Why the long face barman?

DRINKERS have neigh problem getting a pint when Humbug the Horse is behind the bar.

The black and white Shetland clops into his local boozer to “pull pints” for regulars.

The pint-sized pony also likes a slurp on a pint of Guinness, carrots and some hay on his lunchbreak. His slot on the rota on Grand National day was down to publican Jon-Jo

Kerr, 34, who thought customers at The Imperial pub in Chorley, Lancs, would love his partner Jenni Penny’s pony.

Jenni, 26, said: “He’s my pony and I lent him to my man. All the customers are amazed to see Humbug behind the bar pulling their pints! He really likes people, so he enjoys all the fuss. He has carrots and hay in there and even a bit of Guinness.” “The customers were all talking about the race and it was very cool to have a pony in the pub for the Grand National.” Jenni, a nursery worker, insisted it was perfectly safe for horses to enjoy a stout now and then.

She said: “Not a lot of people know that it’s quite common for a horse to have a Guinness. They were given them in the olden days.”

The Irish beer is rich in iron and vitamin B and some showjumpers swear by mixing a half can in with their steed’s feed after a race to help them recover.

Affectionate Humbug laps up the attention and loves posing for selfies with boozers.

On the big race day, Jon-Jo even took Humbug into a betting shop for a flutter on a four-legged friend. Jenni added: “Jon-Jo took him into Ladbrokes to place a bet on the big race.

“The whole shop turned around and laughed when he walked in. They all wanted to give him a stroke.”

Sadly, Humbug didn’t strike it lucky on his bet…so it was back to the pub to drown his sorrows with another pint of the strong stuff.