Status: Working on it :)
Rust's Fate
Outrides and Realisations
The following days went on as normal. I prepared horses for lessons, untacked them, groomed and fed, and sometimes helped with lessons.
I spent a bit more time with Rusty, too, and I was growing very fond of him. Liezl, Odile, Suze and Keren were just a few of everyone who told me what a great pair Rusty and I made. Liezl even said to my mom that she should buy him for me. Of course, we didn’t have the finances for something like that at the time, but we started thinking about it…just a little.
***
There was to be a group outride and we were all tacking up our horses, getting ready, and talking. Finally, us older kids were going to have a fun outride, away from all the little kids, just taking a break from working and watching over everyone else; not being tour-guides.
I was riding Rusty. I’d plaited a spotted guinea fowl feather into his long flaxen mane and he really looked like and Indian horse. I was his “Native American Indian” girl. A blond South African one, at that!
In a few minutes, we all mounted up and were out of the yard: me and Rusty; Suze on her Friesian, Prince Sante; Odile on Arnie; Keren on her fleabitten-grey mare Bovi; Liezl on the black Milady Marmalade and Anya who was riding Tombi, as yet still skittish and very much unschooled…
We got to the ploughed field that we called the galloping tracks because there were straight, even strips running the length of the field, wide enough for a big horse to gallop on easily. We all took off with a blast!
I was surprised at Rusty’s speed and at the end of the field, he gave a few bucks as we slowed down.
Keren and Bovi were far ahead, as usual, and Keren was smiling from ear to ear. Those two loved each other and were a match and a half.
We walked the rest of the way through the vineyards and around the little mountain. I realised during the ride – mostly at the gallops – that Rusty still had a lot to learn and his education wasn’t very refined yet. Amke should not be riding him. No inexperienced rider should. Still, in the right hands, he would make a good and fun all-rounder, with a good jump and good, open paces. In the right hands…
I spent a bit more time with Rusty, too, and I was growing very fond of him. Liezl, Odile, Suze and Keren were just a few of everyone who told me what a great pair Rusty and I made. Liezl even said to my mom that she should buy him for me. Of course, we didn’t have the finances for something like that at the time, but we started thinking about it…just a little.
***
There was to be a group outride and we were all tacking up our horses, getting ready, and talking. Finally, us older kids were going to have a fun outride, away from all the little kids, just taking a break from working and watching over everyone else; not being tour-guides.
I was riding Rusty. I’d plaited a spotted guinea fowl feather into his long flaxen mane and he really looked like and Indian horse. I was his “Native American Indian” girl. A blond South African one, at that!
In a few minutes, we all mounted up and were out of the yard: me and Rusty; Suze on her Friesian, Prince Sante; Odile on Arnie; Keren on her fleabitten-grey mare Bovi; Liezl on the black Milady Marmalade and Anya who was riding Tombi, as yet still skittish and very much unschooled…
We got to the ploughed field that we called the galloping tracks because there were straight, even strips running the length of the field, wide enough for a big horse to gallop on easily. We all took off with a blast!
I was surprised at Rusty’s speed and at the end of the field, he gave a few bucks as we slowed down.
Keren and Bovi were far ahead, as usual, and Keren was smiling from ear to ear. Those two loved each other and were a match and a half.
We walked the rest of the way through the vineyards and around the little mountain. I realised during the ride – mostly at the gallops – that Rusty still had a lot to learn and his education wasn’t very refined yet. Amke should not be riding him. No inexperienced rider should. Still, in the right hands, he would make a good and fun all-rounder, with a good jump and good, open paces. In the right hands…
♠ ♠ ♠
Comments, dear readers, comments please! I will try to speed up the process of writing and posting stories. :)