My life with horses: A best-selling author with a myriad of animals to take care of

Join Hannah as she runs you through a week that encompasses everything from horses to interior design

Hannah Russell is a best-selling author and entrepreneur based in the Yorkshire Dales with her three horses – Alfie, Paddy and Pepper – two dogs, two rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens. Her first book was published when she was just 17 and featured her miniature Shetland pony, Little Alf.

Monday

Mondays are always hectic. I’m up at 5am to squeeze in a spin session before I muck out the horses. Having them at home is such a timesaver, particularly when work gets really busy. Next, I head off to the office, wolf down breakfast and get stuck in to the day’s work. I’ll be taking part in the Great North Run for Brooke this year, so I make time for a training run in the evening. I’m more than ready for bed after that, so it’s a quick dinner, then   time to hit the hay.

Tuesday

My alarm goes off bright and early. I wander down to the stables to get the horses sorted in the dark – I’m really lucky to have lights on the yard, which make it all possible when I’m doing everything so early. I like to spend Tuesday mornings doing some clicker training and natural horsemanship with my horses to polish their skills and give them something to think about. They usually do about 40 minutes before going back out in the field, then I head inside to get changed for work.

Wednesday

I’ve got a meeting scheduled with Helping Rhinos and Wild Welfare for my brand, Russell Wildlife, today, so I’m kept busy all morning. I squeeze in a quick hack with Paddy at 2pm, then it’s time to check and confirm our new clothing range and prepare for the website launch.

Thursday

I spend a few hours working with This Esme and Aimee Vivian, both fellow Brooke ambassadors, on a new youth campaign for social media. It’s a super-exciting project to work on and we spend the time putting some ideas together. I then have an interview with BBC Radio York about my upcoming book releases, followed by some work on social media. I spend Thursday evenings giving the horses a good pamper and organising hay, feed and the tack room.

Friday

Friday’s the best day of the working week because I get to work from home, so I enjoy a lie-in until 6.30am. It’s my day for organising paperwork and creating social media content – more exciting than it sounds, I promise! Today I’m looking at new products for my shop, Russell Home Interiors, and finalising some design projects. I really like to keep busy and my businesses and writing projects give me plenty to do.

Saturday

I fill my Saturdays with horsey activities to give myself a proper break from being in the office headspace. Today I start off with a natural horsemanship session, then enjoy a happy hack around the stunning Dales with Paddy. It’s such a gorgeous day and really makes me appreciate where I live. I even manage to squeeze in some clicker training with Alfie, which he’s been loving lately.

Sunday

Finally, a day of rest! I spend the morning exploring with a long walk, dogs in tow, making the most of the good weather and enjoying free time spent outdoors. I then rustle up a delicious roast – beef today – before spending the afternoon mucking out and giving the horses a thorough groom, then tucking them into bed.