I just heard the news that Davy Jones, lead singer of The Monkees, died this week from a heart attack, in the company of his beloved horses, in his stable.

He held an amateur jump jockey’s license and rode as an apprentice jockey in Newmarket.  He won his first race as an amateur at Lingfield on Digpast.  He also owned several racehorses in England and in Pennsylvania.  His daughter Talia is a showjumper.

I grew up watching The Monkees on TV and I had a crush on Davy back in the day.  He was part of a sensation, and you can get a taste of it here, along with the chance to see Davy in a place where he was happy, on the back of a horse: