Horses for Courses

Thursday 30th September

The day started fairly gloomily, rain and heavy cloud were the primary weather conditions. Just what you need when an 'Elaine Stanley' special was on the cards. 

For new readers, Elaine is an old friend of H.N.A. she works for BW at Little Venice, [although she told me today that they've now moved her round into the revamped Paddington Basin] and liaises with schools groups to raise awareness of all aspects of the canal system. Thus Tim on 'Pisces' John Boswell on 'Star' and yours truly on 'Spirit' found ourselves penetrating the murky gloom as we headed for the 'Stink 'Ole' with our cargo of 30 children from a local Junior School excitedly ignoring the fact that 'il plut' as the French say.

 

From the sewage works to the narrow bridge that heralds the beginning of the stretch known as 'Widewater' the trip ran absolutely normally. Children squabbling over who was going to steer next, attempting to converse with their pals on the other boats and asking all sorts of questions, some silly, others quite sensible --- as I say a normal day. 

 

This all changed as we emerged from the bridge that used to carry the lorries full of gravel, extracted from the now worked-out  pit behind the towpath hedge.  A breathless eight year old girl rushed through  Spirit's length to inform me that a horse was floating in the water! 'Was it dead or alive?' I asked. 'Don't know' was the agitated reply. I soon did though. Against the reeds growing on the port side opposite the towpath stood a small black and white horse looking fairly sorry for itself. The water only came up to its underbelly but every time it attempted to climb out onto the reed bed and safety, the soft clinging mud prevented any egress from the watery trap. 

With the horse shivering noticeably and the children getting upset at its predicament I phoned 999 and asked for some officers of the law to attend the incident. I did apologise for using the emergency number but was assured by the operator that I had done the right thing. I was told that an attendance would be made and would I be there? [no] and could I direct the police to the location [if I could, only we're on a strict schedule. Another 30 children were with Elaine somewhere on the towpath currently 'canal-dipping' but meeting us at 'The Horse and Barge' {very appropriate} within the hour--the idea being to swap children over so they get a complete canal experience during the day.]

 

Nearing Moor Hall Lane I saw the first police vehicle pull up on the road bridge and Tim gave them directions to the nearest point they could get a road vehicle. This was Mayling Transport's yard on White Hill. Obviously, it was a quiet day for the local police as another crew pulled up and walked up to me at the lock. I directed them along the towpath giving them the horse's location, warning them of a small trek. They eagerly set off before a third car arrived, the crew rushing off to join the others!

 

By now we had to concentrate on winding the boats below Widewater Lock and tying up ready for the changes of crew. Tim observed drily that they were probably being held up by horse rescuing activities further up the towpath. Sure enough within minutes Elaine and her motley crew were excitedly discussing the horse with our mob of children. This was the most exciting thing to happen in ages!   Just then police crews two and three appeared leading an embarrassed equine down the towpath and out onto Moor Hall Road. A fourth crew missed out on the action entirely!

Apparently they [crews two and three] had managed to get a rope around its neck then threw the rest of the line over to the towpath where their colleagues gently pulled and convinced the horse to swim over to them. They then walked it to a shallow part where it got its front legs onto the towpath and was convinced to leap out of the water and onto dry land with a  gentle application of a broken tree-branch to its rear, in the manner of John Cleese berating his stalled car in Fawlty Towers!  All that remained was for the police to lead the horse away and try and find the owner. Apart from a few shivers it appeared to have suffered no harm!     

Ironically, Elaine had come across the rescue attempt by the police and had wisely held her charge of 30 children back behind the bridge until the situation was resolved, not wanting the horse or the children to get too excited.  

Consequently, she was the only  witness to the rescue as it happened apart from the officers-of-the-law but the children talked about it for ages!!      

 

            

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