Pony Friends

PONY FRIENDS

One very special pony we met at Sam Morrison's yard was Cloonisle Colleen. She was three then, and an absolute sweet-heart ! She came along with us while Sam gave us a tour around the ponies, and we were most reluctant to leave her and pass into the next field. She was a daughter of Cloonisle Cashel, and out of Hilltop Daragh. Sam had come across her in Dungannon sale, and brought her home. She was still showing a brownish shade in her coat that autumn, but the following spring she had become entirely grey. The next time we were visiting, Colleen had been started to ride, and I got a turn with her. At one point a squirrel suddenly bounced around the nearby tree, but Colleen didn't spook, and I was very impressed with her. Sam was intending to keep and breed her, so though we'd love to have bought her, she was not for sale. Some months later we acquired Pride, and then in February when I asked after Colleen again, Sam had already sold her. He had assumed ( unfortunately, and mistakenly ) that when we got Pride, we were no longer interested in Colleen, and had accepted an offer from England. After Colleen went to England, she competed in Ridden classes, and won the BCPS Silver Medal for her owner, from whom we got a photograph of her in action. The painting above was made from that photo, and I want to send that painting to Paula, if she would be kind enough to get in touch.

Beach Ride back in the old days

Queen's Riding Club at Sandra Martin's Riding School

near Castlewellan. 1979/80