LIKE the school matron whose remedy for everything from a sick bug to a suspected broken arm was to give us a Strepsil, my self-medication for nearly everything - from a relationship break-up to general malaise to a nasty cold is to go hunting. It occupies your mind and body entirely. There is no time to drip about and feel sorry for oneself, and it is almost impossible not to feel better, even if it is just for a few vital hours.
After a few very intense weeks on-site at big events, where the relentless pace, long hours and camaraderie mean you (me, anyway) are on a constant adrenaline surge, it is easy to "crash" afterwards.
Suddenly, all that vanishes and all that you have is your own company, a laptop at your kitchen table and six or seven months of mucking out in the rain.
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'Sorry, but I wasn't feeling it'
Fresh from the opening meet, Tessa Waugh hasn't quite yet been bitten by the hunting bug. Without the crisp autumnal air and cheek-pinching cold she hoped for, it's a sluggish start
New pair pull off a win
A former European Championships pony is on form with his new rider, while elsewhere former showjumpers and eventers take ribbons
Lording it over the rest
Horses who have returned from injury, a second generation homebred and a long format specialist score on the final weekend of the British season
Smith hits flying form
A \"her way or no way\" mare helps Zoe Smith to an impressive ribbon haul and a rider beats his own boss to the top spot
Jankorado hits the jackpot
Paul Sims is triumphant despite his interrupted jump-off preparation and a borrowed horse comes up trumps
Peanut
From \"dangerous, scary\" to hedge-hopping brilliance, hunting has been the making of this unstable but very lovable equine character
She's a corker
Communication, says long-standing and highly respected Belvoir master Lady Sarah McCorquodale, is the key to all, as Catherine Austen discovers
Access all areas Cavalier Centre
The Cavalier Centre is a fully accessible, state-of-the-art equestrian centre designed to improve lives through horse-based activities. Ellie May Forrester pays a visit
'Use it or lose it'
Not everyone wants to reach for the pipe and slippers at a certain age. Becky Murray speaks to some veteran horse-and-rider combos for their secrets of human and equine longevity
A new way forward
Worm control in horses is vital, but established methods will not remain effective for much longer. Tim Mair FRCVS explains why and how we need to change
