The Ride of My Life

Michael Clayton has enjoyed a fascinating career as a professional journalist on Fleet Street – but the highlight of his career was his work as a editor and journalist in the field of horses, and with hunting horses in particular.

This is his autobiography in horses: his boyhood work in local stables, his first post as a cub reporter, leading eventually to his appointment as editor of Horse and Hound magazine.

Here he talks frankly about his involvement with the Royal family and their horses, his roving hunting brief, the development of new safety standards in riding, and all the key characters of the equine world whom he got to know first-hand. He worked as a reporter of horse-racing, show-jumping, carriage driving (disastrous!) and with almost all the hunts of Britain, Ireland and the USA. Michael also recalls the time of the hunting ban, among other key moments.

His account, with photographs, is witty, incisive, pacey and very frank.