A horse walks into a bar..and enjoys a glass of…

A horse walks into a bar..and enjoys a glass of Guinness as bemused locals look on

An even-tempered horse called Tommy is so partial to beer, he gets a can of Guinness with his Christmas meal.

As an extra treat, the 16-year-old Gypsy Cob this week called at a pub in Wales for a quick half-pint with his rider.

“It was his first time drinking out of a glass!” beamed proud owner Jessie Jefferson, 21. “He loves it and it’s good for him, so why not?”

The pair were on a head-turning hack through the streets of Denbigh when Jessie decided to call at The Hand Inn in Lenton Pool. After downing his Guinness, and drawing crowds of admirers, Tommy later insisted on a second pit-stop for another half-pint just across the road at the Plough Inn.

Jessie and her horse Tommy (Jessie Jefferson Equestrian Services)

Jessie, a freelance rider and horse producer, saw the pub visits as a way of introducing Tommy to the locals, having re-stabled him in Denbigh just three weeks ago. “There are some horse-friendly pubs in Llandyrnog but I haven’t taken a horse to a pub here before,” she said.

“We were riding through the town centre when I saw the Hand had a bouncy castle, so I thought it might be OK to visit. Tommy got so much attention there! Families were asking for photos with him and the kids quickly abandoned the bouncy castle.”

Some pub regulars did a double-take when Tommy entered the beer garden and began supping his drink. “I thought I was still very drunk,” said one man after Jessie posted a photo on Facebook.

Others were equally baffled. One mum told Jessie: “We drove past you as you turned into the pub…my daughter was confused, asking if the pub served hay for horses.”

But all were delighted to see Tommy. “He was such a calm gentle horse,” said one local. “Even got a kiss off him!”

Jessie, who lives in Denbigh, featured in Horse and Hound magazine last year after triumphing at the STARS Champions of Champions final in Aintree. Not only did she handle the supreme in-hand champion for the horse’s owner, she helped Flintshire’s Lloc & District Riding Club to 14th place out of 51 in the overall standings.

Like Tommy, the champion was a Gypsy Cob, a breed in which Jessie specialises. Their placid nature makes them ideal for learners and Jessie’s partner, Robin, earned his spurs on Tommy, who was a post-lockdown buy in 2020.

Having behaved himself moderately well during this week’s pub crawl (“he did stick his tongue right in the glass”), Tommy is being lined up as a Friday evening pub regular in Denbigh. “It will be his end-of-week treat!” chuckled Jessie.

“I was told that Guinness is good for his joints and he seems to enjoy it. He certainly wolfs down his Christmas Day dinner when I mix in a can of Guinness. He’s spoilt rotten!”

Tommy’s competition name was Mr Pickle, though he is now retired. Too many pub crawls and he might start living up to his formal name.

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