Prompt and Circumstance

N-e-i-g-h-bours

'Neighbor' (April 15-17, 2016)

Who-o-o-o-sh! A blow to my helmet from something. What was that?

Shocked, I turn my head, in time to see a magpie speeding to its nest, high in a lonely gum tree. Was it the sound? Or did Adagio catch a glimpse of my attacker too? Most likely, my shock has registered through my knees. Before I can recover, he flattens his ears and rears high, with me clinging desperately to the reins, his mane, the saddle - anything I can get a hold of! And he bolts!

At terrifying speed we race down the paddock. Adagio is totally spooked, all our years of training seemingly forgotten. Deaf to my commands now, and oblivious to the pressure of my knees to guide him at this speed and mind-set . Normally, I could pull one rein firmly to one side and deflect his headlong rush. But not this time. Not now, as we race through the thicket of slender gum trees at the end of the paddock. I duck my head and lie low on his neck so I'm not swept off his back. He will find his own path and avoid the branches that hang too low for his great height. Despite my heart's furious pounding competing solidly with his hoof beats, I trust him to find the best corridor through this obstacle course.

Except... in his panic, will he remember the thicket ends abruptly at the edge of a creek? Suddenly there's a thundering in my ears threatening to blot out all else. We've barely begun practising jumping yet, I'm thinking. And I stress anew. Although I know it won't work, I start shouting, "NO ADAGIO! NO! For God's sake STOP!"

But it's all happening without me. As we break through the last of the straggly bush, there's the creek... the well-known and loved sweet gurgler over and through the water-smoothed rocks, worn down over the eons. But today all seems changed. Today it has a glittering menace to its previous beauty; a mocking chant to its new and frenzied rushing.

In an instant, Adagio gathers himself and jumps... I feel his immense strength rise beneath me as we lift high above this wild, watery threat. I hold my breath and my shoulders hunch involuntarily. Will we make it? I think so, I really do!

And that's the last thing I remember before the world as I knew it disappears into darkness. Sometime later I slowly come back to consciousness, my face against Adagio's great head. His velvety nose gently harumphs that sweet horsey breath causing tiny tremors of pleasure to ripple over my skin. His lips quiver with a series of soft whinnies, in between nibbling at my hair, my shoulder, my arm. And then he rests his chin on my shoulder, just as he does to take tiny 'nana-naps' when I'm softly stroking his nose after training. Only, this day he's gently nudging me - 'get up, get up'. What a warm and fuzzy way to come back to my senses. My hero, I think. You're trying to bring me back to the world. Back to you, my Adagio.

Abruptly full awareness returns... and with consciousness comes reality. I don't know whether to laugh...or cry. A daydream? I only imagined ALL of that?

My wondrous vision of sitting tall and proud on that noble steed, Adagio melts away into the mists, and I'm back to the brass tacks of the here and now - standing dreamily in the warm sunshine, patting sweet old Joe, the draft horse, as he hangs his head gratefully over our neighbour's fence.