Oh man. That little blue book absolutely does not pull any punches. Without a breath of hesitation, I shot straight back into victim mode as I read it. It's about silence, and how the Al-Anon partner often uses it as a tool of spite. Hang on, I thought, as I read the text, cautioning the …
Seriously, Though: ODAT
As we call it in the rooms. Oof. Not gonna lie, this little blue book still gives me the shudders. I bought it, resisting, and read it, unwilling. But after buying it and becoming willing, that's when the changes — the courage to change — started taking effect. Copyright prevents me from publishing a photo …
One Day At A Time
All the folks who need meetings and can't get them have really been on my mind, due to social distancing and the current health climate. I've always been a fan of the twelve-step slogans and found them to be my way in to grasping the principles of the programme. Here's an excerpt from Many Brave …
Many Brave Fools and the Equus Film & Arts Festival 2019
Delighted to announce I am in contention for an award at this year's Equus Film & Arts Festival at the Kentucky Horse Park, 5-8 December. Gutted to say I can't be there to partake in this literal festival of horsey books and films, filmmakers and authors, panels and all sorts of activities. I am in …
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As Good As a Rosette
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 …
MANY BRAVE FOOLS 