Running a marathon is on everyone's bucket list right? I'm not sure it was on mine but in 2016 I ticked it off by running the London Marathon in aid of the Countryside Alliance.... So why, two years later I feel the need to run another one, is beyond me! But I do and I am! 

Not much has changed since 2016 on the running front, I'm still not built for it and I'd still much rather be sitting on a horse although I do spend considerably less time on the hunting field these days. I certainly wasn't bitten by the running bug, infact I've probably run less than ten miles in total since 24th April 2016 and most them have been after a loose pony or dog. 

Although at the time, I thought I was training quite hard, it was a pretty mediocre attempt.... I mean who really wants to go running in the pitch black for over an hour during the winter! Nor did I want to spend my one day off a week pounding the roads for 20 odd miles.... Little and often was my motto and I stuck by it up until I was targeted by the ghastly flu bug at the end of March which left me house bound for two weeks. The only plus side was it coincided with the Cheltenham Festival week so that kept me entertained - four days of uninterrupted racing, every cloud and all that. By the beginning of April all motivation had vanished and I was considering withdrawing but the fear of letting down all the kind souls who had sponsored me spurred me on and I figured I could walk it if necessary! All things considered, I was quite pleased with my time of 5 hours, give or take a few minutes.

So this year I know what to expect and I am going to smash it, both with training and fundraising! I am aiming for a sub 4 hour time and over £3000 in sponsorship so I've got my work cut out. This year I am running it for The Brooke Animal Hospital, a charity close to my heart. 

I have always supported The Brooke where I can from a young age; From selling friendship bracelets made out of offcuts of wool from my parents mill to unsuspecting customers when I was 6 years old to making regular online donations in my later years. I am a huge supporter of the work they do particularly the methods by which they do it. Although animal welfare is pretty high on priority list, education on how to reduce suffering is even higher and that's what I feel The Brooke are trying to achieve.

Brooke is an international animal welfare charity dedicated to improving the lives of working horses, donkeys and mules. Operating in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, they reach over two million working animals – more than any other organisation. They employ around 900 staff worldwide, including vets, animal welfare experts and development specialists.

Having been to India last year, where I helped set up a retraining of racehorses programme, I witnessed first hand how different things are in the poorer countries. While these thoroughbreds are pleasure horses rather than working horses and were not subjected to the conditions of those in Egypt or Jordan, the boys caring for them still had a lot to learn about horse welfare, management and training methods. Their desire to learn and their love for their horses was incredible, but lack of knowledge meant that certain areas of care were not as good as they should be. Shoeing was something that particularly stood out for me as an area that could be improved. But with no mobile farrier in his 18 reg van with all the mod cons including gas furnace, ready made shoes and thousands of pounds worth of tools in sight, they do a pretty good job with what they have and on the whole the horses are sound. The programme has since gone on to win the FEI Solidarity Award and I look forward to going back and helping them with their training again soon.

If you want to find out more about the amazing work they do then please visit their website www.thebrooke.org. Please dig deep and support such a worthy cause that is very close to my heart and keep an eye out for future fundraising events! xx

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