( CNN ) -- Queen Elizabeth II has never lost her love of horses . Throughout her 62-year reign , the equestrian life has offered the Queen a sport , a passion and a means to temporarily escape her many royal duties . The Queen 's cousin , Margaret Rhodes , called it `` another world '' in a 2013 BBC documentary . `` With horses ... it reduces you to just the person in relation to the animal , and you 're not a Queen , you 're just a human being , '' she said . Now , the Queen has been honored with the inaugural lifetime achievement award from the world governing body of horse sport , the International Equestrian Federation ( FEI ) . In a meeting of monarchies , FEI leader Princess Haya of Jordan presented the Queen with the award at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace on Wednesday -- watched on by a former FEI president in the Duke of Edinburgh , Prince Phillip . `` She is a true horsewoman , '' said Princess Haya . `` She still rides whenever state business allows , and her knowledge of breeding and bloodlines is incredible . `` The bond between the Queen and horses is truly extraordinary and I ca n't think of anyone more fitting to receive this very special award . '' The Queen was only three years old when she had her first riding lesson at the palace in 1930 . For her fourth birthday , she received a Shetland pony named Peggy from her grandfather , King George V. Throughout the 1970s and 80s , she could be seen riding a mare named Burmese at the Trooping the Color ceremony to mark her official birthday . Burmese , a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police , attended the ceremony with the Queen for 18 years before the mare retired in 1986 . A statue of Burmese now stands in Regina , Canada . In equestrian circles , the Queen is best-known for her role as a leading British breeder of world-class racehorses . Earlier this year , top trainer Andrew Balding told CNN the Queen was `` probably the best-informed owner in the country '' . In June last year , the Queen won the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Estimate , a four-year-old filly ridden by Ryan Moore and trained by Michael Stoute . In all , horses bred by the Queen have more than 1,600 victories to their name . Nor is she the only Royal to have tasted equestrian success . The Duke of Edinburgh dabbled in carriage driving and played polo -- as have Princes Charles , William and Harry -- alongside his 22 years as FEI president . And the Queen 's granddaughter , Zara Phillips , won a world title in eventing in 2006 , alongside an Olympic silver medal as part of the British eventing team at the London Olympics in 2012 . Phillips was emulating Princess Anne , her mother , who won European eventing gold in 1971 and competed at the Montreal 1976 Olympics . `` The Queen has an incredible in-depth knowledge of breeding , '' said British Equestrian Federation chairman Keith Taylor , who attended Wednesday 's ceremony . `` It 's impossible to think of the Royal Family without thinking of horses . We are truly blessed to have a sovereign who values the horse and its many types so highly . ''
Queen Elizabeth II is given an equestrian lifetime achievement award . Hide Caption British monarch is one of Britain 's leading breeders winning more than 1,600 races .