Two Broken Hearts -Part One-

He was scrawny. He was skinny. He was a boring brown colour. He was about fourteen-two hands high. Barely a horse. He had four stockings and one oval shaped star on his forehead. I think. It is quite hard to tell because of all the mud up his body.

  The horse I'm thinking about is a walking skeleton with skin on it. He has been living in a small paddock about half and acre in size there were approximately fifteen horses jammed in it. They were so tightly packed they can barely move. These horses are down the back of a very big horse farm. I don't think anybody ever sees these horses. Everyone only ever sees the ones out the front which are probably just as skinny. But you can't really tell because they have rugs on.

“So what do you think?” asked the owner, a very big guy who's name was Guy.

“Do you want any?” he asked again turning to me and my caregivers.

My caregivers had seen me looking at the brown pony. They knew I wouldn't say a thing.

“Yes,” the wife said,- her name was Wendy.- “We'll have the brown pony.”

I glared at them. I knew it was a bad idea coming here. I didn't want another pony. I walked up to the Ute that was parked on the hill overlooking the paddock, and jumped in.

 I watched Guy walked into the paddock from the Ute. I instantly saw the fear on the pony's faces they all hurried away from him, as far away as they could walk in that tiny paddock. The brown pony. He was just standing there. Guy walked up to him and grabbed the rope that was hanging from an oversized halter. The brown pony didn't react. Guy yanked the lead rope and the pony numbly came forward.

 My caregivers opened up the trailer standing there ready for the pony in case they needed to help. They didn't. Guy got the end of the rope and beat the pony with it until he dashed up the float ramp. He then slammed the bum bar across the pony's butt and locked it in place. I cringed. This guy hated that pony. I couldn't stand it. I had jumped out and was watching. But not now. Before Guy could do anything more i shoved him aside and gently pushed up the ramp and locked it.

“That will be one hundred dollars,” Guy said. “Cause you got a good, quiet pony.”

My caregivers handed it over. The husband- who's name was Gerry- jumped in the drivers seat. We all got in the Ute and Gerry backed it out.

  There was a deafening silence almost all the way home. Until i voiced an a thought that just wouldn't go away.

“We should call the SPCA on him. He is cruel and he is starving those horses! And in the middle of winter too!!”

Wendy spoke up. “That's the first thing I'm going to do when we get home. Minus putting the horse away.” she paused. “That reminds me, what are you going to call him?”

We were just pulling in the driveway. I looked down at my shoes. Then I spoke up.

“Nothing! I'm not naming him anything!”

Wendy replied “ Dear, I know you are heartbroken over Shadow's death-” I cut her off sharply

“Don't talk like that!” I yelled “Just because he is --”

I couldn't get the word out. My throat choked on it. So I carried on.

“-doesn't mean you have to get me another horse! And within three weeks too!” I jumped out of the ute and ran inside to my room. Without them knowing i watched them unload the horse. He was covered in sweat and was trembling all over. He barely could stand and put one foot in behind another to come down the ramp. I knew they were going to put him in the stables. He was to skinny to go out to grass. Especially with the amount he had probably never had.

   I turned away from the window, and I collapsed on my bed and stared up at the ceiling dry eyed. As I did the first night that Shadow disappeared out of my life.