Zara Tindall is often seen attending equestrian events, but on 21 November, she made it a joint outing with her mother, Princess Anne, as the duo attended the World Horse Welfare Annual Conference held at the Royal Geographical Society in London.
It was during the event that Zara, 44, who doesn't tend to make public speeches unlike her royal cousin, Prince William, issued a rare statement. The royal reflected on what the world looks like through the eyes of a horse, saying: "I think seeing through their eyes is all about partnership, it's feeling them every day and how different they come out, being receptive to that and working with that."
Zara's rare comment
Zara, who is the daughter of the patron of the World Horse Welfare charity, also lamented the impact of the political climate on equine welfare. "If we're talking about legislation and how we have gone back in time, sort of post Brexit, our travel time for horses and their welfare has definitely gone downhill," she said.
"You know, I took a horse abroad at the end of October and I know people are doing it less and less now because it's such hard work. It's more stressful on the horses than it used to be. It's got worse."
Zara on horse welfare
She went on to discuss the importance of valuing a horse's welfare. "It's how you look after the horses. It's their environment, and understanding their environment," she explained. "I think for us, you know, getting people to understand how our welfare for our horses is...The wider public, because I don't think they really understand that much."
What is the World Horse Welfare Annual Conference?
The event is an annual meeting of experts, professionals, and enthusiasts in the equestrian field to discuss and debate the welfare of horses.
The theme of the 2025 edition was 'Through the horse's eyes' and featured talks on what your horses would like you to know about them from Janne Winther Christensen, an associate professor from Aarhus University in Denmark, and a discussion titled 'Working equids have feelings too', led by Dr. Syed Saad Ul Hassan Bukhari, a postdoctoral fellow from City University of Hong Kong.
While Princess Anne issued a closing address, Zara joined a Q&A panel with equine veterinarian and British Equine Veterinary Association president, Imogen Burrows, editor-in-chief of Horse & Hound magazine, Sarah Jenkins, and MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Liz Saville Roberts.
Zara's passion for horse-riding
Having reported on Zara's passion for horses for over two years at HELLO!, I know that she is a renowned equestrian herself, having inherited her love of horses from her mother, 75. The niece of King Charles has long ridden horses competitively, having earned a silver medal in eventing at the London 2012 Olympics. She also holds world championship titles.
She is also a regular at the Magic Millions Carnival in Australia and, more local to her home on Anne's Gatcombe Park estate, at Cheltenham Festival, where she is always dressed to perfection.
"My number one style tip for dressing at Cheltenham would be to create a balance between elegance and practicality," she told HELLO! in an exclusive interview in March 2025.
"Choose a classic, tailored outfit, but make sure to incorporate layers and weather-appropriate accessories. For me, it's about what works and feels good to wear."