A lovely spoof

This painting could almost have been done from life. On the right, the younger daughter mounted on the faithful old Shetland pony that used to be the mount of the older daughter on the left, now mounted on a rather nice-looking part-thoroughbred. Both riders perfectly posed, fearless as children often are, horses perfectly set up to jump, ears forward, loving it. And then there's Daddy in the middle, on a classic heavyweight hunter. All he ever knew about jumping has fled his mind; he wasn't set up for this fence and he's lost an iron in the process. Fear is writ large on his face, utter disgust on his horse's face.

How many, many times have we seen this one play out in a hunting field?

Dan Holdsworth | Padiham | April 2025