The Horse With No Carriage
Dusty’s Kingdom
N & B Goldmine
The Horse With No Carriage
Stormy by name stormy by nature – this pony doesn’t like being ridden or loaded into a horse box – Rusty feels all she needs is a little encouragement to pull a cart.
Dusty’s Kingdom
Dusty’s owners decide he should be an indoor cat. Dusty has other ideas – he wants to extend his kingdom.
N & B Goldmine
Nate and Benny have nearly given up on their prospecting dreams when they find gold on their claim. There is one big problem – the gold seam runs onto their neighbours property.
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THE HORSE WITH NO CARRIAGE
Rusty leaned on the post and rail fence, thoughtfully eyeing the pretty orange mare as she lowered her head and continued grazing.
‘Do you think she’d be suitable for pulling a gig or carriage?’
Her owner’s reply was non-committal.
‘I can’t make any promises, but you’re welcome to take her home and give her a try.’ She glanced down the corridor between the rows of stables, eyeing the horsebox hitched to the back of our utility. ‘I can’t keep her here much longer. I run a children’s riding school and need a pony better suited for young children.’
Stormy by name and stormy by nature, she stood fourteen hands high. A part-bred Welsh Pony. Bright chestnut, with a white blaze and one white stockinged leg. She lifted her head and gazed at me with soft brown eyes; her long black lashes fluttered.
‘What do you think, Janie?’ Rusty asked me. He was my older brother who unfortunately, and probably unwisely, valued my advice.
‘She’s got lovely brown eyes.’ I commented.
‘I’ll take her.’ Rusty had made a decision.
Without further ado, the three of us pushed, pulled and eventually enticed her into the trailer with a bucket of food.’ This is how Stormy, an unpredictable, lovable, food-orientated pony, found a new home with my brother.
Rusty was incredibly patient with Stormy over the next few months. She didn’t like children, being groomed, or loading into a horsebox. Despite these difficulties, Rusty persevered.
‘I’ve just enrolled Stormy as the newest member of the Hills dale Horse and Carriage Association. I’m going to train her to pull a gig.’
However, he soon discovered she didn’t like that either.
‘All she needs is plenty of practice Janie. She’ll soon get used to pulling the little cart behind her.’ He assured me.
The next time I saw him, he was excited. ‘I’ve entered Stormy into the Hills dale Equestrian paper-chase competition next month, and I wondered if you’d be my groom?’
‘What does a groom have to do, and what’s a paper chase?’ I asked before committing myself. ‘Do I get to sit on the gig next to you while Stormy pulls us?’
‘Something like that. You also collect the clues and help in other ways.’
‘So, I’d be the general dogsbody.’
‘That sums it up.’ Rusty grinned. ‘Oh, come on Janie, it’ll be fun. A paper chase is like a treasure hunt. We’re given a clue that leads us to the next clue. We’ll be driving around a large equestrian estate, and it’ll be good practice for Stormy. It’s just down the road so we can walk there, avoiding the horsebox loading drama.’
‘It doesn’t sound too complicated. Yes, yes, yes, I’ll be your groom.’ I answered enthusiastically.
The big day arrived, and the paper chase entrants lined up. “Ready, set, go”, then a shrill whistle.
‘They’re off,’ called one of the spectators as participants of all shapes and sizes, horses, ponies, pairs and even a four-in-hand, made their way through the open gateway.
‘Walk-on Stormy, come on Stormy, walk-on.’ Rusty called out in his most authoritative voice. She flicked her ears and didn’t budge.
I dutifully jumped down from the carriage and forcefully tugged at her bridle. ‘Move it, Stormy.’ She stood her ground while I used all my strength. ‘Here!’ I offered a cube of sugar from my pocket. She lurched forward, snatching sugar and shoulder-charging me. ‘Yikes! You horrid hag.’ I cried, falling backwards, then rolling sideways to avoid being crushed by the heavy iron wheels.
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DUSTY’S KINGDOM
‘He’s a lilac, mink, Tonkinese,’ the cat breeder informed us. ‘A cross between a Siamese and Burmese.’ We wanted a female, but he ticked all our other boxes. After a brief tete-a-tete, we agreed to take the only kitten left, who happened to be male. Having handed over our hard-earned cash, we asked to hold him. The breeder tried to catch him but gave up when he hissed at her from under a sideboard.
‘He’s not wild,’ she assured us. ‘If you return in five days, your kitten will be fully inoculated and ready for collection.’
Five days later we were back. We pretended not to notice when our new kitten scratched the breeder as she transferred him from his cage to our cat box. He meowed on the way home and only after checking the doors and windows were firmly shut, did we open his cat box.
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N & B GOLDMINE
Nate burst through the door of their wooden shack shouting at the top of his voice.
‘We’ve done it, Benny; we’re rich. ‘The happy pair danced a jig around the room, although Benny had no idea why!
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I’m in love! Great stories.