What type of horse owner are you?

You've read every book written by Monty Roberts, you've been to all Mark Rashid's clinics, and you dream of being given the ride on Kelly Marks' horse Pie. You swear by ground work as the best way of getting to know a horse, and you're as happy taking your horse on an in-hand 'hedgerow walk' as you are riding him. Competitions don't interest you at all. Some of your yard mates might think you're nuts for trying reiki and aromatherapy on your horse, but you're not bothered – you're happy doing your own thing, and that's all that matters. Now, if only you could teach your horse to do reiki on you, you'd be in heaven!

OMG, why are your horse's droppings so firm? Could that be the start of an impaction colic? And does he look a bit lame to you? You've got your vet's number on speed-dial – not to mention your insurance company, all the hotlines from the various feed and supplement companies, your YO, and your YO's mum, just to be on the safe side. You accept that anything involving horses carries an element of risk so you do what you can to protect yourself and your horse but making sure you're both kitted out with the best possible protective equipment whether you're going cross-country schooling or for a quick hack around the block.

You've been riding since you were a child and it comes as naturally to you as walking. You treat your horses with the same brisk affection as your dogs – or kids. You can deal with pretty much any minor ailment without calling out the vet, and you can't understand why people spend a fortune on the latest gear – you're still using the same New Zealand rugs on your horses that you've had since the 1980s. Well, if it ain't broke, don't fix it! You don't really bother with competing these days, but if the urge does strike you to do a dressage test or enter a hunter trial, you can be confident you'll come home with a rosette.

You live to compete. Your bedroom is stuffed full of autobiographies by Mary King, Pippa Funnell, Carl Hester and all your other equestrian heroes, and you've got your laptop fixed up in your room so you can watch dressage tests on YouTube in bed. Well, it all helps! You never have any money to go out drinking, because you spend it all on your trainer – and you couldn't go out anyway as you're up at 5am every Saturday and Sunday to plait up your horse. Some events you win, and some you lose – but it's always your fault when you mess up, and not your horse's. He tries his heart out, and if things don't go according to plan, there's always next weekend!