A self-described glamorous granny has published her eighth equestrian book.

Sylvia Loch, 73, says she first hit the headlines by talking about the rider’s bum because the word was never mentioned years ago.

Her unconventional approach caused controversy, but today her influence is widely accepted.

Lady Loch, of Tilbury Juxta Clare, is now launching The Rider’s Balance, which covers unexplored aspects of riding.

She said: “Firstly, I love writing - I have written since about the age of eight, mainly pony books.

“One of my first proper books was to tell people about the magnificent horses of Spain and Portugal as noone knew about them in this country at the time and I discovered them when I went to work out there.

“My major tome, The Royal Horse of Europe, came out in l986.

“Not long after I wrote a book called The Classical Seat.

“Having been trained to ride properly in Portugal I felt it was time someone explained in real depth how horses like to be ridden.

“At that time we were certainly not winning Olympic medals.” Lady Loch says gets her inspiration from the horses themselves.

She still regularly rides her own horse, Mr P, and hops on from the ground without a mounting block.

She also coaches international students and gives dressage demonstrations up and down the country.

In her latest book most of the photos of Lady Loch and her students have been taken in East Anglia.

The photographer, Anthony Osmond-Evans, 75, is also known for his books, especially The Spirit of London in 2012.

This was commissioned by Boris Johnson who presented it to all the London 2012 Olympians.

The Rider’s Balance is published by Kenilworth Press and will be launched at the Portuguese Embassy in London on October 30.

To pre-order visit classicalriding.co.uk.