People who exhibited an excessive attachment to animals once struck me as slightly suspect. Until I became one of them.
Dogs and cats I could take or leave. Then my wife and I embraced equestrianism. We did so to answer our own question: is it possible to bring up five daughters without them becoming addicted to fashion and Facebook?
Our stratagem has worked, so far. The girls, aged eight to 17, are rough and tumble without being precocious. Ponies have arrested their development. By which I mean they have yet to discover an unhealthy interest in make-up, boys or American teen soaps.
