When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk. He trots the air, the earth sings when he touches it.

Well, almost, Alfie...

That's when we're heading home from our rides across Ashdown Forest...

 
When we're setting off, this is the sort of conversation we have (with apologies to A.A.Milne):

"Good morning, Caroline," said Alfie gloomily. "If it is a good morning," he said. "Which I doubt," said he.

"Why, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, Caroline, nothing. We can't all, and some of us don't. That's all there is to it."

"Can't all what?" said Caroline, rubbing her nose.

"Gaiety. Song-and-dance. Here we go round the mulberry bush."

Today, Serena, my riding companion and I decided to let Alfie choose which way to go. We got to the first T-junction and I didn't direct Alfie to go either left or right.

Which way did he choose?

Not left and not right. He turned on his tail and started heading back home at great speed!

That's my boy!