a.turn.for.the.better

[Millie Daveys]

a.turn.for.the.better



Beyond Expectations and Jaymee-Leigh Smith

I walked down the stable block anxiously throwing a few carrots to each horse. As I came to the end of the black I turned left, outside to the round pen - turned stable. I walked quickly up to the stable door, where I saw the small black filly. Bee stood there looking angry but scared at the same time, as she usually did. I opened the stable door and at that Bee became even more wary and her ears went back. "It's okay." I said, trying to calm her nerves, and mine in a way. I saw that she had eaten the hay I had managed to give her yeasterday and the water was all gone as well.

I brought the carrot I had brought for her, from behind my back and held it out. At that Bee reared up and began bolting around the room. I stood back startled and watched her running. She was speedy alright. And could be running all day, she was a sure racer, I knew if I could just get her to trust me then I could work with her. When she came to a halt I held out the carrot again, and slowly walked closer. Bee raised her head, and stretched out her neck further than I thought possible. She sniffed at the carrot and began nibbling at it. I knew that she was beginning to trust me. Bee continued nibbleing away at the carrot until eventually it was all gone.

I smiled broadly, relieved that she had eaten the carrot, and was no longer rampaging around her stall. Without thinking, I reached out to touch her. Bee backed up staring at me. I realized that I had starled her, so slowly I tried to stroke her again. "I won't hurt you" I told Bee. I reached out towards her neck, Bee watched me causiously, I touched her solid bleck neck, and stroked it. A smile spread across my face, ear to ear. Then I realized how dirty she was. I stepped forwards next to the young filly. The sun peered through, into the stable, and the clouds shifted. I brought another piece of carrot out of my pocket and fed it to her. Bee did not hesitate to goble it up. "Good girl," I said. "See, not that bad was it? Still smiling I patted her neck rewardingly and turned away from her. The moment I did it I felt like I would regret it, I cringed and closed my eyes tightly. A few seconds later, I relaxed and opened my eyes. I turned around and saw Bee still standing where she was a few seconds ago.

I decided to do it. I walked over to the stable door where I got a baby blue head collar and lead rope. I walked back over to Bee, hiding the head collar behind my back. When I looked at Bee, all of the fear and anger had drained from her eyes, and she looked at me pleasantly. For the first time I saw the colour in the filly's eyes, a vivid blue. I knew that she trusted me now. She had real talent, now I thought about it. She ran around the pen so fast, and she could be running all day, she was a sure racer. I knew that if I could get her to trust me enough I could train her up. I pulled the head collar from behind my back Bee looked at me silly. "It's okay." I slowly slid it over her nose, then her ears, and fastened it up. Bee was like a new horse. She didn't bolt around the pen but just shook her head quite a bit. "There, there." I said to Bee. The young filly accepted the carrot I passed to her, and happily ate it. I tried to get her to walk on but the poor filly had no idea what I wanted her to do. I stepped back next to her side and then tried to push her on slightly. Bee watched me and stepped slowly forwards, she began to walk quicker and quicker and eventually I was walking by her side, leading her around the pen.

Then I stood still. I patted Bee on her neck. Then I slid the head collar off. That was enough for today, and she had made so much progress, she was barely a resemblence from the filly I had known just a week ago. She followed me over to the stable door, where I gave her a final pat on the neck, before closing the door and walking back down into the stable block.