Talk Horse

Pippa and Tristan are joined by a true powerhouse of the equine world this week. If you don't know Nat's story - then you really should!

From being fired because of her passion for horses to raising over £1 million in a national campaign to save her riding school, Natalie O’Rourke MBE has one of the most remarkable stories in grassroots equestrian sport. As the founder of Park Lane Stables in South London, she has built a community where horses help children and adults with disabilities develop confidence, independence and joy through her long association with the RDA.

When the stables faced sudden closure in 2021, Natalie and her volunteers launched an extraordinary fundraising effort that captured the public’s imagination. The campaign secured the future of the centre and the thousands of families it supports each year, earning Natalie an MBE and The Sunday Times Grassroots Sportswoman of the Year along the way.

Plus Pippa and Tristan are dallying with AI once again!

Details of Park Lane Stables can be found here - https://www.parklanestables.co.uk/

We love hearing from you. Do email us at [email protected].

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It's Cheltenham week! And who better to join Pippa and Tristan this special week than one of jump racing’s most successful riders, Nico de Boinville.

As the principal jockey for Champion Trainer Nicky Henderson, Nico has ridden more than 800 winners, claimed over 50 Grade 1 victories and celebrated many wins at the legendary Cheltenham Festival - including on Old Park Star this week - winning the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, the opening race of the 2026 Cheltenham Festival.

With the Cheltenham roar ringing out this week, Nico joins the pod to talk about the thrill, pressure and preparation behind the biggest meeting in jump racing. He reflects on his journey into the sport leaving university early to pursue a career in racing and working his way up. Nico also opens up about bouncing back after a recent fall earlier this season, the mindset it takes to recover from injury and get straight back in the saddle, and what it’s like riding some of the greatest horses in modern racing, including the phenomenal Constitution Hill. Plus and unusual technique to avoid post race interviews...

Plus we'll have a guest appearance from pod alumni Mick Fitzgerald and a mini Cheltenham quiz.

Keep sharing your stories, join us on social media, or drop us an email at [email protected].

See you soon for lots more Talk Horse.

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We’re back for Series 3 of Talk Horse! Did you miss us? We’re kicking things off in style with a guest hot off a flight from LA.

Actor Joe Ashman, otherwise known as Callum in Netflix’s epic equine drama Free Rein, sits down with Olympic eventer Pippa Funnell and Made in Chelsea star Tristan Phipps to discuss all things horse. How he exaggerated his riding ability to land his dream role, why Free Rein ignited a love of horses, his bond with his on screen equine partner Milo, and his passion for the work he now does as an ambassador for the Riding for the Disabled Association.

Donate to Joe's London Marathon for the RDA here https://2026tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/joe-ashman?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQPMTI0MDI0NTc0Mjg3NDE0AAGnAzfYunM4mViLZVqiYGEXcUZp1-XfNuzgKAFcOAGKpGZpPJrNEiNdAeO8RiI_aem_-zt3qRICJM8d_PzMeo4IbQ

Plus, he has an important message for Tristan about why it’s never too late to start riding.

And the games are back! Today Pippa takes on Tristan in “Nay-Listers”. There may even have been some cheeky cheating. We’ll be revealing all on our socials this week...

Whether you’re a lifelong rider or simply horse curious, saddle up and let’s Talk Horse.

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In the last of our live specials, Pippa and Tristan speak to the incredible Boyd Exell. Our first guest from the world of carriage driving and what a man to start with.
One of the most decorated four-in-hand carriage drivers in history, Boyd has been crowned World Champion seven times in combined driving and has won the FEI World Cup Driving Final an unprecedented 11 times, more than any other driver.

In a journey that took him from rural New South Wales to the very top of international carriage driving, Boyd reflects on how he first fell for the sport, the bold move to Europe that transformed his career, and the mindset required to stay at world-champion level for decades. He shares how he builds trust across a four-horse team, what continues to drive him after so many historic wins, and what goes through your mind when you drop the reins mid-race. Spoiler… he will not be doing that again.

We’ll be back with series three from 3 March. Keep sharing your stories, join us on social media, or drop us an email at [email protected].

See you soon for lots more Talk Horse.

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In this special episode, recorded live on stage at the London International Horse Show, Pippa Funnell and Tristan Phipps are joined by three members of one of the most iconic families in showjumping, the Whitakers.

John Whitaker is one of our most requested guests and you can see why. With a career spanning more than 40 years, he’s won everything there is to win, including three Olympic medals, five World Championship medals and thirteen European Championship medals. He chats about longevity at the top of the sport, the mindset required to keep improving, and how showjumping has evolved over the decades. Plus, what keeps him competing at 70 years old.

Helping make sense of the family tree are Donald Whitaker, a key contributor to Britain’s 2025 European team silver and historic Nations Cup victory, and Jack Whitaker, a top competitor at senior level in Nations Cups, World Cup classes and the Global Champions Tour.

If you’ve always wanted to know what Christmas is like for the Whitaker family, their tips for spooky horses, or what they eat for breakfast, this is the one for you.

Saddle up and let’s Talk Horse. 🐴
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