Episode 10: The Wild Horses of Wellow

This episode's Test Valley Tale is a spookily magical tale. It’s a mash up of a local ghost sighting of a horse drawn carriage on New Year’s Eve and an Aesop’s fable - ‘The Horse, Hunter and Stag’. I wanted to create an origin story for the ghost sighting. And as Wellow sits by the edge of the New Forest, I thought it would be fun to connect the horse drawn carriage with the New Forest ponies.

The story takes place during a cold Winter, food is sparse and so the horses are forced to share their food on the common with the deer, who usually stay hidden in the forest. Two horses, Sundew and Bracken, begrudge sharing their food and so when a human stranger appears, and offers to fetch his bow and arrow, the two horses enter into a pact which ultimately leads to their demise.

This story is set on Canada Common, just outside the village of Wellow which on the edge of the New Forest.

After the story, I share some local folklore and interview Clare Young who owns two beautiful horses Bree and Tallulah. We discuss animal behaviour, New Forest Ponies and how our well-being can benefit from engaging with animals.

This episode is accompanied with music by renowned folk musician Paul Sartin.

'Test Valley Tales' is an Arts Council Funded project and one of Test Valley Arts Foundation's Borough of Culture Legacy Projects. All the stories are set in the beautiful landscape of Test Valley which is in Hampshire in England.

There is also an illustrated book of the all the stories which accompanies this podcast. This is available from my website. Please see link below.

Hope you enjoy it!

Story written by Amanda Kane-Smith, based on a local ghost sighting and the Aesop’s fable ‘The Horse, Hunter and Stag.’

Podcast produced by Miles Kane-Smith.

Music by Paul Sartin recorded at WildGoose Records in Wherwell.

 Test Valley Tales can be found on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter as @testvalleytales.

For more information, please go to:

www.merry-go-roundstorytelling.co.uk/testvalleytales