Dogs can make friends with just about any creature. We've seen dogs and ducks, dogs and lambs, dogs and elephants and dogs and horses all buddy up, but you seldom (if ever) see them riding their new BFFs. But apparently that's what's been happening in Missouri where a pony named Cricket has been receiving nocturnal visits from a neighborhood dog that's taken to riding him.
Cricket the Pony
According to an interview Callie Schenker gave The Dodo, she came home one evening recently to find her miniature pony being ridden by a strange dog. Of course at first she probably thought her eyes were playing tricks on her, but upon further inspection, sure as shootin', there was a corgi on Cricket's back.
Viral Video
Fortunately, Schenker had the presence of mind to whip out her cell phone and start capturing the event on video, which she promptly posted on social media. "I was astounded," Schenker reportedly told The Dodo. "I had no idea that, on the one hand, the dog could ride. And two, that Cricket was letting him do it." As you can imagine, the video went viral.
Seeing is Believing
After capturing the images, Schenker was still left with the question of how the corgi got on Cricket's back. That also happened to be the query on the minds of many of the video's viewers, who were questioning the authenticity of the post. Some said it was staged or disputed the dog's ability to hop on Cricket without assistance, much less stay put and ride.
Truth is Stranger than Fiction
"People said I must have put the corgi up there. Tied him on there," Schenker related. "People were like, ‘That's a corgi, he can't just get up on that pony.’ I'm like, ‘He just did.’" But she still wanted to see it for herself. She didn't have to wait long, because a day or so later she was at home when she heard noises outside her house and went to investigate, and Cricket's riding buddy was back.
Ride 'em Cowboy
With a little patience, she finally got to see the mounting procedure in person. It seems the corgi begins a bouncing routine, spring boarding up a little higher each time, until it's finally able to land on Cricket's back. Cricket, as it happens, being a miniature pony, is only 3-feet tall, so it's not really that much of a jump, even for a corgi, which are known for their stumpy little legs.
Unusual Jockey
"I kinda had a hunch that's how he did it. But it was cool to really see. And to see Cricket actually play around with him was cool," Schenker said. It's still unusual for a dog to ride a horse, especially one without any training or encouragement, and Schenker had to agree. "The corgi is like a captain," she continued. She doesn't know how long the two have been palling around, but they seem to be enjoying each other's company.
YouTube
While the first video shot at night was uploaded to Facebook, you can watch a daylight version on YouTube now. If you're curious, Cricket, who bears a striking resemblance to the adorable miniature pony on the Amazon commercials, and the corgi's silly antics are available for viewing below.
