heartbreak on horseback

when the ponies say no

My guts sunk. It happened again. This time, the sinking feeling wasn’t something going wrong for me. This time I was watching someone else.

We were at the horse show. The bleachers in the old hockey rink were gritty. Sand seems to track everywhere. We were nested in it.

One by one the riders took their turns, guiding ponies and horses around courses. First we watched the hunters jumping with style and grace. Next came the jumpers hammering their way through their trials.

Autumn was struggling. Last year, the horse she was on was not the sharpest knife in the drawer and would refuse to go. She went to several shows, returning home disappointed after all but one. This year, she had a new steed. This year everyone was excited with her, hoping things would be different.

This year though, she was jumping higher than she ever jumped before. Her pony, Georgie, was a legend. He’s a chestnut with a mane that looks like a forest fire. I love imitating his voice. To me, he sounds like a daemon, a h…