Hellfire in the pony ranks

Never trust a pony’s sweet and fluffy exterior, remembers Tessa Waugh, as her peaceful post-hack cup of tea is disturbed by wild antics in the paddock and a diminutive culprit

- Tessa Waugh

IT is easy to forget when you look at the pony – pricked ears emerging sweetly through a thatch of mane, heart-shaped bottoms and butter-wouldn’t-melt expressions – that all is not as it seems. Any amount of hellfire can be unleashed from that teddy bear exterior at any moment of day or night.

Take last week. Frances and I had been taking the children out for a ride after school. Afterwards I put Josh in the field with Frances’ ponies while we sat in the garden drinking tea. We were discussing hunt fundraising and mulling over the idea of a silent auction.