The Queen has spent a second day enjoying the spring sunshine in Windsor Great Park this week.
Her Majesty, who is approaching her 89th birthday, was spotted riding her faithful black Fell pony, Carltonlima Emma, as she was joined by Lord Vestey and her Head Groom Terry Pendry in the beautiful park close to her Windsor Castle home on Monday.
She was well prepared for any spring showers in a lightweight waterproof, and, as is her wont, eschewed a helmet in favour of one of her silk scarves.
Outing: The Queen has spent a second day enjoying the spring sunshine in Windsor Great Park this week
On Thursday the Monarch was seen trotting through the park again with Pendry as the sunshine lit up the blooming flora.
Today's second riding partner, Lord Vestry, is a close friend of the Royal Family and also the Queen's Master of the Horse, regularly photographed with the Monarch at equestrian events and important ceremonial occasions.
The multi-millionaire, 72, is one of Britain's richest men thanks to the Vestey family's estimated £750million fortune through the family meat business, Vestey Foods Group.
Active: Her Majesty, who is approaching her 89th birthday, was spotted riding her faithful black Fell pony, Carltonlima Emma
Park life: The Queen was joined by Lord Vestey and her Head Groom Terry Pendry
Whilst Lord Vestry and Pendry wore hard hats for the ride, the Queen wore only a light, floral headscarf.
She finished the look with some pale jodphurs and deep, brown riding boots.
Despite being encouraged to use a riding helmet in the past the Queen has reportedly never worn one because of her hair.
Speaking in an interview last year, her racing trainer Ian Balding recalled the moment he asked why the monarch never wears a riding hat.
The Queen is said to have replied: 'I never have and you don’t have to have your hair done like I do.'
Her Majesty is famous for her love of horses and first found herself in the saddle at the age of four after being presented with a Shetland pony, named Peggy, aged four.
Since then, the royal stables have been home to a succession of steeds, among them Betsy, a black farm-bred horse who was her mount of choice in the 50's, and Surprise, a grey gelding whom the Queen famously galloped down the course at Ascot in 1961.
No helmet: The Queen, pictured here on Friday, never wears a riding helmet preferring instead to ride in a silk headscarf
Cutting back: She has ridden less in recent years as a result of a niggling knee injury
Recent years have seen her cut down on the amount of time she spends in the saddle - the result of a niggling knee injury that also forced her to give up presiding over Trooping the Colour on horseback.
Nevertheless, the Queen remains an enthusiastic equestrienne and, according to sources, is a familiar sight at her Windsor stables.
She is also said to take a keen interest in all her horses and ponies, some of whom are now ridden by her grandchildren, notably Prince Edward's children, Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn.
Along with her thoroughbred race horses, the Queen also breeds Fell ponies and has a stud specialising in Highland ponies at Balmoral.
First love: The Queen's first pony was a tiny Shetland named Peggy who was given to her at the age of four
Familiar sight: The Queen riding her much-loved horse Burmese during Trooping the Colour
THE HARDY PONIES WITH THE ROYAL SEAL OF APPROVAL: WHY THE NATIVE FELL PONY HAS BECOME A FIRM FAVOURITE WITH THE QUEEN
One of the oldest equine breeds on the planet, Fell ponies like the Queen's mount Carltonlima Emma, have roamed the moors of Cumbria since the Neolithic period.
Docile, hardy and thick-set, the majority of Fell ponies are black, grey or bay and measure between 13 and 14hh.
Highly prized by the Carvetii, the Iron Age tribe who occupied the region more than two millennia ago, the ponies later caught the eye of the invading Romans and were used as trade goods all over the Empire.
The Romans also helped develop the breed into the relatively large animal it is today. Originally thought to have stood around 12hh tall (similar to Dartmoor and Exmoor ponies), by the end of the Roman period, the average Fell was more than a hand higher.
Another invader to fall in love with the Fell pony was the Vikings, who used the animals as pack ponies; a use continued by the Normans.
By the 13th century, the Fell's usefulness as a pack animal was well-established and the pony played an important role in British trade until the end of the 18th century.
Following the Industrial Revolution, Fells were used to transport iron ore and coal from mine to town, as well as underground when the height of the shaft allowed.
Although previously used in trotting races, the Fell pony really came into its as a riding horse in the 1950s, when its gentle nature and pretty looks made it the pony of choice for families.
Today, the pony remains a popular choice for riders of all ages, among them the Queen who breeds Fell ponies at her Hampton Court stud.
