Scared and bewildered, Gem had arrived in the autumn, just eight months ago. He had been broken in and taught to wear a saddle and bridle. Too scared to fight, he had accepted a rider without protest. But Ellie had felt an anxiety deep within him about what would happen next in his life.
It’s OK, she’d told him, longing to take his nervousness away. Nothing bad’s going to happen. You’re safe here. Her uncle was firm and hard with his horses, but he wasn’t cruel to them. And I’m here to look after you now. I’ll love you, ride you, groom you.
The young pony had sighed and rested his head against her chest as she talked to him. She’d felt his relief wash over her that finally someone was listening.
I think I can make him happier, Ellie told Spirit. Now that he trusts me and I know why he’s nervous. I’ll try to help more.
She felt Spirit’s warm breath on her hands and felt his pleasure. Good.
Ellie put her arms around his neck. Thank you, she told him. Thank you for showing me how to talk to other horses. I want to help as many as I can.
Spirit snorted softly and Ellie felt love well up inside her. The bond between them was so strong. She couldn’t imagine how her life would be now if she hadn’t bought him that day at the sale.
Rubbing his forehead, she reluctantly stepped back, letting their thoughts separate again. She could stay talking to him for hours, but there was too much to do on the yard.
“I’d better go.” She gave him a last hug. “I’ll see you later.”
Picking up the grooming kit, Ellie left the stable, her heart light. She stopped to greet the black gelding in the next stable along. He was a valuable show hack called Lucifer. When he had first arrived back in March, he’d been very unhappy on the yard, but eventually Ellie had talked to him and worked out why. After that, she’d been able to help him settle in.
I wonder which horse I’ll talk to next, Ellie thought as she headed towards the main yard. She’d love to talk to all the horses there, but it was hard to find the time. It wasn’t something that could be rushed. Some horses would talk straight away but with others she would often have to just stand for a long while, waiting until they relaxed and their minds connected with hers. She would happily have given up the hours needed, but now it was May there were shows nearly every Saturday and Sunday, often in the week too, and her uncle had a constant list of jobs for her to do. It was hard enough finding the time just to groom and ride Spirit.
Ellie reached the main yard. Here a large courtyard was enclosed by ten spacious loose boxes. The remaining twenty horses were stabled in two American-style barns. The countryside around the stables was majestic and wild. Somehow the peaks of the north Derbyshire mountains that rose up behind the yard looked bleak and untamed even in the middle of summer with the sun shining. In contrast, the yard was an enclave of order and control. Headcollars were hung neatly from hooks and the yard was perfectly swept. High Peak Stables was one of the top showing yards in the country and her uncle, its owner, Len Carrington, believed in neatness and order at all times.
As Ellie reached the yard, she saw her sixteen-year-old cousin, Joe, leading a chestnut pony with a flaxen mane and tail out of the pony barn. Stuart, the yard manager, was lunging a horse in the small schooling ring by the car park, while Helen and Sasha, the two grooms were cleaning tack in the sun. Luke—Joe’s cousin from the other side of the family, who also worked full-time for Len—was going out on a hack on one of the hunters. Everyone on the yard was always busy. Len had huge amounts of energy himself and would not tolerate any slacking. Anyone found not working could expect a torrent of sharp words. The days started at 7 a.m. or earlier and often didn’t finish until late at night if there was a show on.
It was a completely different life from the one Ellie used to have. She had grown up in New Zealand with her dad, Len’s younger brother, who had been a vet, and her mom who had been a kindergarten teacher. Ellie had been very happy. She and her mom kept horses and ponies, and she used to travel with her dad on his vet rounds. But ten months ago her world had turned upside down when both her parents were killed in a car accident. At first Ellie had lived with her grandmother, but her grandmother was old and in January it was decided that Ellie should move to England to live with Len and Joe. She would never forget her arrival—how she had hated her uncle, hated the oppressive gray skies of the Peak District, hated being torn away from her home. But after she and Joe became friends and she found Spirit, her life had started to improve.
Her mom used to have a saying: every ending is a new beginning. Recently Ellie had begun to think how true that was. Her old life had ended, but this new one had started. If she hadn’t moved from New Zealand, she would never have met Spirit or discovered she could talk to horses. She would always, always wish her parents were still alive, but she did find comfort in the truth of the saying, and slowly but surely High Peak Stables was beginning to feel more like home.
Joe had helped with that, Ellie thought, smiling at her cousin taking Milly to the wash-barn. Joe had been welcoming from the moment she arrived and now they were the closest of friends. For a while it had seemed they might become more than that, but although Ellie hadn’t seen them being cousins as a problem, Joe had, so eventually they’d decided to remain just as friends.
Ellie went over, feeling slightly guilty for having spent so long with Spirit. “Do you want some help with Milly?”
The chestnut pony was pawing the concrete on the yard. She was completely different from Gem, a feisty outgoing ball of energy who fidgeted constantly. It was one of the things Ellie loved about horses; they all had their own personalities, just like people and they all needed different handling.
“If you’ve got time,” Joe replied, pushing his sandy brown hair from his forehead, where it kept falling. “I’ve read about a new way to persuade her to stand still in one of my books,” he went on. “Can you fetch the hosepipe for me?”
“Sure.” Ellie put the grooming kit down and pulled out the hosepipe. “So, what are you going to do?”
Joe loved exploring new ways of training horses. He read a lot of books by trainers who were into natural horsemanship, people who believed in working with horses in a partnership rather than using force.
“Well, rather than shouting at her and trying to make her stand still like we usually do while I bathe her, I’ll let her move—but make her move more than she wants to, so in the end it’ll hopefully persuade her that standing still is better. You’ll see what I mean when I do it. Come closer with the hose, just one step at a time. We’ll only do her tail and legs, the rest of her is clean.”
Ellie started walking towards Milly with the hose. Milly stood still and he praised her, but then as Ellie came closer the chestnut pony started to swing around. Rather than stopping her, Joe let her move, but began turning her in a tight circle. At first Milly moved around swiftly because it was what she had wanted to do, but when Joe continued to make her turn she began slowing down, only he wouldn’t let her stop for ten whole circles. When he did halt her, she was so glad to be still that she stood quietly while he praised her by rubbing between her eyes.
“Ok, come closer again,” he told Ellie.
Ellie took another step closer with the hosepipe. Immediately the pony started to move again. Joe patiently repeated exactly what he had done before, turning her around and around, stopping after ten circles to praise her.
“Try again,” he told Ellie.
This time, Ellie saw Milly hesitate before moving. It was as though she realized that if she tried to move she would have to move far more than she wanted to. She stood still until Ellie was right beside her tail this time, then she fidgeted. Joe repeated the turning all over again. This time, when he stopped, Ellie saw the understanding in the pony’s eyes. By staying calm and patient and repeating things, Joe was making it very clear to her what he wanted—if she stood still she was praised; if she moved she had to turn in a lot of circles.
“Shall I try again?”
Ellie asked.
Joe nodded, stroking Milly and murmuring softly to her now that she was still. This time Milly stood as Ellie began to hose her tail and legs and rub in shampoo. She was a quick learner and although they had to break off a couple more times to repeat the process, by the time they had finished washing her, Milly had learned the lesson and was standing perfectly. Joe was able to put the leadrope over her neck and not even tie her up.
“That’s made such a difference!” Ellie said in delight. “And it’s so simple!”
“I know.” Joe looked pleased. “It’s all from this book I’ve been reading about making the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard work, then letting the horse choose which it wants to do, rather than getting into a fight and shouting at her to stand still.” They smiled at each other over Milly’s neck. Ellie wished she could tell Joe how she talked to horses—she had tried once, but even he had found it too hard to believe.
It was hard for Ellie to keep such a big thing a complete secret though, particularly when she could help so many different horses on the yard. Her uncle and Stuart put her ideas down merely to natural horse sense and good instincts. But she longed for someone to know it was more than that.
She wondered if the alternative techniques Joe had started using recently would make him more open to what she could do.
“Joe.” Ellie ducked under Milly’s neck.
“What?”
Ellie took his hands. This was going to be hard. “If I tell you something weird, will you promise to try and believe me?”
“I guess,” Joe said curiously. “What is it?”
But before she could say any more, there was the sound of hooves and Len appeared, leading Solomon, a steel-gray novice hunter, down from the main schooling ring. Ellie quickly dropped Joe’s hands.
“What’s happening here?” Her uncle’s blue-gray eyes were the same color as Ellie’s but his were granite-like. His weather-beaten face furrowed as he looked at them.
“Nothing.” Ellie felt flustered as she realized he’d seen her holding Joe’s hands.
“Ellie was just about to tell me something,” Joe said.
“Nothing important,” Ellie added hastily.
Her uncle looked sharply between them, but to Ellie’s relief he was distracted by Milly. “What’s that mare doing not tied up?” he demanded.
“She doesn’t need to be,” Joe replied.
“Doesn’t need to be?” Len stared as if he’d gone mad. “She’ll be off like a damn rocket any moment. Don’t be stupid, Joe. Tie her up.”
“She’s fine, Dad. I’ve been teaching her to stand still. I read about it in my books. You give them a choice and—”
“Choice! She’s a horse, not a flamin’ person!” Len snapped. He seemed to be in one of his darker moods that day. “You and your ruddy books!”
“But this way really works, Dad. It—”
“Oh for—” Len broke off and swore. “Just get that damn pony tied up, Joe! I’m not risking her running off and breaking her leg just because you fancy yourself as some kind of horse whisperer. And you stand up there!” he growled to Solomon who was moving around. The horse continued to fidget. “Stand!” Len hit the horse in the stomach with his hand. The horse threw his head in surprise, but then stood still.
Ellie saw Joe’s shoulders tighten, but she knew he wouldn’t object or argue with Len. Without saying another word, he tied Milly up.
Ellie found it harder not to say anything. She bit her lip as she wished she could speak for Joe, telling her uncle how ignorant he was being. But Ellie had her own reasons for holding back—she needed to be able to keep Spirit on the yard. High Peak Stables was so isolated there were no other yards nearby where she could move Spirit to. If she angered Len, especially when he was in one of his really black fault-finding moods, there was a real danger that he would refuse to let her keep Spirit there.
“Where’s Luke?” Len demanded. “I need a hand shifting some feed sacks.”
“He’s out on a ride,” Joe answered. “I… I could help.”
“You?” Len snorted derisively. “You’re as much use as a wet paper bag when it comes to things like that! I need Luke.”
Ellie glared. Her uncle was so unfair. Joe worked incredibly hard, but he couldn’t help being slimly built and not as strong as broad-shouldered Luke. She saw Joe take a breath. In the past he had always been good at letting his dad’s comments roll over him and remained unbothered, but recently Ellie had sensed a new anger with his father simmering deep inside him. It had started after Len made the decision to have Joe’s old pony, Merlin, put to sleep. Merlin had injured himself in the field while Joe was out at a show. Ellie had begged her uncle to give the pony a chance, to see if he would recover—or at least to wait until Joe came back—but her uncle had refused to listen and Merlin had been shot while Joe was away.
Len handed Solomon’s reins to Ellie. “Untack him,” he ordered brusquely and then he strode away.
Ellie let out a muttered exclamation as soon as he was out of earshot. “He drives me mad!” She looked at Solomon. “He didn’t even say please.”
“What did you expect? You know Dad,” Joe said. “Do this. Do that. You just have to do it.”
“Or get yelled at.”
“Or worse.” Joe frowned. “I don’t know why he’s in such a mood today. He seemed OK when he took Solomon up to the school. Oh, well.” He changed the subject. “We’d best get on. I’ll put Milly away and sort the horsebox ready for the show tomorrow. Can you untack Solomon and then wash Fizz?”
“Sure,” Ellie said. Patting the gray hunter’s neck, she started to untack him. There was always something more to do on the yard.
That night, when everything was finally ready for the show the next day, the ponies groomed and washed, the tack cleaned, the horsebox packed, Ellie went to Spirit’s stable. The grooms had left now and Len, Joe, and Luke were all in the house. The yard was quiet and peaceful, with only the occasional cat trotting by. Spirit was lying down on his straw bed. As she let herself in, he whickered softly, his eyes lighting up.
“Hey, boy.” Ellie crouched down next to him and he nuzzled her hands. She let out a deep sigh. Nothing beat the feeling of being with Spirit. Settling down beside him, she put her arm over his back, feeling tiredness wash over her. She wondered whether to talk to him, but she didn’t have the energy left. It was enough just to sit with him in the peace and quiet. Even though their minds weren’t connected, she could feel the love and comfort coming from him.
“Oh, Spirit, I’m so lucky to have you,” Ellie murmured.
She stroked his side, feeling the bump of his ribs under her fingers. But at least he had eaten more of his feed that night. She’d made a bran mash and added extra carrots and molasses to it, stroking him and hand-feeding him. He’d finished almost the whole bucket with her beside him.
Maybe he’d just been bored with his old feed? But then he would have told her that, surely? Ellie felt a flicker of worry creeping up inside her, but forced her anxiety down. He’d eaten tonight’s feed—that was the main thing.
“I’ll feed you up again,” she promised him. “Even if I have to hand-feed you every day. You’ll soon put on weight.”
She rested her head against his neck. She hadn’t thought it was possible to love anyone or anything as much as she loved Spirit. She’d have to go in into the house for supper soon, but for now it was just her and Spirit wrapped in a circle of warmth and contentment and it was the only place in the world she wanted to be.
Chapter Two
IT WAS A VERY EARLY start the next day to travel to the show down south. The ponies were loaded into the horsebox at 3 a.m. and then Len set off on the long drive. Ellie and Helen traveled inside the horsebox, while Luke went with Len in the cab. None of the ponies Joe rode were competing that day, so he stayed on the yard with Stuart and Sasha. Ellie knew he’d be glad not to be there. He’d ridden in shows all his life but was much happier at home, working with t
he horses. Ellie found it hard to imagine feeling like that. She loved everything about showing, from preparing the ponies to actually riding in the ring, and whenever she was placed or won she felt amazing. It was the biggest buzz ever!
As the horsebox chugged along the winding roads of the Peak District, heading for the motorway, Ellie and Helen settled down to rest. The living accommodation of the horsebox was like an incredibly luxurious caravan, with a leather sofa and smart small kitchen, wide-screen TV, and two sleeping spaces, one above the cab and one above the horses. There was a shower and toilet, and every available space inside had cupboards built into it for storage.
Helen went to sleep in the bed above the horses, while Ellie put her iPod on and curled up on the sofa with a blanket. She was glad Helen was the groom that day. Helen was in her late twenties and, although she was quiet, she was friendly. Sasha, the pretty, blonde junior groom, on the other hand, always ignored Ellie. She went out with Luke and spent all her free time with him or just talking to Helen. Ellie had the strong impression Sasha didn’t like her and now, as she chose a different track on her iPod, she wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that over the last few months she and Luke had become better friends.
An image of Luke came into her head as she pulled the blanket around her. Tall and dark-haired, with glinting blue eyes, he was undeniably attractive and always had a string of girls ringing him and wanting to go out with him. At first, Ellie had really disliked him. He’d seemed so flippant and arrogant, not caring about anything or anyone, but over the last few months she’d realized there was another, more complex, side to him.
Luke hadn’t had the easiest of childhoods. Although his parents were rich, they spent little time with him, sending him to various expensive boarding schools, and he’d spent most of his breaks with Len and Joe. He’d once told Ellie that Len had been more of a father to him than his own dad had ever been. Knowing that her uncle—so often cold, hard, and bullying—was the best dad Luke had ever known made Ellie feel sorry for him. And beneath the don’t-care front she knew that he did care about some things. He was incredibly focused when it came to shows and he was very open-minded, prepared to try anything if it would help a horse perform better. She’d been working with him on Lucifer, who he often rode, and together they’d made a massive difference to how Lucifer behaved.
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