What language did you say they understand?

By Phil Wilson

Just a short article sparked off by the other breeds bit, this probably qualifies as an Old Farts Most Often Repeated Tale candidate.

Seeing the reference to the Comtois and the Ardenne on the heavyhorses web site reminds me of the first time I saw and drove a Comtois. This was a few years ago at my friend Ralph Michel's farm just outside Truro in Cornwall, where The Cornwall Hiring Societies working day was being held. A variety of horses were being worked and shown in hand, the outfit that caught my eye though was being operated by Charlie Pinney and Jonathon Waterer. This consisted of two Shires as wheelers, with a grey Comtois and an Ardenne

leading the way. They were pulling a 1 ½ ton roller attached to one of Charlie's hitch carts, across a sloping field about 250 yards across. Having watched and walked along side for a while, Charlie asked me if I would like to take over while they went off for a cup of tea, they say fools rush in, but I was like a rat up a drain pipe! We set off quite happily at a steady pace, and all went well until I tried to turn them. Try as I might absolutely nothing happened as the hedgerow got closer and closer. (Why did the entire public appear to be staring at me all of a sudden?) In a recent issue of Heavy Horse World there is a map of dialect/words used to control horses, up and down the country by Terry Keegan, non of which appeared to control this team. I managed to catch Jonathon and Charlie about to leave the field, “What do I say to this lot to get a response ?” “Oh the Comtois has only been here four days and understands French, he came from the Jura last week and hasn’t been on a team or pole before.” “And by the way the Ardennes only works to Belgian as we got him a couple of weeks earlier, the Shires do understand Devonian though” At this point I noticed they were a little mis-matched for pace, the Shires taking great strides in the rear, while the lead pair tried to dance on the spot.

“Tournez a gauche and come here you buggers” I cried and we completed the fastest about turn with a roller I have ever done. Some venerable old Cornish horseman whose name I forget jumped on board, and lent a hand while I tried to look like I was in control all the time. I vowed after that I would volunteer to go and fetch the tea next time!