Zara Tindall found it ‘hard work’ returning to sporting career after children

Zara Phillips at Cheltenham Racecourse (PA) (PA Wire)

Zara Tindall has told of “feeling guilty” about returning to her sporting career after having children in an interview with her husband Mike.

The Queen’s granddaughter, speaking to the former England rugby player, admitted she found it “hard” to “get her body back” after giving birth.

Zara, an Olympic equestrian, spoke about her three children – Mia, Lena and Lucas Tindall – as part of a new YouTube series called Mike Drop in collaboration with the Magic Millions horse-racing event.

The Princess Royal’s daughter said: “After having Mia (in 2014), I was like, ‘right this is my goal, this is was I need to get back’ (to riding).

“I had a good horse to come back to which is great for your confidence, so I wanted to get back for him as well. Trying to have a goal is probably something that I always need. I always need goals in my life and set many goals in my life all the time.

“But it is hard getting your body back when you’ve been riding for 30 years or whatever it is, 25 years, and then your body being just completely not doing that and your muscles doing nothing and stretching and creating an amazing thing, but it’s just completely different.

“To try and get your body back to where it was I found hard work, but she was along for the ride as well with us, she is very much taken around to the shows, which is kind of easier when you have one.

“I found it hard getting yourself back to it, but mentally you feel guilty as a mother leaving your child to go and do something else.”

Zara told of feeling guilty “all the time” about being away from her children, saying she would ring Mike “every day”.

Mike then asked if she was able to give her sporting career “everything you wanted to give it?”

Zara replied: “The stuff that I missed was down to another great chapter in my life and I’m very lucky that I could run them alongside each other.

“I think I’m lucky that in our sport I could do both and still be able to ride at the top has been a massive drive for me and I think, I’m hoping, that it makes me a better mother because they can experience it with us and with me and all those characteristics of that life.”

Zara competed in the London 2012 Olympics, winning a team eventing silver medal – which was presented by Anne.

Also in the 30-minute interview, she spoke about growing up with horses and her parents’ love for riding.