| Anyone who owns a horse or pony knows that | | | | go. Released from her annoying encumbrance |
| acquiring the equine is just the start of | | | | Ben's speed increased. |
| your problems! Take Ben, for instance. | | | | |
| | | | People scattered right left and centre as he |
| Ben arrived in the village with my sister who | | | | set out to prove that the shortest distance |
| had just come to live on the hilltop on the | | | | between two points was a straight line. As |
| opposite side of our 14-acre goose green to | | | | the risk of being trampled to death passed |
| my own cottage. They say that size isn't | | | | most of them joined in the growing crowd |
| everything, and my sister's Shetland pony | | | | chasing after the miscreant. |
| proved the point. He, Ben, measured all of 36 | | | | |
| inches to the withers (the highest point of | | | | From Kerry's point of view the approaching |
| his shoulders), but in his mind he was as big | | | | stampede must have been a hair-raising sight. |
| as a Thoroughbred horse with the courage of a | | | | |
| lion. He also liked mares. The fact that most | | | | First was Ben, closely followed by a |
| of them were considerably larger than he was | | | | mini-pick-up, a couple of motorbikes, several |
| just didn't enter into it as far as he was | | | | push bikes, a gaggle of people on foot, three |
| concerned. As soon as one came into view he | | | | sheepdogs, a terrier, a Labrador, an English |
| would start snorting, stamping and showing | | | | setter, me, and my sister, sodden from the |
| off, galloping up and down behind the fence | | | | waist down. |
| as they passed. When they looked down their | | | | |
| noses at him and walked on he obviously | | | | What else could any self-respecting filly do? |
| thought it was their loss. That was until he | | | | As Ben screeched to a halt in front of her |
| got his come-uppance from my palomino pony. | | | | she swung round and planted two hind feet |
| | | | fair and square in his chest. |
| It was a nice summer's day. Bees buzzed, | | | | |
| birds sang, and my sister decided to take Ben | | | | Ben was unhurt but devastated to find that, |
| for a bit of road work. As usual in the | | | | having at last encountered a filly with no |
| holiday season the village green was swarming | | | | intervening fence to get in his way, his |
| with holidaymakers, some playing games, some | | | | attentions were not wanted. Rejection hit him |
| enjoying picnics and some just sitting. A | | | | hard. Head down, tail drooping he turned and |
| couple of local lads were playing round on | | | | plodded back across the green - small, |
| motorcycles and one young man was washing | | | | pathetic and almost lost in the crowd of |
| some mud off a pick-up down by the stream. | | | | erstwhile pursuers. |
| | | | |
| I took my palomino filly, Kerry Dancer, out | | | | Ben's depression didn't last long. See below |
| of the stable and tethered her on the hill in | | | | to find out more about his further |
| front of my house then walked over the green | | | | adventures. |
| to join my sister who had stopped to let some | | | | |
| admirers have a closer look at the little | | | | Bio paragraph (resource box) below: |
| chestnut pony. Ben ignored us all and munched | | | | |
| happily at the lush grass. Suddenly his ears | | | | Theodora Cochrane has a lifetime's experience |
| pricked and his nostrils flared. He'd scented | | | | of looking after all sorts of animals from |
| Kerry Dancer. Rearing up with a stallion-like | | | | pet mice to horses. For more stories about |
| screech he set off over the green at a flat | | | | Ben visit Horse Tails or Email For anyone |
| out gallop. We were all completely taken by | | | | interested in enjoyable and successful |
| surprise. My sister hung on to the lunge rein | | | | horse-training Theodora recommends 'The |
| for the first 30 feet or so down the hill | | | | Kikkulu method of horse training' by Ann |
| ending up on her backside in the middle of | | | | Nyland. For more details Click Here! |
| the stream before she finally gave up and let | | | | |