“Hello, did you sleep well?” Annie stepped out of the back door of the house. I nodded, smiling. “Come on let’s feed them.”
***
Feeding and mucking out together passed quickly as Annie was chatty, she told me about her life, dwelling on her boyfriend who was studying at the local agricultural college.
“Look, let’s get a quick ride in before breakfast if you’re game!” We tacked up, me a huge Piebald gelding amusingly called ‘Tiny’ and Annie tacked up her bay mare, “Duchess”. I legged her up into the saddle before clambering onto my steed using the yard gate, thankfully he stood patiently as I got into the saddle, adjusting my stirrups.
Annie led the way through a large field, she explained that this was once part of the dairy farm however the cows were long gone, she didn’t elaborate, however, it was clear from the look in her eyes that there was a story to be told, eventually. We faced a huge hill. “Ready for a bit of a run!” She laughed and kicked her horse on, I was splattered with grit as Duchess led into a loping canter and then a flat out gallop. Not to be left behind Tiny span and accelerated until we caught up and then passed her easily. I whooped with joy as I felt the wind in my face and the movement of the horse beneath me, we were clearing the ground with ease and soon reached the summit where I pulled him up, it was not long before Duchess was approaching with a cheering Annie on board.
“Oh, that was amazing!” I wiped the tears from my eyes. Annie rode close to me, our knees bumping and the horses stretching out on a loose rein, Duchess squealed as Tiny nipped at her nose. Annie laughed, placing her hand on my thigh.
“It’s great, isn’t it. You can see the whole of Wiltshire from here.” She giggled. “Well, it feels like you can!” She paused, looking towards me. “Tell me about you.”
“There’s not much to tell…” I looked away, pulling Tiny further apart.
“I don’t think that’s the case?”
I sighed. “I worked at a pretty scruffy riding school in London.”
“Oh, London… I love London, I love to go to a show, have you been to the theatre…” And she was off, Annie was unselfishly excited about life and it seemed starved of someone, if not to talk to, certainly to talk at! I laughed, she was animated and dropped her reins, waving her hands as she spoke of her life as we rode back towards the yard.
I leaned down and closed the gate before dismounting and pulling Tiny’s tack off at Annie’s suggestion we led both horses into the sand arena where they dropped to their knees and rolled almost in unison before bucking and racing around the arena together.
“Come in, it’s breakfast time. We’ll leave them to have some time together. I’ll help you clean the tack later.” Annie led the way through the back door and into the warm and homely kitchen. May kissed her daughter and greeted me. The old dining table was laid with plates and she started to place steaming bacon and eggs onto them.
“Oh goodness… This is too much!” I said before sitting and devouring the first of the bacon.
“What?” I said, my mouth full, realising I had a highly amused audience.
“Country air and riding out, it’s perfect for your appetite!”
I blushed, taking care to sip my orange juice more slowly as mother and daughter slipped into conversation.
***
Life on the yard was perfect, I exercised the horses, who were mostly owned by livery clients who came as and when they could but, as Annie told me, would more often ride at the weekends so we would need to keep their horses fit on their behalf. She told me that they were a combination of what she called ‘happy hackers’ who would be perfectly satisfied with hacks around the Downs and the more competitive riders who were out for silverware at the local shows. In time I would get my chance to groom for them and visit the regional horse shows. Maybe even compete myself.
On the following Wednesday afternoon, Annie announced that she would be going into town and asked if I wanted to join her. I turned to May who said I had worked almost too hard already as I had spent hours polishing tack and grooming the horses, ‘you’ll show us up dear!’ she’d joked with a theatrical wink. I needed some more food and supplies so I readily agreed, popping up to my flat to get changed into a relatively clean pair of jeans and blouse.
“Knock, knock…” I heard the noise at my door before Annie walked in. “You left your door open, but I wondered where you had got to?” I was standing in my scruffy panties and sports bra trying to decide which of my frayed jeans look least bad and wishing I had taken more of the clothes Edwin had bought me. I turned to face Annie who had a faraway look on in her eyes.
“Oh, I’m sorry…” I grabbed jeans and a t-shirt, quickly dressing.
“Right I am taking your clothes shopping too…” She announced, despite my protests.
***
Hours later we returned, shopping was more exhausting than stable work, Annie had dragged me around shop after shop, insisting that I bought a whole new wardrobe which, again despite my protests, she paid for on her credit card. Thankfully we had also dropped into the local supermarket so had spent most of my pay packet on a range of food and snacks as well as a few bottles of cheap wine.
I’d insisted on returning the favour for Annie and told her I would cook. She was delighted and promised to return at seven. I put together a simple dish which could go into the oven and went to check the horses. Greeting some of the
