A SMALL village overflowed as friends and family gave a "legendary riding instructor" a "royal farewell".

Hundreds of people attended the funeral of Jill Carenza, aged 72,  who was the founder of Cotswold Riding in Santon, one of England's most prominent schools.

She was also famed as "the Queen of Hirelings" for her work hiring horses to hunting groups.

Evesham Journal: Jill Carenza owned Cotswold Riding.Jill Carenza owned Cotswold Riding. (Image: Submitted)More than 800 mourners gathered in and around St George's Church in Didbrook and others had gathered in a marquee at Stanton Club to watch the service.

An additional 170 people watched worldwide, including countries such as Australia, New Zealand, America, Crete, Switzerland, Dubai and Germany.

Evesham Journal: Jill had been riding ever since she could walk.Jill had been riding ever since she could walk. (Image: Submitted)Horse and carriage drew her coffin with two horses wearing plumes in the racing colours of her late father.

Tractors also pulled friends and family in trailers to the church. 

Her journey saw Mrs Carenza be taken from Cotswold Riding Club to The Vine - where she had lived for more than 50 years - and then taken to Didbrook for the service. 

Evesham Journal: MISSED: Jill Carenza doing what she loved. MISSED: Jill Carenza doing what she loved. (Image: Submitted)The Rev John Newcombe began the service by saying Mrs Carenza's whole life had been dedicated to the equine business.

At the service, John Hoare, who had riding lessons with Mrs Carenza, said: ""She gave people opportunities to progress their riding to levels they never thought they could get to.

"Under her guidance, Jill would let people test themselves and take risks on horses when she knew they could do it. That trait in people is very difficult to find nowadays." Alan Walker, who had been her vet for 40 years, had written a eulogy which was read by his colleague Tom Righton.

Mr Walker paid tribute to Mrs Carenza's instinctive knowledge of horses and her extraordinary rise to the top in what was then a " largely male-dominated industry."

The master of the North Cotswold Hunt, Oliver Dale, then blew Gone Away on the hunting horn as the funeral procession set out to return to Stanton, where hundreds lined the street to say a final farewell. 

She is survived by her husband, Lui, daughters Kate, Sarah-Jane, Charlotte and Emily, eight grandchildren and three stepchildren.

The business is now being run by her daughters, Kate and Emily.

The live stream of the service can be found here.