OFF YOUR HIGH HORSE
Claire Healy, 32, from Pontypridd, thought there was neigh way her ponies would survive…
Brushing my new horse’s mane, I stroked the lightning bolt of white hair down his head. Henry was a calm, gentle giant. Compared to Belle – our new feisty, hazel beauty.
Last November, me and my partner, Matthew, 34, trained horses for racing and had bought these two beauties a fortnight before.
By day, I was a dog groomer, and in my spare time, I loved looking after the ponies.
‘Let’s go to the beach!’ I said to my eldest, Megan, 14, as she climbed on Belle’s saddle.
I jumped on Henry’s back and we all trotted up the seafront.
Riding horseback, my trusty steed kicking up the sand, I admired Merthyr Mawr beach.
As we guided Henry and Belle through the sand dunes, I felt Henry jolt forward, sending us both headfirst on to the wet sand.
‘What happened?’ I said, heaving myself up. ‘Ow!’ Megan yelled.
I heard a thud behind me as
Belle tipped over.
Dusting ourselves off, we turned to our stallions in the sand.
‘Up you get,’ I cooed, tugging on Henry’s reigns.
But he didn’t move. Looking down, I gasped – his
Henry jolted in the sand
legs had disappeared.
Quicksand!
I thought. ‘Oh no,’ I started to panic.
They were both trapped. And sinking…fast!
‘Keep them calm,’ I said to Megan, as she tugged at Belle’s neck. ‘We will find a way to get
them out!’
The more they moved, the deeper they sank. Luckily, me and Megan weren’t heavy enough to get dragged down.
I called 999, and we were promised that firefighters were on their way.
What if they didn’t make it in time?
Would we watch our horses die?
Holding their necks up to help them breathe, Megan and I tried our best to save them from the quicksand. Then suddenly, Henry fought back.
Ever so slowly, he shuffled his toes up the sand until his front legs were out. Copying him, Belle pulled herself out, too.
‘Yay!’ Megan cheered with relief, jumping up and down. After an hour’s battle, they collapsed on the top of the sand, exhausted and free. By the time the firefighters arrived, we were all safe. Since, Henry and Belle are back to themselves. They aren’t scarred at all. Hold your horses!
The bravest stallions I’ve ever seen!
Hobbycraft are encouraging you to create and enjoy crafts from the comfort of your own home. Entertain the children this summer and teach them about history, science and English as you try these fun and simple step-by-step guides. Go to
for more fun summer crafts.
Get imaginative with this fun simple tutorial by The Poncy Pantry and learn how to create clay dinosaur fossils. Arrange your own fossil hunt for the children. They will love pretending to be palaeontologists, making the fossils and digging for them around the garden.
YOU’LL NEED: Rolling pin Modelling tools
Air drying clay Dinosaur toy pieces
METHOD:
1. Layout what you need and select the dinosaur models you want to use.
2. Start by cutting a section of clay with a knife. Modelling tools provide a safer way to do this with younger children. If your clay feels dry, try adding a small amount of water to soften.
3. Massage the clay with your hands to soften, then roll into a smooth ball. Flatten the clay ball into a round disk shape, smoothing the edges as you go. Make sure the clay disk is thick enough (1cm recommended) and wide enough for your dinosaur mould to imprint.
4. Place your dinosaur toy in the centre of the clay disk and press down. Apply pressure on all parts of the dinosaur. Set aside to dry in a warm place for approximately 24 hours.
5. Hide them around the garden for children to discover. How many fossils can they find? Can they tell you what dinosaur the fossil belongs to?