“The Goose and The Horse”
Those of you who read the first offering in this short series of Wilson’s New Tales of The Borders will be familiar with the premise - JM Wilson (1804 - 1835) was a newspaper editor in Berwick Upon Tweed who collected his Tales of the Border, initially in his newspaper then later in books. After his untimely death the project continued and the various volumes of Wilson’s Tales were incredibly popular, before falling out of print and out of fashion. They told of battles, love affairs, vengeance and so much more - a rich part of the mythology of The Borders. Having picked up a copy for myself some years ago, I have been inspired to create my new tales for the modern era both through re telling JM’s originals, but also adding my own respectful entries through my blog and podcast. After retelling The Wife or The Wuddy in the first entry, its now time for me to add a special tale of my own, one which I have called The Goose and The Horse…
The Goose and The Horse, Tweed Bridge, Innerleithen, August 2021.
Image courtesy of Gillian Anderson Photography
Once Upon a time there lived an unlikely hero, whose fame grew slowly and steadily for a number of years before blossoming into a full blown (if fairly localised) internet sensation. I am talking about the domestic goose who made the Tweed Bridge at Innerleithen it’s home for many years, winning admirers along the way, particularly for its relationship with a neighbouring horse.
However, before I dive any further into a tale that’s full of charm and fun, I think it’s important to establish how I have researched this unlikely story. There have been no trips to the library here, nor have I plunged into newspaper archives - this is a story which grew organically and could well be classified as a folk tale, certainly the parts with the added, modern twist that some of the mythology around the goose grew on Facebook, particularly during the Covid lockdowns. So that is where I have done much of my research, trawling through posts online from about 2017 to 2023, and marrying them with my own memories, thoughts and observations - with a very healthy pinch or two of salt thrown in… I am also very grateful to the goose’s one-time owner Glenn Keay who filled in a few blanks about the goose’s origins - thank you Glenn. If anyone reading this thinks I have missed anything, then please do add your own memories (and corrections!) in the comments below.
Back to our story, over the years I read several possible origin stories. “She came doon from Howford” or “he was at Blackhopebyre and left after his partner died”. The latter could have been the goose as the Blackopebyre goose did indeed go missing (and was friendly with horses, which will become important later…), but our goose’s story begins upstream on the River Tweed. The goose originally lived near Horsbrugh Castle, the gaunt ruin that sits prominent in the Tweed Valley, near Glentress. It was very much domestic, having been purchased from Waterheads Farm in 2013. Goose stayed in a field along with ducks, chickens and other geese. Sadly, these animals were attacked and many killed by badgers. Our goose made its escape from the 6 feet pen, flying overhead '“like Concorde” when owner Glenn went to see it! Within two hours it had made its way to Cardrona golf course, and despite efforts to get her back, made herself very comfortable there. The goose became a weel kent figure, patrolling the water from the golf course bridge, past Dirt Pot Corner and down to the Nut Wood car park. For about 18 months the goose was very happy as a resident of Cardrona. One concerned local called the RSPB as they noticed the goose hanging out at the bridges and thought it perhaps needed some help. The RSPB thought she could look after herself and goose was left to get on to it until the great winter floods of 2015/16, the season of storm Frank and Desmond. It was Storm Frank that upended her peaceful existence and in December 2015 she was washed downstream before arriving at Tweed Bridge, just outside Innerleithen. It was here that the legend really started to grow.
I can’t recall the first time I noticed the goose, but I suspect it was in 2016 when I moved back to Innerleithen. I learned quite early however that geese are not to be messed with - there’s a reason why they are occasionally employed as guards on farms. Getting too close to the little patch of eroded earth that was his traditional base, the goose took serious exception to me and gave me a chase and a hiss. Lesson Learned. Perhaps I’ll leave any further incidents like this out of the story, as she is remembered with great affection - but the truth is, she was a goose and as such could be a right grumpy bastard!
The Goose in 2019
@tweedvalleyblogger
For those who don’t know, Tweed Bridge just outside Innerleithen is a very popular spot for fishing, dog walking and cyclists heading to the downhill trails, as well as all the vehicle traffic on the busy B709 - goose was living in a well-known spot and starting to be noticed. I only started to realise that she was forming a wee cult following when the lady who lived at the neighbouring Toll House shared a picture on Instagram of the Christmas Cake she had made, complete with model goose! Photos then started to appear occasionally on Facebook, often around Tweed Bridge and always followed up by a handful of comments about this curious local resident. She became the talk of the local coffee houses and cafes and I even saw the goose and horse feature on a YouTube Mountain Bike video where the definitely not local presenter called them “the legends”!
I mentioned the horse there, and fairly early on it was clear that Goosey had developed a love of things equine, or at least one horse in particular. She made friends with Beau (or Bow?), a black beauty of a horse who lived in a neighbouring field on the Traquair Estate. Often they would be seen together, having a drink at the River, wandering through fields or just chilling on the river bank. Such an incongruous pairing but it just worked - by 2019 the goose and the horse were bona fide local celebrities. They seemed inseparable, in fact the horse’s owner was known to have to feed the goose as well before he would let her near Beau. Again, you don’t want to mess with a goose…
Fast forward to March 2020, and the world goes into a lockdown. Covid-19 had arrived in the UK in January and was spreading wildly across the country. It’s worth just taking a minute to think back to the bizarre feeling of the time, the isolation, fear and anxiety that swept across many of us - we needed something to bond us together in a time of great disconnection. Thankfully, in Innerleithen, we already had it.
“You may exercise only once a day and alone, or with someone from your household”
Covid lockdowns kicked in during March 2020. We were only allowed the basic amount of outdoor exercise, often on our own and highly localised. But that spring brought a reawakening for many in their appreciation of nature. Returning Sand Martins skimming across the Tweed in search of flies, roe deer making the most of traffic free roads to venture into town, the wonder of migrating Ospreys returning and fishing the Tweed. Ducks, swans, herons, otters, salmon and sea trout, butterflies and ladybirds.
Wildlife on the River Tweed, Spring 2020 - images courtesy of Vicki Swan. Thanks Vicki!
The walk by Tweed Bridge became a lifeline for Innerleithen residents and of course the goose and horse were the undoubted highlights. More and more images were shared on Facebook, names started to emerge for the goose (Goosey, Lucy, Gordon, Steve, Gary, Goosey Goosey Gander, Gooso, Christmas Goose, Goosey McGooseface (!), St. Ronan The Goose among others) and it was clear that this pair were proving a real highlight for locals, in a time where connection and community were ripped away from us. The almost daily updates began to read like a soap opera - “horse was back in its field and goose was nowhere to be seen, has there been a falling out?” “Oh, it’s Ok - they are back together.” “Have you seen the new family of ducklings near the bridge, goosey won’t like that.” “They were both in the river today, the horse was having a drink!” and so on…
Looking back 5 years on from Covid it is easy to forget what a highlight these sorts of conversations and observations were in a time where you could literally go for weeks without speaking to a human being outside your household. The importance of this unlikely friendship was perhaps best demonstrated when a local man decided to immortalise the pair in tattoo form. He had moved to Innerleithen during 2020 and felt the isolation of a new community where nobody could meet, but took solace in daily walks to see the goose and the horse. This man is a keen cyclist and likes a pair of shorts so keep your eyes out in the summer for the fine bit of ink on his leg.
We can’t tell this tale without mentioning the greylag goose who caused a bit of a stir. It was first seen waddling down Traquair Road in June 2020, and clearly made itself right at home with our hero by Tweed Bridge. It was an on off presence for the next 18 months, disappearing for period of time before making its way back. Speculation was rife that this newcomer would get in the way of the relationship between horse and goose, but that bond was too strong. The greylag was never comfortable in the horse’s presence, in fact I never saw him or her trying to muscle in there, but made itself right at home at Tweed Bridge with Goosey and the swans who also frequented the spot. I last recall seeing greylag hanging around in spring 2022, which is the year where our story must come towards it’s sad ending…
Goose and Lee Pen - Lockdown Icons of Innerleithen
Thank you Kenny Henderson
The goose had started to look a little bit ragged in 2022, at first I thought perhaps it had been attacked by another badger, with its long neck looking worse for wear. Then, in autumn of that year sightings of the goose stopped altogether. 2022 saw one of the widest spread outbreaks of avian flu the world has ever seen, and millions of birds were killed. We will never know exactly what happened to this goose, but one theory is that after a long and quite eventful life on the River Tweed she likely succumbed to the virus and was sadly swept away…
HOWEVER, as this is a story and stories demand a happy ending, let me present an alternative theory for you. The tired goose was nearing the end of her natural life and was preparing herself for the end. Early one morning, from out of the mist, two swans approached and, in the universal bird language, told her “it is time”. Wearily, goose lowered herself into the waters and, flanked by the two swans, began slowly and serenely floating down the Tweed. Like Frodo and Bilbo at the end of Tolkein’s ‘Lord of The Rings’ it was time for Goosey to be relieved of her burden. For the Hobbits, it was carrying the One Ring, for our Goose it was being Innerleithen’s town mascot during Covid. Along with the swans, she headed to the Undying Lands - or in other words Berwick Upon Tweed. There she lived out a long and happy retirement with the many swans and seals, eating discarded chips and watching the trains go past on the bridge high above. Some say if you stand by the quayside today and whistle On St Ronan’s you might see her. Well, probably not, but it’s a nice thought isn’t it….
There was an online outpouring of sadness over the winter of 2022/23 as it became clear this visitor had gone for good. A memory book was set up in one of the cafes, while our wonderful local sculptor Angela Hunter made a lovely bronze plaque of the goose and horse, which lives in her High Street studio. An endearing and lasting memorial was placed down at Tweed Bridge itself when, in complete anonymity, a mosaic of the goose was attached to the bridge overnight in 2023. It is a fitting tribute to the unlikely hero who made a wonderful walk by our beloved River Tweed just that wee bit more exciting. Farewell goose, and thanks for the memories…
Thanks for reading this instalment short series of ‘Wilsons New Tales of The Border.’ Join me for the next one in a few weeks where I will be in the village of Walkerburn, adding another tale to the mythology - “The Iron Man and The Wee Man”…
Listen to the audio version of this tale on the Tweed Valley Echoes Podcast - just click the image below
Thank you to Angela Hunter for image of her work from Facebook, Gill Moncreiff for mosaic posted to Innerleithen Online Facebook page and to Zoe for tattoo image.
