Please give us a short introduction of yourself and your riding history:

My name is Ashlee Healy. I am a Financial Planner for Discovery as well as a director of our new feed company HH Feeds. I just turned 30 and am a new mom! 

I started riding when I was 7 years old and have been addicted since then. I have competed all my life only recently taking a short break while I was pregnant.

Will you be competing at Derby this year and if so on which horse/ horses?

I am planning on competing at the Derby. With that being said you never know what the future holds. 

Has Derby always been on your ‘to do’ list as a rider and if so why? 

Not Necessarily.  Obviously I love the hype and the big crowds which is why I always want to compete but I am quite nervous to do the Derby to be honest as I have only competed successfully on one horse, Quinsey. I’m hoping that once I have done the course on another horse I will change my tune! 

Of all the horses you’ve ever ridden, which would you most like to jump the Derby track on and why? 

Quinsey was an absolute master and taught me everything, I loved jumping the Derby on him as he gave me so much confidence.  Eldo is the only horse at the moment that I would like to jump the Derby track on as I would like to prove to myself that I am capable of doing it on another horse.

Describe the first horse/ pony you rode that made you fall in love with the sport. 

The first horse I rode was a horse called Ebony. I rode her on the beach at Zimbali Golf Estate when I was 7 and since then I have been hooked. My parents brought me home and I started riding at Glover Paddocks riding school. Shortly after that my parents bought me my first pony, Snow Dancer.

Has becoming a mom (congratulations!) changed the way you ride or had an impact on your riding at all?

To be honest I think it’s made me a better rider because I am so grateful for every moment I have in the saddle! I also want to make Tommy proud and for him to see his mom be successful, so I think that he has had an incredibly positive effect on my riding.

If this is the answer, what’s the question?: 

Summer afternoons: Best time for a nice glass of wine filled with ice!

The Bank (as in the jump at the Derby): Something I never get to practice!

Something I would never try/ do! : Shark Cage Diving….or anything to do with being underwater for that matter!

The perfect way to spend a day: Riding in the morning and spending the afternoon with friends and family

The stuff dreams are made of!  What is it like to ride Eldo?