LYMINGTON schoolgirl Charley Larcombe has achieved a goal many catwalk stars only dream of - she's a cover girl on a national magazine.

Charley's wide smile and windswept raven locks are splashed across the front page of H+P monthly.

But she has to share the limelight with another leggy model - her pony Tally.

H+P magazine - formerly Horse and Pony - has chosen 13-year-old Charley and her New Forester Tally as one of their featured riding teams of 2000.

Charley, from Pilley, is a pupil at Priestlands School, and has had to cope with some ribbing from classmates since her sudden burst of fame.

"There have been some silly comments at school, but mostly people have been nice and I'm really enjoying it, said Charley.

"When I saw the magazine on the news stand, I thought, 'I recognise that girl. . .' Then I realised it was me."

Charley's best friend has been Tally ever since she saw her pony being born in the New Forest nearly five years ago. Now Tally has been broken-in for riding and the pair are raring to start jumping.

"Riding Tally for the first time was a really top moment. I have looked forward to that ever since the day I saw him being born," said Charley.

Fame has its rewards - H+P magazine helped Charley deal with Tally's horsebox phobia by sending nationally-renowned horse psychologist Cathy Tindall to analyse him. Charley said: "I thought Tally was being stubborn, but really he was scared. Cathy pulled his tail, massaged his pressure points and stretched his legs. It took a couple of long sessions, but he's a different horse."

Now the two are looking forward to winning rosettes at this year's New Forest Show - and reading all about it in H+P magazine.

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.