Sarah Todd: Fingers crossed now that son wants to 'look like a horse man'

The writing was probably on the wall from the start, what with the sex maniac beach donkey we started off with. This is why we won't "go on" about Velvet, other than to introduce her and ask for a collective fingers crossed that it's a partnership made in heaven.

The early signs are good, with her young jockey dashing out to check on her morning and night and – for the first time since being bucked off a different pony – asking to "go further" on rides.

He hadn't worn his flat cap since a trip to the races over a year ago, but grabbed it for this photograph, below, declaring he wanted to "look like a horse man".

The observant will notice some power lines in the background, which reminded me about an incident a couple of weeks ago. With absolutely no warning a helicopter came over, hovering right down.

We found out later that it was checking the pylons for damage. Our old horses weren't that bothered, but we're surrounded by flighty thoroughbreds and they were a completely different story. Some of the mares had newly-born foals which could so easily – as they all galloped around in panic – have run through fences and ended up with broken legs or goodness knows what else. My mind also raced to farmers, it was right on "turning out time" when the helicopter came over, exactly the time of year when cows and calves would be being turned out after spending the winter in sheds. It would be an absolute miracle if there were no mishaps, as there's nothing dafter than a field of heifers feeling the grass under their feet for the first time in months – never mind with a helicopter hovering a few feet above. How dare the power companies arrange such a fly-over with absolutely no notice? Yet another example of disregard for the countryside.