The late summer's sun was warm, and fluffy white clouds scudded across the clear blue sky. Vicki smiled contentedly, breathing in the evening smell. Her horse moved easily underneath her, his feet making a steady rhythmic sound on the tarmac road, his head nodding slightly as he walked. 

"Good lad, Ty," Vicki smiled, momentarily holding the reins in one hand whilst she patted his sleek black shoulder. Ty skipped a little, tapping his shod hooves on the road. Vicki smiled again and retook her reins. This was turning out to be a good ride; Ty had really been behaving himself. He'd only shied once so far, and that was because a dog had started

yapping at him. Any horse would shy a bit at that, Vicki reminded herself comfortably. He'd only bucked a couple of times in canter, and had yet to bolt anywhere.

They were heading down a reasonably uninhabited stretch of road, just after a corner, when Vicki heard the sound. A deep, loud noise - something big was coming up the road behind them. A tractor? A lorry? Vicki felt her breath catch in her throat. Ty sensed this and started to snatch uneasily at his bit.

"All right, boy," Vicki tried to reassure her horse. Ty wasn't having any of it - he too had heard the large vehicle, and was trying to twist round and look. Hurriedly, Vicki looked around for somewhere to go. Whether it was a tractor or just an unusually loud car, she didn't want to take any chances - she had to get herself and Ty off the road before it came. There was a small bungalow on the opposite side of the road, with a nice wide driveway. Vicki could cross over and keep Ty there whilst the tractor - or whatever it was - passed by. Then if he did play up, at least he wouldn't do any damage.

"Come on," clicking encouragingly, Vicki tapped Ty slightly with her heels and started taking him across the road. Ty danced and jogged, raising his head as the low roar grew louder. "Ty!" Vicki growled, biting her lip and willing herself to stay calm. "It's alright, my boy. Everything's fine!" Then literally as she spoke, a large tractor rounded the corner. It was a very large tractor, and was pulling behind it a very long, flat trailer. Ty stopped. His legs started to shake. His eyes rolled. His nostrils

quivered. "Ty!" Vicki cried desperately, ramming her heels into his ribs. She could see a car coming in the opposite direction, and Ty was still standing in the middle of the road, watching in horror as the monster bore down on him.

'Please, God,' she thought, 'don't let him act up!' The tractor was still coming closer and closer, not slowing down, not

making any changes. Couldn't he see them? The car driver was also coming, but at least he was slowing down, realising something was wrong. "Ty!" Vicki brought her crop down on the gelding's rump. Ty threw up his head, rolling his eyes in terror, backing away quickly. Vicki lost her cool. She kicked him hard in his side, flapping her reins and crying for him to

stop it. The tractor drew closer; Ty threw back his head; raised himself on his hind legs - and then his legs slipped from under him and he and Vicki fell backwards, the hard road rushing up to greet them.

~*Five months later...*~

The old chestnut gelding stood calmly, nibbling at his haynet, undisturbed as Vicki fumbled around with his rug straps. Eventually managing to get them properly done up, the fourteen year old stood up and breathed a sigh of relief. There - that was her last horse done. She just had to turn Samson out into the field for the night, and she'd be finished.

"Good boy." She patted him on his neck and undid the lead-rope, tugging him away from his haynet and down the track to his field. Samson followed happily; he knew there'd be just as much hay in the field waiting for him as there had been

in his haynet.

Vicki lead him through the gate and let him loose, where he immediately plodded up to the nearest pile of hay and began stuffing his face again. He ignored the other six horses, already munching on their hay piles. Vicki checked that the gate was properly locked, then wandered back up to the stable yard, tugging her old jacket around her. These January nights were cold.

She was the last one left at the yard, and it was almost eerie as she locked up the tack and feed rooms, and turned out the yard lights, plunging the yard into darkness. She found her bike, propped up at the end of the stable block, and turned on her lights, putting her helmet on over her frizzy brown hair. She swung her leg over it and was almost out of the stable yard when she stopped.

Quietly, Vicki dismounted and pulled off her helmet, leaving the bike on the cobbled ground and walking slowly over to the last stable. The horse inside shifted as she peered in, rustling his straw.

"Hi, Ty," Vicki greeted softly. The black gelding stared back at her through the darkness for a moment, then lowered his head and came to the door, walking with his usual springy stride.

He pushed his head out and peered round, ignoring Vicki for a moment. Vicki stepped back a pace and was suddenly remembered by her horse, who swung his head back round to snuffle her hair and scarf, searching for a tit-bit.

"No you don't, lad," Vicki reminded him firmly. "You're nippy enough as it is without me going around, feeding you treats all the time!" Ty regarded her for a moment or two, then with a soft sigh disappeared back into his stable and stood with his back to his young owner, pulling at his haynet. He turned his head and looked at her, dark eyes glinting, jaw moving as he chewed his hay.

"Bye," Vicki took one last look at him, then turned away and went back to her bike. Saturday tomorrow, she thought with a thankful sigh as she rode away. She could lay in - no more having to get up early to feed and check on five horses before school! She turned out onto the road and peddled back home.

*****************************************************************************

It was half past ten at night, and Vicki was laying out her pair of cream jodhpurs on her bed. She'd need them tomorrow - Barbara had said she could ride Samson in the afternoon, and Joanne had asked her to exercise Tara for her in the morning. Even if she still had to muck out those horses, including Ty, at least she didn't have to get up early, Vicki thought

happily.

She changed into her nightclothes, and climbed into bed, pulling the warm covers round her. Reaching over to turn off her bedside lamp, Vicki caught sight of the photo frame by it. The photo was of her and Ty - about this time last January. Ty stood half-facing the camera, his ears pricked, his head high. Vicki sat proudly on his back.

Vicki let her hand drop back to her bed, and gazed sadly at the photo. The last time she'd ridden Ty had been five months ago - in fact, that was the last time anyone had ridden Ty. The fourteen hand gelding had always had a bit of a difficult reputation, but after his accident with Vicki, everyone had refused point-blank to even get on him.

Vicki winced as she remembered the accident - she had been lucky not to have been crushed. Fortunately for her, she had fallen to the side as Ty fell, and the horse had only landed on her leg that had, miraculously, avoided serious injury. In fact, all she'd suffered were bruises and scratches - and a very shaken confidence. It had taken a month for her to get back on any horse, and she still had yet to ride Ty.

Ty had been fine, though perhaps a little shocked. He'd rolled over and scrambled to his feet, standing and shaking for a moment or two, then bolting. Luckily, he'd met a rider who kept her horse at the same livery yard as Vicki, and after seeing what had happened to her, she'd taken Ty back to the stables.

Vicki sighed. She loved Ty - he was a pain and a difficult horse to know, but she loved him. Yet what was she going to do with him? Vicki knew she'd never get back on him . She just couldn't. Ty was a young horse, and it wasn't fair to keep him as little more than a pet. With a jolt, Vicki suddenly realised the only option might be to sell him. Perhaps she would be

a tiny bit too tall for him now ... but how could she ever bare to part with him?

She leaned over and switched off the light, lying back on her bed and staring at the dark ceiling. It was a very long time before she fell asleep.