I remember the very first day I met my Mum. She came with her own Mum to come and view me with the prospect of taking me on a 3 month trial with a view to buying me if we were well suited. Little did we know that this was the beginning of an amazing partnership.
I was really quite anxious as I had been taken away from my field companions, this was out of the ordinary and I don't like interruptions to my routine. I was pacing the stable and calling to the paddock but none of them responded. Then, along came my Mum with her Mum; I could hear excited chatter and I could tell they were impressed with the set up at the stables I was living at. She had also seen pictures of me... a fancy ex racehorse at just 7 years old standing tall and doing cool things like jumping.
When my Mum saw me, I could see in her face that she was shocked at my appearance. I didn't look how I did in the pictures. They weren't recent pictures. Now, I was underweight and my ribs and pelvis were jutting out; I had lots of little sores all over my coat. She tried to hide her shock with a smile but I could tell she wasn't expecting to see me like this.
They asked if they could see me being worked, so I was freeschooled. My Mum and her Mum stood and watched, I could hear murmurs of approval from her Mum, she liked how I moved. Then, much to my amazement, my Mum asked if she could come into the arena. In she walked, carefully locking the gate behind her; she was talking to me as she slowly walked up to me with her hand held out. I stood bolt upright, eyes wide and I was quivering because I was so anxious as to what was happening.
She was quite happily chatting away to me and giving me a fuss. Her Mum was talking to the handler about what would come with me etc should my Mum choose to take me on the trial. Then my Mum and her Mum were offered to be taken on a bit of a tour and to be shown around the facilities to which they willingly obliged. I didn't want her to leave, she was nice to me and I felt like we already had a bond. I called after her and, to my surprise, she popped her head around the corner. I stood looking at her, unsure what was going to happen next. Then she excitedly said "I'm just going to go and say goodbye before we go back". She practically skipped over to the arena and whispered in my ear:
"The next time I see you, I'll be taking you home."
And sure enough, she was true to her word. Two weeks later, she arrived with a lorry and a new headcollar, lead rope and travel boots to come and take me to this place she called "home". I wasn't ready, in fact I was covered in mud, they had forgotten that she was coming to collect me. I was dragged from the field and I could tell they were embarrassed, they offered to groom me before I was taken away but my Mum just said it was fine and she would sort me out when I got Home.
I was pacing the stable and my Mum's family had come to help take me away. I could tell that the males in the group weren't used to horses and could sense their fear. This made me more anxious. My Mum however, she was taking it all in her stride and chatted away to me the whole time about what was happening and what we were going to do, where we were going bla bla. She didn't hesitate when getting me sorted to box up and then whisked me out of the stable and loaded me onto the lorry.
It wasn't too long a journey to Home. When we arrived, people were sat around waiting to see what was arriving as my Mum didn't ever use a horse lorry. I thought she might be embarrassed because I wasn't in a very presentable state. Alas, ever full of surprises, she came onto the lorry telling me I was such a good girl for being so brave.
She walked off that lorry with me feeling nothing but pride, sheer joy and unconditional love. I knew that I was Home.
I was really quite anxious as I had been taken away from my field companions, this was out of the ordinary and I don't like interruptions to my routine. I was pacing the stable and calling to the paddock but none of them responded. Then, along came my Mum with her Mum; I could hear excited chatter and I could tell they were impressed with the set up at the stables I was living at. She had also seen pictures of me... a fancy ex racehorse at just 7 years old standing tall and doing cool things like jumping.
When my Mum saw me, I could see in her face that she was shocked at my appearance. I didn't look how I did in the pictures. They weren't recent pictures. Now, I was underweight and my ribs and pelvis were jutting out; I had lots of little sores all over my coat. She tried to hide her shock with a smile but I could tell she wasn't expecting to see me like this.
They asked if they could see me being worked, so I was freeschooled. My Mum and her Mum stood and watched, I could hear murmurs of approval from her Mum, she liked how I moved. Then, much to my amazement, my Mum asked if she could come into the arena. In she walked, carefully locking the gate behind her; she was talking to me as she slowly walked up to me with her hand held out. I stood bolt upright, eyes wide and I was quivering because I was so anxious as to what was happening.
She was quite happily chatting away to me and giving me a fuss. Her Mum was talking to the handler about what would come with me etc should my Mum choose to take me on the trial. Then my Mum and her Mum were offered to be taken on a bit of a tour and to be shown around the facilities to which they willingly obliged. I didn't want her to leave, she was nice to me and I felt like we already had a bond. I called after her and, to my surprise, she popped her head around the corner. I stood looking at her, unsure what was going to happen next. Then she excitedly said "I'm just going to go and say goodbye before we go back". She practically skipped over to the arena and whispered in my ear:
"The next time I see you, I'll be taking you home."
And sure enough, she was true to her word. Two weeks later, she arrived with a lorry and a new headcollar, lead rope and travel boots to come and take me to this place she called "home". I wasn't ready, in fact I was covered in mud, they had forgotten that she was coming to collect me. I was dragged from the field and I could tell they were embarrassed, they offered to groom me before I was taken away but my Mum just said it was fine and she would sort me out when I got Home.
I was pacing the stable and my Mum's family had come to help take me away. I could tell that the males in the group weren't used to horses and could sense their fear. This made me more anxious. My Mum however, she was taking it all in her stride and chatted away to me the whole time about what was happening and what we were going to do, where we were going bla bla. She didn't hesitate when getting me sorted to box up and then whisked me out of the stable and loaded me onto the lorry.
It wasn't too long a journey to Home. When we arrived, people were sat around waiting to see what was arriving as my Mum didn't ever use a horse lorry. I thought she might be embarrassed because I wasn't in a very presentable state. Alas, ever full of surprises, she came onto the lorry telling me I was such a good girl for being so brave.
She walked off that lorry with me feeling nothing but pride, sheer joy and unconditional love. I knew that I was Home.
Day One
My Best Friend
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