Hey my name is Sophie.... I am 11 years old this is my story about how i learnt to trust and build a bond with an animal that has a mind of its own and can weigh up to 1200 pounds!!
CHAPTER 1
My sister Cleo hasn't long bought herself a horse called Fella. This weekend I'm going up to see him I'm sooo exited. Don't know how i will be around him as I'm scared of everything (even fly's,) The only animal i like is a hamster but cant have one so i have nagged my mother for a rabbit! I don't know what to expect on Saturday.
SATURDAY
Cleo phoned to say that we'll make a day of it. She has managed to get me a rabbit even more exited to see her now. As she pulled up in the car we couldn't see in as the rabbit hutch was so big, it filled the small little car but my new rabbit was in a rabbit box, He had the front seat to his self and was buckled in securely, i ran out to the car didn't know whether to still go out with my sister or spend time with my rabbit.
The hutch is all set up and i just named my new rabbit he is called Thumper, He is all white with floppy ears and is a bit overweight haha he even has a double chin. We decided to make a day up the farm tomorrow as i was exited with my new rabbit. Which is my first ever pet and want to prove that i can look after one.
SUNDAY
Today i am going up the farm with Cleo to see her horse. I'm nervous but exited at the same time she told me in the car on the way there that he is a Connemara, He is almost 1 years old. We went to field to get him with Cleo's friend Phebe which had a cob on loan called Sam. When Phebe got in Sam WOW he was big, He was a proper cart horse so was perfect for Phebe as she was a novice. Once Cleo got Fella he looked like a little pony stood next to Sam, But has years of growing yet.
As Phebe could ride Sam she went into her stable to tack him up. Cleo had to help Phebe as there's a certain way to tack up so Cleo put Fella in the school, (The school is a fenced off arena with soft ground, Were they ride for practice so if anything happens they are seen, And the horse cant get away.)
As Cleo helped Phebe i asked if i could get Fella in and brush him down, I was quite shocked that i asked as animals scare me unless their small and fluffy. You could see the look in my sisters eyes as to say that horse is twice the size of you, Your scared of flys. So i just took the lead rope climbed under the fence and called him and slowly walked towards him, I clipped the lead rope to his head collar and then realised i didn't know how to lead a horse, Because he took one step forward and stood on my toes.
Phebe came in and showed me that your ment to lead off the left, And stay by their side and ask them to walk on, When he listened to me it felt mad to be in control, As i looked at Cleo she was recording me leading him to his stable, But before we reached the stable we almost went into the tack room which the top door was closed. We finaly reached the stable Cleo showed me how to walk him in the stable and walk a big circle so i was facing the door again and asked Fella to stand while i took his head collar off.
As i came out of the stable Phebe was in the school riding Sam, It looked amazing as she was a beginner but she had so much control over such a big animal, I helped to tidy up and muck out i think i could get used to the smell and how much work is involved its really a lot of fun. Phebe asked if i would like a go of Sam i was lost for words as i did really want to have a go but i was scared at the same time. So i said let me just get used to the feeling of being around horses (As they are much bigger than fly's.)
So Phebe untacked Sam, I put Fellas head collar on him and we all got ready to lead them to the field for the night. I lead fella down by my self with Cleo by my side just in-case anything happened. I actually really enjoyed it, Now it was time for us to head home, I needed a shower because when your around horses you start to smell like one too.
CHAPTER 2
MONDAY
so today is school and after school I'm going to see fella with Cleo again and phoebe said that I can have a go of Sam if I want! I'm really exited but really nervous.
AFTER SCHOOL
I'm getting ready to go up to see the horses now and Cleo is down stairs waiting for me and shouting every 5 seconds hurry up!.so when I finally got dressed and everything we went down the farm.when we got there before I could do anything I had to muck out fellas stable because I promised I would do it! And I said I would brush fella for her too.
So after I finished the stable and i brushed fella we took him for a walk down the lane were all the cars come past so he could get used to the cars and traffic and he was very good because Cleo told me that some horses would freak out by cars so that's why you have to get them used to it.
After our nice long walk phoebe tacked Sam up and put her hat on rode around and Cleo got me a hat from the tack room she also found a body protecter for me to be safe. So I put the hat on and the body protector and phoebe gave me a leg up to get on him because he was very big!cleo first showed me how to hold my reins and it felt ver awkward and hard to hold that way. Cleo also told me that I need to keep my heels down and look where I am going.
Sam was a really good horse and very quiet he was awesome.cleo asked me if I wanted to trot and I was a bit nervous but I wanted a go of it so she told me that I need to keep my heels down and need to keep my hands down to and try sit in my seat.so I kicked him on and he started trotting and Cleo was shouting " heels down" and " hands down" it was hard but Cleo said at least I didn't fall off!
When I finished we took Sam back to his stable to cool off and me and Cleo went into this old caravan and there was chairs and a kettle and hot chocolate so me and Cleo made some!.when it was time to go home I gave all the horses a goodnight kiss and went into the car to go home.
TUESDAY
Today I'm having a day off because I feel really sick and if I still feel sick when Cleo finishes work that means I won't be able to go up the farm and help with the horses.
WEDNESDAY
Today Cleo suggested that she could possibly buy a horse for me! But she said I would have to go up everyday and it's a big animal and I would have to care for it.
Later on that day I searched on the internet "horses for sale" and found a white pony named Roley.So I called Cleo and asked if we could go view him tomorrow and she said yes!.
THURSDAY
It's 9:00am and me and Cleo are going to see Roley.We arrived at a little farm and this girl was waiting for us at the field gate.
The girl introduced herself and led us to Roleys stable.He was a white fluffy pony.
Later that day Cleo called me and said that Roley was dangerous but there's this pony called Poppy for sale that's from pontypool and we can go visit tomorrow.
FRIDAY
Soo today I'm going to visit a pony poppy from pontypool.After 2 hours drive we finally got there at a big farm where they were holding poppy.She was a brown bay pony and had one white sock. I had a feeling this was the pony we was going to get.
