More often than not, horses aren’t hugely funny. When they step on your foot, roll post-bath or decide not to be caught, it’s hard to muster a smile.
But cartoonist Spencer Hill and equine enthusiast Vicky Oakey have managed to put the humour back in horses.
Their new book “Cartoons from the horse’s mouth” features over 100 cartoons, giving a take on what our horses and ponies are likely to be discussing in our absence.
And the equines in this book appear to have forthright views on everything from poo-picking, brood mares and Pony Club to poll guards, Iberians and dressage divas.
Get ready to chuckle about our horses’ take on…
1. Dressage divas
“I’m going to take a wild guess and say ‘dressage'”
2. Limited hay supplies
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“The holes in this haynet are getting smaller! What are you trying to say buddy!!!”
3. Pint-sized ponies
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“I don’t set the rules, but you do need to accept that you’re a pony and move on Brian!”
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“Citronella? Cold tea? Lavendar? Smelling good Gloria! Repel those flies!”
5. Active sires
(Image credit: creditUnknown)
“I’m in foal with Sir Roger this time”
“Really? He sired this one too!”
“Whaaaat?! He told me I was the only one!”
6. How horses sleep
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“Isn’t it amazing how we can fall asleep standing?”
“It’s cool… now what shall we do to him?”
About the authors
Spencer Hill is a freelance cartoonist and illustrator producing comic strips, caricatures, cartoons and calendars for a wide range of clients.
Vicky Oakey has a masters degree in equine science.
The pair live together and so it was “only a matter of time before Spencer’s continual search for inspiration met Vicky’s passion and expertise for all things equine”.
“Cartoons from the horse’s mouth” by Spencer Hill and Vicky Oakey has been published by Kenilworth Press and will be available from Quiller Publishing from 20 May 2015
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A graduate from Durham University, Madeleine joined H&H in 2011 and became Features Editor — producing content across the magazine and website, including the popular inside back cover article ‘The horse that made me’ and the weekly ‘The best of my fun…’ interview. She has written on topics as diverse as hay making and headcams, to hot totty in the horse world and circus horses. Madeleine now works as a freelance feature writer for Country Life, The Telegraph, Horse & Hound, cntraveller.com, The Spectator and The Field, as well as writing obituaries for The Times.
