The young people who come into racing today have much to learn from those "characters" that have been involved and worked with horses all their lives. One of those "characters" is Ernie Peterson.

I first met Ernie two seasons ago at Wynbury. Ernie was there at first light to feed the horses. Everything about him seems to breathe horses. They are his reason for being.

I would watch him check the strings of horses over as they were brought out into the indoor school to start their work for the day. He did not say a great deal, unless something was wrong, such as tack not on as it should be and bandages missing from precious legs. His priority was the horses. He would tell me to look at the jumping capability of this one; show concern for one that had lost some confidence; tell me the history of the success of another one. For a man of four score years and more he was someone you knew had worked hard, thrived on it, and had a story to tell.

Illness and hospitalisation had led to a period of curfew at home in 2009. He kindly agreed for me to visit him and talk to him about his life. Before I went I did some research and found that there is already much written about him filed away on the Internet. I printed out the articles and information and took them with me. Two tired hours later I felt I had overstayed my welcome and closed up my bulging notebook that was full of stories. A further visit brought us almost up to 2009 and I had a wealth of information to compact into an article.

By chance meeting, a couple of days later with Raye Wilkinson whose spent much of his life until retirement working for the Stable Lads Welfare Trust, and a good friend of Ernie’s, led me to an extraordinary find. Ernie had in fact recorded much of his life himself. All handwritten in a big blue hardback book. Raye had just started to type this up for Ernie but, with Ernie’s permission, I brought it home.

For some weeks now I have tried to condense my interview material and Ernie’s book into an article and at least 10 times have scrapped it, as it does not do it justice.

Ernie came to Middleham from a north east mining community where his father and his four brothers had worked at Wearmouth Colliery. Ernie’s first contact with horses was when evacuated in the war (1^st), to the village of Well, striking up a relationship with a welsh pony called Paddy and riding for the first time. Then there were the shire horses on Sampson’s farm and when he went home the Percherons at Vaux’s brewery and the pit ponies who had two weeks holiday at Whitburn.

He left school at 13 on the Friday and on the Saturday his father travelled with him on the bus to Middleham to work for the trainer Michael Everett. From there began a life with horses. Working for a number of trainers, then as head lad for the Sultan of Oman returning in the 1980s to work for Henry Candy. A serious accident on the all weather gallops, where the leg was literally pulled apart at the knee kept him out of racing for 2 years. With the help of an owner,Mrs Mary Bromley, her friend, Mr. Benson a surgeon at St. John Radcliffe hospital and Raye Wilkinson and the Stable Lads Welfare Trust he recovered. His return to work began at Micky Hammonds yard and then to Ferdy’s to feed those horses at 5.30am!

When asked about the highlights in his life in racing I was not surprised when he talked about his invitation and day at Ascot after winning the Stable Staff of the Year award in 2005. Then he talked about a time at Ferdy’s when everyone was away in Ireland or at Cheltenham. Ferdy was interviewed on the television and expressed thanks to Ernie and Janet, (Ferdy’s partner), for all their help. He was visibly touched by that as it meant a great deal to him.

The jockeys he admires are Lester Piggot, of whom a photograph hangs in his sitting room, John Francombe and Graham Lee.

The horse he talks about whose picture is also in his sitting room is Primula Boy, who has his own chapter in Ernie’s book. A horse that had did not have a good start but with TLC and patience made good.

His final remark to me was that he would have wished for no other kind of life.

There is so much of interest that reflects life in racing over the past century that I would like to publish his writing in a booklet. He has many fascinating photographs, which could be included. Ernie would be happy to give any money raised towards the care of a retiring racehorse. If there is anyone out there who has access to a printing machine and is willing to help please let me know. I can be contacted on Julia@paservices.org.uk