TV review: The Queen: A Passion for Horses

And at the end of last night's programme presented by another national treasure and horse lover, Clare Balding, you could well believe it. Incidentally, these women of different generations but with so much in common, were an engaging twosome.

After all, did not one of them pretend to parachute into the Olympic stadium and the other, easily win plaudits as our best presenter of the great 2012 Games?

Clare herself had a short but enthusiastic career as a jockey while her grandfather, father and brother have all trained horses for Her Majesty. She has that wonderful story of bursting into the family kitchen one morning, noisy and dishevelled, to find the Queen sitting round the breakfast table.

So who better to investigate the Monarch's lifelong passion for and love of, horses, than the earnest and proficient Miss Balding who still has the wonderful enthusiasm and questioning of the senior prefect at her school?

As for Her Royal Self, she can claim an amazing 65 years as one of our leading breeders.

After shots of our famous Queen alongside some of the world's most famous men, a Pope and an American president, for instance, it was switch to Balmoral where the Queen has helped save and preserve rare breeds. And I hooted at a candid camera shot of her seemingly jumping over chairs in her posh hat to get the best view at a race meeting.

She has about 180 horses of different breeds and a busy horsey 'midwife' who helps hundreds of foals into the world.

While cousin Margaret recalls that as a child, the Queen had a stable of horses – all in the nursery and having to be put to bed every night!

Her grandfather gave the little Princess her first pony, called Peggy, when she was four. Old, grainy footage from the private collections showing the tot astride Peggy was absolutely charming. And began a lifelong journey of owning, breeding, loving and being dedicated to giving her horses the best life on or off the course. The plain speaking Princess Royal reckoned "ponies were a natural extension to the pram" as horses became a family passion, underlined by young Zara, full of praise for horse-loving granny and her support.

I'm not a racing fan and flinch with pain each time a wonderful animal dies – usually at Aintree as I recall – but I can appreciate the commitment of genuine horse lovers to their long term care. At the birth of a foal – "that big shape coming from that little hole" an aside from a grimacing Clare – seeing the endearing little animal finally get to its feet within minutes of arrival, was actually … well … a lump in the throat job if you must know.

The Queen first became interested in racing during the war, thanks to her father, an admission clearly recorded many moons ago.

In fact the whole programme dwells more on archives – pictures and comment – rather than Clare and the Queen together in cosy conversation.

But the old footage along with staff, advisers, experts, present and former Royal stud managers, plus the vase (another one) the owner herself collected after a win, gave a different peep into royal life. And thumbs up to Her Majesty for making absolutely sure her horses all have a happy retirement.

Shirley Tart