How The Queen's Love Of Horses Extended To Their Caregivers As Well

Nothing could come between Queen Elizabeth II and her animals. Whether it was her beloved corgis or her favorite horses, the queen was a devoted animal lover.

In fact, her love of horses may have even surpassed Queen Elizabeth's known love of corgis. When growing up, Queen Elizabeth was given a Shetland pony at the age of four from her father. And from there, that love of horses only transcended her childhood as Queen Elizabeth famously remarked that she when she was older she wanted to be like a horse — a passion that would follow her for the rest of her life. As an avid rider, Queen Elizabeth rode throughout her life and was even riding months before her death, simply because she loved it and didn't want to stop. "The Queen has enjoyed being on her horse again. The Queen had missed her riding over these nine months," a royal source from Windsor Castle said at the time, per the National Post. 

And now, as the world honors the late queen ahead of her funeral, her former horse trainer is finally speaking out on how the queen not only changed horses' lives but his as well.

A match made in heaven — and not just for the horses! After meeting Queen Elizabeth II in the 1980s, Monty Roberts, a renowned horse trainer, has finally opened up about his relationship with the queen and how she inspired him until her very last day.

Back in the '80s, the treatment of horses focused on violence and abuse, until Roberts stepped into the ring. Roberts focused on positive enforcement to train horses and was able to train them and their riders to work together in one sitting — something that was unheard of during that time. It was a training method that Queen Elizabeth II knew was the future, per People. So as the queen worked alongside Roberts, she encouraged Roberts to spread his message — and Roberts listened. By 1997, Roberts had released a book and, since working with the queen, took his training to 41 different countries. Yet, the one place he always came back to with his training was the queen's residence. 

Despite the pair's close relationship over horses, rumors once circulated that Roberts was one of her best friends, and he wanted to clear the air with the queen explaining that he had not started the rumor. However, to Roberts' surprise, to the queen, the rumor listed him right where he belonged. "I don't even know who's in my inner circle — but if I had to choose, you would definitely be in there," the queen said.