I was working in my office early working on the book about Simon and I looked around and out the back door window and I saw Simon standing by the gate waiting for me, as he does every morning. He hears me moving around in the house and waits for me to come say good morning. When I come out, he gives me an ear-shattering bray, it can be heard for miles around the farmhouse and sometimes, in the cold mornings, you can see the mist from the bray. “Good morning, Simon,” I say and then I go and get him a carrot or horse cookie. And he munches and crunches it and I talk to him a bit, and then I come back into the house to work. I can’t really imagine writing without saying good morning to Simon.