I was animal mad when I was young and I longed for a pony. I went to ride ponies in the zoo, my first ride was on a Shetland pony which I saved up a sixpence for. When I got a little bit braver, my second ride was an elephant in Dublin zoo!

Before I left school, I started riding lessons with Dudgeons in Dublin and afterwards I studied there and got my BHS (British Horse Society) instructor certificate. That was my life to begin with.