Gwendolyn (Gwen), a 16.1hh, ten year old mare of unknown breed, deemed unrideable as a five year old and discarded to repent her sins in a sparse field. A well proportioned horse if looked at in sections, but a bizarre misfit when taken as a whole. Her head is coffin shaped, but her heart is pure gold, if she likes you. If not, stand clear. It took five weeks to back her, which involved experiences similar to sitting on an erupting volcano and refusals to move in any direction whatsoever.

Purchase price: 450 Euros

Strengths:

An intermittent desire to please that comes into its own when most needed. Asked nicely, Gwen will pass anything and set an example to her less courageous companions. She is also a natural nanny for the other two, alerting us immediately if anything is untoward or someone is misbehaving.

Weaknesses:

Weight loss and a potentially weak back that I suspect comes from a previous injury – she has a tendency to throw herself to the ground if crossed