Post by Fletcher on Mar 20, 2006 21:32:08 GMT -5
((Some random horse story))
I had to force myself not to look down as Fleet Flyer’s hooves cleared the highest jump I’ve ever been over. A gasp escaped from me as we jerked to the ground. Flyer cantered gracefully out, with me almost falling off. I gently pulled him to a halt, and sat on his back for a moment, collecting my wits.
My instructor came over, a smile tugging at her lips. “That must have been…fun.” She said. I glared at her, and she burst out laughing. “You should have seen the look on your face when you landed, Alice!” She hooted.
“Remember all the times you’ve bitten me when I’ve done up your girth? Well, try aiming for Megan next time.” I told Flyer, grinning. Megan, as you might have guessed is my instructor, nodded.
“Point taken. Try the jump once more, then cool off your poor pony. And this time, keep those heels down!” I nodded, urging my 16.3hh ‘pony’ to the end of the ring. Flyer easily went into a canter, plunging gracefully toward the jump. I shoved my heels down, and got into jumping position a stride before the jump.
As we went over it, I looked down. The ground seem to spin before me, far away. My heels popped up, and I lost the grip on mane and reigns. Toppling forward, I felt my mind go blank as my horse tumbled forward onto me.
*
I woke gasping, the memory in my head. “Flyer?” I asked the empty room. Megan rushed through the door.
“Awake!” She cried behind her, and came over. “How’s it going?” She asked me casually, but I could tell from her face something was wrong.
“Where is Flyer?” I asked, my voice tense. “Where is he?!” My voice was panicked, imagining all the horrible things that I could have done to my beloved gelding.
“Alice, when you fell, Flyer tried to get out of the way, so he wouldn’t land on you. He…he tripped on something, I couldn’t see. One of his legs was broken, and he was bleeding. Flyer was in so much pain, that…” Megan trailed off, and I didn’t need her to continue.
I felt a tear run down my face, and I didn’t bother to wipe it away. I didn’t deserve the comfort. Megan rested her hand on my back, but I shrugged it off. The bed rose as she got off, and left me with my sorrow.
I killed my horse. I shouldn’t have done the jump. If only I had kept my heels down, then Flyer would be here now, munching on his oats, wondering why Megan was grooming him and not me.
*
One week later- The mare I was riding was fine enough, but she wasn’t Flyer. I rode her over the same jump, with Megan watching. It was easy, but I didn’t care anymore. I killed my horse. Megan came over, her eyes full of pitty.
“Alice, look. Flyer was special, but there are other horses. I am really sorry, but don’t let it ruin your life.” I shook my head, and dismounted, taking care of the mare. I left, going into Flyer’s old stall. I collapsed against the wall, sobbing.
After a while, I became aware of the tiny human in front of me. The new girl. She was ten years old, and was just getting the hang of riding. “What do you want?” I asked. I knew the question was rude, but I didn’t care. I had killed my horse.
“Listen.” Was all the girl said. Emily, her name was. “Listen. You can hear his spirit, Alice. Flyer loved you. If his hooves had come down on you, you would be dead. He died for you.” Her voice was soft, but there wasn’t a speck of pity.
“I killed my horse. If I had just kept my head up and heels down, Flyer would be here. You don’t get it.” My voice was cruel and cutting. Bitter with hatred. I hated the world any everything in it for taking my horse.
“If you look at it that way, then you did kill him. And your still killing him. Alice, horses die. People die. My parents died in a fire. Did I kill them because they chose to save me and my sister instead of themselves? No. You didn’t kill Fleet Flyer because he chose to keep you alive.” Emily sat down in the hay, and handed me a braid of horse hair. It was grey. It was Flyer’s.
I couldn’t help it. I broke because of the words of a ten-year-old child. Emily took my hand, and led me to her horses stall, next door. The squat little pony stared at me, and sneezed. Emily hugged him.
“Chubby’s my second pony. My first pony, Diamond, died from colic. Horses die, Alice. I haven’t let Diamond go, or my parents. But I accepted it. I forced the fact that I didn’t kill any of them into myself. I keep a piece of Diamonds mane, and I keep my parents ashes. Don’t let Flyer go. Just don’t hold on to tightly.” Emily’s eyes gazed at mine, and a tear fell down.
“Don’t let go, but don’t hold on to tightly.” She repeated, and hugged her pony. I held up the braid of Flyer’s mane she had given me, and clutched it.
“Thank you.” As much as I loathed Emily for understanding, I loved her for it. She had shown me how to hold onto the closest friend I ever had, but that it wasn’t my fault he died.
In memory of my horse, who died, and never should have.
I had to force myself not to look down as Fleet Flyer’s hooves cleared the highest jump I’ve ever been over. A gasp escaped from me as we jerked to the ground. Flyer cantered gracefully out, with me almost falling off. I gently pulled him to a halt, and sat on his back for a moment, collecting my wits.
My instructor came over, a smile tugging at her lips. “That must have been…fun.” She said. I glared at her, and she burst out laughing. “You should have seen the look on your face when you landed, Alice!” She hooted.
“Remember all the times you’ve bitten me when I’ve done up your girth? Well, try aiming for Megan next time.” I told Flyer, grinning. Megan, as you might have guessed is my instructor, nodded.
“Point taken. Try the jump once more, then cool off your poor pony. And this time, keep those heels down!” I nodded, urging my 16.3hh ‘pony’ to the end of the ring. Flyer easily went into a canter, plunging gracefully toward the jump. I shoved my heels down, and got into jumping position a stride before the jump.
As we went over it, I looked down. The ground seem to spin before me, far away. My heels popped up, and I lost the grip on mane and reigns. Toppling forward, I felt my mind go blank as my horse tumbled forward onto me.
*
I woke gasping, the memory in my head. “Flyer?” I asked the empty room. Megan rushed through the door.
“Awake!” She cried behind her, and came over. “How’s it going?” She asked me casually, but I could tell from her face something was wrong.
“Where is Flyer?” I asked, my voice tense. “Where is he?!” My voice was panicked, imagining all the horrible things that I could have done to my beloved gelding.
“Alice, when you fell, Flyer tried to get out of the way, so he wouldn’t land on you. He…he tripped on something, I couldn’t see. One of his legs was broken, and he was bleeding. Flyer was in so much pain, that…” Megan trailed off, and I didn’t need her to continue.
I felt a tear run down my face, and I didn’t bother to wipe it away. I didn’t deserve the comfort. Megan rested her hand on my back, but I shrugged it off. The bed rose as she got off, and left me with my sorrow.
I killed my horse. I shouldn’t have done the jump. If only I had kept my heels down, then Flyer would be here now, munching on his oats, wondering why Megan was grooming him and not me.
*
One week later- The mare I was riding was fine enough, but she wasn’t Flyer. I rode her over the same jump, with Megan watching. It was easy, but I didn’t care anymore. I killed my horse. Megan came over, her eyes full of pitty.
“Alice, look. Flyer was special, but there are other horses. I am really sorry, but don’t let it ruin your life.” I shook my head, and dismounted, taking care of the mare. I left, going into Flyer’s old stall. I collapsed against the wall, sobbing.
After a while, I became aware of the tiny human in front of me. The new girl. She was ten years old, and was just getting the hang of riding. “What do you want?” I asked. I knew the question was rude, but I didn’t care. I had killed my horse.
“Listen.” Was all the girl said. Emily, her name was. “Listen. You can hear his spirit, Alice. Flyer loved you. If his hooves had come down on you, you would be dead. He died for you.” Her voice was soft, but there wasn’t a speck of pity.
“I killed my horse. If I had just kept my head up and heels down, Flyer would be here. You don’t get it.” My voice was cruel and cutting. Bitter with hatred. I hated the world any everything in it for taking my horse.
“If you look at it that way, then you did kill him. And your still killing him. Alice, horses die. People die. My parents died in a fire. Did I kill them because they chose to save me and my sister instead of themselves? No. You didn’t kill Fleet Flyer because he chose to keep you alive.” Emily sat down in the hay, and handed me a braid of horse hair. It was grey. It was Flyer’s.
I couldn’t help it. I broke because of the words of a ten-year-old child. Emily took my hand, and led me to her horses stall, next door. The squat little pony stared at me, and sneezed. Emily hugged him.
“Chubby’s my second pony. My first pony, Diamond, died from colic. Horses die, Alice. I haven’t let Diamond go, or my parents. But I accepted it. I forced the fact that I didn’t kill any of them into myself. I keep a piece of Diamonds mane, and I keep my parents ashes. Don’t let Flyer go. Just don’t hold on to tightly.” Emily’s eyes gazed at mine, and a tear fell down.
“Don’t let go, but don’t hold on to tightly.” She repeated, and hugged her pony. I held up the braid of Flyer’s mane she had given me, and clutched it.
“Thank you.” As much as I loathed Emily for understanding, I loved her for it. She had shown me how to hold onto the closest friend I ever had, but that it wasn’t my fault he died.
In memory of my horse, who died, and never should have.