well my wife read the tale of the poacher and the fenn trap and we started talking about some of the things that had happened in the past, she also pointed out how i had left some things out of the tale and said i should re write it telling all, well i will soon, but first she wants me to tell you of this little tale. One winter going back quite a few years ago i had been out almost every night lamping and this night would be no different, so come 11 pm i start to get ready for my trip, its a cold wet windy night and i am sorting my gear out and Nip the collie x saluxi greyhound is whimpering with excitement at the the door, funny how they almost know they are going before you do , so out the back i go starting the usual crying off from the others as they want to come too, but not tonight guys, Nips in the car and i set off to the farms, i had eight farms all bordering on to each other so plenty of land to work and only 30 minutes away, half way there the whimpering starts to get worst as the excitment grows for her 6 years old and still loved every trip. On arriving i parked up and thought i would do the sheep field directly behind the farm shone the light over and several Bunny's to be seen but no sheep i never thought nothing of it, but little did i know how this night would pan out, over the fence and straight away she picks up a sitter, walking down the fence line she is off again i have buggsy in the lamp and she is gaining fast yes another on her return i can hear a noise coming, is that horses i think, on with the lamp and yes about eight Shetland type horses galloping our way, i start to make for the fence while trying to keep one eye on the horse and the other on Nip but they are closing in fast the lead one almost knocking me into the fence, and Nip still with the bunny having to turn, over the fence i go landing like a bag of well you no what straight into a ditch full of brambles, i scrambled up to the fence calling the dog and she is on her way back followed again by the horses and just 10 yards or so from the fence the lead horse puts its head down and bowls her over and bunny makes a very lucky escape, she is up and over the fence and we are now having to make are way back over very wet ploughed fields, it was very hard going soaking wet freezing cold and i don't mind admitting it a little shaken but little did i know the night is about to get worst. On arrival to some better fields a quick flash with the lamp shows the tell tale eyes of them there bunnies and things seem to be going well, a few more fields done and we have a reasonable bag and i think well its time to start making my way back to the car about a mile away, walking up a track humping my prize which was now begining to weigh heavy i put the lamp across another field which in the past i had done well in, only to see Charlie trotting across it and off she went doing well too i must add, until he disapered through the hedge row so i drop my catch and give chase but nothing just a ploughed field and then i spot them in the next field by this time Charlie is taking the piss out of her, she in knackered but wont give up the chase so i try and run across the field and calling the dog back i feel my left foot is absolutely freezing and as wet as can be, thinking Ive stood in a puddle, i take a step only to feel cold wet mud squelch between my toes i look down and the full sole of my boot is missing, i could not believe it i have been charged by horses fell down a ditch soaked to the skin and covered in mud now i have lost the sole of my boot, Nip returns and i put her on her lead and go looking for the rabbits i have dropped feeling every stone with every step on the way, once back on the track i have a good look at the boot that so badly let me down and from the top you would never have guessed it did not have a sole, and still perfectly laced up, i set off on my walk back to the car which was about half a mile or so, having to stop every so often to take stones out of my frozen foot and pull up my mud caked sock. Home at last i knocked on the door and my wife could not believe the state i was in and when i showed her my foot, well she laughed for hours while trying to clean the mud out of my toes as i told her of my unbelievable night.