Little Feral's First Ride

By Indy, aka Little Feral (as told to Maxine McArthur)

Mum came a bit late and dragged me all the way up from Paddock Faraway. The wind devils were out and chasing the trees around. For some reason mum seemed preoccupied and didn't pay attention to me telling her about the devils, which was annoying. The usual breakfast, a bit saltier than usual, not that I was hungry, being full of Faraway grass and wanting to go back to it. Mum fussed around brushing and plaiting my mane, of all things. Then she saddled me up! Not only that, but led me all the way over to the big park place, bike demons popping up everywhere.

Imagine my surprise when the big park place was full of horses! I pranced all the way over to see, trying to let mum know that I wouldn't run away—not really—well maybe not.

Then mum put me in a yard and took my saddle off. Very strange. She gave me some hay and disappeared. Well, I wasn't going to settle for that. I called and called and eventually she came back. After a while it got boring so I dozed in the sun. There was a boy horse pacing around his yard, honestly those boys are all the same, wasting energy.

Then we walked over to the open grass place, where I had a nice snack waiting with other horses. After a while a young mum person patted me then stuck the cold thin thing in my behind, which I didn't like although mum told me to stand, so I did. I would have stood even better if she'd scratched beside my tail like mum does first. Then I had to trot beside mum around some of those sticky-up things.

Then back to the yard again! Make up your mind, I told mum, but she was too busy putting my boots and saddle on. Aha, I thought, we're in business.

More waiting and picking at grass, then finally some horses rode off into the trees. Hurry up, mum, I said, but she took ages to get on and get going, so I had to run really fast to catch up to the others. Mum didn't want me to do that, but I knew we'd get lost if we didn't catch up so I didn't listen. So mum got cross and I tossed my head and bucked, which pissed mum off and she made me circle, which pisses me off. And the other horses got further away. Then we had to stop while mum's little friend on Venus did something to her saddle. By now it was hopeless, we would never catch the others. But we caught some of them, at a nice dam all muddy and sloppy. I went in as far as I could with mum holding on to me at the edge, and splashed lots of cool water over my shoulders and tummy and everyone else. Funny, they didn't appreciate it, even though it was so hot. Mum got the high voice that means she's upset.

I led Venus the whole way—no skinny flighty bay mare is going to get in front of me. And a good thing I did, because when the bike devil turned down the corner towards us, I was able to shy and warn Venus what was coming. I guess if I'd been concentrating and not fighting mum, I might have seen the bike devil sooner. Anyway, it wasn't my fault that Venus's young mum fell off. I called Venus back from beside the road and they were okay. The mums led us for a while after that, maybe they were tired.

When they got on again I could see horses up ahead so I thought we'd better hurry. Imagine my surprise when they were going the other way, and mum wouldn't let us join them! We reached a paddock and a trough. By now I was thirsty so had a good drink. Then off we go again, but the wrong way. I thought mum had really lost it so I mentioned we could go home the other way. No, we had to keep going. Still, it wasn't so bad, a nice track and Venus had the sense to stay behind me and for once mum wasn't telling me to trot now, canter now, just let me choose the pace. And we turned for home eventually, so I picked up the pace a bit but mum must have been tired of fussing as she just sat there. I had to slow down for a few hills, especially the one with lots of the grey baa-animals on it, and the one with the million devil flapping things on it. We caught up to some of the other horses, and do you know, mum let me pass! She is learning at last. She even started what she calls singing.

Even so, I think she was a little mad because instead of going straight home we went a long long way around, probably because there were nice blue bins full of clean water at one point, but honestly we could have got home much faster if we'd gone my way. At least she let me trot the whole way, no boring walking. Except for the last bit through the park place, and by then, to tell the truth, I was glad to take it quietly. I knew we'd be home in time for dinner so no need to rush.

Back to the yard, saddle off and thank goodness lots of hay and some nice mushy stuff. And a widdle. Oh, I was busting! Over to the open grass again to trot around the coney things, then some peace and quiet to eat at last. Mum gave me carrots and said I was a star. I know that.

Mum's walking funny, she looks stiff. I wonder why?