Wigan rider waits to see if the horse who is her 'eyes, ears and legs' will become Agria 'Horse of a Lifetime'

The award celebrates the thousands of horses and ponies in Britain who may not be regular rosette winners but which enormously enrich the lives of their owners, riders or communities, and is decided by a public vote.

In 2022 it was won by Emma, the late Queen Elizabeth’s final riding pony.

Nirvana Morroko — known as ‘Roko’ at home, who is 21 — is now retired to the field but was until recently ridden by his owner, Caitlyn Saddington, 23, from Wigan.

Caitlyn suffers from Friedreich's Ataxia which affects her hearing, sight, memory and muscle use — meaning she is a permanent wheelchair user.

“Roko truly is my horse of a lifetime as when I lost my sight – I was already deaf – he stepped up and became my eyes and ears,” said Caitlyn. “He is such a special horse that he has reduced many in the gallery to tears watching us compete – so I have been told.”

During their six years together so far, Roko helped Caitlyn compete at international level para-dressage and the pair were even long-listed for the Tokyo Paralympics.

“Riding is Caitlyn’s absolute focus and Roko means the world to her,” explained Caitlyn’s mother Alison. “There’s an amazing trust between them and that’s why he is her eyes and her ears… and legs.

"It works on complete and utter trust, and is quite a partnership. Roko is a whole lot of horse and can be a little cheeky at times, but has never been for Caitlyn, ever.

"It’s as if he knows she trusts him to help her. Caitlyn also helps to groom and feed him and help as much as she can with the daily routine which helps their relationship.”

Horse and pet insurer Agria’s CEO Vicki Wentworth added: “We know better than anyone how much a horse can impact a rider’s life both for sport and friendship. Roko and Caitlyn’s story has really captured our hearts and we wish them the best of luck on awards night on 27 November.”