by Karen Wood
As soon as Analita returned, Grampy went down to the beach with Coalfire. His toys included some large plastic barrels, a beach ball, a hula hoop and a bubble machine.
‘I’ve never seen anyone use a bubble machine to train a horse,’ said Loretta, staring at the colourful equipment strewn all over the shore.
Rather than ride Coalfire, Grampy walked behind him with a long set of reins.
‘This way he can figure out his problems by himself,’ said Grampy. ‘He will learn to have courage.’
Lexie watched proudly as Grampy walked behind Coalfire. The big black gelding sniffed at everything. ‘Grampy will guide him but Coalfire has to go first,’ Lexie explained. ‘He has to be brave.’
Coalfire pushed at the ball with his nose. He stepped over the hula hoop. Grampy turned on the bubble machine and clouds of bubbles floated across the beach. Coalfire reached out and popped them with his nose. Then he struck at them with his hooves.
‘He’s really having fun,’ said Loretta.
Soon Coalfire was investigating everything he could. When he seemed nervous, Grampy talked to him and waited patiently while the horse wrestled with his fear.
After a long, playful session, Grampy turned Coalfire’s nose towards the water. ‘Now that we have his trust, he is more curious than frightened,’ he explained to the girls. ‘He knows that I will not make him do something that hurts him.’
Coalfire flicked an ear nervously towards Grampy.
‘You’ll be okay,’ said the old man. ‘I am still here with you.’
Loretta took Lexie’s hand and squeezed it.
Lexie squeezed back. They watched while Coalfire walked closer to the waves. He stretched his nose down and flicked his ears back and forth. A wave rushed up the sand and the big black horse leapt in the air. Grampy used the reins to keep Coalfire facing the water. Then he waited patiently while the gelding went and sniffed again. This time he held out a hoof and pawed at the water.
After several minutes, the black horse stood still while the waves washed over his legs. His ears were back and his body was tense. Every time a wave splashed up his legs he screwed up his nose.
‘That’s a very big improvement,’ said Loretta, ‘even though he still looks scared.’
‘He’ll be even better tomorrow,’ said Lexie. ‘It takes lots of courage to push through your fears.’ Without thinking, Lexie touched the belt buckle that rested at her tummy.
Loretta noticed. ‘I’ve never seen such beautiful jewellery,’ she said. ‘Your sisters both have pieces too. Ruby has a lovely necklace and Kit has that bracelet. There’s something mesmerising about them.’
‘It was given to me by my grandmother,’ said Lexie, deciding that she could trust her new friend. She took it off and held out the buckle for Loretta to see. ‘It signifies courage.’ She told Loretta how her Great-Uncle Yaan had won it in a trick-riding competition many years ago. ‘It’s very special to me. When I wear it, I feel almost invincible.’
Loretta read the inscription aloud. ‘From weakness comes strength.’ She looked up at Lexie.
‘It means only those who have been weak and vulnerable can understand what true courage is,’ Lexie explained.
‘I like that,’ smiled Loretta. Her eyes wandered to Coalfire, who splashed tentatively in the shallow waves. ‘I wish I was more courageous.’
‘I think you’re very courageous,’ said Lexie. ‘My grandma said in her diary that courage was about being scared but saddling up anyway. There is no courage without fear.’
The next morning, the sun rose above a bank of clouds into a glorious day, and Grampy worked with Coalfire again. This time he asked the horse to walk through a paddling pool and some water sprinklers. He asked him to walk over tarps and wooden bridges. A crowd of spectators grew as the other stunt riders waited for filming to resume. Everyone watched Coalfire’s confidence grow as he realised his legs didn’t hurt anymore. He became more and more courageous with his feet.
In the afternoon, Kit coated Coalfire’s legs with more of the protective herbal paste, and Grampy steered him back to the edge of the water. The gelding only took one sniff before walking straight in.
Loretta jumped to her feet and began clapping. All along the sand dunes, the sea ghost riders cheered.
Next, Grampy asked Loretta to mount Coalfire and ride him into the waves. First he advised her to walk, but before long Loretta was cantering through the shallow water, splashing spray high into the air.
‘He did it!’ said the star as she rode her horse back up the beach. ‘Mr Trickett, you really helped.’
Grampy waved her off with a hand gesture. ‘Ja, ja,’ he said. ‘Blacky here did all the hard work.’
Loretta turned to Lexie. ‘I feel like I’ve made a new friend,’ she said. ‘How can I ever repay you?’
Lexie blushed, embarrassed. She couldn’t think of anything to say, so she just waved her hand like Grampy had done. ‘Ja, ja.’
‘One day I will find a way to repay you,’ Loretta said with a smile, and rode away. She cantered down the beach with her golden hair flaring out behind her.
Lexie’s heart fluttered at the thought of putting her sea ghost costume on again tomorrow. But if Coalfire could get over his nerves, then she was sure she could too. The show would go on!
The next day was more brilliant than the one before. The wind danced over the sand, the sky was a crazy blue and the water rippled with silver froth.
Lexie waved to Loretta as the star walked down the path to the beach.
The stunt riders talked and laughed while they put on their costumes and make-up. It seemed everyone was in a good mood.
Everyone except the head animal trainer. Mr Barnes snapped and grizzled at whoever was nearby. ‘This is the slowest production I have ever worked on,’ Lexie heard him saying to a man with a clipboard. ‘People have been loafing around for days. If the lead actress can’t sort her horse out, she should be replaced.’
Lexie rode past him on Featherfoot. Her hair was teased into a giant mess, with seashells and sand through it, and her face had its thick coating of make-up.
She cantered across the sand to the other sea ghost riders, thinking of Coalfire and feeling brave, like him. She held her arms out wide.
On a whim, she tumbled over Featherfoot’s wither into a shoulder stand. She rode for several strides with her toes pointed to the sky. Then she swung back down onto his back and did a quick spin. She scissored her legs so she faced sideways, backwards, sideways and to the front again. Featherfoot came back to a walk.
When Lexie got to the other riders she noticed they were all staring at her. On the beach, the camera operators and the director were also agape.
‘Sorry,’ she said, suddenly embarrassed. What was she thinking? The other stunt riders would think she was such a show-off. ‘I forgot where I was for a minute,’ she mumbled.
To her surprise the other riders began clapping. Lexie flushed bright red, and pretended she didn’t notice the applause. She trotted Featherfoot through the water looking for Ruby and Kit. Her heart beat quickly in her chest. Was it pride?
‘All sea ghost riders out into the breakers, please,’ Mr Johns boomed through the megaphone.
Lexie saw Kit and Ruby already making their way out from the shore. She pointed Featherfoot towards them and the big horse pushed through the waves. The swells were bigger than yesterday. Kelp floated everywhere. Lexie wondered if the set designers had put it there on purpose.
When all the sea ghost horses and riders stood in the breakers, Loretta rode across the sand on Coalfire again. The gelding whinnied loudly as he burst into a gallop. He lifted his nose to the sea as though sniffing the salt air. Loretta raised her sword.
‘Sea ghosts get ready to ride,’ boomed the megaphone.
Lexie got ready to rush out of the waves, back to the shore, so the sand princess could fight her off. Her heart was pounding, but she no longer knew if it was nerves or excitement.
‘When t
he princess hits the water,’ yelled the director, ‘everybody charge out!’
Coalfire braced to a dramatic stop at the water’s edge. Lexie held her breath, and she could sense the tension rise around her as everyone watched the black horse. He reared up high. Loretta held his mane, with her bare feet clasped around his belly. She looked fierce and determined. Coalfire brought his feet down into the water, making a big splash. Everyone breathed out.
‘Oh, he looks amazing!’ said Kit in awe.
‘Grampy did it!’ said Lexie.
Loretta kicked the gelding forward and he reared again.
‘Was he supposed to do that twice?’ said Ruby.
Coalfire reared another time. Loretta kicked his belly to urge him further into the water. The relief of the sea ghosts was short-lived, as Coalfire lifted his nose and called across the waves to the other horses. He nodded his head, showing no sign of advancing.
‘Hurry up,’ muttered another rider. ‘These waves are really strong today. I’m having trouble holding my horse in them.’
Lexie too could feel the pull of the current, tearing against her bare legs. The sea sloshed about like a giant washing machine. But Featherfoot stood rock solid.
As much as Loretta tried, she could not get Coalfire into the ocean.
‘Everybody stay where you are,’ Mr Johns called through the megaphone. Lexie was alarmed when she saw him pointing to her. ‘You, on the big piebald, the trick rider, come out of the water.’
Lexie rode Featherfoot up onto the sand. ‘What did I do wrong?’ she asked, wondering why she had been singled out.
‘Nothing,’ said Mr Johns. ‘Your horse is very powerful and you’re a good rider. I want you to be the princess for this scene.’
Lexie gasped. ‘Me? But what about Loretta?’ She turned to her new friend. Loretta wouldn’t look at her. She turned Coalfire and galloped away across the sand. Lexie’s heart plummeted.
‘Can you do it or not?’ asked the director. ‘Because I can’t waste any more time on a poorly trained horse.’
‘Coalfire is not poorly trained. He just hasn’t had enough time to learn,’ said Lexie. Oh dear. Loretta would never forgive her. ‘And I can’t act!’
‘You won’t need to act – all you need to do is ride and raise a sword. We’ll mostly be filming from behind.’
‘Come on, trick rider,’ yelled one of the extras. ‘Let’s get on with the show!’ Soon everyone was calling out.
Lexie swallowed, reminding herself to breathe. ‘Umm ... okay,’ she eventually stammered. ‘What do I need to do?’
Before Lexie knew it, she was dressed in a flowing white gown. Her hair was scrunched up beneath a blonde wig and a crown of seashells sat on top of it. Someone passed her a sword. It was made of plastic and was light in Lexie’s hand. The wardrobe crew draped a white blanket with golden tassels over Featherfoot’s back and painted his face, neck and tail to hide his white patches.
‘Do you mind if we shave his feathers off?’ asked a woman with a pair of clippers in her hand.
Lexie nearly choked. ‘Yes, I do mind!’
‘Put black bandages over them,’ said another person. Soon Featherfoot looked like a baldy-legged, black warrior horse.
‘Can you do some more of those tricks while you’re riding?’ asked Mr Johns. ‘Like the ones you did earlier.’
Lexie was dumbstruck. From the corner of her eye she could see Loretta standing with Coalfire by the sand dunes, watching. She felt torn.
‘Well, what’s the answer?’ the man asked curtly. ‘Yes or no? If you can’t do it, I’ll find someone who can.’
Lexie opened her mouth to speak, to say she wasn’t sure, but no words came out. The director spoke over the top of her.
‘Good,’ he snapped. ‘Let’s get on with it.’
Lexie grabbed hold of Featherfoot’s mane with trembling hands and took a deep breath. How on earth had she got herself into this?
‘Action,’ yelled Mr Johns.
Lexie could see Ruby and Kit waving to her out in the ocean. She could feel how thrilled they were for her.
She kicked Featherfoot into a gallop and set off across the sand with her white robes flapping behind her. The wig stayed on. She pulled out her sword and crashed into the water. The sea ghost riders yelled and screamed and charged towards her. Sea zombies with rotten teeth and skeleton faces rushed through the surf. They looked like they wanted to kill her. For a moment, Lexie had to remind herself that they were only acting.
No wonder poor Coalfire had been frightened. It was an intimidating sight. But Featherfoot did not know the meaning of fear. Nothing had ever fazed the big black-and-white cob. Lexie rode through the water and let out her best bloodcurdling war cry.
Kit appeared out of the chaos. ‘Arghhh!’ she yelled, and galloped out of the waves with rubbish hanging out of her hair and fierce look on her face.
Lexie knew what her sister would do before she did it. Kit pounced onto her feet and stood on Kismet’s back. She dived onto Lexie’s sword. Lexie pushed it under Kit’s arm so it looked like it had gone straight through her heart.
‘Take that, you salty sea ghost!’ yelled Lexie, trying her hardest not to laugh. Kit rolled straight over the top of her, as if Lexie had thrown her. She did a somersault into the waves. ‘And don’t come back, you pesky piece of marine pollution!’
Ruby came next, jumping onto Featherfoot behind Lexie and pretending to strangle her. Lexie shook her sister back and forth a few times. Then she whispered, ‘Tucked rollover!’ and pulled Ruby forward.
Ruby tumbled straight over Lexie’s shoulder in a fancy dismount, just like Grampy had taught them. Her feet sailed through the air. She landed in front of Lexie and pulled a scary zombie face, rolling her eyes and poking out her tongue.
Lexie jumped to her feet and brought her sword down on Ruby, chopping and slashing, but not really touching her. Ruby made choking noises. She hung her tongue out of the side of her mouth and collapsed into the water.
Lexie stayed on her feet. She held Featherfoot’s reins. His back was broad and smooth and easy to balance on. More sea ghosts rode towards her. She kicked and jumped and spun and slashed.
As she rode, she felt the water come up over her ankles. Soon she noticed that Featherfoot was swimming.
‘Cut,’ the director called. ‘Great scene. Everyone, come back to shore.’
Lexie puffed hard. Being a sand princess was tough work. The water ran almost up to her belly button. But something was missing. She put a hand to her waist. ‘My buckle!’ she gasped. A rush of panic overwhelmed her as she thought of her precious amulet lying somewhere on the sea floor. ‘Featherfoot! My buckle!’
Suddenly, Lexie felt scared. Featherfoot’s feet no longer touched the sand. His shoulders and hindquarters pushed against the water as he took big swimming strokes.
‘Come back to shore,’ Kit yelled to her.
Ruby beckoned. ‘You’re too far out.’
Lexie turned Featherfoot’s head but the more the big horse swam, the more he was dragged out to sea. ‘I’m trying,’ she spluttered back. The waves crashed around them. Seaweed tangled around their legs. Featherfoot’s head nearly went under. She had to get off his back before she weighed him down.
She floated off Featherfoot but clung tightly to his reins. She could not let herself be separated from him. His legs pounded at the water, but he seemed to go nowhere. Lexie felt a giant wall of water lift her up so high she could see all the way back to the beach.
A streak of black galloped across the sand. Coalfire! Lexie could see Loretta on his back, pushing him faster. With her bare legs clinging around his belly, Loretta leaned all the way off one side of him and reached down to the sand with one hand. She scooped something up and pulled herself back upright. Then she kicked Coalfire on, even faster.
A giant wave smacked into Lexie. It was loud, like a thunderstorm bursting over her. It dragged her under the water, tumbling and spinning. She didn’t know which way was u
p. Everything was grey, bubbling chaos.
When she finally came up she had lost Featherfoot’s reins. She could see him swimming out to sea. His ears were pinned back and he shook his head like he had water in his ears.
‘Featherfoot,’ she spluttered, as she desperately trod water. ‘You’re going the wrong way!’
On the shore, Coalfire skittered in the shallow waves. Loretta urged him on. The horse baulked a few more times and then pounced into the sea in a sudden burst of bravery.
Coalfire’s nostrils flared as he swam through the deeper water. He surged up and over the breakers. Lexie lost sight of him for a moment. Then, as the waves ebbed, he appeared again.
‘Lexie,’ Loretta called out as she got closer. ‘Don’t fight the current. It will only make you tired!’
‘I’ve lost Featherfoot,’ Lexie cried back. ‘I can’t find Featherfoot!’
‘Let yourself float!’ Loretta yelled, as she slipped off Coalfire’s back and bobbed about in the water. ‘We’re in a rip!’
Lexie tried not to panic. ‘I’m so scared. I can’t find my horse!’
‘Don’t be,’ said Loretta. She held something shiny above the water. ‘I have your buckle.’ She swam closer to Lexie and handed her the amulet. ‘We’ll be okay. I can see Featherfoot. He’s still swimming strongly.’ She pointed to an incoming wave. Featherfoot’s head bobbed up and down on the front wall of it.
Lexie wound the leather belt around her wrist. Just having the buckle next to her skin gave her a surge of renewed strength. She kicked her legs harder and swam towards Featherfoot.
‘They’re bringing a boat,’ said Loretta. ‘Try not to use too much energy.’ Coalfire’s head bobbed alongside her.
But Lexie could not relax until she reached her horse. She could see him swimming in circles. With a few more strokes and some extra strong kicks she finally managed to grasp his reins and hold them tight. ‘Easy, boy,’ she puffed. ‘I’ve got you.’
A small motorboat buzzed and banged across the water.