Dear ANLI House readers, we are sad to learn of the recent passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Her Majesty was also known as a prominent figure in the equestrian community. She loved her cattle with a passion, and during her lifetime stole into the hearts of many of them. She had ridden since she was a small child, for noble lords and monarchs amused themselves with the passion of this sport. Elizabeth was given her first horse at the age of 4, a Shetland pony called Peggy, which she rode at the age of 6.

By the age of 18, she was an accomplished rider and rode for pleasure until she was in her nineties. From her first appearance as a Princess in 1947 and throughout her reign as Queen until 1986, she rode in the annual Trooping the Colour ceremony. She initially rode a bay police horse called Tommy in 1947. When his father, King George VI, became ill, he replaced him on his chestnut-brown horse Winston, and continued to ride Winston after George VI's death, and later on a chestnut-brown horse called Imperial. For eighteen consecutive years from 1969 to 1986, his horse was a black mare called Burmese.

Burmese was a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Since 1987, when Burmese retired, he has been a carriage horse. Elizabeth II took a keen interest in the breeding of her horses and was a patron of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association. She made regular visits to assess and monitor her animals first hand from birth and throughout their lives. In addition to thoroughbreds, the Queen also bred Shetland ponies at Balmoral in Scotland and Fell ponies at Hampton Court.In

2007, she opened a breeding stud at Balmoral to breed and preserve the breed. In tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and her love of horses, the ANLI House webshop team is rebranding several Shetland Pony products with the name Peggy.