Author Louis D Hall Mounts Louie The Horse For Book Festival Ride Into Wigtown
Whithorn pony carries namesake author round Book Town and Louise Minchin discusses her thriller set on a Scottish island.
When Louis D Hall headed for Wigtown Book Festival there was only one possible way he could come into town – on horseback.
The author’s own mount, Sasha, was taking a well-earned rest after the 110-day, 2,000-mile trek over Europe which was the basis for his book In Green: Two Horses, Two Strangers, a Journey to the End of the Land.
But fortunately the author and film actor’s namesake Louie (though with a slightly different spelling) cantered to the rescue.
After mounting his eight-year-old 14-hand festival steed Louis rode across the hillside above the saltmarshes and on into Wigtown on Saturday.
The pony (show name The Final Furlough), belongs to 15-year-old Emily Fairhurst from Whithorn.
Louis said: “This was just great, he’s a lovely boy, it was fantastic to be able to ride into Wigtown on horseback – and even more so on a horse with my name.”
Louis has strong links to Scotland’s National Book Town having been the male lead in the 2022 multiple award-winning movie Stella which was filmed throughout the region.
Raised in Scotland he is the founder of The Big Hoof which has used the power of the horse to raise nearly £100,000 for charities in the UK and Europe, with a focus on mental health, wellbeing and child welfare.
Another festival guest was Louise Minchin, former BBC news presenter, who was talking about her debut thriller Isolation Island, which is set on a Scottish island.
Louise Minchin
Louis D Hall on Louie the pony