Horse play

Years ago we used to take a group of Year 8’s on a five day camping residential. It was on a fantastic campsite on the south coast.   Teachers will tell you that the first night away on any residential is the noisiest, where the kids find it hard to settle as they’re so excited. One particular year a group of 60 were very boisterous and on the second night proved it. One tent of six boys just wouldn’t be quiet even after several warnings from several staff. By midnight I’d had enough and said if I heard another sound, they’d all have to come out their tent. Surely enough, within minutes I was back over to their tent telling them all to get out. Picture the scene: six boys standing lined up three metres apart from one another, along the perimeter of the campsite, standing facing the next field, in the dark. I was stood away from them watching to make sure they were all silent and doing what they were told. Then, all of a sudden, out of the darkness, a horse    in the field they were facing let out a deafening ‘Neigh’!  In unison, almost like a planned dance, six boys left the ground with fright. It was as though I’d set it up, brilliant! I then went over, told them to get back into their tent, be silent, and go to sleep. Needless to say, they were silent that night and for the rest of the week. Thank you Shergar !