When ten-year-old Phoebe Sydenham’s mother, Elli, first laid eyes on Hattie she knew the pony had to go home with them. Five years on and the story of how the family rescued Hattie, and how Phoebe has progressed to become a rider with the British Eventing Team in her sights, has captivated a still growing audience of over 30,000 followers.
The social media phenomenon ‘Phoebe and the Wildcard Ponies’ was born when Hattie was rescued, but Phoebe’s love of horses started when she was just two years old.
“From the age of five I rode a pony called Sonny. As I progressed off the lead rein, he would find lots of ways to throw me off. Although he certainly taught me how to ride, his cheeky ways meant I stopped going to pony club and went to a riding school to build my confidence. Just as I was building myself back up, I started riding a pony called Romeo, who also threw me off and I broke my shoulder. I didn’t recover before the Covid lockdown and, during that time, my mum decided that we would have to get me my own pony,” says Phoebe.
When the restrictions lifted, Elli and Phoebe were tipped off that a nearby farmer had a pony for sale but that it was not in the best shape.
“When my Mum first saw Hattie, she said it was heartbreaking. She was in poor condition and looked awful. She literally couldn’t leave her, so took her home that day and gave me a huge surprise when I came home from school. That is when we started posting on Facebook and Insta,” she explains.
The moving, day by day, account of how a mother and daughter had rescued a pony quickly gained interest and soon Phoebe had thousands of followers.
“It’s not something we thought about at first, it was just nice to see that people cared. I have always loved being around horses, they are calming for me and help to keep me busy. They can’t talk or judge you, so I find it a peaceful relationship,” she says.
Today, Hattie is still with the family but, having outgrown her, Phoebe now rides Sansa, a 14.2 HH Connemara that she competes on. Coached by Amy Blount and Jo Rimmer, Phoebe has a goal to become a five-star event rider and is ambitious about moving up the levels and competing on the British Eventing Youth Teams.
“The journey from taking on Hattie to me competing was really just an outlet to explain that anyone can enjoy riding horses and that you don’t need loads of money to enjoy it or do it well,” she says.
Phoebe’s tenacity is admirable, and her gritty determination is not evident in her mild mannered and almost shy demeanour. However, her personality, drive and genuine love of riding have shone through on social media. She is now an ambassador for global brands, using her social media platforms to inform and help others like her. So much so, that recently she has been asked to attend meet and greet sessions at events to engage with her followers, with her first international meet and greet being held in Australia.
“It’s been crazy how things have taken off, but I have worked with mum to make sure it doesn’t get out of control. I enjoy it but I’m in my GCSE year and I also want to focus on my riding, so the social media work has to be kept in proportion,” she says.
This mature approach has led to her building relationships with brands such as clothing label LeMieux and clipper manufacturer Heiniger. She also works with a number of equine charities, including World Horse Welfare, Brooke Charity and Riding For The Disabled.
“It brings such variety. One minute I can be doing a photoshoot for LeMieux and then I’m being filmed by Heiniger to create a video about clipping. The content has been recognised by Insta, and we have been invited to make ‘Phoebe and the Wildcard Ponies’ a verified creator,” she says.
At the Horse of the Year show, Phoebe agreed to a meet and greet, expecting less than 50 children.
“There were hundreds. It was a bit overwhelming really, seeing as we only started posting to tell the story of how we were helping Hattie,” she says.
Phoebe and Elli are now in talks with brands, looking to create her own line of clothing and accessories. However, she is adamant that she will keep her feet on the ground and remains committed to her eventing.
“We meet parents and children who say how lovely it is to follow Phoebe’s story, and that is what we are all about, telling the story. It is not a vanity exercise because that has the potential to be damaging. We want to keep Phoebe doing all the normal things whilst also looking at her profile and how she can maintain what has been built,” says mum Elli.
Phoebe is hoping to qualify for the British Eventing youth teams but has been shocked by the devasting news that the owner of her competition horse, Sansa, wants her back.
“It’s been hard for Phoebe to come to terms with losing Sansa. She can ride her in the trials this year but next year we need to transition to a new horse to give Phoebe time to adjust for future competitions,” says Elli.
The search for a suitable horse for Phoebe to bond with and compete on is just another chapter in the family’s story. For the first time, Phoebe is likely to take on a trained competition horse, which, while it goes against the horses of the past, is the only way for her to continue at such a high level.
“Producing the young horses is however something Phoebe loves and is passionate about, so I’m sure we will still see much of this, and Phoebe has already been asked by local trainers to ride and compete their youngsters,” she says.
The timeline is finite for Phoebe who needs to find a horse that she can compete on in 2026 and continue with as an under 18 rider.
“It’s not rare for riders to have horses taken away from them and that is what makes telling our story so valuable. It’s also a big risk of taking on a pony on loan. Because Phoebe is like so many others, it makes her story more endearing,” concludes Elli.
