When a horsey girl grows up and becomes a chief executive the first thing she does is buy herself quite a decent competition horse. However, this expensive 16.2 hands high beast is known to her and all her friends as her ‘new pony’, because there will never again be an animal as special and remembered as the childhood pony.
That enchanted bond is expressed forever in the work of artist Anne Bullen, in her illustrations of pony stories by the Pullein-Thompson sisters, Monica Edwards, Violet Needham and so many others. Bullen was already an established artist in 1936 when Joanna Cannan commissioned her to illustrate her seminal pony book, A Pony for Jean. As a teenager, Bullen had won the Royal Academy President’s Prize for the 14- to 15-year-old age group, and she studied at the Académie Julian in Paris and at Chelsea School of Art. Bullen didn’t shy away from serious work. As early as 1926, her painting of World War I scenes were much admired, and through World War II she depicted wartime scenes without sentimentality.
The main inspiration for her work was her life with her husband, Jack, and their six children at the show pony stud they founded at their family home, Catherston, near Charmouth in Dorset. The family’s daily routines were captured in flowing pencil or charcoal sketches of children cantering their ponies; glamorous oils at horse shows; portraits; vignettes of a mare grazing with her foal. Add to these images the beguiling stories they illustrated, of pony-mad children overcoming all sorts of obstacles to pursue their dreams, and the result has a resonance that is more than simple nostalgia.
Strength in Numbers -The success of Britain's growing band of Farmer Clusters shows the value in working together and engaging with the public in the name of conservation, says Gabriel Stone
In a world that leans into gloomy headlines, it's important to wave the flag for a refreshing success story. That's especially the case when it comes to our overburdened farming sector and the wider way in which we manage the landscape. Yes, we: everyone can play a role, not least through one inspirational initiative. Ever since a 2013 pilot project by the GWCT in association with Natural England, Farmer Clusters have mushroomed across Britain. Led by farmers with guidance from expert advisers, today's network of about 125 clusters encourages a cohesively managed, locally tailored, larger-scale approach to conservation work.
Going over old ground
Forget modern tractors and minimum tillage - there is something glorious about the sight of farmer, horse and vintage plough in perfect harmony
Return of the natives
There is nothing as satisfying as creating a magical miniature woodland or conservation hedgerow using our native trees - and now is the best time to start.
Tagging the Cornish tunny
Enormous Atlantic bluefin tuna are once again making waves in UK waters almost a century after their showstopping appearance in the North Sea
In it for the long haul
It may have fallen out of favour at the elite level but long-format three-day eventing is still proving popular with grassroots riders
Unpicking the story of hunt buttons
These treasured tokens are bestowed only upon those who go above and beyond in service of their hunt but the rules around them can be complex
A place of tradition in the heart of town
Cordings has helped shape the sartorial landscape of Britain for 185 years, with its classic country tailoring a firm staple of many sporting wardrobes
Don't play it by ear
Hearing loss can have a devastating impact on day-to-day life, making ear protection a non-negotiable piece of field kit
Back to base-ics
Britain's famously unpredictable climate can make staying comfortable in the field a challenge but the right under layers can be a game changer
Stand and deliver
A good stance provides the platform for shotgun marksmanship and is fundamental to consistent success in the field or breaking clays