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Press, 31 October 1981, Page 25

Random reminder

GETTING TO GRIPS

Not unusual names — Jimmy and Susie! But these belonged to two horses or, more correctly, to a horse and a mare. Jimmy, a recent recruit to racing, was “resting" on his owner’s small farm, between engagements. Young, spirited and full of fun, he kept his human attendants on the qui vive. There was no knowing what antic he would surprise them with next.

Susie, quite the opposite, predictable, reliable, was, as befitted her "interesting condition,” very staid. To protect her at night, her owners would drape over her a very handsome cover, bought especially for her. Invariably, the following morning, Susie, ambling to the fence for her carrot ration, was minus that cover. It lay, discarded, on the ground. An unexpected visit once just after dawn, solved the mystery. Jimmy, caught in the act, was carefully nudging at that desirable cover and slowly edging it from Susie’s back until, with it heaped around her, she could step clear of it. Not a strap or buckle was undone. Houdini would have found an apt pupil in Jimmy.

Unpopular as he was over that, he was decidedly more so when the son found his new, padded tractor seat in utter disarray. Chunks had been chewed or ripped from it while further investigation by Jimmy had strewn wads of padding for metres around. $4O down the drain. The son was definitely not amused.

Apart from such capers, Jimmy’s chief delight was the ball-cock in the paddock’s water-trough. That ball-cock fascinated him. He would play with it for hours, pushing it down and holding it so, until the water slopped everywhere. Then he’d have a go at’ the tap, wrenching at it with his strong teeth - in

vain, his owners hoped — but practice must have made perfect — one morning they woke to find the paddock under, water. Something would certainly have' to be done about Jimmy! The lady of the farm was debating this with a friend as they strolled out to ensure that for once Jimmy was behaving himself. Hearing their voices, he lifted his head from his favourite pursuit at the trough, turned abruptly and, to their astonishment, charged suddenly towards them. Such tactics demanded explanation. The. two women stood their ground until, with a thunder of hooves, wild swishing of tail and shaking of head, Jimmy ploughed to a stop at their feet. Then they understood! Wedged firmly across his wide open mouth was the beloved ball-cock, with rod attached. Jimmy’s large, gleaming teeth were fixed in the travesty of a horsey grimace. But this was no time for laughter. The two, small, slight females heaved and hauled with no success. The offending object could not be budged. The son, called to the rescue, had a tussle, too, in spite of superior strength but at last -the ball-cock was wrestled free. Jimmy, not a whit put out, kicked up his heels and galloped off. That episode put paid to his “resting"! Back to the stables for him. and, hopefully, discipline. But there’s a feeling abroad that come •’ race-day, the sulky-driver alongside him . had better look to his whip. It might suddenly be torn from his grasp. And what about the temptation of bright silks and a wellpadded human rump hanging over the seat and joggling just under Jimmy’s nose in a tightly packed field? You can bet the odds will be on Jimmy!