I HAVE loved horses for as long as I can remember and got my love of horses from my father. I grew up on a small mixed farm in Westmeath and, although we didn’t keep horses on the farm, my dad was a great hunting and horse racing fan.

I used to get so excited (and a day off school) when the Westmeath hunt came through the farm every year, and we went to all the local point-to-points and race meets.