DJing, horses and an hour of stress.

In my job, I often find myself doing things well out of my job remit. I'm doing a news editor's job whilst employed as a reporter for starters.

But nothing prepared me for my first experience as a radio DJ.

Lack of staff and an advertising deal forced me to take to the airwaves for an hour last week. I had to talk about horses and interview three-day eventers. “How hard can that be for a horse lover?” I hear you ask. Well.

I dragged best mate and boyfriend along as helpers/photographers/reporters/all round saviours.

Barry the salesman was there providing jokes, crisps, sweets and rubbish interviewees.

We had an hour to set up. Plenty of time. Until the head guide of the Palace we broadcast from took it upon himself to construct a crazy phone line that lead the whole way round the Palace so we could be in room that wasn't particularly special anyway.

He barked orders at all of us despite the fact I knew more about the equipment than him and it was my job. He also forgot my name twice, almost ruined our equipment, put everyone in a mood, rewired the phone line fifteen minutes before we went on air and made us half an hour late.

Never mind. Eventually we moved to the gift shop - which is were we planned to be anyway - set up and got on air. Needless to say by this point I was so terribly stressed that I was rubbish. I ummed, ah'd, didn't know who half my interviewees were and talked rubbish on air. I said "fantastic" about eight times.

I told the listeners of Perth that I was eliminated at a cross country course and fell off my horse. I also told the same story to Olympic Champion Ian Stark (an idol of mine) and a 17 year old who'd just been round the grueling cross country course.

My interviews with the riders and competition winners were fine. Just a shame the interview with the Polish spectator who Barry found trailing his wife and child round the gift shop didn't care abut horses. Oh well.

Next time I want everything to be set up four hours in advance, more expensive equipment, even more helpers and preferably someone else doing the DJ.

That said, I'd do it again.