THE late Anne Lane (née Horsburgh) never made it to Millstreet with her literary trailer but, at this time of year, she will be remembered by many selling her books and chatting to all at the Tattersalls international horse trials.

Anne, who died on Thursday, March 13th aged 95, had a lifelong love of horses which developed early when she and her sisters, Jean and Dorothy, travelled to and from their home Swiftbook House, Saggart, Co Dublin in a pony and trap.

She grew up in a bygone world and had a vast repertoire of stories recalling days’ hunting with the South County Dublin Harriers and, in later years, with the Kildares, Taras and Ward Union. When she was a little older she was to be seen in the point-to-point field, being one of the first women to take on the men in this very tough sport where falls resulted in her “wonky nose and banjaxed knee”.

Anne shared her love of hunting, good food and good times with her husband Stuart who she married in 1960; Stuart sadly died in 2007. They would hunt three or four days a week and then think nothing of flying to London or Paris for a short break. They loved hunt balls, dinner parties and to travel, exploring the world long before it came the thing to do.

The couple welcomed the first of their three daughters, Caroline, into the world in 1962 and, a year later, Liz was born. At this stage the family was living in Dunboyne but, in 1965, they moved to Bridestream House, Kilcock where Tara was born five years later. Now it was time for ponies, Pony Club and working hunter competitions.

Anne, who was a working hunter judge, loved her days out at country shows, but she also developed a passion for eventing and she and Stuart ran the very popular Bridestream one-day events in the mid-1980s. She owned Trudy, who was ridden by the late Diana Gilna, while, with Stuart, she owned Willoughby and Ziconut who were both campaigned by Sue Shortt. Tara evented the couple’s ex-racehorse Clear The Way and Trudy’s son Truman.

The Riding for the Disabled organisation was also dear to Anne’s heart and she hosted a weekly group at Bridestream for many years.

Anne hated doing nothing so, when she decided to slow down a bit, she bought a little trailer and started selling horsey books – not to make money, because she didn’t, but to chat away to her friends. She and her trailer could be visited at such diverse venues as the Tattersalls Ireland international horse trials, the Association of Irish Riding Clubs’ Festival and the hound show in Stradbally.

Not to be outdone by all the great tomes she was selling, Anne wrote her own autobiography about growing up as she did and her life with horses titled ‘Horses, Memories and Experiences’. She finally retired from the book world a couple of years ago but, even up to the end, she was still sorting out volumes and rearranging her large collection.

Anne Lane passed away at 8.35am on Thursday, March 13th in her own bed in Bridestream House, looking at horses out the window. The highlight of her year was watching Cheltenham on television so it was fitting that she died during Festival week. She is survived by her daughters Caroline, Liz and Tara, sister Dorothy and extended family.