by Paula Boer
"Do you think I should take Brandy? He went really well yesterday. When I checked his legs this morning, they felt cool and firm." Ben had worried all night about whether he might have overdone the ride with his stallion. Although it was six months since his accident, he had only walked him out for a few kilometres under saddle since then.
Jacinta pondered the question. "The cattle are quieter on the way out than when we mustered, but you might need to chase a few. Do you think he"ll be up to quick starts and turns?"
"You"ve got a point. Probably not worth risking it." Being back on his stallion had been great, but common sense told Ben to not push his luck.
"That chestnut mare you rode the other day could use another outing. That"ll help confirm the lessons in her mind. I think Dad wants to sell her when she"s ready, so the more you can ride her the better." A whistle from her father made Jacinta return to her place to load the next mob of cattle.
Ben didn"t mind working the green horse. He assumed Louise would ride Splash again too. She seemed to like the pony once she got over being miffed at not being considered a good enough rider for the young stockhorses. Ben had been surprised she even thought she could ride them. After all, breaking in one horse didn"t make her an experienced rider.
These stockhorses hadn"t had the six months of handling and ground work that he and Louise had put into their brumbies; they were started the old-fashioned way, everything done in a matter of days and taught how to respond by doing real work. He knew his Uncle Graeme only handled the foals when they were weaned to brand and castrate them. After that they were turned out to grow for a few years before being mustered and broken in. Most of the stock was then sold, with the best being reserved for his own use before being retired to the breeding herd.
The second trailer of pens soon filled. Ben looked up as the last of the cattle clattered up the ramp. As the last one scrambled onto the truck, he saw Louise start to walk down the loading dock. "Get out of there, Louise! What do you think you"re doing?"
As she returned to her spot, Louise shouted back. "I need to refill my water bottle. What"s the matter?"
"Never go on the dock until you know the cattle are secured. They could turn back and trample you!" Shaking his head, he grabbed his own water bottle and threw it up to her. Louise was becoming a liability. He wished he"d come on holiday alone.
Chapter 7
Louise settled Splash behind the line of cattle as they headed out from the yards. The stock jostled through the gate, keen to be on their way to fresh pasture. Despite leaving the weaned youngsters behind, the cows strode out along the track. Calves too young to be separated from their mothers skipped along and raced each other with their tails held straight up in the air. The bulls knew the routine and settled in to the long walk without fuss.
Splash remained an even distance behind the cattle in the rear. There was no need to push them along or chase up stragglers. Louise rolled her sleeves up as the sun burnt off the chill of the morning. She couldn"t believe that she"d needed a coat only a couple of hours ago.
Thinking about loading the cattle onto the road train, she grimaced as she remembered her embarrassment at Ben shouting at her. It seemed she couldn"t do anything right. Ben always explained new things to her at home; in fact, he usually delighted in showing off his knowledge. Here he ignored her whenever Jacinta was around, or ran her down.
She sighed. At least she was back on a horse. Determined to enjoy her ride, she pushed thoughts of Ben aside and tried not to think about Honey back home plus her need to earn some money. She"d have to work extra hard at weekends to make up for being away.
Without the pressure of needing to drive the cattle, Louise took the opportunity to look around her and enjoy the surroundings. This morning they rode in a different direction to where they"d been before. She could see rolling hills in the distance, shrouded in the pale green of stunted acacia and grevillea bushes. Dust blew across the ground with the occasional tumbleweed rolling amongst the spinifex hummocks. Termite mounds jutted between the clumps of low trees like castles, turrets and towers hiding a labyrinth of tunnels and passageways inside. She was looking forward to the chance of mustering brumbies later in the holidays; she"d had enough of cattle.
Graeme"s head stockman, Jacko, dropped back and rode beside her. "See that big hill over there? We call that The Hump."
Pleased that someone was bothering to talk to her, Louise peered into the distance. "It looks like the back of a camel. Is that how it got its name?"
"I suppose so. There used to be thousands of camels around here. Most of them have been mustered and sent to the knackers over the years. You might still spot one or two."
Before Louise had a chance to ask more, the stockman urged his horse into a canter. Waving his hat and hollering, he chased a bull back into the herd. The disturbance upset the cows around him. Within seconds, cattle tried to break out of line everywhere. She could see Ben and Jacinta on the right wing rounding up escapees. The stockmen in the lead couldn"t desert their post.
Not knowing whether it would be okay to leave her place on the tail, Louise dithered about pushing back a straying cow with a large calf. A shout drew her attention. Jacko waved and pointed for her to go. Without any further hesitation, she squeezed Splash with her legs. He immediately shot forward, knowing exactly what he was supposed to do. Before the cow had a chance to make a dash, Splash cut in front of her and spun on his hindquarters.
Caught unawares, Louise slipped sideways in the saddle. Hanging on with her knees, she managed to right herself before Splash ducked the other way. Ahead of him, the cow turned back to the main body of cattle with the calf racing after her.
Within moments, another couple of cattle attempted to break away. Again she gave Splash the signal to go. Zooming after the pair of Brahman, Louise started to enjoy herself. The skewbald pony zipped this way and that, anticipating the way the cattle would try to escape. With his tactics, they never made it far before being turned back. Gasping from the exertion, Louise steadied the pony back to a walk and returned to her place at the rear.
After a few more mad dashes, the cattle seemed to settle. Jacko returned to her side. "I was about to warn you about that place. There"s a turnoff there to another paddock we sometimes take this herd to. The old cows remember and know where the good feed and water is. Things should go easier from here. Anyway, well done."
Louise stroked Splash"s neck. "Thanks to my horse."
With a nod and a tilt of his hat, the head stockman rode off to talk to the other riders. He was in charge today as Graeme had driven the truck to town for the sales.
As the morning warmed up, the cattle started to slow. Every so often one or two would try to break away. Louise would chase after those within her range and could confidently turn back even the most stubborn beast. By the time the leaders reached the gate to their new paddock, she had learnt how close to ride to shoulder them around, even making contact with a few that refused to budge. Splash barged them without hesitation when she encouraged him to do so and held back once they headed in the right direction.
By the time the cattle had been shut in to their new pasture, both Louise and Splash were hot and thirsty, and Louise had decided that cattle work wasn"t so bad.
Louise joined Ben and Jacinta at the gate. "How far is it to the falls?"
Jacinta pointed to a range of hills ahead of them. "The gorge is in there. About ten kilometres I suppose."
Jacko rode up. "We"ll wait for the older cows to lead the herd to water. After that we"ll be heading out to the camp in Bull Ant Paddock."
"Okay. I expect we"ll have gone to Simon"s by the time you get back, so see you next holidays." With a cheery wave, Jacinta turned her horse and led Ben and Louise north.
The ground became rockier as they approached the hills. When the track allowed, the three of them cantered, all keen to get to the picnic spot. The
horses needed no encouraging to open up after walking the majority of the way with the cattle.
Splash"s short stride drummed against the hard dirt. Louise leant forward and let him roll along underneath her. Looking down, dried grasses passed in a mesmerising blur. Ben had spurted ahead to keep up with Jacinta but she didn"t mind being back on her own. Riding in open country always made her feel great.
Before long, the horses ahead slowed to a walk. Louise noticed a wire fence stretching to left and right as far as her eyes could see. The horizon blurred with the sky, accentuating the feeling of space. Although her mountain home provided magnificent views, this arid country made her feel small and insignificant. She marvelled at how anything lived out here.
Ben swung off his mare and unhooked a long metal pole from a post. A section of the fence dropped to the ground. Dragging the wires out of the way, Ben let the girls through.
"That"s clever. I wondered how we were going to get to the other side." Louise gave Splash a loose rein as he walked after the gelding.
Jacinta spoke without bothering to face Louise. "Haven"t you seen a Queensland gate before?"
Louise didn"t respond as Ben closed the contraption and remounted. Once he had both feet in the stirrups, they trotted across the western road from the homestead and up to a similar gate a short way up on the other side. This time Louise dismounted and opened the gate. In the distance she could see a family of emus take fright. The horses paid no attention as the flightless birds ran off.
A short while later a ridge of orange rock rose in a sharp escarpment. Jacinta slowed to a walk as her horse stepped through scattered boulders. A tangle of bushes made the way even harder. The horses kept their heads low. The prickly vegetation forced the riders to use their arms to fend off any swinging branches.
Louise kept well back to avoid being swiped in the face. As they zigzagged their way forward, she became aware of the sound of water. Ahead of her, Ben and Jacinta dismounted and led their horses. She did the same.
The sight as she emerged from the scrub took her by surprise. She had thought that the area of the falls would be similar to the waterhole that Splash had taken her to a couple of days before. Although the vegetation was greener than the surrounding country, it wasn"t lush like she expected. Instead, a clear pool glistened at the base of a cliff where a thin stream of water tumbled in a drifting spray. Louise shivered as she walked into the shadow of the immense wall. A few struggling trees clung in crevices half way up the rock, their roots growing down the outer face many metres to the water.
"Cool!" Louise followed Ben"s example and unsaddled Splash before letting him drink from the rushing stream. She knelt and splashed her face, slurping the fresh water from cupped hands.
"Let"s eat." Ben helped his cousin unpack the saddlebags and lay out a picnic. He rolled a couple of rocks under a tree before he plopped down on one.
Louise tied Splash up next to the other horses and joined him. "This looks yummy, Jacinta. You must have been busy baking last night."
"Where were you when Ben was out with Brandy? I could have used a hand." Jacinta opened a plastic box and handed out squares of quiche.
Louise wondered if this girl would ever give her a break. It seemed no matter how hard she tried to be nice, Ben"s cousin always retorted with a snap. "I was treating Snifter. One of his wounds is a bit nasty. Your dad suggested I take him for a walk too."
She turned to Ben. "I kept him on a lead so he wouldn"t get near Graeme"s dogs or run too much."
Ben mumbled through a mouthful of food. "I saw someone had fed him. Thanks."
Wondering why Ben was ignoring his dog as much as her, she didn"t bother trying to join the conversation over lunch. When they had finished eating, they packed away the remains of the food to keep it away from the ants.
"I"m going to ride in! Who"s coming?" Without waiting for an answer, Jacinta stripped off her boots and jeans. She had swimmers on underneath in anticipation. Untying her gelding, she vaulted onto his back, her browned skin revealing she spent plenty of time sunbathing.
When Ben tried to mount his mare, she ran backwards and bumped into a tree, which made her leap forward. He hung onto her and eventually scrambled on board from a rock. "I guess she hasn"t been ridden bareback before."
Louise noticed how odd Ben"s suntanned arms looked against his white body. She knew she"d look the same. The mountains didn"t offer much weather for basking, nor did their lives spent on horseback. She had a pang of homesickness as she thought of her brumby mare.
Grateful of the hours that Patti had insisted on her riding Honey bareback, she settled onto Splash"s round back. The warm hair tickled her bare legs. She squeezed him to follow the others, enjoying the sensation of being so close to her horse.
Jacinta"s gelding approached the pool"s edge and sniffed at the water. He refused to enter. Next to her, Ben tried to push his mare into the shallows. She spun around and tried to bolt. He bent her back and tried again. Once more she raced backwards.
Louise kept clear of the young horses. Walking Splash well below the swirl of the falls, she asked him to approach the water. Hoping that he wouldn"t play up too, Louise relaxed and let the skewbald pick his own way. Without hesitating, he strode into the coolness.
Louise expected him to stop and splash, as Jacinta"s gelding had started doing. Ben still fought his mare and had resorted to trying to lead her into the water. As she watched the antics of the stockhorses, she felt cold creeping up her shins. Before she had time to think about what was happening, Splash plunged into the deep pool, out of his depth. The shock of water around Louise"s bottom made her squeal.
Jacinta laughed as Splash continued to go further out. "Hang on to his mane! He"ll tow you."
Louise had thought riding into water would be fun. She hadn"t expected to find her body trying to float away. Until now she had been gripping with her knees to keep on Splash"s back. She loosened the hold with her legs as she took a large chunk of hair in her fist. The cold water added to the excitement as Splash swam in a big circle. Louise swam next to him.
As he returned to the bank, Louise swung her leg back over his rump. As his hooves touched the bottom, they emerged, dripping. "That was awesome!"
Still knee deep, Splash shook himself from head to toe. His wobbling flesh made Louise giggle and she almost fell off. Pretending the movement was deliberate, she leant forward and gave his ears a stroke.
Neither Ben nor Jacinta had been able to get the young stockhorses to go further than fetlock deep in the water. After several attempts, they tied the horses to a tree before going in for a swim.
Louise had thought about offering to lead them in with Splash but wasn"t sure he"d go in again. Not wanting to make a fool of herself, she kept quiet. Once everyone was refreshed, Ben had said he still wanted to ride Brandy that afternoon, so they"d tacked up and headed for home.
Feeling happier than she had since her arrival, Louise rode in her usual place behind the other two horses, letting her feet swing free of the stirrups. She liked Jacinta"s old pony and didn"t find his short stride strange or uncomfortable any more. The country changed back to the flat plains around the homestead.
"Let"s race—" The last of Jacinta"s words whipped away as she kicked her horse on.
Without even a glance over his shoulder, Ben followed.
Louise knew Ben would never have done that at home. They always checked the other person was ready before taking off. As Splash pulled on the reins, she struggled to re-find her stirrups. Anxious not to be left too far behind, she let him go when she had only replaced one.
With the wind rushing by her ears, Louise enjoyed the gallop. She sat deep in the saddle in case Splash decided to veer around an obstacle, one stirrup still swinging loose. There was no way she wanted to fall off on this ground. Keeping a firm hold on his head, she let the pony race on.
Up ahead, Jacinta"s g
elding pulled away from Ben"s mare. The chestnut started to flag, probably with Ben"s heavier weight and all the dancing about earlier in the day, Louise thought. Splash continued to pull as she closed the distance between them.
As she came level with Ben, she could see he tried to push his horse faster despite the fact she was tiring. Jacinta had started to slow down. As Splash came nearer to the gelding in front, he made a sudden surge and shot forward.
Delighted to be in the lead, Louise only noticed the ditch at the last minute. Ahead of her, a deep gully snaked across the track. Without time to stop, she shortened her reins and held on, trusting the sure-footed pony to find his own way over.
Splash didn"t hesitate. Bunching up his powerful hindquarters, he leapt in the air and cleared the ditch by at least a metre. Louise managed to keep her seat despite only having one stirrup. Delighted that she had jumped cleanly, she thought of the time on Lady when she had almost come off jumping a creek. That seemed so long ago. Splash had made it seem easy.
Hearing Jacinta and Ben calling her, Louise stopped to let them catch up. "I won! Splash is fantastic!"
Jacinta"s face glowed red. "You idiot. I said the finish line is that pair of trees back there. You"re not supposed to go flat out over the creek. Splash could"ve fallen in that loose scree and broken his leg. I wish I"d never let you ride him!"
Chapter 8
Ben left the girls to hose down the horses as he organised the feed. He carried the nosebags back to the wash-bay and slipped one on his mare. The chestnut tucked into the mix of chaff and pellets with relish. "Can you take her nose bag off for me when she"s finished, Jacie? I"m going to get Brandy and go and ride out to Jacko"s camp."
Ben"s cousin finished scraping the water off her gelding. "I"ll turn them all out when they"re done. Do you know how to get there?"