the monarch , 88 , was spotted trotting through windsor great park aboard her faithful black fell pony , carltonlima emma .
joined by a groom on another of her fell ponies , the queen cut a relaxed figure as she enjoyed her ride but , as is her wont , eschewed a helmet in favour of one of her silk scarves .
since then , the royal stables have been home to a succession of steeds , among them betsy , a black farm-bred horse who was her mount of choice in the 50 's , and surprise , a grey gelding whom the queen famously galloped down the course at ascot in 1961 that