After a friend asked me to bring some of our ponies to her child’s birthday party to do rides. As soon as we did it and saw how much children loved it, we realised what an amazing business opportunity it was. So I quit my job as an operations director and together my husband and Istarted Ponies4Parties. Then we were offered the chance to buy two reindeer and from there Real Reindeer began.

Starts with feeding all the animals, which usually takes about an hour and a half. We worked out that we prepare 28,470 reindeer feed bowls every year! While we’re feeding them we’ll check them off, they have names and personalities so we can tell if one isn’t feeling well. We also check that none have got up to mischief overnight. Last week one calf got a bucket stuck on his head. If we have a booking that day, I’ll usually take two reindeer – being in pairs keeps them calm – and try to make sure they behave. We limit meet and greets to two hours so that they don’t get tired and our pens are big enough so they can get away from hands if they don’t want to be stroked. We have one reindeer who always stays on the farm as he’s not really suited to the work. Their wellbeing has to come first.

Work life: Angie Flint, reindeer handler