Brumbies in the Mountains

by Paula Boer

  Louise squeezed Ben’s arm. “That’s awesome! So Harry’s dream really will come true?”

  “It certainly looks like it.” Graeme held up his hands for hush as everyone starting chatting about the future. “There’s more. Louise, you’ll be particularly interested in this.”

  Ben cast a glance at his friend as she sat up. “Is it about the brumbies?”

  “Yes. Simon has tendered for a contract with the park to have sole rights to musters for the next five years. Why don’t you tell them about it, mate?” Graeme stood and went to the sink to rinse his mug.

  Simon filled them in. “If it works out I’ll make my base here in summer. From competing in that high country race I’ve seen how training horses in these mountains makes them tough. I’d take whatever I don’t sell here out west each winter to sell at the stations. That way I’d get the best of both worlds.”

  The grin on Louise’s face couldn’t be bigger. “That means they wouldn’t get shot. That’s the best news of the day.”

  Shuffling on his seat, Simon hesitated. “No, well, there will still be the old and injured that’ll be no good. They’d be sent to the meatworks. The deal includes keeping numbers down to a healthy breeding stock.”

  Ben wondered how Louise would take this news. When they first started riding in the park their aim had been to prevent the brumbies being mustered for pet food. Since then they had learnt that Robert Smythe-Waters owned the canning business. Their dislike of the man added to their upset.

  Shaking her head, Louise didn’t look troubled. “I understand the need for culling these days. I’ve learnt a lot over the last couple of years. As long as the horses are treated well and killed humanely, I can see that has to be done. It’s better to have small herds of healthy horses than thousands of them suffering from starvation. I hope you get the contract.”

  The phone ringing broke into the conversation. John leapt up and went into the hallway to answer it. He came back and beckoned to Ben. “It’s for you. A Jack Flemington.”

  Remembering the man who had offered a huge amount of money for Brandy at the high country race, Ben braced himself to fight off another offer for his horse. He feared his dad had called the man as he’d threatened.

  Ben fought his way down the narrow hallway past rows of coats and over jumbles of working boots. He picked up the receiver that John had left dangling and said hello.

  A deep voice sounded on the other end of the phone. “I heard from Adam Cartwright yesterday that I’m going to be allowed to move cattle back up into the high country. I need someone who knows the mountains and can ride a horse. You still interested in a job?”

  Taken aback, Ben stuttered. “Sure. Is it just for a few weeks or what? When would you want me?”

  “No, full time, lad. One of my boys broke a leg off a young colt last week so I’m short-handed. You’ll need to bring your own horses. Have you got anything other than that stallion?”

  Ben couldn’t believe his ears. “Yeh, I’ve an Anglo-Arab gelding, a big fella, and a couple of good mares. One’s great at campdraft.”

  “Good, when can you get here? I need you Monday.” Jack explained the details to Ben and asked him to call him back as soon as possible.

  Feeling as if he was floating, Ben went back into the kitchen. “I’ve got a job at Emu Plains! Can someone truck me and my horses there this weekend?”

  Cheers rang around the table. Louise leapt up and wrapped her arms around Ben. “Cool! We passed Emu Plains when we went to the race, didn’t we? That means you’ll still be in the area. We can meet at Harry’s hut on your day off.”

  “Yours, you mean.”

  Louise looked wistful. “I suppose it is now, but I’ll always think of it as Harry’s.”

  Mr Naylor stood and shook his son’s hand. “Well done, son. I thought you were mad when you broke in that brumby, but it seems that race paid off. This is a great day for the family.”

  Simon offered to drive Ben to his new job. “I can go that way when I leave. I was going tomorrow, but it can wait another couple of days if you’re only taking one or two horses.”

  Louise sat back down. “Can you take Brandy?”

  “Yeh, and Snip as well. I assume with today’s news that the farm auction has been cancelled. If I need Ginger later I can come and get her. Can she and Lady stay here now that I’m a shareholder in the property?” Ben laughed to hide his nervousness, as he still wasn’t sure what the changes really meant.

  Graeme slapped him on the back. “Of course. The old horses have a safe retirement here too, and Eve can remain until Louise wants her to keep Honey’s foal company next year at Patti’s. I expect I’ll be going over there regularly.”

  Ben couldn’t think of a better arrangement. With all the news shared he couldn’t stand being in the house any longer. He nudged Louise. “Let’s go for a ride.”

  Louise didn’t take much convincing. They soon had the horses in and saddled. Ben reflected on the early days of when Louise first started riding with them. They had both learnt a lot since then. He remembered the adventures they’d had, capturing and breaking in Brandy and Honey, rescuing hikers in the snow, and mustering in the outback.

  As they headed into the mountains Ben glowed with the thought of the years ahead. He grinned across at Louise and gave Brandy his head. The brumby stallion surged forward, pounding the ground as he galloped across the grasslands, the wind whipping against Ben’s face.

  Glossary

  Aid: A signal used by a rider to convey instructions to their horse, for example by using their body, hands, legs or voice.

  Akubra: A brand of Australian felt hat favoured by stockmen.

  Appaloosa: A breed of horse, also a colour, where the loins and hips are white with dark round or oval spots. Sometimes spotting occurs all over the body.

  Arabian: A hot-blooded breed of horse with a distinctive high head and tail carriage and wedged-shape face with graceful paces.

  Bachelor: A young male horse that does not have mares of his own.

  Back a horse: To sit on the horse’s back for the first time, that is, to ride it. See also ‘Break in a horse’.

  Bay: A dark-skinned horse with a reddish to dark brown coat with black mane and tail. The legs also usually have dark markings.

  Billabong: A waterhole created when a river changes course oe dries up and isolates a deep section of fresh water.

  Billy: A metal container used to heat water over an open fire.

  Black Sallee: A eucalypt tree commonly found adjacent to creeks and flats in mountainous, tableland country.

  Blowing: When a horse breathes heavily from exertion or stress, usually with head lowered and nostrils flared.

  Blue Heeler: A breed of Australian cattle dog.

  Brahman: An Asian breed of beef cattle with a large hump on the withers.

  Brand: An identifying mark burnt into an animal’s skin by either a hot iron or dry-ice.

  Break in a horse: To teach the horse to walk, trot, canter, halt and change directions either under saddle (ridden) or in harness (driven).

  Brekky: Australian slang for breakfast.

  Bronco rail: A short fence where calves are held by ropes, usually from horseback, to be branded.

  Brumby: The wild horse of Australia, descended from released or escaped domesticated horses.

  Buck: When a horse leaps in the air with back arched, coming down with stiff forelegs and head low.

  Buckskin: Also known as dun, a horse colour with black skin and yellow pigment in the hair, with a black mane and tail.

  Bullock: A young bull that has not been desexed.

  Campdraft: An Australian competition where riders cut out a steer or heifer from a mob, hold it in position, and then drive it in a figure of eight around two posts before ending between two narrow gate posts.

  Cant
le: The upward curving hind part of a saddle.

  Cattle pad: A path made by the constant tread of animals’ hooves along the same way.

  Cavaletti: A series of small wooden jumps used in the basic training of any type of riding horse in order to encourage the horse to lengthen its stride, to help improve its balance and to loosen up and strengthen its muscles. Each cavalletto consists of a pole two and a half to three metres long resting on X-shaped crosspieces at each end. By turning the crosspieces, the height of the pole can be raised or lowered.

  Cavesson: A well-padded headcollar where the noseband is

  made of metal or other stiff material, used on horses during breeding or training. The nosepiece has three metal rings for attaching a lunge or lead rein on either side or on the nose.

  Chestnut: A horse colouring with a gold to dark reddish brown coat and a matching or slightly darker mane and tail.

  Cleanskin: An animal that is unmarked by brand, ear tag or other identification.

  Cold blood: A heavy horse, or draught horse, such as a Clydesdale or Percheron.

  Colt: A young male horse.

  Corella: A small white parrot often seen in very large flocks.

  Crest: The ridge along the back of the horse’s neck from which the mane grows.

  Crupper: A leather strap looped under a horse’s tail and attached to a harness or saddle to keep it from slipping forward.

  Curry comb: A rubber or metal scraper for cleaning horse brushes or for removing mud and hair from a horse.

  Dam: a) A body of water formed by building a wall, usually in a gully or depression in the ground.

  Dam: b) The female parent of a horse.

  Damper: A type of bread made without yeast on an open fire.

  Doggers: Slang term for a slaughterhouse that uses meat for

  pet food.

  Draft: To selectively separate out one or more animals.

  Drafting gate: A gate that swings to open into one of several

  exit points while blocking off the other outlets.

  Drench: To pour a chemical on (or in) a beast against pests

  such as worms and ticks.

  Feral: A wild animal that is not native to the environment; an introduced species.

  Fetlock: The joint between the knee (or hock) and the hoof.

  Filly: A young female horse.

  Fire trail: A track made specifically to provide access for fire- fighting.

  Flaxen: A pale gold or cream colour, such as the mane and tail of palominos or pale chestnuts.

  Float: A trailer for transporting horses.

  Forehand: The front legs and shoulders of the horse.

  Frog: The soft triangle in the sole of the horse’s hoof.

  Gag: A metal device with ratchets used by veterinarians or horse dentists to keep the horse’s mouth open.

  Gelding: A de-sexed male horse.

  Goose-neck: A style of horse float (also called a horse trailer or horse box) that has living quarters in the front for people to use. It is attached to the tray of a ute (pickup truck) with a trailer ball coupling.

  Green: A horse that has been broken-in but is still inexperienced.

  Greenies: A slang term for people with a passion for the environment.

  Grey: A dark-skinned horse with black and white hairs in its coat and mane and tail. With each successive change of coat the proportion of white hairs increases so that as the horse gets older its coat lightens until it is completely white.

  Ground-tied: Where the reins touch the ground, instructing the horse to stand still.

  Half-pass: A dressage movement where the horse’s body remains parallel to the side of the arena while moving away from it at an angle of 50 degrees.

  Hanoverian: A Warmblood of German origins that has been bred for strength so the horse can be used for agricultural work as well as driving and riding.

  Headcollar: A bitless headpiece for leading or tying up a horse. Also known as a halter (though different countries can attribute varying meanings to these two terms).

  Heifer: A female cow that has not had a calf.

  Hereford: An English breed of beef cattle with white faces and red and white bodies.

  Herd: A group of horses that has a definite social structure with a hierarchy.

  Hindquarters: The rear end of the horse above the hind legs.

  Hobbles: Leather straps that join a horse’s forelegs together to restrict movement.

  Hog: To cut off the mane close to the neck, usually done with electric clippers.

  Hot blood: A fast, light horse, such as a Thoroughbred or an Arabian.

  Horse challenge: A competition where riders demonstrate their horsemanship, including barrel-racing, whip-cracking on horseback, and bush races.

  Hydro scheme: A large complex of artificial lakes created to power hydroelectric turbines to generate electricity.

  Jag: To tug in a sudden and uneven movement.

  Jackaroo: A young man (feminine equivalent, jillaroo) working on a sheep or cattle station, to gain practical experience in the skills needed to become a head stockman, overseer, or manager.

  Jig-jog: To trot very slowly, either on the spot or sideways, contrary to what the rider is asking.

  K: Australian abbreviation for a kilometre.

  Kelpie: A breed of Australian sheep dog.

  Leathers: Leather straps that attach the stirrup irons to the saddle.

  Leg aids: Instructions to the horse conveyed by pressure or position of the rider’s legs.

  Lowing: The sound made by cattle, a moo. Lucerne: Another name for alfalfa, a sweet hay.

  Mare: A female horse of breeding age.

  Meadow hay: Dried herbage from natural pasture that includes

  a range of grasses and broad-leafed plants.

  Messmate: An Australian tree.

  Mickies/Micky Bull: A slang term for feral bulls that are

  ‘cleanskins’, that is, have not been branded or earmarked.

  Midges: Tiny insects that swarm and cause irritation to humans by biting or flying into eyes, ears and mouth.

  Mob: Any collection of horses that have come close together,

  when mustered or to run from a fire. It can also refer to a group of other animals, such as sheep or kangaroos.

  Muster: To bring together a number of animals into a confined space.

  Nap: When a horse is misbehaving, such as constantly shying, propping, jumping or halting.

  Nibblies: An Australian slang term for snacks.

  Numnah: A pad (typically sheepskin) that goes between the saddle and the horse’s back to reduce pressure, cut into the shape of the saddle.

  Pad: A smooth track created by animals walking the same path.

  Palomino: A breed and colour of horse with a golden coat and a flaxen mane and tail.

  Pastern: The part of a horse’s limb between the fetlock and the hoof.

  Pigroot: When a horse lunges forward with a low head, as if to buck, then kicks up its hind legs.

  Poddy: A young animal, such as a calf or lamb, that has been hand-raised, usually due to being orphaned.

  Poll: The top of a horse’s head between the ears.

  Pommel: The bump at the front top of the saddle, in front of the rider.

  (to) Pony: to lead an unmounted horse when riding another.

  Prop: To stop suddenly with stiff front legs.

  Prop plane: An aeroplane with propeller engines rather than

  jets.

  Quarters: The hind end of the horse behind the flank including the rump and buttocks.

  Queensland gate: A gate made from the same materials as the fence, usually barbed wire and star pickets. The gate does not swing, and is usually fastened by a lever to tension the wires.

  Race: (also cal
led a run or alley) A narrow pair of fences with a space between them just wide enough for one animal to pass through without being able to turn around, thus forming the animals into a line that only allows them to go forward.

  Ranger: A person engaged to work in a park to look after the

  environment including the plants and animals within it.

  Road train: A truck with three trailers, up to a total of 53 metres in length. Road trains used for transporting cattle have two decks, each deck having four or five pens.

  Round yard: A circular fenced area for training horses, with a standard diameter of sixteen metres.

  RSPCA: Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

  Serve: To mate a stallion with a mare.

  Shoulder-in: A dressage movement where the horse is required to bend inwards in an even curve from head to dock, while moving sideways and at the same time forwards.

  Sire: The male parent of a horse.

  Skewbald: A horse whose coat consists of large irregular and clearly defined patches of white and any other colour except black.

  Skip out: To remove horse droppings from a stable without

  lifting or changing the bedding.

  Smoko: Australian slang for a coffee break.

  Snip: A white marking between or close to a horse’s nostrils.

  Snowmobile: A mechanical vehicle, similar to a motorbike, that travels on skis rather than wheels.

  Soften: When a horse relaxes its body, particularly its head and neck, when being ridden; to become responsive to the slightest aid.

  Southern Cross: A constellation (group of stars) that is depicted on the Australian flag.

  Spinifex: A prickly grass that grows across arid Australia.

  Stallion: A male horse (not desexed) of breeding age.

  Stare: (related to the coat of a horse) To stand on end, to bristle, thereby looking dull. Can be a sign of ill-health.

  Steer: A desexed male bullock.

  Stifle: The patella (knee)—a joint of the hind leg of a horse above the hock and below the point of hip.

  Stockhorse: An Australian breed of horse for working cattle and sheep.