YOU can lead a horse to water, but this horse prefers beer.
Hidden in a small town of 200 people, resides the heart of the Australian nation in the form of a horse.
Crocket Paterson and his horse Grumblebum are locals to Camooweal and are both well known to the community for their love of beer.
Grumblebum’s desire was revealed one afternoon when Mr Paterson arrived at the paddock to feed and water him.
“I had a beer in my hand and within a second Grumblebum had taken an interest and put his mouth around the neck of the bottle,” Mr Paterson said.
“So I lifted it up, and he had a mouthful. Then he wanted more.”
Grumblebum now enjoys a XXXX Gold as a weekly treat along with apples, bread and carrots from local children.
Mr Paterson explained that the children renamed his horse.
“I originally named him Mumbles but one of the children couldn’t pronounce the ‘m’ and called him Grumbles, eventually Grumblebum stuck,” he said.
“He enjoys having children visit him and will run to the gate when he hears them arrive.
“The children use to sit on his back and climb all over him before I broke him in, he was a very quiet horse.”
Five-years-old and never been worked, Mr Paterson hopes to train Grumblebum to compete in Bronco Branding.