A Pony Called Toffee

Chapter 3

Diary Entry
I really want to go to Showtym with Toffee. After all, Jane took her to a Vicki Wilson clinic, didn't she? It would also be nice to get away from certain things. But Em would get so mad at me if I got to take her! Mind you, she's allowed to enter that Facebook competition to ride one of Tommy Waara's horses, but I can't because I don't have Facebook! Grr. I hope she wins, though. Personally, I'd choose to ride Tukotahi. He's gorgeous. I wouldn't mind Te One, though. It's quite an interesting colour coat he's got. Oh, the ramblings of a tweenage girl!
There are some things I haven't told you, though. I'm not an honest author. No one is. In fact, 60% of adults can't get through a ten minute conversation without saying one lie. I am going to tell you, I just don't think I'm ready yet.
Anyway, Toffee was amazing today...

I gently steered Toffee to the gate so I could go into the yards to take the saddle off. I vaulted off and swiftly undid the girth buckles then slung it over the saddle. Toffee peering around at me to see where her treat that she got at the end of each ride was, I walked over to the fence and gently settled the saddle down on it. I pulled the reins over her head and led her back into the arena, and pulled the mounting block up beside her so I could jump on. I settled down in a comfortable position (i.e not on her withers) and bent down to open the other gate leading out into the paddock. I nudged Toffee into swift walk and pulled the gate shut behind me.
"C'mon, Toffee, trot on," I clucked with my tongue.
She eagerly moved forward into forward trot.
"I guess you like the paddock, girl!" I laughed.
I steered her towards the small log and she picked up a canter with no cues from me, so I (laughing) brought her back to trot, which she did reluctantly. The log came into her immediate line of site and she sped up and popped over it neatly. I turned her back to the gate, and decided to try a canter to the other side. Sitting deep, I closed my legs around her sides and clicked to her. Her ears pricked at the speed of light - and started galloping across the paddock. We went faster than I'd ever been; the thrill! The speed! Now, this was me, remember; Amelia Geddes, timid to jump bareback and downright terrified to go faster than a trot across a paddock in a bitless bridle bareback - but here I was, galloping across a paddock bareback, in a bitless bridle, on a pony with no signs of stopping, and sitting up straight, totally calm, urging her on and no signs of slipping or panic. Yes, that was me. Utter madness.
I turned around after bringing her back to a calm canter, and we went for it on the way back. Fastest I'd ever been, but totally in control. I was leaning forwards, the wind and her mane whipping in my face, at that moment, that was the moment. The moment we connected. The moment we bonded. The moment, the very moment, that I fell 100% in love. I loved her with all of me, I loved her so much my heart was threatening to burst. If there was a one in a million pony, it was her. She was the one, and she was the best. For me, she... she turned my life around, and nothing, not even death, could change my love for her.