I’m opening the pony X-Files: mine may be psychic

My ponies may be psychic. I think they are communicating with each other telepathically. And before you call me delusional, let me tell you I have witnesses.

It has happened three times now. The first time, I had taken Darcy on her first hack alone without Grace. Normally, a friend and I ride the pair of them out together. But on this occasion I had decided to get Darcy used to doing things for herself.

I should explain that the two are very closely bonded. Despite being much smaller in stature, Gracie is a mother figure to Darcy because they were turned out in a field together when Darcy was growing up. Grace, the worldly-wise ten-year-old, took the thoroughbred yearling under her wing and taught her everything she knew: chiefly, how to avoid being caught on sunny days when the grass was nice and sweet by running round and round in circles, and how to queue up at the gate to be brought in when it was raining — ‘That’s it, look miserable.