Tom pleaded, ‘Mum, will you come and help me please? I’ve kicked a football into next door.’ ‘Oh honestly Tom’ I replied ‘you don’t need me, just ask them for it, they not exactly the sort of people to get upset about such things are they?’ (you could ask our neighbours for a cup of their own blood and they’d give it willingly, more than that they’ll even let you siphon heating oil out of their fuel tank in February, but that is another tale. Good neighbours are a precious thing.)
Tom continued his plea ‘No you don’t understand; it’s the horses, I can’t get the ball back, they are playing with it; and they’ve taken it right down the field, come and see!
Ahh right, I can now see the problem
Four elegant but rather playful young horses have moved into the adjoining field for the summer.
Being the supportive mother that I am, I let Tom introduce himself to the new neighbours, and retrieve his football
We don’t usually get horses as neighbours, sheep and cows, yes and once a wonkey donkey, but this is an equine first. They are very beautiful, I’m sure you will be seeing more of them.
(My good deed for the day, alerting the farmer to the fact one of his cows in the top field was in some distress, it was sat on its haunches, like a dog waiting for a tit-bit. It looked most bizarre; cows just don’t sit like that! It also looked miserable. It couldn’t get to its feet, no matter how hard it tried. I can report It is now safely back at the farm and being treated for a dodgy hind leg. Result.)
Uphilldowndale 
And people think it can be boring in the country. Ha. And ha-ha-ha, I’ll bet the horses were having a wonderful time with Tom’s ball!
They are exceptionally beautiful.
Lovely looking beasts. I thought it was only dogs that had an interest in balls. Dogs and men.
Lovely horses. I’ve never seen them play with a ball, but I used to “know” one who could toss an empty feed bucket a fair old distance.
Heh, heh….excellent.
hi mrs uhdd – just got back from badminton horse trials. just lovin the pics of the neds – i had one for my george, but being the delicate sole he was – he was scared of it! so, its a yes from me – more pics of your new ‘neigh’bours please . sara.
These are so beautiful!! Lucky you to have such neighbors!!!
all horses are called dobbin arnt they
The one in that second pic is definitely lining up for a nice penalty shot … shame Tom had to interrupt the game
Nice to see that the untucked shirt is alive and well in your county as it is here in Ruralshire with Chuck and Dave. Thank goodness he is out playing with a football instead of inside with an x box, I will force Chuck and Dave to read this post! Thanks!
Joe is the Xbox boy (although progress has been made!) Tom spreads his interests more widely, mountain bikes, cricket, hockey, kicking a ball about and a good dollop of time on Facebook. I commented to my mum the other day about a rather lost and lonely looking lad knocking around on her estate ‘isn’t there anyone he can play with?’ to which she replied ‘they’re all indoors on the computer.’
When I moved that road, when I was five mum was thrilled that there would be other little girls for me to play with, we’d lived on a farm previously, she was very disappointed to find when all the other little girls were dressing up for a ‘may queen’ I was up the apple tree trying to tie a union flag to the topmost branch. My other hobby was trading my older brothers Dinky toys with the lads on the estate, that and den building.
I’ve never seen horses playing football before:) They loo as though they were having a good time, maybe Tom should donate a spare football for their entertainment! Just as well you spotted the cow, poor thing. Hope she will soon be OK again. Must catch up on your posts, haven’t been reading and commenting much recently.
Forgot to say thanks for the suggestions, I’ve been to Magpie Mine once years ago but so far have never been to Wirksworth. I remember reading your posts about it and thinking I’d like to go and see it but had forgotten so it was a welcome reminder.