The Horse Who Hated Christmas

by Hilary Walker

  In the last of the daylight they rode along the edges of the huge bare hay fields belonging to the property, while the setting sun cast an orange-gold tinge over the grass stubble. Peppi and Groucho walked out with lively steps, enjoying the crisp air and open countryside as much as their riders.

  “Just think,” Paula said, “this time tomorrow we’ll know for sure what upsets Peppi. Hopefully this will be my first Christmas without a vet’s bill!”

  “Fingers crossed!” Melissa said. “I’m kind of excited to stay overnight at the barn.”

  “It won’t be your typical Christmas Eve, that’s for sure!”

  They headed back and brushed off their mounts before putting stable blankets on them.

  Paula kissed Peppi on the nose. “I’ll be back tonight.”

  It was feeding time and the two owners left them to eat in peace.

  Melissa had invited her friend over for dinner as her two teenage boys were fascinated by their mother’s scheme.

  “Can we come, too?” they asked.

  “We’d love the company,” Paula replied. “But we don’t want to scare off whomever or whatever it is that comes in the night. We want to catch them at it.”

  “Doesn’t sound very safe to me,” Melissa’s husband said. “I think I’d better come for protection.”

  “Aw, Dad! Then we should be allowed to come as well!”

  Alarmed at the prospect of fitting five people into the spare stall, Paula said, as diplomatically as she could, “It would be a lot of fun, I agree. But you’d be very uncomfortable—and don’t forget about the strong smells you get in a barn.”

  “Oh, gross! I hadn’t thought about that!” one of the boys said. “How are you going to be able to sleep with all that sh—” he looked at his mother, “—I mean manure all around?”

  “We’re used to it!” Paula said brightly.

  “We love it!” Melissa added.

  “You horse women are mad,” her husband retorted.

  “Yep!” both women said in unison.

  Paula had brought her pajamas with her to Melissa’s house. They changed into their night clothes and pulled regular clothes over them. Next they washed their faces and brushed their teeth before leaving the house.

  Once at the barn, they gave their horses a good night treat.

  They peeled off the outer layers of clothing and put on their dressing gowns for extra warmth, leaving their socks on. They downloaded the flashlight app on their cell phones and Paula used it to find her way back to the stall after switching off the barn lights.

  They finally snuggled down into their two sleeping bags.

  Paula had a sudden thought. “Hey, Mel, you don’t suppose Santa’s been landing on the barn, do you? That would make perfect sense. I can see Peppi getting colic over something like that.”

  “That would be a reasonable explanation,” Melissa replied, “except for the fact that Santa Claus doesn’t exist.”

  “But don’t you think this is the ideal time to find out?” insisted Paula. “Imagine the sound of reindeer hooves clattering across the roof and the noise of the sleigh gliders!”

  “You sound as if you hope it is Santa Claus!”

  “Wouldn’t that be cool?”

  “If that is what’s happening every year, Peppi obviously doesn’t think it’s cool!” Melissa astutely remarked.

  “Yeah, you’re right.”

  “Let’s go to sleep. We’ll get out our answer soon enough.”

  “Okay. ‘Night, Mel.”

  “‘Night, Paula.”

  Paula was so mentally and emotionally worn out that she had no trouble at all sliding into dreamland.

  Around ten o’clock she awoke to the sound of her mare moving restlessly in her stall. Directly above, mysterious noises sounded over the horse’s head and the feed room next to her stall.

  Paula wanted to call out to Melissa but was unable to speak.

  Peppi began snorting and running around her stall and galvanized her owner into action.

  Paula’s first priority was to her horse. She found her voice and whispered loudly, “It’s okay, Peppi, Mom’s here!”

  She jumped out of her sleeping bag, threw her heavy duty barn coat over her dressing gown, thrust her feet into her paddock boots. With trembling hands she pressed the flashlight app on her phone.

  The animal’s petite ears pointed forwards over the stall door at her owner’s approach and when Paula went in the horse immediately tucked her head under her owner’s arms.

  “Oh, Peppi, I’m so sorry! But I’m here now, and I’m not going to let anyone hurt you. I promise.”

  The other horses down the aisle popped their heads out. They were wondering what was going on, but were unperturbed. The din was only over Peppi’s part of the barn.

  It was easy to understand why she was so upset. The scraping overhead was very loud. Paula could swear it was the runners of a sleigh being dragged by reindeer, whose little feet accounted for the tap tap tap noises as they stomped their cloven hooves in impatience.

  She shook her head. This was nonsense! She needed to go outside and find out what on earth was going on.

  But supposing it wasn’t a friendly Santa Claus up there? Or supposing it was Santa Claus and he got mad at her for spotting him?

  She needed Melissa’s support.

  Giving Peppi one last cuddle she ran back and shook her friend. “Mel! Get up Mel!”

  “What?” Melissa asked groggily.

  “Santa’s landed on the roof!” Paula shone her cell flashlight into her friend’s eyes.

  “What?” Melissa’s eyes were now open she shielded them from the brightness.

  “Quick or you’ll miss him! Santa Claus is here! Can you hear him?”

  “Wow! Yes, I can!” Melissa was now fully awake and throwing on her boots and jacket. Grabbing her own cell phone she said, “C’mon! Let’s go check him out!”

  But as they approached the exit doors, Peppi gave a shrill neigh. The women looked back and their cell lights revealed a dark figure leaning down into the mare’s stall from the overhead rafters.

  Terror paralyzed them.

  “We’ve got to do this!” Paula hissed. She grabbed Melissa’s sleeve and dragged her the few feet to the scene of the crime. Poor Peppi was pressed in terror against the front of her stall, trying to get away.

  Seeing her mare in such distress gave Paula the extra courage she needed. She shone her flashlight directly into the intruder’s eyes.

  Both of them were taken by surprise.

  Hanging through the overhead beams, the trespasser spoke first. “Ms. Newton? What are you doing here?”

  “I might ask you the same question, Mr. Foxley. What are you doing here?”

  “Putting the star up on the roof, same as I do every year.”

  Paula’s eyes narrowed and understanding slowly dawned. “You come every Christmas Eve to put up the star?”

  The electrician nodded.

  “Does Mr. Reynolds know you do it at this time of night?”

  “Well, no. I just like to come now. I think it’s nice for the staff and boarders to come to the barn on Christmas Day and find the star has miraculously appeared. That’s why I do it when no one is around.”

  “But why are you in my horse’s stall? You’re scaring her to death!” Paula was now standing protectively between the mare and the invader, stroking Peppi’s face and neck and hoping desperately to ward off another colic attack.

  Mr. Foxley pointed to the back wall of the stall, underneath him. “This is the closest outlet.” In his hand he held a plug attached to a long white wire. He pushed it into the socket. “There, all done!”

  But Paula wasn’t going to let him get away with such a blithe explanation. “Why can’t you just walk into her stall like a normal person?”

  “I need to feed the wire from the roof down through the hay loft. I figure anyway it’s less intrusive to the horse if I do it this way.”

  From the barn aisle
, Melissa said, “Don’t you know that horses are prey animals? You look like a predator, coming at her from above like that!”

  “You’ve been terrifying my mare every year,” Paula cried. “She gets terribly sick and it’s costing me a lot of money in vets’ bills!”

  The man looked apologetic. “Gee, I had no idea. I’m really sorry, Ms. Newton.”

  “It’s lucky I couldn’t go away this Christmas or I’d never have found out what goes on here. Please put your star up during normal hours so you don’t terrify her anymore! And get Ted Reynolds to come into her stall and plug in the wire for you. She knows him. Please. I can’t camp out here at the barn every Christmas!”

  “Point taken, Ms. Newton.”

  “I’m going to lead Peppi around to help her relax while you finish up here.” She put on the horse’s halter.

  “Sure thing. I’m nearly done.” He paused a moment. “Perhaps while you’re out there, you and your friend would like to see how the star looks?” He disappeared back into the rafters.

  Paula couldn’t give a darn about the star, but thought it would be good for Peppi to walk outside for a while to help her settle down.

  Melissa opened the barn doors and the sensor light came on, illuminating the way for the two women and the horse. It had started snowing and the electric rays shone on the myriad flakes falling to the ground.

  “It’s beautiful out here!” Paula said. “But hold Peppi a sec, would you, Mel? I need to put something waterproof over her blanket.”

  She returned shortly and placed a rain sheet on her horse’s back. The trio stepped out into the snow, and after a few yards they were out of the sensor’s range. The barn light went off soon afterwards but it didn’t matter.

  For atop the barn shone Mr. Foxley’s huge star. It cast a surreal glow far and wide, lending a magical sparkle to the snow as it wafted through the air.

  Paula realized the six-pointed figure was the thing that was different every time she came back from her parents’ house.

  Mr. Foxley gathered up all his tools and slid down his ladder. “So, what do you think?” he asked.

  “It’s just wonderful!” Melissa said. “Now it really is Christmas.”

  “Yes, it is,” Paula agreed.

  The man beamed proudly. “Well, I should be off. And I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve been causing your horse, Ms. Newton. To make up for it, if you need any electrical work doing I’ll be happy to come and do it at no charge.”

  “That’s very kind of you. There are some things that need doing at my place. I’ll be in touch.”

  “Just give me a call.” The man handed Paula his card then doffed his snow-covered cap to both of them. “Good night, ladies, and Merry Christmas!”

  “Merry Christmas!” Paula replied.

  Mr. Foxley drove off in his white van and she led Peppi around with Melissa for a while longer, looking up at the sky and sticking out her tongue to catch the icy wafers. Her friend followed suit.

  The little Oldenburg’s mane and forelock were collecting white fluff, but she was completely calm now. Paula gave a deep sigh. She and Melissa had solved the mystery and saved her horse from another attack of colic this year.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to get cold,” Melissa said.

  “Yup, me too! Let’s take this pony back inside.”

  Back in the mare’s stall Paula took the rain sheet off and brushed the snow out of her mane. “Do you want to go home now? Or should we just stay here for the rest of the night?”

  Melissa looked at her watch. “We may as well stay here. If I try to sneak into the house I just know the boys will wake up and never go back to sleep. As long as I’m home by seven A.M., their dad can take care of things till I get back.”

  “I was really hoping you’d say that. After all the Christmases I’ve missed I’d love to spend this one with Peppi.”

  Melissa gave Groucho a treat and a kiss on the nose. “Okay then, let’s get back to our ‘bedroom’!”

  Ten minutes later the barn was in darkness again and the horse owners were nestled in their sleeping bags. Soon they were asleep.

  Chapter 8: Christmas Morning

  At midnight Paula was half-roused from her slumber by Peppi’s rustling in her stall. But it was followed by no loud whinnies or terrified neighs, just a satisfied snort. She imagined she heard a low whisper, but it was simply her mare sighing in contentment.

  Paula smiled. She went back to sleep and dreamed that Peppi was pulling Santa’s sleigh, her nose a bright red beacon.

  At 5:25 A.M., she woke with an uneasy feeling before recalling that she and Melissa had sorted out Peppi’s problem the night before. What fun! This was the first Christmas with her horse!

  Excitedly she put on her coat and paddock boots. Careful not to wake her friend, she made sure her pocket was full of treats and walked softly over to her mare’s stall.

  What she saw puzzled her exceedingly.

  The little chestnut was lying fast asleep in her stall and barely registered Paula’s appearance. On closer inspection, it looked as if her horse had been sweating during the night and then dried off. Paula peeled off the corner of her blanket and saw another one underneath—a soft wicking sheet that didn’t belong to her.

  What was going on? And why hadn’t she heard anything?

  Stuck to the burgundy sheet was a large Christmas label, which read:

  Thank you, Paula, for the loan of your horse last night! I hope you’ll accept this blanket as my gift to you and Peppi.

  THE END

  ABOUT HILARY WALKER

  Now an American citizen, Hilary originally hails from England and lives in Maryland with her husband, homebred gelding, ginger house cat, tabby barn cat, and, of course, two English Bulldogs.

  Her writings include Christian inspirational fiction and short stories about horses, other animals, and the occasional human. She has also penned a humorous horse memoir, The Horse Bumbler series, as well as books about competing in dressage and purchasing the ideal horse for a beginner rider.

  The rest of her time is spent training and competing on Cruz Bay, the Welsh Cob Thoroughbred Cross she bred and backed, and lamenting the fact she still has a long way to go before reaching her dressage goals!

  But her real goal is to make it to heaven, and do what she can to encourage others to get there, too.

  For more information, visit hilarywalkerbooks.com.

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