00:00I think I just have a general love of animals, and since I was a very little girl I've always had a dog in my life, something four-legged.
00:09But I think seeing horses on Dartmoor when I was a little girl, seeing the ponies out there, I loved watching them.
00:18And later seeing horses on television, I was never sort of up close and personal with horses for a very, very long time.
00:24But seeing them on television and seeing what stunningly beautiful creatures they are, so elegant when you watch them when they're moving.
00:34I never actually rode myself until I was well into my 30s, and I had a horse.
00:41Her proper name was Extra Time, but to me she was Katie.
00:44I had some wonderful adventures with my beautiful, beautiful thoroughbred mare, Katie, competing and riding across Dartmoor.
00:51And I suppose I could say she was what kept me sane when I was reading the news, when I was travelling the world, when I was doing a lot of international work.
01:00I would come home to Devon, to Katie, saddle her up, and go out on to Dartmoor, 365,000 acres of Dartmoor in front of us,
01:12and just look at open countryside, beautiful open countryside in front of me, and go for a ride.
01:19No phone, no people, no cameras, no noise, no traffic, just the ponies and the sheep, and the skylarks, and open, open countryside.
01:31And the freedom that that gave me, that wonderful feeling that you could do something for yourself, for your soul, if you like,
01:42to be just at one with another living creature, and have the kind of relationship that means that I could talk to her.
01:50She did listen, but she never answered back.
01:55But to be able to have that kind of association, and that kind of relationship with another living creature,
02:02and be able to enjoy the thrill of the speed, of the wind in your face, and the countryside around,
02:12and the ground disappearing underneath those thundering hooves, there was something very special about that.
02:18And I think Katie kept me sane for a very, very long time.
02:23And I don't ride anymore, but I still love to be in the company of horses, because I think they are quite majestic animals.
02:31And I love being associated with this charity, and with other animal and horse charities worldwide,
02:37because I hate the thought of cruelty towards them in any way, shape, or form.
02:43They are such beautiful creatures.
02:44I can't come to grips with them.
02:48I can't imagine what must be going through someone's head to be cruel, unkind, vicious to them.
02:56I just, I can't see it.
02:58I think they're such magnificent animals that I want to do something positive that enables them to live better lives.
03:08And that's exactly what the Mare and Foal Sanctuary do.
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