Trust is the key…
When Tomas arrived the following week, I was prepared and ready, waiting impatiently in the arena with my darling. The week had seemed to pass by very slowly as I’d counted down the hours until his arrival.
The thought of being able to do with Bella what I had seen Tomas achieve the week before was the most exciting prospect I think I had ever been faced with. All my experiences prior to owning my own horse paled in comparison and I thought briefly of my life only a short time before.
Learning how to play guitar and having the opportunity to play in a rock band had been my chief dream back then; that and being Blake Jansen’s girlfriend. At the time, it was all that mattered to me and what had seemed like a childish wish to own my own horse had been long forgotten. But now I realized that the bond that was developing between Bella and I was like something I could never have imagined. As I stroked her mane affectionately, I thought how lucky I was to be the owner of such a special creature.
Even though I’d already had my cast removed, Mom had made me promise to wait until Tomas arrived before even thinking about hopping on Bella’s back. I was so looking forward to being able to ride again but I also felt a nervous twinge and was very grateful to have Tomas there for my first ride since the accident.
The whinny that came from her as Tomas approached was one of happy recognition and she seemed as pleased to see him as I was. Her response to his quiet greeting was to automatically follow behind him as he walked the circumference of the arena.
Within minutes, he was on her back, walking towards me without a saddle, a bridle or even a lead rope and she was calmer than I had ever seen her before.
When he dismounted, he told me that the lesson would involve building Bella’s trust in me. To do this, I had to learn how to read her body language and gain an insight into what she was thinking and feeling. I learned that my own body language was important too and that the key was to aim for better communication between us.
I listened intently as he explained that I needed to think like a horse, so that any problems we came across would become less challenging. It seemed the most logical thing in the world when he explained further that I needed to see things as Bella does because that would help us to communicate more freely and effectively.
Within no time, he had helped me to mount her and using only a lead rope as a bridle, I was able to walk her bareback around the arena. Her willingness to obey my commands was almost breathtaking and I could feel a deep trust developing between us.
With regret, the lesson eventually came to an end and we agreed to schedule another session for the following week.
As I waved goodbye to Tomas and watched his truck head down our long driveway, I felt happy and confident and was really looking forward to a big trail ride with Sally on the weekend. To me, life was bliss right then, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.
The trail ride…
Sally arrived bright and early on Saturday morning. The dew was still wet on the ground as we headed off on our trail ride, our saddle bags packed with snacks for us and treats for the horses. Of course, I had remembered to pack a banana for Bella. That was the first thing I had thought of when preparing for the ride.
She was just as keen to get going as me. I was sure that Bella had missed these long rides with Sally and her chestnut, Bailey, even more than I had.
In the beginning, I’d found Bailey a little intimidating. A 17 hand quarter horse is quite daunting and he really did seem huge compared to Bella. She was only 14.2 hands high which was a perfect height for me, especially as I intended to keep her forever. At that height, I would probably never outgrow her and her all-round abilities made her a lot of fun to ride.
Sally had warned me in the beginning that Arabs can be quite flighty and although one of the most beautiful breeds, mares in particular could cause trouble. But I had complete faith in my beautiful Bella and now that we were coming to really understand each other, I knew that she would not let me down.
As we headed along our favorite trail, discussing anything and everything horse related the way we always did, I felt that I couldn’t be happier. The cool morning air and shade of the trees made the ride so enjoyable that I was unable to think of anything else I would rather be doing.
Chatting aimlessly, I became distracted and didn’t comprehend exactly where we were. That was until I felt Bella abruptly tense up beneath me. The nervous energy I suddenly felt in her made me immediately sit straighter in the saddle and offer soothing words of encouragement to try to calm her down.
As I looked around, I realized that we were approaching the road where we usually crossed over to continue the trail on the other side. And then recognition dawned. This was the place where the car had screeched to a halt the night of the accident, missing us by inches.
Nostrils flaring, Bella started to back up and would not move forward even though I was trying to firmly urge her on. I knew that I had to stay calm, the way Tomas had taught me and try to feel what Bella was feeling. This was not difficult at all, because the memory of the accident was enough for me to sense her fear. But I understood that my own anxiety was definitely not helping the situation.
“Whoa, Bella,” I said encouragingly. “It’s ok girl, it’s ok!” I dismounted and whispered in her ear in a quiet, soothing voice as I patted her gently.
“Is she alright?” Sally asked, a concerned look on her face. “Do you want to turn back?”
“No,” I said, “She will be fine. I’ll just talk to her for a moment and calm her down before we cross the road.”
Just as we approached the edge of the tree line, the road stretching out in front of us, a monstrous semi-trailer seemed to appear from nowhere. The blast from its horn blared violently in warning as it flew past at lightning speed followed by a fierce gust of wind that almost knocked me to the ground.
The sharp pull of Bella’s reins caused me to look up just as her hooves had lifted into the air. Fear filled her eyes with terror as she came crashing down almost on top of me.
“Bella!” I screamed, moving out of her way without a moment to spare.
She reared once more and it took every ounce of strength I had to keep hold of her reins. Sally looked on helplessly as she tried desperately to keep Bailey calm and in control. Bella’s wild reaction was causing him to become extremely agitated as well.
“Bella!” I repeated once more, forcing myself to remain calm, although this seemed to take almost super human strength. Tomas’ words were ringing in my mind. “You must feel what she is feeling,” he had said. “You need to understand what is going on in her head and use your own body language to communicate your thoughts. Only then will you be able to really understand each other.”
I concentrated on slowing my breathing, and releasing the anxiety that had overwhelmed me. Comforting whispers and pats of soothing reassurance finally helped to settle her and I could see her trusting eyes looking towards me for guidance. “It’s ok, girl,” I repeated once more. “You are safe with me!”
Breathless, I looked towards Sally who was struggling to keep Bailey at a reasonable distance from us.
“I think we should turn back,” Sally said once more in a worried tone. “We don’t need to cross the road, we can ride the trails on this side,” she continued.
Still shaking slightly, I hugged Bella close and told her that I loved her. The night of the accident was a memory that we both needed to forget and I knew that facing our fears today would help us both with the healing process.
“No, I think she will be fine now,” I replied firmly as I hopped back up in the saddle. “It’s important that we do this,” I said. “She is learning to trust me.”
Hesitatingly, Sally agreed. And when we made sure that the road was clear and completely safe to cross, Bella willingly followed behind Bailey to the other side and the safety of the trail.
We continued our ride with no other mishaps. And when we finally returned, later that mor
ning, the incident was almost forgotten.
It wasn’t until later that evening that I regretted telling Mom what had happened that morning. But I’d certainly had no idea what was ahead.
Making my dreams come true…
“Dad, horse riding is my life!” I pleaded frantically looking at him in despair.
I could not believe that he was still against me riding. After everything I had been through, even after witnessing the miracle of Tomas.
“It’s not fair!” I demanded. “I had to give up everything to come here for your stupid job! I had to leave all my friends, my dancing, the band, the whole lot! And you agreed to buy me a horse if I came. That was my condition!”
I was almost hysterical. I could not believe what I was hearing. “How can you do this to me?” I screamed as I ran from the house, the door slamming closed behind me.
Stumbling through a fog of tears, I made my way to the barn so I could bury my head in Bella’s mane. But the sweet smell of her just made me sob even harder. I hated my father right then. I could not believe that he could be so heartless!
“What are we going to do?” I wept, my face inches from hers. “My darling Bella, what are we going to do?”
Grief stricken, I stood by her side. Time stood still as I gazed adoringly into her beautiful eyes. My first thought had been to run away, to tack her up and take off into the woods. But what good would that do either of us? Where would we go and how would we survive? Dad would only come looking for us and bring us back and that would definitely be the end of horse riding altogether.
I didn’t know why he was so set against me keeping her. I did not want an old plodder. If I couldn’t have Bella then I didn’t want a horse at all.
Tomas had proved that she could be trained. Sure, she was young and flighty but she would only improve, that had become clearly obvious. As I stood by her side, hugging her tightly, my head spun with emotion. There had to be a way to convince Dad, there just had to!
I turned abruptly towards the sound of footsteps entering the barn. Thinking it was my father, I tried to hide in the corner of Bella’s stall. I did not want to see him and my throat choked with fury at the memory of his words.
“Julia, you can’t stay out here all night. Why don’t you come inside and go to bed? It’s getting really late!” Mom’s words made me boil with anger.
“How could I possibly sleep?” I cried. “And why don’t you understand how I feel? It’s not fair! Why is he so against me keeping her?”
“He’s worried about your safety, Julia,” she said softly. “You don’t realize how your accident affected him, how it affected both of us. If anything happened to you, we just wouldn’t cope.” Something in her tone made me look towards her.
“Mom!” I insisted once more. “I can’t let Bella go! You know how much I love her! She means the world to me. You have to help me convince Dad,” I pleaded.
She began to shake her head with obvious resignation. But I was not going to give up. Then a thought suddenly occurred to me.
“Look!” I said. “Tomas is booked in for another session next week. How about we talk to him and get his opinion. He is such an expert and he knows horses better than anyone. He’s already assured me that Bella is a wonderful horse, she just needs training. All he has to do now is persuade Dad!”
I stared at her, hoping desperately that she would agree. She was the only one who had any chance of encouraging my father to change his mind. She had to help me!
Mom looked quietly in my direction while I stood with my arms wrapped tightly around the love of my life, my beautiful Bella. I could see in Mom’s eyes that she did understand. She really could see how I was feeling. I had given up so much to move to the country and Bella was my one salvation.
When Mom nodded her head in agreement, I finally felt a glimmer of hope. This had to work, it just had to!
I remembered the purple dream book that I had read only a few months earlier. The book that taught me I really could make my dreams come true. And I focused on the image in my head that I so desperately wanted to happen.
Right then, in that moment, I was convinced that Bella and I would be together. I had no doubt whatsoever. This was one dream that I felt I truly deserved.
I gave Bella one last hug and left the barn with Mom. I committed myself to thinking that she would help me out with Dad. And things would turn out the way I had hoped. If you want something badly enough, with a positive attitude and the right focus, you can definitely make it happen. I had proved this a couple of times already. And I decided right there, that this time was going to be no exception!
Pony Club – is it possible?…
“Do you know that there’s a pony club situated just ten minutes from here?” Tomas asked us curiously.
He had arrived earlier that afternoon and before he started working with Bella and I, Dad had taken him aside for a talk. A talk! I knew what that had meant. And I looked on anxiously, watching for any signs from the expressions on my father’s face that he was going to relent. He was listening carefully to Tomas and I could see that he was taking in every word as he really valued his opinion.
I’d been so grateful that Dad had agreed to postpone his decision until he’d spoken with Tomas. It had taken some persuasion on Mom’s part, but she had finally managed to convince him.
“It has to be the outcome I’ve been praying for,” I said to myself, gently stroking Bella’s mane. And as I led her into the arena, ready for our session, I convinced myself once more to focus on positive thoughts only.
A couple of hours later, after another brilliant session with Tomas, I felt that Dad had to be impressed with what he’d just witnessed. The bond between Bella and I was obviously becoming stronger and stronger.
Then just as Tomas was about to leave, he had mentioned pony club. “I think it could be the perfect solution,” he’d continued. “A few more sessions with me will help Julia and Bella to really develop trust in each other. Then regular visits to pony club would not only help to perfect Julia’s riding in a group environment, but it will give Julia and Bella the training they both need.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! Not only was Tomas convincing Dad that Bella was going to be absolutely fine but he was recommending that I actually go to pony club!
I thought back to my last trail ride with Sally, where Bella had freaked out when we’d reached the road. Just before that, Sally had actually been talking about pony club. Prior to that, I’d had no idea that it was even a possibility.
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to mention to you, Julia,” Sally had said as we’d slowed down to a walk so that we were able to chat more easily.
“In a few weeks, the local pony club will start up again for the year and I was thinking that you would really enjoy it,” she had explained. “You’ll meet lots of other girls your age and you’ll get group lessons while you’re there as well. I used to do pony club years ago and it was a huge highlight for me. I absolutely loved it!”
“Oh my gosh!” I had bellowed noisily. “I would love to go to pony club! I didn’t even know there was one nearby.”
The memory of Sally’s forgotten words came flooding back. “It’s held only about 10 minutes from here,” she had explained further, “But you would need a horse trailer to get there. You really need a trailer if you want to do things like that. Do you think you could convince your dad to get one?”
My mind had been reeling with excitement. Pony club was something I hadn’t even considered but it sounded like it would be the best thing ever!
“And if you go to pony club, you could probably start doing gymkhanas if you wanted to,” Sally had said. “Your riding is really coming along and Bella is such a great all-rounder, you’d probably do really well on her.”
I had gasped with enthusiasm and exclaimed once more, “That would be so cool! I just have to persuade my dad to get a float. I just have to! I mean what’s the point in having a horse without having
a horse trailer, right?” I had asked, laughing.
I remember Bella’s ears twitching at the change in my tone. She was picking up on my excitement and I had answered her curious nicker with an excited whoop. “Bella, we’re going to pony club!” I remembered shouting loudly.
“Don’t get your hopes up until you ask, Julia,” Sally had chuckled with amusement. “I think you’d better wait until your dad says yes before you get too excited!”
And it had been just at that moment, that we’d reached the spot where all the craziness had happened. Then after that, I hadn’t given our conversation another thought. My main focus had been solely on convincing Dad to let me keep Bella.
As I listened to Tomas’ words, I thought about how miraculous the world was. One minute I was dreaming about going to pony club and it seemed like the next moment, my parents were actually discussing the idea of that very scenario becoming a reality.
My stomach churned with excitement. “All the dramas I’ve been through have led to a rainbow,” I thought to myself, “A real life rainbow with so many adventures ahead.”
And I couldn’t help but feel a nervous thrill up and down my spine. My life was becoming even better than I could ever have imagined.
The best day ever…
When we pulled up at pony club a few weeks later, I almost had to pinch myself to be sure that I wasn’t dreaming! The scene in front of me was everything I had hoped for and more.
A huge arena was filled with all kinds of equipment including jumps, barrels and an assortment of other things that I had never seen before.
Horses, tied to the sides of a variety of trailers, were munching happily on bales of hay that had been hung in nets for easy access.
And riders wearing cream jodhpurs and navy shirts, which was obviously the pony club uniform, were tending to their ponies. I looked on as they brushed their coats, braided their manes and tails or cleaned out their hooves in order to be ready for the day’s activities.
My Dream Pony Page 2
