The Tail Of A Horse

Chapter 10:

🙇🏼 Narrator's P.O.V🙇🏼

All the tack in the tack room was cleaned and softened with oil. The feed had been sorted out and Tally's old bridle and saddle hook and rack were empty.

James left the tack room with Sasha following closely behind. He approached Tally's stall and slid the name plate out of the slot.

Tally 🐴

There was a little horse head engraved next to the name. James placed his elbows on top of the stable door. A hand touched his shoulder. "Just cry it out." Sasha's voice echoed into the empty stable.

Joe and Beth were busy like usual. Joe was working with Calypso, the injured horse who was rescued by some mountain hikers. Beth was out in the local town buying food for the next party. Christmas was upcoming in only 5 days. The lounge room was covered in Christmas. There was a Christmas tree covered in glowing lights, red and silver baubles with jumping and galloping horse silhouettes on. A strand of hearts on string and a wreath in the middle hung above the window. From the window, all the field and cross country course was visible. When it snowed it looked magical.

James and Sasha tacked up Pumpkin and Zoef. Sasha rode Pumpkin, her horse, and James rode Zoef. Joe and Beth gave him permission to ride any horse until he finds another one if Tally doesn't return. They rode down the bridle path toward the forest. James found some fallen logs and they jumped them as they cantered along together.

As soon as they got to the big tree, they dismounted and let the horses drink the fresh, crisp water from the river. Marigolds grew all around the river even in the cold season. The temperature dropped and through the tiny gaps in the leaves above them, tiny white flakes drifted down like angels. Every snowflake was a different shape. Pumpkin looked up and reared. He loved the snow. James and Sasha sat on a boulder that stood alongside the running river. The Rock was smooth and shiny. Other riders had called this spot 'the place of magic and romance'. It must have been true because as the horse drank, Sasha and James held hands and kissed. The big tree was bare. Not bare of leaves though.

Sasha grabbed a point stone and ran towards the tree. The leaves under her feet crunched and crackled. She carved into the bark of the tree. James went to investigate what she was doing.

James
💘
Sasha

They mounted the horses and galloped down the snowy path back to the stables. The trees beside the path arched inwards, blocking the view of the sky but snow still got through. The raced down the dirt path. James won and waited for Sasha at the stables. For a while he had forgotten about Tally. Now the thought came back. James frowned. He could imagine Tally in his stable. He ran towards it crying. "Tally your back!"

He reached out his hand but nothing was there. His imagination had got the better of him. Tally had gone with Zara. Sasha had Pumpkin, Joe and Beth had all the horses at Marigold Farm, all the riders had the horse and the horse owners had their horses. But James had no one. Tally was gone with Zara and he just had to face reality.