Catching Claire

“Stand up” I yelled

“stand up or your dog meat”

I had five minutes left, if I didn‘t catch her she would be left for the dog tucker man in the morning.

The mare was in a corner, If she bolted I’d be flattened, this was do or die.

She was a pretty mare, good confirmation, sound, nothing wrong with her that a bit of good grass and a hoof trim couldn’t fix, she’d just been dumped. Literally dumped, the owners had left the country, the mare and her donkey companion had been turned out on a couple of acres of scrub land behind the rubbish tip.

I could see every muscle in her neck, she was tensed up ready to flee. It had taken the best part of two hours already. Sweat ran down my face, a fly landed on my nose, I daren’t swat it, if I moved she’d bolt. Forcing myself to relax, I began humming a tune under my breath, then took my eye of hers and slid my glance down her neck to that sweet spot by her withers. The mare began to relax, I stepped forward and scratched her under her mane, slid the rope over her neck and put a loop over her nose. Gerry, the truck driver jumped down from the rail he’d been sitting on a brought over a head collar.

“Thought we’d be going without her, she’s a wild one”

“no” I said “just scared, wouldn’t have dared block a wild horse like that”

“council will be glad thats sorted, now your just got to get her loaded”

“no problems” I replied

The mare walked quietly by my side to the truck, I sent her up the ramp and she went in without hesitation. I clipped the partition down and jumped out a Gerry put the ramp up.

“not a second to spare, you do cut it fine girl, dropping them at your place?”

“yes but go in the far gate, I should beat you there“

“what’s happening to them“

“donks going back to her breeder, the mare starts her new training next week”

“does she have a name”

“none that I know of currently, but tomorrow she’ll be Claire”