by Paula Boer
Unpacking her back pack and rinsing out her sandwich box, Louise hummed along to the tune being played in the music room. She filled the kettle and prepared two cups of tea.
“Glad to see you home on time today.” Mrs Hardy propped on a stool at the breakfast bar and ran her fingers through her shoulder length hair.
“Is Dad still at the levy bank?” Louise stirred sugar and milk into the hot drinks and handed her mother a plate of biscuits.
Nibbling at the edge of a piece of shortbread, Mrs Hardy shook her head. “No, he’s gone back to work. They’re about done anyway. It sounds as if the river is dropping too. How was your morning?”
Louise sat next to her mother and told her all about the vet’s visit. She prattled on about Brandy’s leg, and the strange-looking gag, and stomach tubes.
Mrs Hardy wrinkled her nose and waved her hands in front of her. “Too much information. Are you going over to see Honey this afternoon?”
Louise swallowed a mouthful of chocolate cake and mumbled through the crumbs. “I think I should have Oliver look at her teeth, and worm her too. She hasn’t ever had her teeth done, and I’ve only wormed her the once when we caught her. Mum, do you think I could be a vet?”
“Hold on. For a start, what is it going to cost to get a vet to come out and see Honey? Haven’t we spent enough on that horse already? And how will we afford for you to go to university long enough to study to be a vet? Perhaps you could be a vet nurse. That would be just as good, wouldn’t it?”
“Oh, Mum.” Louise hated that every conversation came back to money. Money, money, money. Didn’t it matter that Honey needed looking after properly? And why shouldn’t she train to be a vet? She didn’t want to be a vet nurse, doing what other people told her. She wanted to diagnose problems and come up with solutions, perhaps even do research.
Not daring to say anything, Louise finished her snack. Packing the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, she tensed as her mother wrapped her arm over her shoulder.
“There’s a few years before we need to decide on university, and your school results will need to be much better. Let’s wait and see. As to your horse, we can’t afford to keep spending money on her. If she really costs that much to keep, she’ll have to go. We’ve told you that before.”
Louise turned to face her mother. “I can’t sell Honey! She’s far too precious. I’ll work out a way to pay for her. Maybe I can get a job at the supermarket or something?”
“You’re still only fourteen. You won’t earn much there.” Mrs Hardy washed her hands, shaking them dry. “Go and ride now, but don’t go getting big ideas into your head. I’ll talk to you father tonight about whether we can afford to keep that horse or not, but it seems like it’s one expense after another.”
Chapter 14
The rocks mid-stream glistened in the sun as water flowed over the cascades, clear and sparkling. Miniature whirlpools spun dried leaves and bits of twig, but the river no longer raged wild and uncrossable. Ben knelt beside the flow and splashed water over his face before scooping handfuls over Snip’s neck.
“You wouldn’t think this was the same place we saw only a few weeks ago.” He thought of all that had happened since—flood waters threatening Jackstown, Brandy being caught in a fence, his dad’s accident. He hoped that was the end of the troubles.
“It’s so beautiful up here, but I wish the brumbies weren’t trapped. We’ve got to save them from Mr Smythe-Waters.” Louise followed Ben’s example and cooled Ned by washing off his chest and neck with cold water.
Ben didn’t feel in the mood to talk about the wild horses. His thoughts ran more to how he and John would cope running the farm on their own. His Uncle Graeme said he’d visit as often as possible to help, but it wouldn’t be the same without his father.
He mounted up and walked Snip alongside the river. “There’s only a month before we go back to school. There’s still a lot to do around the farm, what with the flood damage and catching up on the work because of everyone helping out with the levy bank. Even Mum’s veggie patch looks neglected.”
Louise looked relaxed on Ned, far more comfortable than when she rode Honey. She held her reins loosely and played with the Appaloosa’s damp mane. “Don’t talk about school. Is there anything I can help with? I don’t have to spend all my time at Patti’s.”
“We need to bring the mares home. I think Mum was going to talk to Patti today. Then you won’t need to cycle all the way to Goldriver to ride.” Ben shortened his reins and, after checking Louise was ready, asked Snip to trot.
The black Thoroughbred-cross glided over the rocky ground. As his hooves touched soft grass, he tossed his head. Ben laughed and relaxed. “Alright, then. Let’s go!”
Snip broke into a canter and pulled away from Ned in a few long strides. Ben let him stretch out and increase speed, knowing both horses could cope with the uneven terrain. They raced on to Kingfisher Lake where he and Louise had agreed to enjoy their picnic.
With the air whipping around his face and bare arms, Ben forgot his troubles and enjoyed the feel of his horse surging beneath him. The eerie cries of a flock of black cockatoos overhead added to the sound of the wind and the thundering hooves. The scent of warm earth and hot horse rose around him.
Slowing down as they started to descend the hill, Ben spotted Jenny, Harry’s mule, grazing near the lake. Pleased that he’d be able to thank the old hermit for the package he had left for Brandy, Ben turned to Louise to point out what he had seen.
Cantering alongside him before slowing down, Louise puffed as she pulled Ned up. “Great, we haven’t seen him for ages.”
The smell of frying fish drifted on the breeze as they rode closer. Waving a greeting, Ben and Louise untacked and hobbled their horses before lugging their saddlebags over to join their friend. “Happy New Year, Harry.”
“And to you two. Come and sit down, the billy’s boiled. Want a cuppa?” Harry’s whiskers wobbled as he rummaged amongst his things for two extra tin mugs. “I only bothered to catch one trout but we can share it if you like.”
Ben flopped to the ground and dragged off his leather boots. Removing his socks, he wiggled his toes in the shallow edge of the lake. “We’ve plenty of food. Louise’s mum packed heaps and I’ve got lots of leftovers from the old homestead café.”
“How’s the levy bank going? They won’t need it now, I reckon, with the flood waters going down so fast.” Harry stirred spoonfuls of sugar into the black tea and handed each of them a mug.
Louise took hers and sipped at the hot liquid. “Dad says they dug the redirection canal just in time. There’s still a lot of water near Jackstown.”
“It’ll sit in those marshes all summer. I hope the work the volunteers have done hasn’t wrecked the natural drainage. If those areas dry out, the frogs won’t survive. There’re some rare species there.” Despite the hot summer day, Harry still wore his heavy coat of kangaroo skins. He moved away from the small camp fire and leant against the trunk of one of the trees that hung out over the water.
“Did you hear about the accident? My dad is in hospital.” Ben recounted the story.
“That’s bad news, very bad. I’ll leave you some of my bone-healing herbs in our special place, if you like. You got my package for that stallion of yours, then? And thank you for the lovely little wombat. You didn’t have to spend your pocket money on an old man like me, but he has pride of place in my hut. I showed it to Lucky. He tried to eat it.”
Ben had forgotten about the parcel that Louise had left with his note about Brandy. He hadn’t asked what was in it and felt guilty that Louise had bought both of them such thoughtful presents. But girls were like that, he supposed. It was always his ma that did special things for birthdays and Christmas. The rest of the family wouldn’t even remember. Dismissing the thought, he went on to tell Harry about the vet’s concerns for Brandy.
Har
ry stroked his beard with one hand. “What did he say about any damage to nerves or tendons? Have you trotted him out? How’s he seem in himself?”
Shaking his head, Ben described the stallion’s wounds as best he could. “We’re keeping him stabled so he can’t move around too much. He doesn’t like it, but I don’t want him to hurt himself any more.”
“He should be out and moving. Not galloping around, of course, but if I were you I’d let him out. Doctor Green is the best in my opinion.” At Ben’s frown, Harry went on to explain. “Let him eat grass and be a horse. He’ll be happier, and that’ll help him get better. If he starts pacing in a stable he’ll do more harm than pottering around in a paddock. Movement is the key.”
Ben could see Louise absorbing Harry’s suggestions, but she fidgeted and twisted her pony-tail through her fingers. As soon as a gap came in the conversation, she blurted out her news. “We’ve found out where the brumbies are. Mr Smythe-Waters has trapped them on his farm. It’s definitely them, we saw the grey stallion.”
Back at Tumbleford Farm, Ben slid the heavy stock saddle off Snip’s back and slung it over the top yard rail. Placing the soaked saddle cloth on top, he unbuckled the girth and saddlebags. “This lot’ll need a good clean. Look at the mud. I thought it would have dried out by now.”
Ben noticed mud splatters all over Louise’s T-shirt and face. “You’d better have a wash too. Ned must have been feeling well to keep up with Snip like that.”
Louise chuckled as she stripped down Ned’s saddle. “We did go rather fast through some of those creeks. The horses didn’t even have time to jump. It was fun though. I’m glad we met Harry. He had some really good tips about rearing Fred.”
Ben had forgotten about Louise rescuing the magpie until she had started to ask Harry questions about teaching it to fly. “Sorry I forgot to get that cage out for you. But from what Harry says, it sounds as if you won’t need it.”
“Fred looks really funny with his feathers coming through, like a half-plucked chicken. He’s already part of the family, but I guess it’s better if he learns from his own kind. I’ll miss him when he goes.”
The friends continued chatting as they hosed their horses down. After turning them into the bigger yard, they gave them a small feed of oats. “We’ll let them out with the others later. Come and see Brandy.”
The bandage that Ben had applied the previous day had slipped down the stallion’s leg. “I’d better re-do that. Can you get the stuff from the tack room?”
Cutting off the dressing, Ben talked quietly to his horse. “That’s it fella; you know I’m only trying to help, don’t you? Put your leg down.”
After closing the stable door behind her, Louise crouched next to him. “Harry didn’t seem too worried when you told him about what Oliver Giles said. Are you going to turn Brandy out?”
“Yeh. I’ll put this on first then he can go back in the stallion paddock.”
Straightening up after fixing the bandage, Ben stood back and looked at his horse. “I hope he’s going to be okay.”
Taking the headcollar that Louise passed him, he fastened it on Brandy and led him out into the sunshine. Blinking after the dim light of the stable, Ben led Brandy across to the paddock.
“What if he gallops off and hurts himself? Shouldn’t we let him loose in the round yard first?” Louise closed the stable door and strode ahead to open the gate.
Ben thought about her idea before he discounted it. “He’s more likely to run around in there. Better to turn him out where there’s green grass. Hopefully he’ll be more interested in grazing than anything else.”
Once inside the paddock, Ben turned Brandy to face the gate and slipped off the headcollar.
Louise stayed out of the way and leant on the fencepost. “He looks awesome with the sun on his coat. You wouldn’t think there was anything wrong with him if you didn’t see his leg.”
With a loud snort, Brandy tossed his head and looked about him. Ears pricked, he called to the geldings over at the yards before galloping off.
Ben cringed as he watched the brumby kick up his heels and race away. “I hope that bandage stays on. If he keeps acting like that, he’ll have to come back in.”
After the initial rush of excitement, Brandy dropped his head to graze. His tail swished as he flicked away flies. After a few mouthfuls, he raised his head and trotted across to the fence.
“He’s not lame at all.” Ben couldn’t believe how freely the horse moved. With no sign of a limp, Brandy floated across the ground, holding his head high with nostrils flared. He stopped for another bite of grass and then circled the paddock at a collected canter, showing off with his neck arched and his tail over his back.
“I bet you’ll be riding him in no time.” Louise shielded her eyes with her hand as she watched the stallion cavort around the paddock.
Ben unlatched the gate. “I hope he doesn’t do any damage to that leg.” Despite the note of caution in his voice, for the first time since Brandy had hung himself in the fence, Ben had a glimmer of hope that the brumby would make a full recovery.
Chapter 15
Louise tweezered mince and egg mix into Fred’s gaping maw. “You should be feeding yourself by now.” She tried to encourage the baby magpie to peck at the food on a saucer by tapping the dish with her fingernail, but the young bird didn’t seem to understand. Instead, Fred squawked and held his beak wide, waiting for more morsels to drop inside.
Mrs Hardy wiped the table with a cloth. “Can’t you take that bird into the garden? You’re making a terrible mess.”
“Sorry, Mum, but I don’t want to attract any cats with his crying.” Louise continued to splatter sticky food over the breakfast bar until she finished feeding her rescued pet.
After tidying away the dirty plate, Louise scooped Fred up into her hands. “Maybe I could take him outside and let him watch other birds eat.”
“Good idea. The sooner you let him fend for himself the better. Isn’t that what your friend in the park said?”
Louise placed Fred in his shoebox. “Harry said not to let him meet the wild birds until he was fully fledged, else they’ll attack him. I’ll put him back in my bedroom while I go to Patti’s and take him out to explore later.”
Having finished her morning chores, Louise cycled the winding road to Goldriver. She enjoyed the rise and fall of the foothills, pumping her legs as she climbed. Cresting the rise to see the valleys spread out below her always gave her a thrill, as well as zooming down the other side with her feet off the pedals. The journey only took forty minutes, which flew by as she thought of all the things she may get to do with the horses.
Today, Patti planned to truck the Naylor’s mares back to Tumbleford Farm. With Mr Naylor laid up in hospital, Ben’s Uncle Graeme had offered to collect them in the cattle truck, but Patti had insisted on helping out as Graeme and John still had work to do to tidy up the work on the levy bank.
Patti’s goose-neck float was already hitched to her tow vehicle by the time Louise arrived. She admired the flash looking horse trailer with its decorative scroll work and horses performing dressage and jumping poses painted on the sides. The name ‘Gold River Run Performance Horses’ stood out in gold lettering along the full length of the four horse transport.
“Good morning, Louise.” Patti lowered the ramp of the float.
Louise rested her bike on its stand and walked across to where Patti latched the side door open. She peered inside. “This is cool. Do you sleep in here?”
“All the comforts of home. I’m often away for days at a time for events or to go to shows a long way away. There’s even a shower.” Patti showed Louise the interior of the plush accommodation end of the gooseneck.
“Your bike can go in the back of the ute. There’re straps you can use to fasten it to the grill.” Patti gave Louise a hand to lift the bike up onto the rear of the v
ehicle.
“Are you going to ride Honey before we go? I think it would be good before you try loading her. She’s only travelled on the open truck before, hasn’t she?”
“Yes, I’ll go and get her in. Shall I bring Lady too?”
“Let’s both go. We’ll bring all the mares in and let them stand in the stables for a while.”
Louise caught Honey and Shadow and followed Patti with two of the stockhorse mares. The rest of the herd, not wanting to be separated, followed along behind. Lady wove between them and snapped her teeth at those who approached too close.
“You’re such a bully, Lady.” Louise flicked the end of the lead rope at the chestnut mare’s nose as she tried to bite Honey on the neck. The part-Arabian mare backed off and dropped behind.
“That’s better, Louise. I’m glad you have learnt to put her in her place. She’ll respect you more when you ride her if you’re boss on the ground.” Patti shooed the loose horses away as she opened the gate. “We’ll come back for these once you’ve ridden.”
Louise groomed Honey before she led her across to the round yard. She chatted to Patti about working with the vet a couple of days before. “I think I should get him to do Honey, but my parents don’t think we can afford it. Do you think she’ll be okay without having her teeth done?”
Patti gave Louise a leg up onto the buckskin and waved for her to start walking around the outside of the yard. “If money is a problem for you, how about you keep coming here through the holidays and working for me? I haven’t been looking forward to losing you when the mares go home, and I can give you enough to look after that lovely mare of yours.”
In her surprise, Louise let go of the neck strap and turned Honey towards Patti with her legs. “Really? Cool! I’m sure Mum and Dad will be pleased too. They’re always on at me to find a job rather than spending all my time with Ben and the horses. That’ll be awesome, thanks.”