Chapter 4

The first event Buddy was entered in to compete was the Webster One Day Event, which was a small event held about an hours drive away. Ebony had entered Buddy into the Preliminary class, in which horses would not be expected to jump much higher than 90 centimetres. It still had lots of nice cross country combination fences, but these were smaller, easier versions of the harder Novice event, in which Ebony had entered Boston. Many of te serious competitors entered the event as a warm up for their advanced horses, a practise for the greener mounts, or rehabilitation for horses coming back from injury. The event was sponsored by Webster's Stockfeeds, a local feed store, and frequented by locals and pony club hopefuls, who entered in the introductory classes. This year was proving to be no exception.

Ebony trundled up the long dirt drive in the F-100, scanning the sea of trucks, floats and horses for familiar faces and vehicles. Soon she spotted Seamus O'Day (known to all and sundry as 'Paddy' O'Day), Harrison Keen, and Mira gathered on the tail ramp of Mira's truck. If she could just manouvre around that old Landcruiser, she might be able to squeeze in near them... She swung the wheel and brought the F-100 to a shuddering halt in the space. Boston stomped a foot in impatience, smelling the smells of his new surroundings and eager to introduce himself around. Buddy dozed sloppily next to him.

Ebony jumped out of the driver's seat and banged the door shut. Unfortunately also catching the corner of her jacket in the door, and having to wriggle around and open the door again to free herself. Puffing and dusting off her shirt, she wandered up to her amused onlookers.

“My Eb, you certainly know how t'make an entrance there, dont you?” Quipped Paddy, in his Irish-Australian lilt. He and his parents had moved out to Australia when Paddy was thirteen.
“Leave her alone,” cut in Mira, elbowing him playfully, “Gee you were lucky to get that spot! What time are you on?”
“Eleven-thirty, and one-twelve,” Ebony answered double checking the crinkled dressage draw in her pocket.
“I'll help you unload your beasts, Darling. I'd be worried about their safety if I let you do it alone,” joked Harrison, the third member of the party. Harrison was very rich, and like many men who ride competitive performance horses: Very gay.
“Gee thanks,” Ebony laughed pulling a face.
“I've been dying to see your new one anyway, Mira tells me he's an absolute hoot!” Harrison pulled open the acess door at the front of Ebony's float, and peered in. “goodness he's tall, honey! You're going to have to do some stretches to hop up there! Tight new jodhpurs are going to be a no-no. I tell you what: my feed man does a fantastic conditioning mix that would put a few more kilos on him, I'll give you his card. Oh and make sure you watch him lift it into your car – his butt looks so fine in a pair of Wranglers. His name's Ryan, anyway, and the shop's not too far away.”
“Oh Ryan Price?! Well, It's sorry that I am to inform you Harry, but he's not gay, but a lovely chap, whom I've met lost of times for a pint at the pub. He's got horses, mind, and he's here today, I'm thinking, with a few of his wee wild ones from the mountains. He's a bit of a stockie, but I'll grant you, Ebony – he knows about his horses. And his feeds. He'll set you right with the big bloke.” Paddy added as he backed Boston steadily off the float.
“well, what I really need today are studs – have you got a spare set Harrison?”
“Yeah, somewhere. Ask one of my stable boys. And dont ever call me Harry, Paddy – you know I hate it.”
“Yes I do,” winked Paddy cheekily “and that's why I do it.”

With both horses securely tied to the float, Mira and Ebony wandered down toward secretary's shed to get their back numbers, and check if there were any last-minute changes to the draw. Ebony carried a large water bucket, in case she happened upon a tap on the way so that she could water the horses.

Suddenly an electronic version of “Let's Get Loud” piereced the air and Mira took out her mobile phone, withering when she saw the caller ID on the screen. “Hi Dad,” she sighed rolling her eyes, and pointing Ebony toward a tap she had just spotted “Yes, I did. Yes, I have. I know, I will...”

Ebony wandered off to the tap to fill her bucket. She sure was glad her Mum wasn't THAT interested in her riding, and didn't feel the need to phone in and check up before, and several times during and event, like Mira's parents did.

* * * * * * *

At 10am, Ebony had saddled Buddy and he looked... ok. She had to admit, he still had a fair way to go, but the hessian-like patches of coat were slowly being replaced by a glossy blue-black sheen. He was still skinny, but he had a light covering of muscle, and his head no longer looked rridiculously huge in comparison to his emaciated body. Ebony and Mira had both agreed that Buddy had to have some draught-horse blood in his breeding somewhere. It would acount for his colossal height, his big roman head, and the thinckness of fur around his hooves and muzzle. Not feathers exactly, but definitely noticable.

However, it was his hooves that were proving to be his undoing. Big, spread, and flat, Ebony had noticed that Buddy tended to slip alot in wet conditions – especially at speed. His feet just seemed to slide like a frisbee across a frozen pond when it was wet. Not willing to risk the big horse's confidence this early on, Ebony had decided that studs were definitely a must. The set she had borrowed from Harrison (and which he later said she could keep: “Darling you're clumsy enough for you AND that big flat-footed horse”) were in her hnd now, ready to be screwed in. in true harrison style, they were of course, purple. Ebony had snorted when he had handed them over. Harrison had waved a hand at her.

“I know, they're a bit... well... queer-looking, but let me tell you, when you drop one of these in the grass – you can definitely find them.” And Ebony had had to admit, the purple studs were practical.
Now Ebony was bent over one of Buddy's huge hooves, holding it between her knees as she struggled to find the stud-hole. She puffed, and grunted, telling him to “get up” occasionally. Some of her hair had worked its way free of her pony tail, and there was a huge smudge of dirt across her left cheek. Most of the detritus from under Buddy's hooves had tranfered itself onto her old faithful “trakkie-pants”; the huge sweat pants she wore over her joddies at shows to keep them clean. She was therefore, looking particularly red-faced and pathetic when Harrison sauntered up.
“Oh god, luvvie, you could have tarted yourself up a bit more! This is Ryan Price – the feed man. And this is Cathy Redlands”

Ebony moaned in disbelief, and laughed at her appearance. She held her hand out to Ryan, and then laughingly took it back as she saw how covered in... well... 'god knows what'... it was.
“G'day,” she laughed “Who knew dressage was such a filthy business!”
“It's not, darling, but you've definitely made it look that way,” laughed Harrison, bitchily, but not unkindly.
Ebony punched him playfully on the shoulder. “Yeah – thanks. Anyway... so i got the studs in, by the way. This is Buddy, Ryan. He's my project at the moment, though it still looks like he should be World Vision's project. Think you can help me get the weight on him?”

Ryan walked around the big gelding, and put a gentle hand on his big white face. “God, he's had a tought time of it, hasn't he? Is he part Percheron?”
“I dont know,” Ebony confessed, “he's put on lots of weight since I got him, but, I'm having trouble keeping it there. He eats and eats and eats, but, it all just seems to come out the other end!” she laughed.
“Yeah, that's pretty common with neglect cases. It takes a while for their insides to get back to normal, and start working properly again. I've got some terrific conditioning mix I've been feeding to a couple of brumby orphans I've picked up. They're doing really well on it.”
“Great,” said Ebony, patting the big gelding's shoulder.
“Poor old thing,” Cathy spoke up for the first time, “I have no idea how anyone could do that to an animal. He looks really well though Ebony – good on you. Look at him, doesn't he love the attention?” Buddy looked around, with a mouth stuffed full of hay, lifted his tail, and farted. The foursome giggled.

“Pop round to our truck later, Ebony. It's a blue Hilux ute, with a light blue double float on the back. Cathy and I both only brought one each today. See you later” and he turned to walk away. Ebony looked appreciativley at the way his Wrangler jeans fitted his muscly legs and butt, and soon noticed that Harrison was doing the same. They caught each other's eye and doubled over into fits of giggles.
Harrison put his arm around Ebony's shoulders playfully. “Unfortunatly i think you have more chance with this one than me, sweetie.”
“Yeah,” she laughed “shame about the girlfriend.”
“Cathy? No, they're neighbours! She just hitches lifts with him because she doesn't have a float or a truck. I think she does it pretty tough. He tows her horses and she puts in for petrol. No sweetie, I'm pretty sure that's a platonic thing they have going on – lucky for you!” he winked naughtily and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Ebony pegged a tail bandage at him.