A HORSE with a reputation for bucking off his owners has worked a treat for North Yorkshire rider Julia Picken.

Broken Rule helped her clinch a good win in the B and C class on the first day of the summer show at Renfrewshire in Scotland.

This upgraded the former advanced event horse to a grade A show jumper. Julia switched the bay gelding from eventing to show jumping when he took a dislike to the dressage section.

"We owe our success to the help and coaching I receive from my sister, Angela Nelson," she said. "We both run a competition and livery yard at Swainby."

Before Jeff Cowley bought the mount for Julia to ride, Broken Rule had bucked off several previous owners, some ending up in hospital.

But the new partnership was so successful that Mr Cowley refused offers to buy the gelding, saying he had finally found his home. And last August he gave him to Julia as a birthday present.

The next outing for the pair is the Scope Festival at Stafford this weekend, where they will be campaigning for the B and C final and the ladies championship