Always expect the unexpected

If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from a lifetime with horses, it’s that we never stop learning. Last Friday that message was brought home to me with a bang!

On October 24th I wrote about the 12.2 hh Connemara pony who I’d taken to the cranial osteopath. If I’m honest, I haven’t noticed much difference in his nervousness so far although I was able to catch him today on the first attempt in spite of having taken off his head collar previously. Though this might be because he now looks forward to coming into the stable and having a feed.

Anyway, last Friday he was due to go back for his second session with the cranial osteopath. I parked the Volvo and horse box in its usual place between the gate posts at the top of the hill which runs past our house. I have loaded horses and ponies in that spot for the twenty one years we have lived here as it makes life easier to be able to use the gate if they won’t load. As I was on my own, I loaded a 12 hh Welsh pony first who doesn’t mind going in, called Sprite. Sprite was tied up, had the back bar across behind him but the back ramp still open.

I then went back to the stables to fetch the nervous pony. I was just unlocking his door when I heard Sprite whinneying rather more frantically than usual. I looked around and saw that the car and horse box had gone. Vanished completely! For the first split second I thought someone must have driven off with it and then a horrible thought occured and I ran as fast as I could down the lane to see the car had ploughed into the beech hedge at the bottom and Sprite, now very put out, jumping up and down in the back with the ramp still open. Thankfully he was fine.

I suppose the distance the car and box travelled on its own was about 100 metres downhill and it was lucky it hit the hedge and didn’t veer to the left and out onto the main avenue to the neighbours’ houses. Such a relief to find the poor pony all right that I don’t mind about the damage to the front of the car and the loss of a fog light. It could have been so much worse.

I had put on the hand brake, which had failed, but had forgotten to leave the car in gear which is very unusual for me as my son, who is having driving lessons, is amazed that I automatically put it into gear after turning off the engine. I can only conclude that I was in too much of a hurry that day.

As I said, we live and learn. I will definitely be checking the gear stick next time or, better still, finding another place to park for loading horses.