I was dead on my feet but I wasn’t going to complain or give in. I went into the tack room and started on eight sets of tack which needed to be sponged and polished before loading the washing machine with bandages. I’d just finished when Sally put her head around the door and sharply told me to fill hay-nets for all the horses.
* * *
I’d taken a moment to sit down while filling the nets. My feet ached and I was exhausted, my head thumping and my muscles cramped. I heard a movement beyond the door so leapt to my feet.
“It’s okay, it’s me. Look, I’ll get Sally to finish those. I think you’ve passed her test by now…” Hilary smiled.
“Test?”
“Adam, you need to understand, we have a tractor and harrow to rake the school and, as lovely as your well-groomed muck heap looks, I would rather have well-groomed horses. I’m not all old fashioned about stable management. It’s a muck heap after all for goodness sakes. Sally does this to everyone new, it’s just her way of making sure you are right for me. She only wants the best. Look, you go off, you look dead on your feet. And I bet she had you up at five as well… Naughty thing. Please, go and rest. You’ve more than proved yourself. We normally start at seven. Sally will be fine with you now. Most people would have left by lunchtime, one or two have tried to belt her, one succeeded. That was a hell of a catfight I had to break up. Very few people are good enough to meet her exacting standards so I would take this as a massive compliment, even if she says nothing to you. I’ll see you in the morning. And Adam, please mind the tool shed door tomorrow.”
I dragged myself to the caravan, fumbling with the lock. I just about managed to slide my boots off before flopping on the sofa, falling asleep. The next thing I knew my alarm was ringing.
* * *
“I’m sorry…” Sally looked anything other than apologetic as she stepped into the feed room. I’d made up most of the feed buckets according to the list written on a whiteboard on the feed shed wall.
“Did I pass your test? Do you think I’m going to be good enough for Hilary?”
“Yes… Most people give up, you just kept going. Honestly, I’m impressed.”
“Yeah, I’m pig-headed and hard-working, it’s a dangerous combination.”
“Nah… throw in attention to detail and you’ve got a good event groom. Look, I feel bad. Come to the cottage with me later, I’ll make you breakfast. I know you didn’t eat last night; you were fast asleep when I came to see you. In fact, I did worry that maybe I had killed you!”
“Thank you for your concern!”
“Well, I’d need to start training another working pupil… Just think of the effort on my part!” Sally giggled and hugged me warmly. “You’re okay…”
We mucked out and groomed the horses before Sally told me to finish up. Her cottage was small, however as she had said it was very cosy with the living room centred around a fireplace, a tidy kitchen with the bathroom beyond and upstairs her bedroom. We sat facing each other at her dining table after she had served up scrambled eggs on toast. I’d seen chickens pecking and scratching around but hadn’t thought of eggs. Sally promised me a box full to take back to my lodgings.
“Look, Adam. I’m sorry I treated you that way yesterday.”
“I know, you said. I totally understand. You’re protecting Hilary, it’s admirable. Anyway, I could have been some sort of chancer.”
“But you didn’t complain, you did what I told you without complaining, even though you must have been hurting and probably concussed.”
“Sally, you’re the boss… I bet you don’t get to stop when you are at a show, even if you are hurting.”
“Yeah… Good point. I just feel a bit bad about it. I should have trusted you.”
“Well, as long as you do now… That will do me fine.”
“I do.”
* * *
We soon fell into a routine. Sally showed me the techniques and tips used by professional grooms which would prove invaluable to me in our own yard. Whereas it was clear Hilary was not easy to impress, she was starting to make encouraging noises about my riding and I’d managed to make my aids more subtle on her horses so that they weren’t jumping out of their skin when I asked for transitions.
Hours of riding and yard work were exhausting and I was looking forward to Monday when I could have a day off and get home to see Kate. Hilary had allowed me to use an old Land Rover which she had in the yard and I was looking forward to the drive home to see how my wife was coping.
I was sweeping the yards down at the end of the evening, nothing more than a simple meal and a night of telly to look forward to. My mind was elsewhere and I missed Sally behind me, I jumped as she tapped me on the shoulder.
“You were miles away! Come on, before you completely wear the bristles out on that broom. I’ll make you something to eat.”
The smell of cooking hit me the moment I walked into Sally’s cottage; her slow cooker had been working all day to create something delicious. Another show groom trick she assured me, particularly when the weather was bad, it was great to have something warm to eat when you were finally able to
