Wild Strong & Free

Run Away

Chapter 4: Run away

It was school holidays and dad had picked up but they could really use my help but he kept pushing me away. It got to the point where we didn't even talk. I spent my time in the bush away from home, I wished every time I went out that I would see Believa. But who was I kidding my dad was the best horseman I know and even he couldn't see the horse he loved and cherished for many years.

With the horses we owned they couldn't be pampered due to the fitness level that they all had to maintain. It was dads rule.

I am sleeping in the cottage with the boys dad kicked me out. I planned that was the last straw at 4 in the morning an hour before everyone woke I would leave I had a saddle ready and I packed warm clothes. The oldest horse on the farm Sandy was the only horse I had ridden so I felt I could ride her easier than the others, not to mention that she was only 14 hh.

I was so nervous when my first attempted to mount went wrong. I remember dad saying horses will sense your emotions and I knew Sandy was sensing it but with her old wise self she stayed calm till my fourth mount was successful. With all the walks I had done I found a few spots that would make good camp sites. I didn't know how my dad was that morning I just know he would have been pissed off. This is how bad our relationship got he sent Sam and Jet out to find me because he was too busy with the horses. When I woke the boys were at my camp packing my stuff and they asked "Where is Sandy?" I'm still waking and I said she was tied to the tree be hide the little shelter I made out of an old hay tarp. The answer they gave me made me leap out of my rock hard bed. She was gone... I didn't realise Sandy was notorious for chewing the lead rope till it breaks. They both gave a little smile and said "We all get easily fooled by her"

I went and looked at where I tied her up, and the tree was all nibbled and below the tree was a dirty blue lead rope. It looked like a mouse had chewed through it. But something odd got my attention, I examined the tree a bit more are there were dirty horse prints with the open end to the top meaning a horse had kicked out at sandy and that's why she wanted to get away. When the boys looked they said I did good to see that. They now made it much more important to find Sandy. Sam was wanted back at the farm, my dad said that Jet is a great kid but he has better knowhow about cattle and sheep. Were Sam is great with horses in all areas. I told Jet to stay and clean my camp up and I go and get a heads up in the search for the beloved mare Sandy.