Henry: A Carriage Driving Pony’S Life and Adventures

By E.J. Bilous

This is the Authors first book.
A true story of the long and adventurous journey of a pony,
its two owners and a dog.
The thrills and spills of learning and enjoying Carriage Driving on the roads in the English countryside.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Oct 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496990761

E.J. Bilous

The Author, on setting out to achieve his ambition without previous experience, dedicated all his spare time and energy learning how to Carriage Drive. Along the way it took many adventures with cuts, bruises, tears and laughter, but above all great joy. The Author currently lives in the countryside with his wife and they both continue to enjoy this traditional pastime.

Book preview

2014 E.J. Bilous. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,

or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/18/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-9075-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-9076-1 (e)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Contents

Introduction

Chapter One… In the beginning an ambition

Chapter Two… The search for the wonder horse

Chapter Three… Henry comes home

Chapter Four… A bag of carrots and a pocket full of polos.

Chapter Five… Let the real training commence!

Chapter Six… Bazil’s story

Chapter Seven… Escape to the Horse Hotel

Chapter Eight…. Learning lessons

Chapter Nine… Stories to tell of Thrills and Spills

Chapter Ten… Stories to tell of Trips and Slips

Chapter Eleven… Only another six months

Chapter Twelve.. Looking forwards to another six months!

Chapter Thirteen… The Dream..As told by Henry.

Chapter Fourteen… Good bye my friend

A final word…..

Acknowledgements:

Introduction

This is basically a history of a carriage driving pony and it’s owners over a period of some 2 years, although it is not quite as clear cut as that.

It is a true story, taken from our memories and records, and looked at from all sides.

Henry’s comments are as we thought they would be from his perspective.

Over time, the three of us shed blood, sweat and tears, so our relationship and bond became incredibly strong.

Even when suffering from a most painful and debilitating condition called laminitis, Henry always pushed on and forwards with true grit, never giving up.

We for our part never gave up on him, pushing him on when fit and well, and we had some incredible drives together.

In the darkest moments of this crippling, cruel condition we nursed him back to health, sometimes with tears in our eyes.

So sit back, read on, and share our journey.

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We meet for the first time

Chapter One…

In the beginning an ambition

Eddie:

I guess it all started some years ago when my wife Lorna and I regularly fished lakes in West Sussex. Access to these lakes was through beautifully maintained paddocks and fields. At the entrance was a large metal sign with Carriage Driving Centre, and an embossed print of what looked like a horse with wheels attached to its rear! It made me comment to Lorna that ‘Carriage driving must be a lovely way to get around’. However, that was the end of that particular ambition for a long time.

This was probably because neither of us knew one end of a horse from the other! That is apart from the certain knowledge, that one end bit, and the other kicked!

To be honest, at that time and for some time to come, learning to carriage drive or anything to do with horses, took a very low priority in our busy lives.

After several years we changed employment and location from West Sussex to Buckinghamshire. Our new employment was as housekeeper and gardener, to a retired couple, their house and acres of land.

Included in our new employment was a lovely detached cottage, just set back from a minor road, and beautiful woodlands. Now, both approaching sixty and semi retired, we had plenty of spare time on our hands, but for me fishing no longer had the appeal of the past.

One summer morning, whilst digging in the garden, I heard the clatter of hooves, somehow different from the noise of a ridden horse, and was delighted to see a shetland pony pulling an exercise cart complete with lady driver!

To cut a long story short, I soon made friends with her and over the course of six months, in exchange for simple horsey tasks, she helped me to achieve my ambition of carriage driving around the pretty lanes.

The pony was so well schooled and behaved that I rather think it was driving me!

My ambition was finally realised when I was trusted to go out for short drives with