I nodded and slipped away, acknowledging the cheery good nights.
***
“So?”
“Anne, I’ve never taught anyone…”
Anne laughed. “Look, you’re a good rider. You’ve had lessons yourself so you know what’s required. I need someone to teach today. You’re the most suitable candidate. Just keep them happy and try to make sure they don’t fall off, well at least not too often.”
I walked towards the indoor school, there were a collection of children on ponies gathered in the centre of the ring. “Hello?” The girls turned to face me. “I’m Amanda, I’ll be your instructor today. So, lead your horses out and go large…”
What started with apprehension on my part soon turned into a totally enjoyable experience. The girls were jolly and simply happy to be riding the ponies, as I got them to walk and trot in turn around the track and in circles they were smiling and cheery. It was all too soon when Anne caught my eye, pointing at her watch. In all that day I spent another six hours teaching, taking different groups of children and teenagers before a final group of adult weekend riders. I pulled my riding hat off as I said goodbye to the last of the riders.
“I’m impressed.” Anne stood in the doorway of the indoor school. “The feedback has been excellent, the young girls particularly loved the gymkhana games you played with them, they’ll all be back, so Thank you, we need the money. There’ll be a bit extra in your pay packet on Monday.” Anne paused, glancing at my shocked face. “I know, you didn’t even ask about wages. I’ll look after you as much as I can. I do for all of my girls.”
“Thank you.”
“And, one day this will set you in stead for your future. You’re too smart to be a groom for ever. Right, run along now, you’ve worked hard today. I really appreciate it. Thank you, Amanda!”
***
The days passed, I soon got into a routine, waking and feeding the horses before mucking out and grooming, teaching lessons and cleaning tack. Every evening I would follow the others into the dining room for sustenance and conversation and good natured arguments before falling asleep on the sofa in front of the television and having to be shaken awake to retire to my sagging bunk.
Every day I waited for someone to come calling for me. The first few days were the worst, jumping every time someone called my name or when a car pulled into the yard. I was sure social services would be out looking for me. Here I was, just sixteen years old having run away from a children’s home. Yet, it seemed they hadn’t found me or, they didn’t care. I was just one more runaway orphan, another sad statistic.
After a month I had properly settled into the routine, nobody asked about my history and I didn’t volunteer it. I was a hard worker and so earned the respect of the staff, especially Anne who took me under her wing.
***
“Come in…” Anne was sat behind the desk in the office, the stables diary open in front of her. “Sit down. I’m impressed with you, Amanda. You work hard and the others speak highly of you. I want to put you forward for your teaching qualifications, let you become a recognised riding instructor. Is that something which you would like to do?”
“Oh, Anne yes! But… Look I don’t think I can afford to do that. You pay me well but…”
“Amanda, forget that… The pay is rubbish as is everything else. I’m sorry I can’t pay you more, but what I can do is to at least try to help you out a bit while you are here. I know you’ll not be here forever.” She waved her hand at my protests. “No, you deserve better than here. Many of us are settled, this suits us, but you’re young and I hope ambitious. This will give you something for your future. Think about it, but I want to help you.”
Talk of my future, I was starting to feel that I may have a future. In care I could only ever see the four walls, but now I was free and my life was finally my own. Maybe I could allow myself to dream. To become a recognised instructor was a vital first step, maybe, just maybe one day I could be like Anne and offer opportunities to other young people. Ah, but that was a life time away, one step at a time, but at least the steps were finally in the right direction.
4
Show Time
I’d been up for hours. The sun was only just rising, the stables had been quiet when I’d arrived, but it would have been impossible for me to have slept any longer. I’d slipped from my bed in the early hours, excited to get started with the shampooing and grooming that came before a big show like the one I was attending today.
My mum always moaned that she could never wake me for school, it was right, I had no interest in the hours spent in the classroom when I could be outdoors riding. However, on a Saturday morning in late August with the sun rising, promising a day of heat and parched grass I was up and out before dawn.
This was my last show of the season, the last hurrah of the summer. School would start on Monday, but there was just one tantalising weekend show left. One more chance to capture a coveted rosette which could be added to the others in the horsebox. Of course, there were other shows later into the autumn, but with school to attend I wasn’t allowed to compete at those. Oh, I dreamed of the days when my life could be my own. Coming down to my own yard, my own horses, planning for a weekend
