Many friends helped us to edit and compose the book, especially Annabelle Harling, Maggie McDonnell, and Jeannine Golding. Our thanks also to Julia Scholes, Andrew Golding, Laura and Veronica Deacon, Elizabeth Reynolds and Mark Rashid for their suggestions, and to Guy and Adele Nevill for giving us the use of their bolt-hole. Diana Maclean deserves much credit for her patient photography, and also Paul Thompson for so much help and so many pictures.

There are many people who have helped us along the way, including Linda Ruffle, Lorraine Fidler, Richard Searight, Meg Jackson, Dido Fisher and Henry Robinson. We are indebted especially to Jo Lindsey and many of our helpers and working pupils, particularly Helen Whittaker, Kate Reece, Brian Mortenses, Lisa Mygind, Carrie Milton and Ella Wall, who enabled us to concentrate on writing while they looked after the yard. Thanks also to SCSI – Andy Hughes, Simon Messenger, Huw Parry and Tim Hills, who work tirelessly to desensitise the horses.

For their never-ending support and encouragement, we owe our mothers, Lynn and Jeannine, undying gratitude. Without the generosity of Derek Partridge, we might never have been anything more than a one-horse family.

Finally, we would like to thank all of our teachers, especially Mary Wanless, Kelly Marks and Monty Roberts, without whom we wouldn’t have a story to tell. In particular, Kelly’s support, inspiration, encouragement and belief have helped us achieve things we would have never thought possible.