Dear Santa,

First – thank you for fulfilling last year’s wish for a Connemara pony, he has turned out to be all I wanted and more! My first Connemara and I don’t think I’ll ever go back – he’ll do dressage with me one day, hack to the beach for a gallop the next and then teach my kids rising trot on the weekends, he’s a saint!

But this creates a new request darling Santa - what I now need is a 3.5 tonne horsebox to cart said saint pony about the place. We simply can’t continue to attempt to traverse the country in our current rust bucket! He deserves better! And polishing up three children and two ponies in the cramped quarters of the back of an old Ifor just won’t do!

And, while you are at it, a nice quiet cob for my long-suffering husband would really be a treat. As I’m sure is the case with all horse husbands, he does all of the work and gets none of the reward. From fencing and mucking out to building stables and chauffeuring us around the place, the least we could do is find him a nice trusty steed, so he can join in on the fun - don’t you think, Santa?

Much love from me and the boys, who have promised to be on best behaviour between now and the big day - let’s hope!

Lesley Hunter Nolan