Emily...

I watched as a family car approached the house. Out stepped an important looking man, his pretty wife, and their only child.

The girl was about sixteen. She had wavy blonde hair, innocent and hopeful blue eyes and pretty, soft features. Her freckles on her nose seemed as if each one was carefully designed  to belong right there. She was beautiful, and sort of, endearing.

But it was not her hair, eyes or face that I noticed first. Her left leg was twisted. She limped on it. I could almost sense all the pain and bulling she had endured over her life. And at that instant she looked right up at my eyes, a small smile hinted at her lips. I could sense some eternal bond we shared. I just knew that I would live and die for her.  We both seemed to know we needed each other.

Emily rode me around the mini-jumping course Jack had set up. We moved as one and sailed over every jump. Emily did test my dressage abilities, and although not perfect, they were my very best. I was never too confused, Emily just communicated with me so well I knew what she wanted me to do.

She didn’t ride me for much longer, Emily just knew I was right. Convincing her parents though, was another matter, but even they realised that their daughter had never been so happy in her life before. And her happiness was something they greatly sacrificed for. 

Selling...

The time came when I knew that I wasn’t going to stay much longer at Schleich farm. I was fully trained and Farmer Jo knew he could sell me for a high price. I had exceptional breeding, and was a naturally talented jumper. However there were other factors that turned people off buying me. I wasn’t practically talented with dressage. If you wanted to compete in high competition jumping, you had to compete in Equestrian, which included jumping, cross-country and dressage. I was still very good at cross-country, but dressage greatly confused me, besides, I personally found it very un-natural and pointless. But I still had to learn. 

I was also short and still timid. Most show-jumping horses were tall, impressive and powerful looking. I was 14.2 hands, ordinary looking, my coat neither glistened in the sun, nor dazzled anyone with it’s beautiful colouring, it was plain brown. I certainly did not look powerful, people might describe me as ‘fine boned’.

Many people came to look at me and try me out. They were eager meeting Beauty’s only foal, but seemed greatly disappointed meeting me. I was ridden by men, women, boys and girls, but most of them were serious competitors. I could tell by the way their hawk-like gaze studied me and their iron-grip on the reins, that they would care no more for a horse then a sports car. They would have admiration and pride over a horse, but no love and care; no human/horse bond Mother would tell me of.

         No one was impressed with me until Emily came.  

Her passion lives on in her foal...

Training wasn’t particularly hard of easy. It was training. I was taught things like picking my feet up to be picked, and the more essential things such as wearing a bridle and saddle, eventually I was taught to carry a rider on my back and listen to his commands. Farmer Jo and Jack were kind and patient, I was scared of all these new things I was learning, especially since my mother wasn’t there to give guidance, advice or support, but I learnt them without too much difficulty. I wasn’t highly-strung or stubborn, just nervous.

         When Jack walked me over the trotting poles, it was obvious to everyone where my talents lay. I was a born jumper. All the horses knew it, but the humans were learning of this talent for the first time, and were quite delighted.

         “Horses either are naturally good at jumping, or are’nt, Beauty was one of those who were, and so is her young filly.” Remarked Farmer Jo.

         “It looks as if we haven’t lost Beauty after all” replyed Jack “her passion lives on in her foal.”

He was right. And I was mighty proud. 

Mother's Legacy...

I knew these mares weren’t trying to be too critical (I knew them well enough to know they never meant any harm to anyone) but the comments just shattered me.

I felt as if I finally was woken up from the unconsciousness of denial and was fully awake and aware of the situation I was in. I felt unbearable emotions well up inside me, and before I could control it, I was whinnying and screaming out for mother. 

         Prince heard me and ran to my aid. “Jilla, hush, that won’t make her come back,” said Prince. But his words had no impact. I really didn’t care, all I wanted to do was scream.

Prince stood beside me, not saying anything just comforting me by being there, I had never felt so close to him before.  

The rest of the day I cried and thought a lot about my ambition for life. I vowed that I would never loose sight of the goal I worked so hard for, the one Mother inspired. 

I remembered the sweet memories of jumping together, it was somehow binding, and somehow even now when I jump, I feel close to her, it was a legacy she passed down and a passion we both shared, one I will never forget. 

Denial...

Days went by perhaps weeks; time didn’t matter; life was empty; reality was unbearable. But for some reason, I couldn’t even feel the full impact of Mother’s death. I was underweight and I hadn’t eaten since, but other then that I never cried out to her after that terrible night. I was in denial.

The horrible reality was so unimaginable I still couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t actually fathom never seeing Mother’s kind face again.

                  I wasn’t really alone in this trial, Prince would sleep next to me at night, and I was closer to him then ever before. I could tell he wasn’t coping with the tragedy either, but he couldn’t properly grieve. Instead he kept all his emotions bottled up, never mentioning Mother’s name.  

         Maybe because Mother’s death had happened so quick was the reason I couldn’t cry, but life was so empty it was unbearable.

         One day I was wandering near the fence that divided our paddock from Tinkers. I overheard Blossom talking to April.

         “That poor foal, now she’ll never make it in the jumping career, I shouldn’t wonder if she never excels at anything after this.” Sighed Blossom.

         “True, she can’t become anything without her mother”. Replied April.

Tragedy...

Jack saw him and waved his arms trying to stop him. But Prince would not be stopped.  Other people saw the magnificent Stallion, now wild with rage and fear, try to kick his way through the barn wall to save his beloved mare.

         Someone threw a rope around him and lead him away. He called out to his first love for the last time. Mother answered back, slowly and sadly, just the way I had when I said good–bye to her.

The barn was fully alight. The roof collapsed. And Mother was buried in it.

I couldn’t realise what just happened. It was so terrible and terrifying, it just had to be a bad dream. But in my heart I knew that it was real. And I would never see my mother again. My whole life changed in less then an hour. 

         Annie came over to me, but I walked away, I was never close to her, and she couldn’t understand my sorrow, not ever. Sophie watched me, but didn’t dare to come over.

Prince was lead into the paddock. He walked up to me, and rubbed his noble head against my shoulder as Mother had so often done. Then he reared up on his hind legs; threw his head up; and cried a Stallions cry.

         Every horses’ head turned to watch the ghostly white stallion against the moonless black sky, cry out to his deceased mate.  

Fire!...

I awoke suddenly from a bad dream. After I convinced myself that it was just a dream, an unpleasant smell drifted under my nose, which both startled and alarmed me.

         Fully awake I looked wide-eyed at my surrounding. I heard the terrible crying out of horses, cows and other animal from the barn. Small yellow flames licked at the walls of the barn, destroying everything in it’s path.

         Humans ran around in a panic to save as many helpless animals as they could. Some tried to throw buckets of water to submerse the evil flames, which wickedly groing stronger and doing more damage.

         I heard the piercing cry of a horse that I knew only too well. Now my heart was beating wildly and adrenalin was pounding all through me. I cried out as hard as I could, and I strained my eyes to see the shape of my mother emerge from the barn.

         Nothing came. Prince also her Mother’s cry, and with his white mane streaming out behind him he ran towards the fence, and with one swift bound, cleared it. I watched as he galloped towards the alight barn. 

Changes...

I had never before realised how dependant I was on my Mother. I needed her wise counsel in my young inexperienced life. And I wasn’t ready to say goodbye. The thoughts kept coming as fast as I could run.

         I galloped up to Mother; skidded and rubbed my head on her shoulder and neck. And made short nickering noises on my thought. 

         “What’s the matter Sweetheart?” Mother asked me.

I told her everything. Mother listened and sympathised with me on some issues. But finally she replied.

         “You knew this day was coming, and we are still in the same farm for the time being. Plus you will have Prince, Sophie and Annie.

         “But I don’t want Annie, I want you.”

“You have my love. You will always have it, as for Farmer Jo saying you were a mistake, I want you to know this. You have been by far the most important thing in my life, far more precious and sweet then any victory I’ve had with show jumping.”

         “I love you” Mother called out for the last time as she was lead away. I whinnied good-bye to her, slowly and sadly. And grazed alone.

Sophie saw me and tried to cheer me up, but it was useless, so she went away.

         I watched Mother ride around the small arena and clear the jumps. Her beautiful coat (which had been groomed) shimmered in the sunlight. Her legs moved with ease and hurdled the jumps without ever changing rhythm.

         Eventually she was unsaddled and lead to the barn.

Later at night I tried to sleep but I couldn’t, so I tired to remember the stories Mother tolled me, and exactually the way she would nicker to me as I use to fall asleep, but I couldn’t. In my mind was the picture of Jack leading away my wonderful mother.

Life As I Know It...

The summer had now turned into autumn. The crisp brown and red leaves were scattered on the ground, and made a crunching noise when I stepped on them. Sophie and I had fun playing, rolling and bucking in the leaves. But somehow this season I didn’t feel completely happy.

Maybe it was the talk mother gave me about growing up and leaving home. I tried to shrug the thoughts away, but I couldn’t.

The last thing I wanted was to leave my wonderful, cosy home. I loved my life how it was. I enjoyed playing with Sophie and spending precious time with my Mother. I loved the familiar sights and sounds of Schleich farm, and I never wanted to leave them behind. 

         I loved how Prince stood on his certain rock to watch over our small heard. He would arch his proud but beautiful head, and let his shinning white tail blow on the breeze behind him.

         One day, which was sooner then I’d ever imagined, all that changed within a blink of an eye. 

My Wild Sister...

As I predicted, Sophie started her training a month after I had started. Jack came into out paddock one day with a small halter and lead rope. He went straight past me and was carefully approaching Sophie. I watched breathlessly. Sophie saw this out of the corner of her eye and stood with her side towards the approaching human. Jack edged his way closer and closer to his target until he was only a couple of metres away from Sophie’s black, arched neck. Jack, even more cautiously, made his way closer to Sophie.

It was a bad mistake. As soon as he was in reach of my wild sister, she rose above him on her hind legs, and gave one tremendous blow with her forelegs. Jack was thrown back onto his behind; frustrated he muttered something unpleasant, and tried again.

This time Sophie turned around and was ready to buck. Jack saw this and walked around to her other side. She swerved around and faced Jack. Sophie let him catch her. I was amazed until I saw the cheeky gleam in her eye. Sophie briskly trotted in front of Jack and then backed up until she was level with Jack, but on the other side of him. Jack seemed to not notice that the lead rope was dangling in front of him, perhaps he was thrilled to have actually caught Sophie, or so he thought.

Then she started to back up until she was behind Jack. With one quick swift movement, Sophie raced in front of Jack, which tightened the rope around him and made him fall flat on his face.

         As he got up, he muttered things even more unpleasant and walked away. Sophie had defiantly won her battle.