Neptune the Heroic Horse, page 1
For Becky Coffey
Hello Everyone,
The idea for my stories grew while I was out on long rides and driving to various competitions. I found my imagination full of characters and storylines. So Tilly and her horsehair bracelets, based around a simple bracelet that was made out of the tail hairs of a wonderful horse I once rode, were created.
I wrote the series to help us all understand the responsibilities we have when involved with horses and ponies, whether looking after them, riding them or even dreaming about them - building those partnerships based on trust and mutual respect.
I love the saying ‘If you want to have a good friend, you need to be a good friend’. This is how we should all be to both horses and humans!
More than anything, I want you to realise how wonderfully special our four legged friends are. I have been so very lucky and privileged to have had many, many great moments with them. They are absolutely my whole life and it’s thanks to them these stories about Tilly following her passions came into being.
I hope you enjoy them –
One
The start of the school summer holidays always made Tilly Redbrow happy. She couldn’t wait to have six weeks of uninterrupted time at Silver Shoe Farm. She planned to be there every morning, afternoon and evening. For a pony-mad girl like her it was great!
Silver Shoe Farm was very important to Tilly. Not only was her special horse, Magic Spirit, stabled there, but it was where she hung out with her friends, Mia and Cally, and had riding lessons with the farm’s owner, Angela.
Tilly and Magic Spirit had come a long way since they’d joined the Silver Shoe gang. When Tilly looked back she could hardly remember how neglected and nervous Magic had been when he’d first arrived. Thanks to everyone’s care and attention, he was now a picture of health. Tilly’s dream had come true too. Once she’d only ever fantasised about the horses in her books and magazines, now she was a keen rider. She listened and looked and learned everything she could from other riders, particularly talented ones like Angela, who taught her, and Duncan, the head boy at Silver Shoe Farm. And Brook, of course, her new-found, horse-crazy brother.
Magic Spirit would always be important to Tilly. They had an incredible bond.
With other people Magic could be tricky and nervous. He sometimes played up for Duncan, or made it hard for Angela to catch him. But with Tilly, he always behaved. When she rode him, he responded to everything she asked. It was as if they were destined to be together. Whenever Tilly was with him, the trust in Magic’s eyes was clear.
Tilly was riding Magic often now she’d grown out of Rosie, the pony she’d shared with Mia. She still loved Rosie dearly and saw her every day. Mia was also getting too tall to ride her, and the girls’ parents had discussed finding a new owner for Rosie. Tilly dreaded the idea that the little pony might have to leave Silver Shoe.
On Saturday morning, Tilly was working Magic in the sand school. She’d started doing some jumping with him, and she’d been having trouble because he was drifting to the left over the fences. With Duncan’s help, she was trying to teach Magic to keep to the middle. They had set up a low upright with two poles placed in an upside-down V shape. The poles rested on the top bar like an arrow pointer, helping Magic to keep straight.
‘Nice work,’ said Duncan. ‘It’s really helping him. It’s important to sort this out now, before he gets into the habit of jumping left. If we don’t, the problem will become exaggerated the more we ask him to do. This way, when we build in more complex jumps and cross-country training, he’ll have a solid base to work from.’
Tilly agreed. She knew it was vital to concentrate on attention to detail, because a horse like Magic deserved the best training, and she was determined to take him to the top.
‘It’s good that you’ll be around for the whole summer,’ Duncan added. ‘With you on board, Magic’s bound to make progress. Hopefully, he’ll be ready to jump some solid cross-country fences by September. Right, that’s enough for today.’
Tilly pulled up at the fence Duncan was leaning on. She hopped off Magic and gave him a rewarding pat.
‘I’ll come every day,’ she said. ‘There’s nowhere I’d rather be.’
Just then, Tilly’s phone buzzed. She pulled it out of the pocket of her navy jodhpurs. There was a message from Brook:
HEY! SORRY IT’S SHORT NOTICE BUT FANCY JOINING ME AND MY FAMILY ON HOLS IN CORNWALL NEXT WEEK? HOPE YOU CAN. MY MUM WILL SPEAK TO YOURS. BROOK X
‘Well, almost nowhere,’ said Tilly. ‘Oh dear. Brook’s invited me to go on holiday with him. I’d LOVE to but…’
‘Sounds too good to miss,’ said Duncan. ‘Don’t worry. Magic will cope. Go and enjoy yourself. I expect you and your brother have lots of catching up to do.’
Tilly smiled. She and Brook definitely had lots of catching up to do. They’d first met on a visit to Cavendish Hall, the exclusive boarding school that Brook, and Tilly’s friend Cally, attended. It had been obvious then that there was a connection between them. Now they knew why. Thanks to their matching horsehair bracelets they had discovered they were brother and sister, separated when they were tiny and adopted by different families.
Going on holiday with Brook was possibly the only thing Tilly would sacrifice a week with Magic Spirit for. She looked into Magic’s eyes. She knew he’d understand, although the thought of being apart from him made her feel sad.
‘It’ll only be for a little while, boy. I’ll miss you. Maybe one day, I’ll take you on holiday with me.’
An image popped into Tilly’s head, of her and Magic galloping on a long sandy beach, waves lapping along the shore. It was wonderful.
Two
Tilly’s parents were happy for Tilly to go on holiday with the Ashton-Smiths. Mr Redbrow, being a teacher, said it was ‘more educational’ to have the odd family away-day to a museum or a castle, than to spend a week lazing in the sunshine. Tilly and her little brother Adam had been slightly alarmed, but Tilly didn’t really mind. She knew her parents had already spent quite a bit of money on her riding lessons, and besides, a week away from Magic and Silver Shoe Farm was definitely enough!
Tilly and the Ashton-Smiths arrived in the Cornish fishing village of Tregenny on a Sunday afternoon, after a long drive.
As Tilly scrambled out of the car over the various bags and cases, she breathed in the salty sea air. She knew she was going to have a good time. She was looking forward to spending it with Brook, and his parents had always seemed like lots of fun when she’d met them before. They reminded her of her own family, the Redbrows, but a bit more chaotic.
The Ashton-Smiths’ holiday home, Avalon Cottage, overlooked a white sandy cove. Turquoise waves fringed the sand and seagulls swooped and screamed overhead.
Brook helped his parents unload the car while Tilly looked after Doug, the family’s Irish wolfhound. Doug was very gentle, even though he was almost as big as some of the ponies at Silver Shoe Farm. Tilly started to wonder what everyone at the farm was up to. She knew Magic Spirit would be well cared for by Duncan, Angela and Mia, but she couldn’t help missing him already. It helped to know that he’d be missing her too.
She hoped there might be a chance to do a little bit of riding in Cornwall. She’d already spotted a sign for the Tregenny Stables. She couldn’t wait to see what they were like.
Finally, the car was unpacked.
Brook grinned at Tilly.
‘Let’s go inside, shall we? I’ll show you round.’
The cottage was every bit as lovely as Tilly had imagined it would be. Brook led her up a spiral staircase to what was going to be her room. It was sweet with a blue-and-white striped bedspread and curtains, and a mirror framed with seashells. On the wall was a painting of three stallions galloping through the waves. Looking at it made Tilly’s spine tingle.
‘If you think that’s good,’ said Brook, noticing Tilly admiring the painting, ‘take a look at this…’
He pointed out of the window. Tilly stared. She could make out the outline of several horses down at the cove, being walked along the sand. She pressed her nose to the glass for a closer look.
‘Ah, how perfect!’ she sighed.
‘They come from the Tregenny Stables. We can visit if you like. We’ve been going there for years – every time we come to the cottage. We’re good friends with the owner, Lillian. We’ll have to introduce you, Tilly. And, of course, we’ll have to have a ride on the beach. It’s a great feeling, taking the horses into the sea – they love it.’
‘I bet,’ said Tilly, mesmerised.
That evening, after they’d settled in and eaten delicious Cornish pasties bought fresh from the local baker, Tilly and Brook took Doug for a walk. Neither of them had planned it, but somehow they both knew they would end up at the Tregenny Stables.
‘Maybe we’re psychic,’ Tilly said jokingly, after Brook suggested the detour. ‘I was thinking the same.’
‘Or we’re just horse-obsessed,’ he replied, with a smile.
Tilly caught sight of Brook’s horsehair bracelets. One, which matched the bracelet she’d been given by her birth mother, before she was adopted and which was always on her wrist. And another, which she’d made for him from the tail hairs of his handsome black thoroughbred horse, Solo.
Tilly wore two bracelets as well, she’d made the other from Magic Spirit’s tail hairs. And she had made lots of horsehair bracelets for her friends, using the tail hairs of horses that mattered to them. Duncan had Red Admiral’s, Cally had R
As they ambled down the lane towards the stables, the scent of the sea was replaced by the familiar smell of horse manure and hay dust. Then they heard hooves clip-clopping on the road.
‘I love that sound,’ said Tilly.
‘Me too,’ said Brook.
They turned through a set of gates, into a cobblestone yard. It was much smaller than Silver Shoe, but it looked pretty with hanging baskets of pink and purple flowers and traditional wooden stable blocks. There was room for about twenty horses. As Tilly and Brook walked past, the horses bobbed their heads over the stable doors. Tilly saw a grey, with colouring similar to Magic’s, just a little paler. She stopped to say hello and her thoughts instantly went to Magic. How was he getting on without her? She hoped he was behaving.
‘Come and meet Lillian,’ said Brook.
Lillian was standing by a water trough, talking to some holiday-makers. She was small and plump, with grey hair and a friendly face. As soon as she saw Brook she excused herself, turned towards him and threw her arms out.
‘Brook! Haven’t you grown? Mind you, I say that every year. And this must be Tilly. Your mother told me everything. Brother and sister, eh? How marvellous! Welcome to Tregenny Stables, Tilly. Are you keen on horses?’
Before Tilly could reply Brook gave a chuckle.
‘That’s an understatement! Actually, Tilly’s got an amazing way with them. She sort of speaks their language. She helped me and Solo when he was spooked by a water jump. And she rides a beautiful grey called Magic Spirit, who doesn’t like working with anyone but her.’
Tilly blushed.
‘An instinct for horsemanship then,’ said Lillian, smiling. ‘Maybe it’s got something to do with those bracelets you wear. Your mother told me you’ve both had them since birth. Anyway, you’re welcome to ride one of the Tregenny horses any time, while you’re here. They love new faces, what with all the tourists around. And it’s always a treat for them to be ridden by people who actually know about horses – which isn’t always the case…’
Lillian nodded towards the people she’d been talking to, a girl and her parents. The parents were gazing around interestedly, but the girl was anxious. She flinched whenever she heard a whinny or snort. Tilly could tell by the way she was behaving that she didn’t feel comfortable in this horsey environment.
‘They’re trying to arrange a trek,’ said Lillian. ‘The parents are keen for their daughter to join in, but something tells me she’s going to back out before she’s even tried riding. We introduced her to our gentlest, dearest old thing, Seaweed, but she nearly jumped out of her skin!’
Tilly gave a puzzled smile. She knew it was important to have a healthy respect for horses, but she couldn’t understand why anyone would be frightened of them.
Three
Next morning, Tilly woke to the sound of seagulls. She lay in bed for a while, staring at the painting of the three stallions. She imagined one was Magic. Perhaps the other two were members of his family. Like Tilly and Brook, maybe they’d been reunited and, at last, were able to gallop along the beach together.
Tilly wondered if Magic had long-lost siblings. After all, when she’d found him by the roadside in North Cosford, he’d been alone. No one knew anything about his background or breeding. She twiddled her horsehair bracelets and thought about going back to see the horses at Tregenny Stables. She couldn’t wait to go for a ride.
Eventually the peace was disturbed by the noise of pots and pans being clunked in the kitchen. The aroma of bacon frying drifted up the stairs.
‘Come and get it when you want it!’ Tilly heard Mrs Ashton-Smith call.
She stumbled out of bed and down to breakfast.
‘The weather forecast is for sunshine,’ said Mrs Ashton-Smith, as Tilly walked into the kitchen. ‘Let’s take advantage of it and go to the cove for the day. We can take a picnic.’
‘Sounds perfect,’ said Tilly, between mouthfuls of her bacon sandwich.
It took a while for them to gather their things. There were several panics about missing picnic blankets and punctured lilos, and Mr Ashton-Smith decided he couldn’t bear to be without his phone, in case he needed help with a tricky crossword clue.
By the time everyone was ready, Tilly and Brook were bursting to get to the beach. They ran the entire way, pretending to race each other, although neither of them cared who won.
They staked out a section of sand with windbreaks and parasols. Mr Ashton-Smith unpacked the games bag, which contained a cricket bat, ball and stumps and a frisbee, but the thing Tilly most wanted to do was go to say hello to the little group of ponies busily giving seaside rides at the far end of the beach.
Brook caught her looking at them.
‘They’re the ponies from Tregenny Stables we spotted from your window yesterday,’ he said. ‘They’re here every day. We’ll go over after lunch, when it’s quieter. What about a dip in the sea? Last one in is a loser… and has to wash the dishes tonight!’
Rising to the challenge, Tilly pulled off her denim shorts and ran to the water’s edge. The cold spray prickled her skin, making her squeal and retreat. Brook, however, wasn’t deterred.
He crashed through the waves, then dived and came up. A clump of seaweed was stuck to his forehead. Tilly whooped with laughter.
‘Come on! Get in! It’s lovely once you’re used to it!’
‘Yeah, right!’
‘Look, she’s not bothered by a bit of cold water,’ said Brook, pointing to a girl, about Tilly’s age, floating in a rubber dinghy.
Tilly recognised the girl who’d been nervous of the Tregenny ponies. She seemed happy enough in the sea, splashing around and humming to herself.
‘Odd, isn’t it?’ said Tilly, as she and Brook trod water. ‘That some people find horses frightening. I mean, I know it’s important to be careful around them, but they’re not monsters.’
‘It’s easy for us to think that,’ said Brook, ‘because we’ve had lots of good experiences with them. We’re not frightened because we understand and know what to expect. Other people don’t get that opportunity. They’re worried about what they don’t know.’
‘I hope that girl gets a good experience at Tregenny Stables, so she stops being anxious…’
Suddenly, there was a flurry of splashing. Legs and arms thrashed in and out of the water. An unexpectedly big wave had knocked the girl out of her dinghy. She managed to get hold of it again, but she was gasping for air.
‘Are you okay?’ asked Brook.
‘Yes,’ the girl replied, smiling. ‘I’m always falling out. It’s fun. Don’t worry. I’m a strong swimmer. I swim for my county.’
‘Even so, take care,’ said Brook. ‘The waves can get quite big here. And the currents are strong. I’m sure you’re a brilliant swimmer, but it’s not quite the same as in a pool.’
‘Okay,’ said the girl, but it was obvious she hadn’t really taken Brook seriously.
‘I’m Megan, by the way.’
‘Nice to meet you, Megan. I’m Tilly, short for Tiger Lily. And this is my brother, Brook. We saw you at Tregenny Stables yesterday. Are you planning a pony trek?’
‘Not if I can help it,’ said Megan. ‘My parents want me to. My mum liked riding horses when she was my age, so she thinks I should like it too. But I’ll stick with swimming – it’s safer.’
‘Maybe you should give it a try,’ said Tilly. ‘You never know.’
‘We’re both keen riders,’ said Brook.
‘There are some lovely horses at Tregenny Stables. Honestly, they’d look after you.’
‘They don’t look lovely to me. They’re so big! And jumpy! And they bite!’
