Outrunning ghosts : some light relief

["Tracey" <tracey@tbt.co.za>]

It's been a pretty tense couple of weeks for me. Lots on my mind, life in a bit of turmoil.  One of the stressors has been Toc's health since the food allergy.  I'm not used to seeing my horse with a dull coat.  So, I've been pouring supplements into him - SuperCodlivine, RedCell, Sunflower oil, garlic, you name it, he's had it!  I've also given him some time off (because I was worried he might be harboring a virus, and because I was tense)

 

And, to be honest, the thought of riding Toccy when he's had 50 mls of RedCell pumped into him every day for a week is a little daunting!

 

Anyway, got home late yesterday, and decided, to hell with it, I'm riding my horse.  The sky was that silvery grey colour, with streaks of purple, pink and rose, and I couldn't help thinking that maybe God was having an Acid Flashback.  I yelled to Albert "tack up Toccy, I'm going out" and went zooming through to the dressing room, to get changed for riding, before it got too dark.

 

In record time, I was back out at the stable, to be greeted with furious nickering and that kick-ass expression I know so well.

 

Yelled at the dogs to "stay".  Handed Toc to Albert and yelled at the dogs some more, this time bandying my whip around.  Chased Dodger to retrieve my whip.  Opened car door and placed the dogs inside, telling them that sometimes it's just a girl-and-horse thing, and that no-one else was welcome.

 

Albert gave me a leg-up, and as I retrieved my stirrups, Toc shook his head, gave the tiniest of bucks and set off at a trot.

 

The air was crisp, crackling almost, the way it gets towards the end of Winter, when Spring is starting to fight to assert itself, and Winter is going "uh-uh, you're on my turf".  We headed up the driveway, turned right onto the road and Toc settled into this amazing, ground-eating trot.  His ears were pricked, his back was relaxed and his whole bearing said "where've you been, Mum, I so needed this".

 

Initially, I thought, if he bucks now, I'm a gonner, but that was a fleeting impression, and I settled in to enjoy the ride.  We jumped a couple of ditches, chased the neighbour's dumbass dog, with me yelling "For God, England and King Harry" (apologies to WS), gave two fingers to the people at no 1 who like to set off fireworks at Guy Fawkes.  I spotted a snake eagle just setting home for the day, and waved madly at him.  Being a gentleman, he politely dipped his wings for us, before slipping over the trees and out of sight. 

 

As we got to the bottom part of the block, we settled back into a walk and I realised that, for the first time in weeks, I had forgotten my problems.  I'd outrun my ghosts.  And it was all thanks to a feisty little 15.2 hh TB gelding.  I dropped the reins and leaned forward and whispered "I love you" in his ears.  He arched his neck in pleasure, and snorted loudly. 

 

We spotted the Film Studio's landrover coming up behind us, and I put Toc into trot again.  As Titus pulled up alongside me, I yelled "wanna race?" and we got back into extended trot, and raced that crummy old car all the way to the main road.  Just before we got to the end, I dropped the reins and raised both arms in the air, Shawshank Redemption style and yelled "Geronimo".   Titus said "are you okay?"  I said "I'm fine", and realised that I meant it.  I turned Toc back up the hill went home.

 

Not one buck.  Not one spook.  Just the feeling of having a much-loved and much-trusted horse underneath you.  Bring on the ghosts : we'll outrun 'em every time.

 

When we got home, I untacked him outside his stable, where he stood like a lamb.  When his tack was off, he turned to me, put his head next to mine, and blew quietly in my ear.  I swear to God I heard "I love you, too" in that sigh.

 

 

Tracey