by Paula Boer
The last few kilometres went by in a flash. At the final creek crossing, Ben could make out the ride base ahead. Keeping to a steady trot he focused on making Brandy look good, head up and in control. He hoped there would be potential employers watching the horses come in.
A small crowd gathered at the finish line. As Ben approached he saw Louise waiting with a headcollar slung over her shoulder. A round of applause greeted him as he crossed the line.
Louise grabbed hold of Brandy’s reins as he dismounted. “You’re third! Well done. How did he go? Did you have fun? What was the track like?”
Ben felt overwhelmed by the questions and that he had finished the race in such a good place. “Brandy was great. Simon was ahead of me. Did he beat Robert Smythe-Water’s horse?”
Leading the stallion as Ben carried his saddle over to the weighing point, Louise could barely contain her excitement. “Simon came in first! Magnet looked great. That grey stallion came in second at a gallop. There were no other horses so he was only showing off.”
Not surprised that the landholder’s jockey had made a fast finish, a wave of disappointment waved through Ben. “I would have liked to have beaten him, no matter how many other horses came ahead of us. You should have seen him thrash his horse when it stumbled. We almost came to blows.”
Shock crossed Louise’s face. “You should report it. That’s cruel, not to mention against the rules.”
Ben shook his head. “It would be his word against mine. I’m in enough trouble with Mr Smythe-Waters as it is. I don’t want to look as if I’m a troublemaker, not today.”
After his finishing weight was recorded Ben followed Louise back to their camp. Simon and Graeme had already washed Magnet down. His uncle led the horse around, feeding him handfuls of damp hay to get his guts moving. Simon perched on the edge of the horse truck watching his horse walk out. He rose as he spotted Brandy coming in to camp. “Great ride, Ben. You’ve made good time. He looks as if he hasn’t even been out.”
Pleased with the praise, Ben helped Louise strap the stallion as he chatted about the course to Simon. Taking his horse’s heart rate he was thrilled to see it was already below sixty beats per minute. “Do you think I should vet him early before he has a chance to stiffen up?”
Simon nodded. “Let’s go together. Magnet’s ready. That way they’ll keep each other calm. We don’t want one of them getting upset at the other leaving. Even one night together in the yards makes them bond.”
As the first horses back, there was no queue at the vet ring. Simon presented his horse to the steward who took the heart rate. Without a word to anyone the steward approached the vet and showed him Magnet’s card. The vet walked over and observed the horse. “I’ll take his heart rate again. It’s a bit high.”
Ben waited as the vet listened with his stethoscope at Magnet’s side. Wondering if he had brought Brandy over too early, he hesitated. If he went back to camp, Magnet would fret. He stayed and hoped that all would be alright. He watched Magnet trot out sound around the markers. The desert brumby looked great.
A murmur of disappointment went around the waiting crowd as the vet shook his head. “Sorry, his heart rate is too high.”
Simon didn’t seem upset as he threw a light rug over Magnet’s loins. “That’s the trouble with not having these hills to train on at home. He’s fit, just not used to the steep conditions. I’ll have to come down a few weeks earlier next year to do some hill training.”
Ben didn’t have time to comment as the steward approached him. It was too late to pull out now. His heart thumped in his chest as Brandy stood for his heart rate to be checked. He received the vet card with relief as the steward gave him a thumbs-up.
Next, the vet checked the horse for any sign of soreness on his body by running his hands all over Brandy’s back and legs. He pinched the skin to detect its recoil and pressed his thumb into the stallion’s gums. “When did he last drink? He’s a bit dehydrated.”
Ben answered and inwardly cursed himself for not offering his horse a drink at the last checkpoint. He dreaded being vetted out now like Simon.
The vet scribbled on the vet card. “Trot him out, please. Keep a loose rope.”
Having practiced trotting out at home Brandy flew around the orange witches’ hats with Ben running alongside. Ben’s leg muscles complained as he puffed his way back to the vet. “Steady boy, you can stop now.”
Before he heard the vet’s comments the loud clapping told him he’d completed successfully. All tiredness disappeared as elation flooded through him. As he led Brandy back to camp he couldn’t even speak to Louise. Proud of his horse, Ben was thrilled that the wild brumby had proved himself, first as a stud stallion and now as a mountain horse. After his major accident the horse was lucky to be alive let alone a serious competitor.
Rather than go straight back to their camp Ben and Louise let Brandy have a pick at the long grass along the fenceline. A swarthy man with a long ginger beard came over. “How much do you want for that horse?”
Taken unawares, Ben hesitated and couldn’t think of anything to say.
Louise bridged the silence. “Isn’t he awesome? We’re so proud of him coming second.”
The man tipped back his head and grunted. “No, he’s the winner. That grey stallion was eliminated for missing the second checkpoint. I’m surprised you didn’t hear Smythe- Waters’ roar, even over here.”
Ben gawped, trying to take in the news that he and Brandy had won. “Can he lodge a dispute? He could say the course was poorly marked or something.”
“Not in this case. No-one else missed the checkpoint. And the onus is on the rider to make sure his number is called back, so whether he did or didn’t go the right way is immaterial. Anyway, your horse gets the colours today. Now don’t go putting up the price because I told you that.”
Straightening Brandy’s mane, Ben shook his head. “He’s not for sale. We’re a team.”
“Pity. I don’t have need of a boy, only a good horse.” He made an offer for Brandy that made Louise gasp.
As Ben turned him down again the man hesitated as he turned to walk away. “If you change your mind, the name’s Jack Flemington. Ask anyone round here and they’ll tell you where to find me. I own Emu Plains.”
Louise hugged Brandy’s neck. “You clever horse! You won! Wait until we tell Harry.”
Ben thought about what he could do with such a large sum of money. He could go to college, or work the farm for nothing until his dad was better. He wondered if he’d reacted too hastily to the offer. He knew his dad would be furious that he’d turned down a good sale.
Chapter 13
The light drizzle that settled in during the evening couldn’t dampen Louise’s spirits. Thrilled at Ben’s success in the race, she busied around the horses, topping up water buckets and shaking out meadow hay. Due to the cloud cover the evening darkened early. Simon already had a campfire lit.
Graeme wrapped potatoes in foil and threw them in the coals to go with the steaks for dinner.
Ben came across to the portable yards with an armful of rugs. “I think Brandy’ll need more warmth tonight. He worked hard today.”
Louise helped remove the stallion’s light waterproof rug. “He doesn’t even look tired. Magnet is eating heaps too.”
With the chores done the friends sat down with the men. Despite Magnet vetting out he had quickly recovered and looked in good condition. Pouring hot water into her mug Louise made herself a hot chocolate. “I thought you had sold Magnet, Simon?”
The wrangler sprawled in a camp chair, nursing a beer. “I did, but I insisted on keeping him overnight so I can make sure he’s sound. We’ll trot him out in the morning before we complete the deal. There’re a lot of buyers here. I’m surprised. Far more than any events up my way. I’ve made a lot of new contacts.”
Ben’s uncle agreed that his frie
nd had received a good offer for the gelding. “You should think again about that offer for Brandy, Ben. I know you don’t want to sell him, but that’s a lot of money. You can always catch another brumby colt.”
Louise could see that Ben felt awkward about refusing the sale, especially as he knew his dad would agree with Graeme.
She decided he needed her support. “I think he did the right thing. Brandy is more than a horse, he’s become as much a part of the family as Snifter. There’s no saying how someone else would treat him.”
Graeme continued to press. “It would be different if you had a job, Ben. I could take Brandy if he couldn’t go with you, but an offer like that doesn’t come often. I’d be jumping at the chance.”
Ben shook his head. “If I do get a job offer I want to take him with me. And Snip. I’d need two horses as a minimum. Your guys have their own horses, don’t they?”
“Some of them, though I don’t expect them to. I always have enough stock for all the men. That’s expensive when the work is seasonal, especially during this drought. I’ve had to truck feed in as there’s not enough grazing to keep them in working condition.”
Louise asked more about working in the outback, hoping that Graeme or Simon might remember somebody that would be interested in hiring Ben. Neither of them knew of any work out west. She questioned Ben. “Didn’t anyone mention any prospects of work at the social gathering following the prize presentation? I thought that might have been a good time for someone to approach you. You seemed to be talking to a lot of people.”
“Only more offers to buy Brandy. I asked a few guys, but with the cattle market being poor at the moment no-one is taking on new hands.” Ben shrugged and kept his eyes to the ground.
Seeing the topic was upsetting Ben, Louise encouraged him to talk more about the race. His eyes lit up as he told them about the route. As Simon interjected, the two of them compared stories about different parts they’d enjoyed. A new camaraderie developed between them as they shared their experiences. Louise could tell that Ben was no longer a boy. With taking responsibility for the farm and now competing in one of the toughest horse events around, he had joined the ranks of men.
She wished she had been able to compete and participate in their discussions as an equal. Maybe in a few years she’d be able to take Honey. She decided there definitely needed to be more women in the race and could see no reason why there shouldn’t be. Louise knew Honey was strong and sure-footed, even though the mare wasn’t as fast as Brandy. However, she also knew it would take time to get her fit again after being away in Africa for a few years. The thought made her sad. “I’m going to bed. It’s been a long day.”
By morning the drizzle had turned to rain. The horses squelched in muddy yards as they picked at sodden hay. Louise warmed the billy to make them a mash and rubbed their legs with a towel. Under their rugs they felt warm and dry.
Ben came over and handed her a mug of tea. “If you take Brandy for a walk I’ll get the yards down. Graeme wants to leave as soon as possible.”
Clipping a lead rope onto Magnet’s headcollar Simon asked Ben to watch him trot the horse out. “He hasn’t stiffened up so he should be fine.”
Finding a drier section of the paddock Simon ran his horse away from Ben, Graeme and Louise. The gelding shot off, dragging Simon along. Louise couldn’t believe he looked so fresh. “It looks as if he could do the race again today.”
Graeme agreed. “Forty kilometres isn’t far even at that pace over tough country. If he was doing a full endurance ride he’d be doing eighty kilometres, or even a hundred and sixty, in a single day. For the marathons they do eighty kilometres several days in a row.”
“Wow. I bet the riders have to be fit.” Louise thought that sounded like the sort of riding she’d love.
Simon turned Magnet and trotted back to them. They all gave him the thumbs-up. “I’ll take him over to his new owner. I’ll be back to help pack up.”
Brandy ripped up mouthfuls of grass as soon as Louise let him lower his head along the fenceline. Feeling guilty that the others had all the packing to do, she brushed the stallion’s mane with her fingers as he grazed. Yesterday’s plaits had tangled into ringlets with the rain.
By the time Simon returned most of the gear was packed away. They loaded Brandy on the truck and reconnected Simon’s ute to the float. Setting off in convoy they headed over the mountains on their way home. The journey seemed to go quicker than on the way to the race despite a long slow climb up to Wagon Wheel Pass. Looking back to Mt Danger, Louise tried to imagine what it had been like for Ben to ride Brandy around the craggy tops. She determined that, Africa or not, she would compete in the race on Honey one year.
As the truck grumbled up a steep incline Louise searched the black sallees for signs of brumbies. Piles of stallion dung marked territory along the verge. Among a tangle of twisted timber Louise spotted a red roan. “Look! Isn’t that the young stallion we saw in spring? He’s a long way from home.”
Ben peered through the smudged window. “Could be. He’s put on weight if that’s him. Maybe the shooting has driven him further south. I hope he doesn’t encounter any dominant herds down this way.”
As the truck rounded a bend the brumby disappeared from sight. Thinking about the brumbies and her future Louise lost any sense of time. As they arrived back at Tumbleford Farm she was surprised see Patti’s ute parked in the yard. After helping unload Brandy she followed Ben into the house to eat before unpacking.
Mrs Naylor sat at the kitchen table with Patti, Simon, and Graeme. Mr Naylor sprawled in the big armchair, his feet propped up on a log. After greeting everyone and making coffee, Ben’s mum handed round plates of chocolate cake. “No-one will tell us how Brandy went, Ben, other than he went well. Tell us all about it.”
Louise listened to her friend recount his tale of the race. He talked about Simon finishing first and Robert Smythe-Water’s horse being eliminated. He didn’t seem to want to mention his own placing. She couldn’t help herself from bursting out the news. “That means that Ben won! Brandy was fantastic.”
“That’s wonderful news!” Mrs Naylor hugged her son and beamed with pleasure.
Mr Naylor straightened up from where he lounged. “The prize money will come in handy. I bet you had a few good offers for him. Simon says he did well selling Magnet. What did you get for Brandy?”
“Yeh, there were offers. I didn’t sell him though.” Ben mumbled through a mouthful of cake and kept his head down.
Louise tensed as she saw fury storm across Mr Naylor’s brow.
Before speaking, the injured farmer took a deep breath and leant back in his chair with a groan. “I assume that means you got a job. When do I lose you?”
Graeme butted in before Ben had a chance to answer. “Don’t hassle the lad, Alan. He’s just ridden a tough race that any man would be proud to finish, let alone win. And what’s this I hear about you selling the farm? I think it’s more important we talk about that than Ben’s horse.”
Gathering from Mrs Naylor’s look that it would be a good time to quit the kitchen, Louise touched Ben’s arm. “We’d better get our gear unpacked.”
Patti followed them out and caught up with Louise. “Talking of jobs, your mother rang me earlier today for a long chat. It seems that your father’s job is different to what he expected.”
Curious, Louise stopped, leaving Ben to start carting the wet rugs out of the truck. “What do you mean?”
“He has to live out at the location of the dam. It’s a long way from the city.”
Louise didn’t see that made any difference to her future. Of course the hydro plant would be in a remote location. “Has he found a house for us to rent?”
Patti looked serious. “The company has organised one for him, apparently. But as it’s so far out, you’d have to board in Lilongwe.”
This news was too much for
Louise. “No! If I have to go to Africa, I at least want to be with Mum and Dad. What’s the point in boarding there? I may as well stay here.”
Struggling to keep a straight face, Patti grinned. “Exactly. That’s what your mother rang to say. Under the circumstance, she’s agreed you can stay with me if you want to.”
This sudden news made Louise feel like leaping into the air. “Want to? Of course I want to! That’s awesome. I’ll be able to see Honey foal and still ride out in the mountains. Are you sure Mum said that was okay?”
“As long as you visit them in the school holidays. She’ll discuss it more with you when you get home, but I wanted to be the one to tell you. At least this way you’ll get to see the safari parks. It sounds like the best of both worlds to me.”
“Cool!” Louise had a sudden thought. “But what about working for you, for Honey’s keep? If I’m away all holidays, I won’t be there to help you.”
Patti shook her head. “That’s not important. You’ll be able to ride in the week and help me at weekends.”
Ben must have heard the news as he hung the rugs over the fence to dry. He wandered back by the women. “Now we have two good bits of news to tell Harry. Let’s go and find him tomorrow. Meanwhile, come and help me with all this stuff.”
The mouth of the old mine looked dark and gloomy against the hillside despite the bright day. Only when a shape moved did Louise realise that Ben had arrived before her. “I see you’ve brought Snip today. I wondered who you’d ride.”
The black gelding lifted his head at Honey’s approach and whickered. Ben led him out of the shade. “He’s put on a lot of weight while I’ve been focusing on Brandy. I thought I’d better get him back in condition. I don’t want to risk Ginger and Lady up here as the stock agent is keen to take them. Dad is already furious at me for not selling Brandy. I hate to think what he’d do if I jeopardised the sale of the mares.”