The Crossing Place brought back an instant memory for me. Nothing to do with Elly Griffiths’ first book in the Ruth Galloway series, no this involved a riding school horse who had been born to be a racehorse but just didn’t shape up that way. We were out for a ‘cross-country’ lesson, so probably a Pony Club event. I suspect those fields are housing now. I’m not going to look on the satellite images to find out… I googled the Pony Club the other day, and my old branch no longer exists. I’m starting to realise that things before the 1980s are just part of history to other people. Watch out for the review of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers to see what brought that on!
Anyway, Wireman is a horse. He had an excellent imagination. I’ll try and find the picture of him crossing a fence that in his mind is worth the effort. The actual was just two feet smaller than he wanted it to be.
Back to Crispina Kemp’s wonderful picture and Crimson’s Creative Challenge (150 words max.) for the week. I got this into 150 words exactly.
The Crossing Place #CCC037
Yes, Wireman, three strides and ‘hup.’
My legs and hands tell him that. He has other ideas.
One, two, BRAKE.
My centre of gravity returns to the saddle; I push him forward with my legs.
He twists right; my right leg straightens him. Come on, lad. No, not left, go straight. Up and over. Left leg busily works that direction.
Wireman holds his head down and snorts. He stares into the depths of the six inch deep, nearly two feet wide, bit of stream I’m asking him to jump.
Come on, lad. You could step across it, but you’re supposed to jump. No, you’re not backing off.
Repeat ‘he twists right –> not backing off’. Several times.
There are no dragons in there. No nasties. No surprises. No monsters.
Hang on, we’re going!
Six feet into the air and eight feet forwards.
Ten minutes later and we’re on the other side.
© J M Pett 2025
I love your introduction to this. I’ve read the book you mention. But more it was your comment about 1980s now being history. Apparently this new generation are referring to the 1980s and 1990s as ‘the 1900s’. Humph!
And the main event, yes, caught it, lovely.
Thanks, Crispina. And thanks for all your lovely photos
Great little story! I never had the chance to ride much, but I get the part about the horse doing what it wants—that’s about as far as my experience went!
I used to ride and horses can be VERY stubborn. I love the ‘ten minutes later we are on the other side!”
Hi,
Insight, and a memory of an unknown world, on horseback, and trying to be in that horse’s mind too.
No ponies in my early life, not even as fiction,
Instead, with other like minded and often mud-covered youngsters, archaeoloogy,
including, on wet days, the art of washing and numbering – not exactly telegenic….