by Paula Boer
Ben waved from the horse yards as Patti drove through the farm gates. Pulling in between the machinery shed and the house, she manoeuvred the long vehicle to face back the way she had come.
Louise jumped out of the tow vehicle and greeted Ben. “How’s Brandy today?”
“Look at him watching the float. He heard you before I did. Or rather, he heard Lady.” The mare had starting whinnying as Patti had turned towards Mirraburra from Crowhurst, and had called and pawed at the floor ever since.
The liver chestnut stallion had his head over the gate, his ears pricked and tail up. His nostrils flared wide as he took in the scent of the returning mares. As Patti lowered the ramp, he reared and spun, coming back down trembling as he watched.
“Do you think you should stable him? He might hurt himself if he carries on like that.” Despite her suggestion, Louise thought the brumby looked magnificent as he showed off, his coat gleaming and his power obvious in his arched neck.
Ben took the lead rope of the first mare from Patti. “Too late now. He’ll be right.”
Shadow came off the float next. As Louise took her lead rope, the old mare jagged and pulled away. Running free, she headed straight for Brandy. Louise grabbed at her hand where the rope had burnt a red weal across her palm, ignoring the escaped stockhorse.
“Louise! Get after her.”
Shadow had already reached Brandy by the time Louise caught up with her. The mare snorted at the stallion and exchanged nips at his mouth. Brandy scrambled at the gate, catching his forelegs in the rungs before landing back on the ground.
As Louise tried to catch hold of Shadow’s lead rope, the mare spun her hind quarters towards Brandy, tossing her tail over her back. Louise missed the dangling rope, but before she could try to catch the horse again, Ben shoved her out of the way.
“She’s in season. Don’t let her near the gate.” Waving his arms at the excited mare, Ben stood in front of Brandy to keep the horses apart.
Louise recovered from her shock and grabbed the dangling rope, smacking the stockhorse in the side as she tried to lead her away. “Get up, girl.”
Driving the mare away from the stallion, Louise turned to call to Ben. “Where shall I put her?”
“The end stable. We’ll need to keep her in.”
When Louise returned from stabling the mare, Ben had caught Brandy and moved him to the cattle yards. “He shouldn’t be able to hurt himself there. Let’s get these other horses off the float.”
With Shadow locked away, the other mares unloaded safely. Pleased that Honey had been left until the next load, Louise climbed back into Patti’s vehicle to fetch the remaining horses. She rolled down the window and leant out to speak to Ben. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know Shadow would act like that. She’s normally so quiet.”
Ben grinned back at her. “Don’t worry, Brandy isn’t hurt. And it’s good news, isn’t it?”
With the last mares returned to Tumbleford Farm, Patti whispered to Louise. Thoughts whirred around in her head as Patti said goodbye to Ben.
“I’ll go and see your father on my way home. I’m sure I’ll find room to park this rig at the hospital. I’ll tell him the mares are fine.”
Louise stroked Honey’s nose, considering what Patti had suggested. She didn’t want to make a fool of herself, but equally she wanted to share what she had learnt. Making up her mind, she led Honey across to the round yard.
Ben followed. “I thought you worked her before she came home?”
“I did, but Patti wants me to show you something.” Without waiting to explain more in case she lost her nerve, Louise removed Honey’s halter and sprung onto her back. Folding her arms, she guided the mare with her weight and legs, adding a bit of voice when needed. Feeling secure, she didn’t tense up as Honey side-stepped the mounting block.
Ben stayed on the outside of the yard and watched through the rails. “No more leg ups. Cool.”
Louise didn’t dare look at Ben. She squeezed the brumby into a trot. Feeling confident, she pushed Honey into a canter. After a couple of laps, she slowed and changed direction across the middle, not wavering off the centre line.
Earlier, when Patti had offered her paid work, she had forgotten she sat on Honey without any tack; she automatically instructed her horse with her body. Having realised what she had done, the rest had come easily. She felt like Honey’s legs were her own as she asked the mare to move in any direction at any speed, as if they were a centaur, the animal that was half horse and half human.
Confident in her ability to control the brumby, Louise performed a few more changes of pace and direction before halting next to Ben. “What do you think?”
“Cool! I can’t believe you’re riding her without even a headcollar. Looks like Patti’s been teaching you a lot.”
Ben’s praise meant even more to Louise than her achievement that day. “And she’s given me a job. Mum and Dad’ll be really happy, but even better, now they can’t make me get rid of Honey. I’ll be able to pay her way without asking them for money all the time.”
Chapter 16
Plates of steaming food covered the Naylor’s kitchen table; bacon, eggs, mushrooms, toast. Ben poured himself a mug of coffee and handed the pot to his Uncle Graeme. “What time are you leaving?”
Graeme slathered home-made raspberry jam on a thick slice of toast. “After lunch, I think. There’s no more I can do to help the folks with Jackstown, and the work will be piling up at home. I’ll enjoy one last feed of your ma’s then hit the road.”
Mrs Naylor added a dish of baked beans to the feast. “It’s been wonderful to have your help, especially with Allan laid up. I’m glad I have my boys.”
John finished his mouthful of breakfast. “It’s awful about Dad, but I need a break from study. It’ll be good to get my hands greasy on the farm machinery instead of listening to lectures.”
Ben had been unhappy about John taking over his father’s role at first, but he could see there was little choice. They had worked out different tasks for themselves; John would focus on the sheep and equipment while Ben looked after the cattle and horses. “You’ll be glad to be home again, too, won’t you, Ma? The volunteers won’t need feeding anymore.”
Mrs Naylor joined the men at the table and helped herself to a plate of bacon and eggs. “Marilyn and I have been asked to keep the homestead open. Adam Cartwright wants us to run a café for the tourists.”
“That’s a lot of work. Can’t you tell him ‘no’?” Ben missed having his mother at home; he hadn’t realised how much she did around the farm until she wasn’t there every day.
Mrs Naylor shook her head. “We want to do it, and with John at home and the medical expenses for your dad, we need the extra income. Don’t worry, I’ll be able to bring leftovers home to feed you all.”
Graeme laughed as John and Ben squirmed under their mother’s twinkling eyes. “It’ll be good to see the old homestead used for something permanent.”
“It’ll only be for a few months in summer, when the weather brings out the hikers.”
Ben reconsidered his mother’s news. Maybe it was a good idea to have a café in the park. “You can ask people to donate money to feed the brumbies in hard times. Have a box on the counter or something.”
Graeme smacked his broad hand on Ben’s shoulders. “Always the horses with you. But that’s good. I feel the same.”
“Will you have a look at Brandy before you go?”
Ben cut the last of the bandage from Brandy’s leg. The wound looked pink and clean without sign of infection. Even his pastern had scabbed over and returned to its normal shape. Brandy ignored Ben as he washed the secretions away and snipped off the dead skin.
“Trot him out for me, Ben. Let’s see how he moves.” Graeme stood back to watch as Ben led Brandy down the drive.
As Ben started to run, Brandy leapt to
his side, flicking his toes out as if he was in a show. Ben had trouble keeping up as the stallion raced towards the front gate. A call from behind instructed Ben to slow down and turn around.
“Now trot him back, as straight as you can.” Graeme waved from where he stood at the yards.
Brandy returned even faster, pulling Ben along beside him. Stopping in front of his uncle, Ben caught his breath. “How did he look? I couldn’t see for trying to keep up.”
Graeme patted the stallion on the neck. “Nothing that time and rest won’t cure. You’ll be riding him in a few months time, I’m sure. He looks sound. He just needs to regrow the skin over that exposed bone.”
Ben’s emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He had dreaded Graeme looking at Brandy, but at the same time wanted confirmation that his own diagnosis was correct. “That powder Harry gave me certainly cleaned up the wound.”
“Yeh, them bush fellas know a lot more than we give them credit for. He’s a good bloke, alright.”
Not knowing how to approach the matter on his mind, Ben blurted it out. “Do you think Brandy would be okay to serve a mare ‘cause Shadow’s in season and remember Dad said we could try him over her and see what the foal was like.” He didn’t add that his father had since changed his mind.
Graeme shrugged. “Can’t see why not. Probably do him the world of good. He’s full of beans, and if he doesn’t do something, he might hurt himself galloping around. But it’s your call, he’s your horse.”
Elated with the notion, Ben didn’t hesitate. “Yeh, let’s do it. Can you get her while I take him into the round yard? The rubber walls will make it safer.”
Shadow looked like a young filly as she pranced in front of Brandy, snorting and prancing as Graeme let her meet the stallion. When she had proven she was ready, Graeme turned the stockhorse mare around.
Ben gave Brandy the full length of his lead rope. The stallion wasted no time on mounting the mare. Shadow stood still, experienced in the process as she had borne three foals already.
When the job was done, Graeme unlatched the gate and led Shadow to the wash bay as she had sweated up in the excitement. “Best to serve her again for the next couple of days. John can give you a hand as I won’t be here.”
“Yeh, he won’t mind. I hope she has a filly.”
Ben couldn’t wait to tell Louise that his stud had started to become a reality. They had arranged to ride that afternoon, after Louise had worked for Patti.
Louise cycled into the farmyard looking red in the face and dripping in sweat. “That’s a long way back through Crowhurst. I’ll be pleased when the ford is open again and I can take the short cut through the park.”
“Let’s ride there and see how it’s going. Uncle Graeme says they’re tidying up and the water is receding.”
“Someone talking about me?” The burly man came down the garden path and greeted Louise in his usual cheery manner. “Now, you two. What do you say about coming to visit me out west in the winter holidays? I could use a couple of extra pairs of hands at that time of year.”
Ben beamed at Louise. “Cool! Yeh, I’d love to. What about you, Louise?”
The frown across her forehead was contrary to the reaction Ben expected. “Don’t you want to come?”
“It’s not that. I’ve promised Patti I’ll work for her every holiday, and I need the money to keep Honey. I’d love to come, but I don’t see how I can.” She hung her head and slumped her shoulders.
Graeme swung his swag into the back of his vehicle. “You’ve plenty of time to work something out. I’ll leave it with you. Jacinta will be there too. The three of you would have a great time.”
Ben explained to Louise that Jacinta was his cousin, Graeme’s daughter, who normally lived in Queensland with her mother. “She’s cool. We’re the same age, so we’ve practically grown up together.”
Graeme climbed in the car and said his last goodbyes before starting the engine. “Bring that stallion of yours too. I’ve a few mares I’d be happy to use him over.” With a wave of his hand out of the window, he drove off.
Louise waved after the departing vehicle. “Do you think Brandy will be okay by then?”
“Yeh; he served Shadow this morning.” Ben couldn’t help grinning as he told Louise how his uncle had supported his idea to mate the brumby to the old stockhorse.
They caught and saddled up Lady and Honey. Ben had been impressed with how Louise had handled Honey bareback the day before, so he hoped she’d be able to handle the mare better in the company of the chestnut part-Arabian, though he didn’t dare say anything. Louise didn’t question his choice of horse either.
The two mares trotted down the old road together as if they were best of mates. Louise chattered on about what type of foal Shadow might have. “It’ll be born early December, won’t it? You’ll have all summer holidays to play with it.”
Ben urged Lady into a canter as they encountered the grassy plains to the old homestead. “Yeh, and by then Dad will be okay and I might even get a day off.” Despite having John home to help, Ben worried about the workload with his father injured.
Arriving at the ford, Ben cheered up when he saw that the water level had dropped considerably. “We should be able to ride through here. It won’t be long before you’ll be able to cycle across.”
The horses splashed knee deep through the strong current, taking care with each footstep. Unlike before Christmas, where debris swirled in treacherous islands on dark waters, now the snow-melt flowed clear and cold.
Safely across, Ben steered downstream to where the volunteers worked. No sound of machinery could be heard as Ben and Louise approached the levy bank. A channel had been dug to divert the overflow of the Dalrymple River to Currawong Creek. Along the earthen bank, a line of people were bent double planting seedling trees. They wrapped each with a triangular bag to protect them from wild animals and cold winds.
“It’ll be a forest when it grows.” Louise slowed Honey to a walk as she greeted people she knew. It seemed that half the teachers from school had come out to help.
“Yeh, I reckon it’ll soon look natural again. Hopefully it’ll save Jackstown in any future floods too.” Ben let Lady graze on the fresh green shoots that already sprang from the mud-crusted areas where the flood waters had risen.
“Let’s ride to Willowlea and see the brumbies.” Ben tugged Lady’s head up and pushed her on with her legs, breaking into a trot before she had finished her mouthful.
“Must we? I’m not sure I want to know if Mr Smythe-Waters has already turned them into dog food.”
Ignoring Louise, Ben asked Lady to canter. “Race you to the cattleman’s hut.”
Ben heard Honey cantering behind Lady, easily beating her to the corner of the leasehold land where the hut stood sentinel. This was where the fire had started last summer which had burnt the fence down that Robert Smythe-Waters had replaced, at the same time as trapping the wild horses on his property.
Ben trotted to the corner post, mouth agape. “Someone’s removed the wires in this section. You wouldn’t know it from a distance, but there’s no fence here.”
Louise joined Ben and studied the ground. “There’re hoof prints everywhere. Someone has let the brumbies out! Mr Smythe-Waters will be furious.”
“Serves him right. He let our brumbies out after the first muster, now he can see how he likes it. I’ll bet it was Old Harry.”
Louise studied the ground. “No, surely he wouldn’t risk upsetting Mr Smythe-Waters, or the rangers. Maybe it was one of the volunteers.”
“Yeh, they might have realised what had happened when they came this way. A lot of people like to see the brumbies running free, and that grey stallion is really easy to recognise.” A thought occurred to Louise. “I hope no-one thinks it was us!”
Ben shrugged as they rode back into the park. “Who cares? It’ll be great to see t
hem in the wild again. Let’s see if we can find the herd.”
Before Louise could answer, Lady let out a loud whinny. An answering neigh echoed through the trees.
Louise beamed. “I think we have. Come on, let’s go!”
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.
Bay: A dark-skinned horse with a reddish to dark brown coat with black mane and tail. The legs also usually have dark markings.
Billy: A metal container used to heat water over an open fire.
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.
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).
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.