A lot can happen in a year. If anyone ought to know, it’s Sienna Charles. As the daughter of British show jumper and Olympic gold medalist Peter Charles, MBE, horses were always going to be it for her. In 2023, she made her 5* debut, helped Team GB secure a silver medal in the Nations Cup, and was in the top 10 in the Grand Prix in Falsterbo. She moved on to win multiple 5* classes in both Dublin and Brussels. By the end of that same year, Sienna was in the hospital, thinking she’d never be able to ride again. 

Today, Sienna is back in the game. With a clear vision, a strong motivation, and a never-fading passion for horses, she is as determined as ever to make her mark in the sport. We are proud to announce Sienna Charles as the latest athlete to join team MD!

About Sienna Charles

• Born: August 19, 2002

• Lives in: Hampshire, UK

• Competes for: Great Britain 🇬🇧

• Discipline: Show Jumping

• Instagram: @sienna__charles
  
  

When we talk to Sienna, she’s back on home soil in England, at least for the next few days. Soon, it’s back to Spain for another round of shows in Valencia – spring is in the air, and show season is on. Now, she’s just in from a jumping session.

For someone who does not know you, how would you describe Sienna Charles? 

– I’m a show jumper, and I ride for my family stables, Heathcroft Farm. I travel a lot with work. Horses are the center of my life, as is my family. I think they make you into a better person in life, in all aspects, really.

Heathcroft Farm, located in the southeast of England, is where Sienna grew up. The renowned show jumping facility is managed by her father, Peter Charles, together with Sienna and her siblings – her older brother, Harry Charles (born in 1999), and her older sister, Scarlett Charles (born in 2000).

– I started riding when I was about two or three years old. My dad did it professionally and had a very successful career, he was still competing when I was growing up. When I started school, I began riding on weekends and on the days when I finished classes early. That had a very large appeal because I wasn’t a big fan of school, Sienna says smilingly.

– I would spend hours grooming the horses and ponies. When I wasn’t on a horse, I was with them. So I just love the animals themselves. I never really looked to any other career path; I’ve always known I wanted to do this.

Was it always going to be show jumping for you?

– I have to say, my parents – my dad particularly – tried to push us into other things growing up. Because it’s quite a hard lifestyle, a great lifestyle, but to run a business and make everything successful at a high level is a lot of work. Dad always wanted me to be a singer. Nobody really knows this, but I did some recordings and everything. I never thought I was that good, though. Harry was going to be a golfer, and Scarlett actually does art along with riding as well; she’s very talented. So yeah, our parents really pushed us into other things, Sienna laughs.

When Sienna was 16 years old, she sat down with her parents and told them she wanted to get into horses professionally:

– I said, “This is all I want to do”.

”To run a business and make everything successful at a high level is a lot of work.”

– Sienna Charles

Did you ever contemplate any other disciplines?

– No, I never had an appeal towards anything else. If I did, I think I’d like to be a jockey!

Scarlett Charles debuted at the 5* level at the same time as Sienna in 2023. Their brother, Harry Charles, became an Olympic gold medalist for Team GB in Paris in 2024. He secured the medal together with team members Ben Maher and Scott Brash – the same two athletes who stood on the Olympic podium together with his father 12 years earlier in London. The sport is in Sienna’s blood, to say the least.

How do you think growing up with family members who share your passion for show jumping has shaped your approach to the sport?

– I think it’s been a huge blessing. As an athlete, I think you mature much faster when you can learn from their mistakes. And you’ve always got great advice on your side. However, some pressure does come with it. A few extra people are watching, maybe they have a set opinion about you before you compete or things like that. But I’ve never really listened to those tongues or read anything; I just stay in my bubble and focus on myself, my horses, and my family. It’s brought us all really close, and I think that’s great.

What are your long-term goals as a show jumper?

– Of course, I think everyone would say the World Championships, the Olympics, and the like. I’d also say a goal for me is to jump at the 5* stage consistently and do it well. Another big goal is to take over Heathcroft Farm with my siblings. So I aim to learn how to deal with the business and training and become an athlete and a business person as a whole – an all-around horsewoman.

Can you tell us a bit about your interest in breeding?

– I was about six when we had our first foal born at the farm. Even two months before it was due, I’d wake up every morning before school to check the field to see if there was a foal. So it sort of stems from that, the surprise and everything. Now we breed about seven foals a year, and we’re having good success with it. We try to keep our foals outside in herds, and they get broken when they’re five, which could be considered quite late by some. But we don’t like to do too much too soon. I have a few seven-year-olds, and they’re just starting to step up now. It’s the best feeling! You put in the work and then see them develop.

Nowadays, Sienna tends to be careful riding younger horses. When she was 16, she had a young horse she was in an accident with. The horse tripped, and Sienna landed face-first, breaking her cheekbones, nose, and jaw. A few years later, a previously unknown heart condition forced Sienna into heart surgery. A couple of months after that, bad luck struck again.

– I was doing very well. I tried to build up the world ranking and all that. One day, my horse spooked. I was only trotting, but he tripped and fell on his knees, and I fell directly on my head. From that fall, I developed post-concussion syndrome. It was horrible. I would try to listen to people, but I couldn’t hear them or make sense of any of the words they were saying. I had bad migraines, 24/7 pain, and extreme fatigue. I didn’t leave the house for about four months, it was a really bad time. 

Eventually, Sienna got better. Nowadays, she rides with a Q-Collar and a special helmet with anti-concussion properties.

”There were days when I couldn’t move my legs at all. Then, I really thought I’d never, ever ride again.”

– Sienna Charles

– When I came back, I had the best year of my life, career-wise. This was in 2023, when I stepped up to the 5* level, and I was on the GB team consistently. I did my first 5* show in Falsterbo, which went incredibly well. I was second on the team in the Nations Cup, and I was in the top 10 in the Grand Prix. I went on to have my first 5* wins in Dublin and Brussels. 

However, the prosperous year was about to take a dark turn.

– I woke up one day with a bad pain in my back. It slowly developed over a few months until I couldn’t move – the pain was so horrendous. The doctors didn’t know what it was or what to do with me.

Finally, the source of Sienna’s pain was found. She had a lesion in her spinal cord and multiple fractures in her back. 

– I was very, very unwell in the hospital at the end of 2023. There were days when I couldn’t move my legs at all. Then, I really thought I’d never, ever ride again.

Since then, Sienna’s state has improved immensely. 

– Everything worked out. I still have nerve pain, but I’m on proper medication that helps decrease the size of the spinal cord lesion, so the pain management is much easier.

How do you find motivation on a tough day?

– I’m quite a positive person, and I try to think like “This is my situation, I have to learn to deal with it”. You really have to learn to live with the situation you’re in, try to be optimistic about the future, and just take everything day by day. Focus on things you can do in your daily life that lift you up and that you look forward to.

Do you have anything in particular you’re looking forward to now?

– To get to know my up-and-coming horses and step up some of my younger ones to a higher level. Hopefully, I’ll get to represent Team GB in some Nations Cups and win some classes. We’ll start with that, and then we’ll see where we end up.

Sienna’s future does look bright, and despite the hardships she’s endured, she remains optimistic and resolute to keep on moving up in the world of show jumping.

– I feel like we’re ready for a big year! she says.

What are your thoughts on becoming an MD Athlete?

– I’m really, really excited. I think the clothes are very functional but also stylish. Outside of horse riding, fashion is one of my big passions. I love the Maya Delorez design, especially for the Compression Breeches. They’re really great.

What are your favorite MD pieces?

– Admira Compression Breeches or Izabella Compression Breeches – all black or beige. I think beige can look quite classy.