The horse stood patiently on the red deck that was tethered to the end of the pier. Meanwhile, the horse’s owner struck up a conversation with us.

Then came a gust of wind and the deck’s mooring broke loose. Within a couple of seconds the horse was sailing out to the open sea with the tether trailing in the water behind him.

The owner first looked on in horror. He then recruited me, TPR and our nephew PMcC to haul the ropes, and the poor creature, back to base.