Re-homed pony tracks down owner

Emily Evans was relieved Basil arrived without being injured

An intrepid pony escaped from his new stable and hot hoofed three miles in the dark, to his young mistress' home.

The 18-year-old Welsh cob, Basil, found Emily Evans' family farm in the Swansea Valley. Recently re-stabled, Basil used his teeth to slide his paddock door lock open and jumped a fence.

He had to pass along 14 different roads in the dark en route to the farm in Cilybebyll, near Pontardawe.

Farmer Lyn Evans said his 12-year-old daughter burst out crying "with a mixture of surprise and relief" when she saw Basil.

"We had taken him to the stables in Rhos, three miles away, two weeks before.

We'll just have to make sure there's a more substantial lock on his stable door this time Lyn Evans

"Emily rides him in the fields at the farm but we thought it was better to keep him at the stable so she could practise her show jumping.

"But we took her to visit him every evening after school and she had tucked him up in the normal way the night he set out."

Mr Evans said Basil had shown an aptitude for escaping and they had to secure the opening to his yard.

"But on this occasion he really surpassed himself and took a route home in the dark which showed he knew the way," she added.

"He had to pass 14 different roads on the journey home. Then he walked down on to the A474, which is a busy road, turned left and crossed the carriageway.

"He would have had to ignore numerous turn-offs, choose the right direction at a crossroads and then make it back to the farm."

Emily and her family were grateful he arrived at the farm without any injuries.

Mr Evans said he would be taken back to the stables after "he settled down a bit".

But he added: "The chances are he'll try to do the same thing again. We'll just have to make sure there's a more substantial lock on his stable door this time."