Runaway

By SHAYNA Early

As I watched I saw my show pony giving birth to a lovely colt, it was like having another birthday. As I waited patiently I remembered I was watching Casanova coming alive on the same day 3 years ago. When I bought her I knew that one day she would produce a wonderful foal. I moved Viking into the stall next to his off-spring. I walked inside and sat down, this foal needed a name. Finally I decided on "Argo". After tea I went out and checked on the newest arrival in our stables.

The next day I was doing the round of feeds when I heard a noise like a squeal. I turned around and saw Argo trying to climb out of the stall. I went over and took him, Casanova and Viking out to the front paddock where I could see them. I was excited about what this foal would achieve during its life. The next day I would start work with Argo.

When I woke up it suddenly hit me, who was the Sire? I got up and did the usual routine of feeds then I caught Argo and got him used to a halter and leading. For the next week Argo would be taught to lead, understand pressure and get used to people walking and running around him.

I was making dinner when the phone rang, I picked it up. By the end of the phone call I was going on a week long trek in the Kaimanawa ranges, helping with the 2012 muster and buying a horse. I was nervous but excited at the same time. Then I thought which horse would I ride? The trip was next Monday, in 4 days time I better get packing!!!

All week I was waiting for that moment, to hop into the car and drive to the Kaimanawa ranges. My Dream was finally coming true. I had had packed and unpacked a thousand times making sure I have everything I need for the trip. When I arrived I got allocated my horse, saddled up, put my pack in the lorry and joined the safety briefing. We were planned to leave at 9:00am, but we got delayed when one of the marshals pulled me over and asked me about the horse I was buying. When we finally left I was getting a any colour 5 year old stallion ,I don't know how I ended up with that (I just kept nodding as I couldn't hear him over the background noise of helicopters, lorries and other muster troops).

First we headed up the ridge track towards the hills. We rode in silence for awhile taking in

the scenes of natural NZ Landscape. There were at least 20 people on the trip, there were 4 teens(including me at 16), 4 usual musterers and about 12 adults, the rest of the musterers were either in the four wheel drives or the helicopters mustering the horses from the hills...