I turned the Gloucester Christmas lights on and our local Newent lights on, so everyone recognises me now. It is a completely different life for me.

That's why success hasn't changed me: because I don't want to be famous or do TV or be a model or be recognised in a shop. I'm not interested. There's nothing worse.

I don't ever want to be famous. I never want to live that life. I genuinely hate the fact that I would be stopped for a picture or an autograph all the time.

For most athletes, there's a focus on your own fitness, but I have to rely on my horse, too. I've been very lucky so far, and it hasn't presented a problem, but you can never count on a competition going as planned until you're there and actually doing it.

I think we're actually the only sport that has a mix of men and women competing together. The majority of other sports are separated by gender.

Riding Valegro always makes you smile, so I enjoy it.

I can't help but smile when I ride Valegro; I think something, and he does it. I laugh, and I think, 'God, how does he know? I didn't even ask. I just thought it.'