I did not often – or ever – imagine in my life that I would kiss a horse every morning when I began my day. Chloe, Maria’s much loved pony waits for me at the gate, and I give her a kiss on the nose. She is a bull-headed sweetheart, she has her own ideas about things, but she is always ready with a kiss, Red and Fate can run right under her legs without worry, she loves to be fussed over, groomed, walked and spoken to.

She has a lot of Simon in her, I see, very easy around people, a lover of children, nothing much rattles her. I recommend kissing a horse at the start of the day, it sets the right tone in our fractious world. I’m so glad animals do not embrace politics.