I've always got a sweet tooth. I have chocolate hidden in places that nobody knows about.
From Tony McCoy
Most days, I have a slice of toast, then lie in a hot bath for an hour to get up a sweat. I have a sauna at the racecourse and then go and ride. On the way home, I might stop at a service station and have a bar of chocolate and a Diet Coke. And that's it, basically.
You need fear and doubt to drive you on. Without it, you end up living in the past and being happy with what you have achieved.
There is no place for arrogance or complacency in racing because you are up there one minute and on your backside the next.
Horses are like people - they have different personalities. They can be nice, friendly and hard-working, or awkward, difficult and lazy. If horses were people, some would be on the dole, and others would be entrepreneurs.
You don't have to be Einstein to see that horse racing is dangerous. Those two ambulances driving behind you aren't there for the scenery. I will never get over the fatalities of colleagues. It is the saddest and toughest part of this sport.
When you give someone a commitment to ride their horse, you do it - unless, God forbid, something serious has happened. It would be laziness not to do it.
I've been on some very good horses which have died, and that's very tough to take. But as much as we love the horses, and care for them, human life is obviously more important. Some good friends of mine have died or been paralysed while doing a job we all love.
If you break your sternum or your ribs, you can still move. It's going to hurt, but if you can cope with it, you'll do it.
You only worry about your head or spinal column. Everything else, some way or another, will repair in time.
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