What's the big deal, you wonder? It's only an auld piece of paper... Well, what happened was: we had a flat lesson in the upper arena. I am well over any fear of William losing what's left of his sanity up there — famous last words, but 'from the brain to the rein'. I have …
Have I Ever Told You My Michael Palin Story?
So: At the end of the taught year in my masters at Trinity, I moved to Stoneybatter after having lived in city centre. Of a Saturday, I loved to stroll down Manor Street, across a series of laneways and underpopulated byways, into the shopping district, always ending up at Easons bookshop. One Saturday I was …
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The Great Outdoors, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Cross Country
I hated horseback riding outside from the start. As I recount in Many Brave Fools, the fear started when I went on a ride out without ever having taken a lesson. The horse took off on me (the horse lightly cantered over a puddle and I went flying); my coccyx took the brunt; it would …
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Many Brave Fools at the Dublin Horse Show 2019
Just... can barely cope. I tried to write about my first Dublin Horse Show in 2007. I didn't even know there was one until someone asked was I going, and I was like whaaaat are you even talking about. I remember having to go sit myself down after only half an hour in the Main …
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This Picture!
Look how happy I am! Look how sweet his eye is! That is all. *** Many Brave Fools: A Story of Addiction, Dysfunction, Codependency… and Horses is AVAILABLE NOW. Order your copy today: > In the US, click on over to Trafalgar Square Books’ site. > In the UK and Europe, visit Quiller Publishing’s page.
Dressage: Just Like Life
We had a riding club dressage competition (unlike the last time, it was not one day event-style, so there was no jumping) and once again, I learned more than the test. I felt confident that I knew what I was doing, as regards having memorised the thing; I was not 100% convinced that the final …
Responding Versus Reacting
What happened was: we were down in the lower arena, and the going was great after a rainy winter and myriad puddles, doing a short course of low fences to work on sustaining our rhythm and finessing our lines in. The car park is directly adjacent to the arena hosts horseboxes. I had William, who …
Please Read This: A Review of Many Brave Fools
I have been twice honoured by Haynet as their Blog Of The Week, and now they do me an even greater: this review by Louise Broderick. Thanks a million! *** Many Brave Fools: A Story of Addiction, Dysfunction, Codependency… and Horses is AVAILABLE NOW. Order your copy today: > In the US, click on over …
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Please Tune In To Becauseofhorses.com Podcast (I Am On It)
Click right over to becauseofhorses.com and choose your platform! I am so honoured to have been interviewed by the wonderful Elise Chand, who is such a good interviewer and producer that I am actually okay with listening to the sound of my own voice. As a journalist, I know exactly how much hard work goes …
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‘The Champagne of Apples’
...according to The Internet, from whose many rabbit holes I now debouche, blinking in the light. There wasn't much trial and error in discovering Cathal's favourite treat. Carrots are a welcome second, Polo mints are expected in addition, but when it comes to apples, there is a definite preference. It's not like he'd refuse anything …
MANY BRAVE FOOLS 