There could hardly be a greater contrast in the equestrian world.

On the one hand, an elegant top-hatted rider on a gleaming horse in the dressage arena and, on the other, a travelling head lad driving the lorry to the races and leading up horses for someone else to ride.

Those two activities are the extremes of life for 33-year-old Tina Cook, but she's loving every minute of it.

International three-day event rider Tina is in her off-season from competition and is busy assisting her brother Nick Gifford in his first season as a racehorse trainer at Downs Stables in Findon.

Tina drives the lorry to the races, makes the declarations, helps with saddling and, win or lose, is responsible for making sure the horses are ready for the journey home after they have run.

"One day - and I'm not saying when - racing is the direction I would like to go in," says Tina. "Nick and I get on very well, it's a real family business and we have to pull together to make it work economically."

With her top horses resting after a busy year, Tina has four youngsters to be brought on in the hope they will become one-day and three-day event champions.

She has time to help with the training and schooling of the racehorses and, although she rarely rides with the string in the mornings, she is on hand with advice based on 16 years' experience in the toughest of all equine disciplines.

"I think racing people are beginning to appreciate that getting a horse to the race track is not just a question of galloping them until they're fit," she added.

"Flatwork - getting a horse supple - makes him more of an allround athlete and much more able to cope with the stresses of racing."

The arrangement between brother and sister is convenient because Nick has very few runners during the summer months when Tina is away competing all over Europe. She enjoyed success at Junior and Young Rider level in her field and ten years ago was a member of the team which won gold medals in World and European championships and took the individual silver medal as well.

Tina's dream of Olympic competition has been frustrated by injuries to her best horses over the years.

"In 1996 both my horses had been brilliant at Badminton and were shortlisted for the Atlanta Olympics," she said. "But at a crucial stage both had minor mishaps and could not compete."

Four years later Tina was travelling reserve to the British Olympic team in Sydney.

"I was in Australia for a month and, while one is not hoping for a team-mate to fall by the wayside, it was frustrating - so near and yet so far."

On that occasion Tina proved herself an accomplished broadcaster when the BBC's Lee Mackenzie made her part of the team covering events in Australia.

"I can't say when I shall call it a day at eventing. I would love to be part of the Olympics but so many factors have to be fall into place," she added.

"Of course, I have my sights on next year but the standard is so high that everything for horse and rider has to be perfect."

One of the factors common to both eventing and national hunt racing is the spirit among the riders. "Both activities are dangerous," said Tina.

"Three years ago six riders died as a result of accidents in eventing cross-country and that danger exists in racing as well. So, although we are fiercely competitive, we do care very much about any of our mates if they are injured, just as the National Hunt riders do themselves."

Tina is married to Philip Cook who runs a marquee hire business in tandem with building fine houses. Philip went to the sport-orientated Millfield School in Somerset and is a dedicated golfer with a handicap of four.

"He has an affinity with all sport and, when I am away competing in the summer, Phil is busy with golf so we have our own space and that is a recipe for domestic success," said Tina.

Tina is especially close to Pippa Funnell, the current queen of world three-day eventing.

When Tina did a particularly good dressage test in the European Championships in Ireland last summer, no-one was more delighted than Pippa who had been giving advice on that particular phase of the competition.

As for the future, Tina can draw inspiration from Mary King, who is a few years older. The top West Country rider who took time out to have two children and returned this year at the top level.

Neither racing nor eventing can survive without owners to buy or maintain horses. Nick is keen to fill more than the 35 boxes presently occupied and Tina is searching for a sponsor to back her bid to compete in the 2004 Olympics.

Knowing the determination of the Gifford family, both owners and sponsors are guaranteed value for money and would always be welcomed at Downs Stables to see their horses in training.