Behind A Horses Eyes

-Cassia's Point Of View-

After a quick change, I cycle to Linda's stable. Though I keep stopping during the journey from laughing fits after lunch today. When Angel blew her top I just couldn't stop laughing. Then I met them outside the ladies room and Jess started pulling my hair while Hannah hit me. Lol.

When I finally arrive, Nicki is crying and Linda is looking annoyed and frustrated.

'Whats wrong?' I ask Nicki. She glares at me.

'Come to laugh have we?' she snaps. I stumble backwards.

'No!' I say. Nicki's face softens a bit.

'Well. You know how we have a show this Sunday? Linda doesn't think I'm ready. I was going to ride in the show jumping and dressage! Then I would swap horses and do the cross country! You have it on your phone, remember I told you yesterday?' she says. I am confused.

'Okay, lemme just check I put it on...' I trail off. My phone isn't in my pocket. I try my blazer and skirt. No. In my bag. It must be here somewhere...

What if I left it at the lunch table? In my locker? In one of my classes? No, I don't really take it out.

Exactly, I don't take it out. But I did to film Angel during lunch. But then I put it in my pocket of my blazer and set off. That's when I bumped into Angel. So they've obviously got my phone. I groan and roll my eyes.

'Something wrong?' Linda asks.

'Idiots have my phone,' I explain. Linda nods and hurries off the the office. Huh.

I get to work by tacking Misfit up. Apparently, Nicki will ride Misfit in the dressage and show jumping then make a swift change to Bliss for the cross country. So what were doing today is practising her getting off Misfit and me having Bliss ready. I need to be there on the day to hold the horses and tack them up and stuff.

I am the her groom. I need to tack up both horses and groom them before the journey. Well talk about the journey later on in the week, Linda told me. Right now, we need to focus on Nicki's riding.

Training isn't going well. She's been practising for this for ages, well before I came, and still hasn't got it right. Even today her riding is lazy and sloppy. She looks clumsy and when Linda suggests jumping, Nicki looks scared but doesn't say anything. She goes over the jump (well, Misfit cat leaps) and has trouble balancing.

'No Nicki! Just no. You're riding like a beginner. For goodness sake, girl, change your trotting diagonal. You'd think that somebody like you would know that by now! NICKI! YOU'VE MISSED THE TURN! I told you what you have to do. Nicki, concentrate. Sit up! Sit up in the saddle! Nicki!' Linda started shouting as Misift started bucking.

As soon as the pony stops bucking Nicki bursts into floods of tears. So that is why training was cut short today. I un tack Misfit and go to the office to say bye when I stop outside and hear voices in the office.

'If you'd only been a nice horsewoman I wouldn't be in this position!' someone moans. It sounds like Nicki.

'I'm training you on one of my finest horses!' someone else snapped. Linda.

'Finest? The mare bucked me!'

'It was your own fault. Now stop complaining. If yourself going to win this then you've got to except what horse you're on. Remember they're animals, they have a soul of their own. You can't expect them to just listen to you all the time.'

'Why not? You just said they were the finest!'

'I didn't say all of them were. Horse riding is a dangerous sport. You need to except that.'

'I have! I just wish you hadn't abused Moon!' Nicki stormed out. Abused? Whose Moon? I creep into the office.

'Linda?' I say. A woman who looks confused, angry and upset comes up to me.

'Cassia. Did you hear that? You must leave, now!' Linda says. I stand still.

'Not until you come clean. Who is Moon? Why did you abuse him?' I ask. Linda sighs and shows me a photo of a grey horse jumping over a huge jump without a rider. Then, she shows me a photo of the same grey horse but with a rider grinning at the camera. The rider has a sash on. In the last photo there is a photo of a stall with roses tied to the handle. There is no nameplate. No horse inside. Just a stall with roses.

'Over The Moon was my best horse. I used to go showing on him. In that last photo you saw some roses. That was when he got lame. When he got better he was a bit fresh. But would no longer jump. I got angry. So I slapped him with a whip. Every day I used to go into his stall and beat him. I wish I hadn't. I really take every moment of beating him back. I have never used a whip on a grey horse ever again. In fact, I never use a whip on any horse. But Nicki does. I tried to kill myself for beating the pony. But nobody would let me. If you go around the back there is a tiny field. I usually go down there and feed Moon. I couldn't bear selling him. But he doesn't trust me, or any human. But I would like you to try. I don't trust Nicki with my pony. But I trust you. Please Cassia. Please just try and make him trust us again. Your my only hope,' Linda was crying. I stumbled backwards.

What made me say I would I don't know.

So now I have a grey pony who doesn't trust anyone.

Woo.

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Sorry it's a little short.

This chapter is dedicated to Rebel, the husky we used to have. I miss you ;( <3

Love ashlynbrennan xxxxxx