O’Connor has had sell-out solo shows in Cork and Dublin and has nearly 90,000 followers on Facebook .

He often donates work to the Irish Horse Welfare Trust, including a series of original drawings of Breeze and Buttons for the IHWT 2013 Christmas cards.

Tony O’Connor said: “I’ve always painted horses. I grew up in a family of blacksmiths so I guess they’re in my blood. I’ve done other things, but I always come back to them. If I never sold another painting for the rest of my life I’d still paint horses.”

A spokesperson for The Doorway Gallery added: “Tony has a disciplined approach in his study of horse anatomy and puts great emphasis on technical execution. As with much of his work, the void of background and simplicity of the pieces serve to highlight the natural physical perfection of these animals.”