"You need to make a decision now Rebecca. I have an appointment at the vet in two hours and there will be loads of paperwork to do after you choose a brumby," Rebecca Patten's dad said. Rebecca looked outside the window of the Victoria Brumby Association's re-homing centre. "Ok, I'll be quick," she mumbled moving on to the next loose box. Rebecca gasped, inside was the most handsome dapple grey stallion she had ever seen, nibbling at his hay net. He looked affectionately at Rebecca with his big brown eyes. How could he have ever been wild? Rebecca thought giving the stallion a slappy pat on his shoulder. "Wow," Rebecca whispered, as she saw his strong and muscly legs and chest. She turned around to see what his name was. 'Chance' was labelled on the stall door. Her heart sank as she saw the 're-homed' sticker under the sign. Rebecca turned back to the stallion, and sighed. Finally, she saw a horse that she wanted but he was already re-homed.
"Hey, you interested in him?" said a voice from behind which made Rebecca jump. It was one of the grooms.
"Yeah," Rebecca said flatly.
"Well, he's up for two-hundred bucks if you want him?" the guy said.
Rebecca gave him a blank look and gestured to the sticker, "Isn't he already re-homed?"
"Oh sorry, the sticker is still on there since someone was interested in him yesterday but when they saw his injury, they automatically declined. So, he's still up," the groom said.
Rebecca frowned, "What do you mean injury? He looks fine to me."
"He has a bone bruise on his hind right. That's why nobody's interested, otherwise he'd probably be gone the first day he was here." The groom hesitated, "In fact, Chance's been here for quite a few months already, if he isn't rehomed by next week, we're handing him over for dog food unfortunately."
Rebecca gasped; she couldn't imagine poor Chance getting sent to the knacker's yard just because of a bone bruise! "We'll re-home him!" Rebecca exclaimed, turning to her dad, "Won't we dad?"
"Well, it's your decision Rebecca, but I don't see why not," Rebecca's dad smiled, "Why don't I help you check him over for any other problems, if that's fine with you?" He turned to the groom.
"No problems Mr Patten, since you are a vet, go ahead," the groom said.
Rebecca followed her dad into the loose box. He ran his hand over the stallion's body and pointed to his bloodlines, "These, you see, are rich thoroughbred bloodlines, he will have lots of speed and height when jumping. I think he will be suitable for a showjumper like you." He bent over Chance's hind right leg, "Ahh, I see," he grimaced, "This is a major bone bruise, it will take at least a couple of months to heal," He turned to his daughter, "Didn't mum say you could ride Charlie until you we bought you another horse?"
Rebecca felt her heartbeat quicken, Charlie was her mum's Connemara gelding and she was also Angel's brother. Angel was her beloved mare who had died from an accident in the horse box. She knew that even though Angel was dead, she would always be with her.
"Y..yes but...but..." He wasn't about to talk her out of it was he?
"Perfect," Rebecca's father smiled, "Chance can graze at out yard until he recovers and during that time you can ride Charlie."
"Really? So...we're still going to adopt Chance?" Rebecca asked holding her breath.
"Of course!" Rebecca's father laughed, "If that's what you want?"
"Thanks dad!" Rebecca sighed, "For everything!"
"No need to thank me," Rebecca's father grinned, "Now will you mind staying here with Chance while I go sort out his paperwork?"
"No problem!" Rebecca exclaimed unable to contain herself. She was over the moon!
