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