We farm: “Sheep and sucklers on a grass farm looking out on Bannow Bay. The cows are mainly Charolais, with Charolais and a Limousin bulls. We rear the cattle to finish or forward stores. We only have a small flock of sheep, but they seem to take up a lot of our time. Sam and Polly, our two horses, are at the heart of our latest enterprise!

Difficult year: “The cattle are all in now, land is fairly wet again after a year of extremes. Normally we get the best of the weather in the southeast, but the spring was wet and fodder became a real issue in April – we were buying in bales for weeks before the weather turned. Then the summer saw a drought that limited grass growth again.”

Reaching out: “At the height of the fodder crisis in early April, Mattie posted a video on Facebook asking for solidarity among the farming community. He spoke openly about how diffcult he was finding it to watch his animals struggle through the horrible spring.

It touched a chord and went viral. Over 200,000 watched it in the following days, and national media wanted to talk to him. A recent video he uploaded on mental health has been seen by half a million people.”

Jacqueline’s new enterprise:”I have launched Bannow Bay Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning. Horses can reach and help individuals in a way humans cannot. Activities with horses can promote self awareness, speech development and improved emotional connections, to name but a few. It is complimentary to many established therapeutic methods. Sessions can range from merely sitting and observing a horse, touching, grooming or walking a horse or mounted exercise. The activities may be carried out in the stable, yard or sand arena. “

Feet on the ground: “ I am also running adult camps for two or three individuals showing aspects of horse care and stable management as well as other activities involving the horse and also teaching horse care to individuals who have bought horses. There is no riding involved, all of the sessions are based around horse care, stable management and groundwork activities.

Quotable quote: ”As Mattie says: ‘It’s better to be judged by twelve than carried by six.’ Farmers and their families need to care for themselves and each other. Mattie is looking for people to grow then shave their beards in the New Year to promote mental well-being.”