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.
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 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 …
All King Edward’s Horses…
I knew there were loads of different ways to remember your letters in the dressage arena, but Chronicle Of The Horse have outdone themselves with their comprehensive list. I'm not at the level that requires Vs and Ss and Rs and Ps, and I'll probably stick with my own favourite for obvious reasons, but I …
Note to Self [Literally]
Ahead of talking to Elise Chand of Because Of Horses for her wonderful podcast, I got a lil bit nervous. So I wrote myself a note: just a few things to keep in mind as I prepared to be on the other side of the questions for once. I was most worried that I'd start …
MANY BRAVE FOOLS 