To sum up event rider Emily Galbraith I would say she is determined and fearless!

Based at the family's arable farm near Ancrum in the Borders, Emily's family has always had horses, they hunted and it was only due to the foot-and-mouth outbreak in 2001 when hunting was cancelled that Emily and her sisters changed disciplines. They started showjumping in pony classes, and Emily qualified for the Royal Highland Show.

Once she became too old to showjump the ponies the family looked for a horse for Emily. They went to look at Crown Alliance, an established showjumper at grade A level with the idea that he'd show Emily the ropes and be aimed at young riders classes. When Emily first sat on 'Squiggles' she knew that he was something special, however little did the family know just how good he was going to turn out.

"When we went to see him I didn't think much of him but when I rode him he had the most phenomenal canter stride and a huge jump, I knew I had to have him," remembers Emily.

"Everything was geared towards hunting and foot-and-mouth made us change our thoughts," explained Emily's mum Dot. "He looked quite different that I'd imagined him to be and I wasn't keen on having a horse named Squiggles in my stables either!

"He's Cleveland Bay crossed Irish Draught/TB and we never thought he'd go up the grades let alone make the time."

However Squiggles came back to their farm, and initially Emily showjumped in classes up to 1.50m level. But with no show centre local in the Borders and a lot of travelling to be done Emily decided to look for something else and started eventing.

2003 was their first year together and the pair were placed in the top 10 in most of their events. The following year they aimed at JRN classe and were part of the Scotland team at the JRN championships, being double clear and placed ninth individually.

To improve their flatwork Emily went to Ian Stark for lessons.

"He was brilliant and very helpful right from the beginning and showed me the ropes," recalls Emily.

For a horse that does not look like a traditional event horse Squiggles surprised everyone by making nothing of the cross-country courses, devouring the tracks.

In 2007 was the year that people sat up and took notice of the overgrown Exmoor pony with the mealy nose, when the pair won the under 25 championships at Bramahm. They had done an advanced class at Chatsworth before going to Bramham, however Emily was aprehensive and thought the course was a tough challenge for them.

"I felt the course was unrideable. Ian walked the course with me and advised the lines for each fence," said Emily. "But Squiggles was just amazing, he's an old warrior and as long as you don't take a check and keep kicking he just jumps and keeps going."

Amazingly the pair had the fastest cross-country time of the day – including the senior competitors – to propel them to the top of the leaderboard. They had a fence in hand going into the final influential showjumping round and despite one fence down it still kept them way out in the lead – almost 13 marks clear of the rest of the field.

"It was just amazing, we didn't sleep for a week afterwards," said Dot.

This win, coupled with a third place in the final junior selection trial, led to the pair being selected for the Great Britain young riders team for the European Championships held at Blair Castle. Here they scored the best dressage of the team, jumped double clear and won team gold and individual bronze medals.

After that they headed to Boekelo in October and on their way the British Eventing performance director Yogi Breisner phoned up Emily as she travelled to be part of the senior GB team. However it was disappointing that Squiggles tied up before the cross country phase and they were unable to complete. As a result Emily now takes all her own water to each competition as well as using their own haylage, which her horses are used to rather than use bought in brands of haylage.

The following year they were all set for Badminton – their first crack at four-star.

"It was our first time there and we couldn't believe just how friendly and helpful everyone was. I thought the course was huge and Squiggles was lit up at the start of the dressage," said Emily. They completed in 40th place after a run out across country, which in part was due to the combinations naivety as Emily admitted she hadn't walked any of the long tracks!

Afterwards they were aiming for Burghley but Squiggles went lame and it was discovered that he arthritis in a leg. He was turned away for over a year and laterly when sound Dot hunted him. However in the spring of 2010 Emily was back riding him and after a run at Belton decided to put an entry into Badminton.

"I was way down the wait list and didn't think I'd get in," explained Emily. But two days before the event they got a call from Badminton to say Emily was in. It was a rush to get everything packed and travel down to Gloucestershire.

Squiggles wasn't as fit as he had been on his first visit but jumped double clear and finished 36th and Emily won a saddle from the Worshipful Company of Saddlers for the best rider under 25.

With the family firmly focussed on eventing, Timing was bought from Terry Boon as a five-year-old in 2007. The Belgian Warmblood is by the showjumping stallion No Limit. "He went up the grades really quickly, he's just amazing on the flat and very scopey," explained Emily. Showing just how quickly they impressed the following year they were selected for the GB young riders team at Kreuth.

"His dressage was weak but he was double clear and 11th," added Emily. Since then Emily has been getting help in flatwork from Aly Boswell, who runs Auchinleck horse trials. Aly is near neighbours to Emily's dad's aunts, Miss Heather and Jean Galbraith who run the Eglinton horse trials at Barskimming Estate.

Timing won the two-star at Burgie in 2010 and was fourth in the CIC*** at Blair in 2011. Last year they came up trumps to win the CCCI*** Scottish Open Championship at Blair, being double clear.

This year they have already been fourth at Oasby and fifth at Weston Park and are entered for Badminton next month.

"He's the type of horse that best to save for an occasion," said Emily, a member of the BEF World Class equine pathway.

Another horse that Emily thinks could be just as good is Caugherty Red Adair, who was bought as a three-year-old for Emily's sister Anna. "He's taken a long time but is such a nice horse with lots of quality. He's Timing's friend, and is very laid back."

The horses have a nice, varied lifestyle. They go to the Whillans gallops at nearby Hawick every fourth day and the local farmers are very good and allow Emily to use their fields. The horses swim in the river and Emily tells us tales of going out hacking and jumping hedges and gates for fun instead of opening them!

It's a family hobby, dad John drives the horsebox and sister Flora comes and grooms at the big events. This year she has started riding for owners, although would like more at all levels. The most experienced is Mark Gilbert's Annaghmore Eagle Chief at two-star level as well as bringing on her own Foxy named horses to compete and sell. Emily teaches at all levels and offers a schooling and training livery, there's a purpose built cross country training course on the farm, large outdoor arena and horsewalker. They offer a personal service, where the whole family is involved.

"I'm looking forward to Badminton, it's amazing to get a second horse that I've produced get there," added Emily.

Her dad sums it up well: "Eventing is an expensive sport but we've had the most tremendous fun and it's taken us to the most wonderful of places."

Quite and no one can take those memories away.