A CUMBRIAN Fell Pony breeder has said it was her pony that the Queen was spotted riding last weekend in Windsor Home Park.

The picture made front page news, with the photograph being the first sighting of the 94 year old since leaving Buckingham Palace in March.

The Cumbrian Fell Pony, Farleton Fern, was bred by Claire Simpson from The Fell Pony Society.

“I was thrilled to see the pony that I had bred being ridden by Her Majesty The Queen!” she said.

“When I switched my phone on I was bombarded with Facebook messages from people who had seen the press release asking if the pony was ‘my’ Fern.

“Since then several neighbours have seen the story and recognised her.”

In reports the pony had been called Balmoral Fern, Ms Simpson has said this was a mistake.

“They got it wrong, the name of the pony is actually Farleton Fern,” she said.

“The grooms and stud people at Windsor gave the press office the details of the pony and because they’re not pony people they ended up calling her Balmoral Fern.

“On one of the reports they’d just called her Fern and then I think it got changed to Balmoral on the basis that the ponies the Queen breeds are called Balmoral.

“I’ve got confirmation from the stud groom from the palace that it is her.”

Fern was born and raised in a field off the A6 at Hale and was sold to Her Majesty last September.

“I already have a pony with The Royal Family,” said Ms Simpson.

“I was approached and asked if I had an older pony which was to go in the Duke of Edinburgh’s team.”

Her Majesty is patron of The Fell Pony Society, whose aim is to protect the breed which is native to Cumbria and other northern regions.

The Queen is a known lover of horses and has been involved in riding, breeding and racing horses all her life.

“The Fell Pony Society is very proud to have the Queen as patron,” added Ms Simpson.