Pony up

A man in his late 60s made headlines around the globe last week when stunned railway staff in Wales saw him on CCTV boarding a train with a white pony. When he and his pony were asked to leave the train, he duly disembarked...and went to the ticket window to buy a ticket for his pony. 

Because, clearly, that was the problem. 

The mystery of the strange story grew when he was also reported to have taken the pony to a hospital – for people – to try to get a scan for the pregnant female pony, to determine whether she was going to have a boy or a girl. He also wanted to get her checked out after some meathead threw a drink can at her face. Sadly, hospital staff also refused him and asked him to leave. No scan for the pony.

It was later determined that the man, who is sometimes referred to as “Crazy Joe” or “The Highwayman”, was Joe Purcell, a member of the “Irish traveller community”. Residents of one of the neighborhoods where he splits his time said that the local gypsy is known around the neighborhood for walking in town with the pony, as well as other various animals in the past. 

Apparently in addition to train rides and hospital visits, he has also taken Ruby the pony around town and into pubs. A pub regular told a news reporter that Mr. Purcell “had brought [the pony] into the pub before” but that this time he wasn't allowed in and was informed that he was barred for life. No word on whether that applied to the pony.

If you're still wondering why a man with a pony in tow, after being refused entry to a train, thought that the next most reasonable solution was not to leave with the pony, but to instead go buy a ticket for the animal, there's a good reason.

Well...there's a reason, anyway. 

Ruby's would-be train ride would not have been the first of its kind. Purcell said he has taken various other livestock on passenger trains before, including a horse, chickens, and a goat with two kids (of the four-legged variety). 

Purcell explained that he “bought two first-class tickets and a half for the kids. I didn't have any problem.”

Well so there you go.