive section. Alongside this, Peach has remained consistently competitive in Unaffiliated 100 One-Day Events (ODEs) and has also excelled in other disciplines throughout the year.

Since Peach’s arrival in 2022, it has been a challenging yet transformative journey. With the continued support of Horse and Rider Sports Massage, both Peach and I have transformed significantly and not only in our physical ability but also in our overall harmony as a partnership.

During my own sports massage sessions, we identified that I have a tendency to experience tightness and asymmetry through the right side of my pelvis. This imbalance often contributes to secondary tension and discomfort through my lumbar region (lower back) and shoulders. Overactivity or tightness in muscles around this area can alter/impact my pelvic positioning and can also affect spinal mechanics alongside upper body posture. Without realising and from personal experience, brushing off areas that may feel sore or slightly uncomfortable can hugely affect your riding without even knowing it and since receiving my treatments, it truly has been an eye opening experience in how much more freedom I feel when in the saddle.

Before these sessions, I hadn’t realised how such imbalances influenced my riding. This could be from my seat stability to my horse’s way of going. After each session, the difference has made me feel more balanced, symmetrical, and connected, which directly translates into clearer communication and improved performance and harmony with Peach.

The benefits for Peach herself have been equally remarkable. As a sensitive and expressive mare, she naturally holds a lot of muscular tension, particularly under the demands of eventing/competition life, where the body must continually adapt to high-impact disciplines.

During our sessions, a big focus has particularly been on Peach’s trapezius muscle, which plays a big role in neck and shoulder movement. It supports neck flexion, lateral bending, and shoulder elevation, all of which are essential for maintaining the correct frame and balance under saddle further improving correct muscle building. As a result of this muscle becoming tight, I have experienced the feeling of Peach becoming “blocked” through the neck and shoulder region, restricting lateral flexion and soft contact. After targeted massage sessions and homework stretches of the trapezius and associated muscles to this area, Peach’s way of going transforms. She becomes more supple, able to bend fluently through her neck and shoulders, and carries herself with improved freedom and elasticity.

The improvements I’ve seen in both myself and Peach are a testament to how talented and amazing Charlie is. These sessions not only aid us in recovery and relaxation but also enhance important but often overlooked components like proprioception, symmetry, and coordination which are vital components for achieving success in our journey together.

I truly could go on about the benefits we’ve both experienced, but in short, I cannot recommend Charlie/Horse and Rider Sports Massage enough. The difference these treatments have made to our journey and partnership is incredible, and I’m so excited to see how we continue to progress together.