I'd describe myself as average academically. I was bright enough, but I found it difficult to concentrate at school and I was lazy. I realise now though that I could have done better.

I grew up in Newmarket, Suffolk, and until I was 10 attended Fairstead House, a primary school on the Heath there. Leaving home for boarding school - King's School in Ely, Cambridgeshire - was a hell of wrench and initially I hated it. But I soon started to enjoy myself and found the fact that the school was co-educational quite fun.

King's was very laid back and we had some excellent teachers. The school was located in beautiful medieval buildings and set around a courtyard. We used to eat our meals in a lovely old converted barn. Every day we attended morning service at Ely Cathedral - I've nothing against church, but I thought having to go every day was a bit over the top.

The cathedral is beautiful but I didn't appreciate it at the time. My mind used to wander. I was intrigued by one chapel that was full of statues which had had all their heads knocked off by Cromwell.

Every other weekend we were allowed home. As I got older and got more into things at school, I went home less and less. I got on well with most of the staff, especially the headmaster whose daughter was a friend of mine. But I was headstrong and had strong views on things and liked to speak my mind. I was always in trouble. I was often suspended or put into detention. The headmaster used to apologise for having to punish me.

There was a lot of emphasis on sport - which I enjoyed. In my first year in the senior school I had to take part in an army training course. This involved assault and orienteering programmes, overnight camping on the Fens and running 20 times around the Cathedral at six o'clock in the morning. Once I got the hang of it all I enjoyed it.

Growing up I was mad about horses and spent most of my free time riding. As a child I had great ambitions to be a jockey but, by the time I was 14, I weighed seven stone and I knew I was going to be too heavy.

I left school at 16 without any clear idea about what I wanted to do. I did eight months at a secretarial and language college in Reading. I really enjoyed that. It stood me in good stead and I found it a great help when I went to work for RTE.

In my late teens I spent a year and a half travelling around the United States as a work rider - that is riding horses for different trainers - before going to work for my mother's bloodstock agency, buying and selling horses. I started with RTE in 1989 doing outside broadcasts at the races. They later offered me a full-time job. I've been lucky. It's very interesting work and I've been able to do sports presentation in a variety of areas, including racing, show jumping, hurling and soccer.

Tracy Piggott is an RTE television presenter. She was in conversation with Yvonne Healy