Lucky Prince

By Emma Farmer

Alice Jackson walked across the lush, green paddock, the strong sunlight beaming down on her ginger, curly hair.

"Willow ... come boy" she called.

Alice wasn't tall or short, she wasn't fat or thin, but she was brilliant with everything to do with horses - riding them, grooming them and taking care of them. In two weeks' time, Alice was going to the local horse show on her 14.2hh Dapple grey pony, Willow.

"Willow ... come on boy! We need to go up to the moors to exercise you, you need to lose weight for the local show in two weeks' time!"

As Willow heard Alice mentioned the moors and the local show he trotted up to the old wooden gate. Alice slipped on Willow's navy head collar and led him through the gate and into his stable.

"We'd better get a move on if we want to ride over the moors and down onto the beach before dark," said Alice grooming Willow with his body brush.

When Alice had finished grooming Willow, she went into the sweet smelling cottage to tell her mother where she was taking Willow and what time they would be back.

"We should be back at about... 7.30 - 7.45 p.m. because it gets dark at 8.00 p.m. is that alright?" Alice asked her mother, Carole.

"Fine, just don't do anything silly."

"I won't, I promise" replied Alice, collecting Willow's cleaned tack from the country kitchen.

"Next time, don't bring Willow's tack into the kitchen, it makes the place look a mess, that's what tack rooms are for!" Carol called after Alice.

"Sorry!" Alice replied as she dashed out of the door and ran down to Willow's stable.

"Are you ready? Let me tack you up and then we'll both be ready," Alice whispered into Willow's ear. When Willow was finally tacked up, Alice went into her old-fashioned tack room to fetch her riding hat and whip.

"Let's go!" She said to Willow as she led him out of his stable. She mounted him and walked him up the steep, narrow path, which led them to the open moors.

Nearly there, when we get to the open moors, we'll gallop on the flat towards the beach so we'll have plenty of time to ride along the shore, "Alice said to Willow.

When they reached the flat, Alice gently pressed her heels against Willow's sides and they smoothly galloped along the moor, looking over the small village and the beach. Alice could feel the soft winds blowing back in her face, the fresh smell of countryside.

"Wonderful," Alice whispered. Willow agreed with a toss of his head.

When they reached the end of the flat moor, they joined onto the path which took them to the golden beach. Alice steadied Willow to walk. They carefully walked down the rocky path, which brought them to the beginning of the long sandy beach. Once again, Alice pressed her heels into Willow's sides and automatically they sprang into a gallop.

Half a mile along the beach, they reached a small ditch. Alice leaned forward, and with no effort at all, Willow flew over the ditch and smoothly galloped on. Alice gathered up his head ready to slow him down to walk. They rode through the local forest and along the familiar country lane.

"It's only 7.15 p.m., maybe we have time to ride up to the church and round the block, then we should be at home at 7.45 p.m. like I promised!" Alice said to Willow.

When they got home, Carole came running out of the cottage.

"Alice," she called.

"Yeah?" Alice replied.

"Come quick."

"What's up?... What's the matter?" asked Alice, looking worried because of her mother's expression.

"I've just had a phone call from the R.S.P.C.A., they said they had found an abandoned pony, down in Mr Samuel's field, they want you to go and see it, you were recommended by a local farmer that has watched you and Willow up on the moors" said Carole, putting a fake smile onto her stressed her face.

"Well, what are we waiting for... Let's go... Where do we go? Is the pony still in Patrick Samuels Field... Well, come on! said Alice panicking.

"All right!" said Carole grabbing the car keys.

When they arrived at the field, Alice sprinted over to where some R.S.P.C.A. vans were parked.

"Hello, I'm Alice Jackson, my mother said you rang asking to speak to me about an abandoned pony..."

"Ahh yes, Miss Jackson, I hope you don't mind me asking, but how old are you?" the R.S.P.C.A. inspector asked.

"I am 13 years of age, is that a problem?" asked Alice, annoyed that they were wasting time.

"Well, from what I've heard you were a lot older, but if you have an adult here with you then it is fine, but if not I'm afraid, Miss Jackson, I'll have to get you off private property."

"Look, my mother's just locking the car, she'll be here soon, so instead of wasting time, please can I take a look?"

"Certainly Madam, the poor little thing has been neglected and forgotten," said the chubby faced man, which Alice now knew his name was Tom, Tom Scott.

Under an old oak tree, lay a pile of bones formed into the shape of a pony.

"Is that the pony? You are going to sue the people that own or should I say owned him, aren't you?" said Alice looking concerned by the look on the man's face, "You have to!"

"Don't worry we've got it all sorted, but because we heard from a local farmer that you are brilliant with horses, we thought it might give you pleasure if we gave you the opportunity to make this poor ponies life worthwhile, would you like to take the offer?"

"Hello, I'm Alice's mother, Carole Jackson," she said holding out her hand.

"Pleased to meet you Mrs Jackson, Tom Scott is the name, I'm the inspector for the R.S.P.C.A.," he said, shaking Caroles hand.

"Oh dear, the poor little mite, who could do such a thing?" she asked, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I was just asking your daughter if she would like the opportunity to look after the pony," asked Tom, walking closer to the chestnut gelding. Alice followed blinking hard to fight back the tears. The pony looked up at her with dark eyes fringed with black lashes, and long, straying hairs were lost in his skeletal head.

"It's alright boy, steady," whispered Alice as she rubbed him in between his eyes, to let him know he could trust her.

"What do you say? Do you want to look after him? Of course we'll let you name him, any name you like!" he said to Alice, a big broad smile spread over his face.

"Oh yes, I would love to look after him, well, only if that's alright with you mother? Oh please Mother, it would mean so much!" said Alice, worried that Mother would disagree.

"Well it would mean looking after Willow as well as... well, the other pony! I'll say yes if you promise..."

"I promise!" said Alice hugging her mother.

The RSPCA horse box arrived outside Alice's house later that night. Alice ran outside and ran down to the horse box, which had now stopped outside of Willow's stable.

"Poor little thing's had a rough journey, where is he staying the night?" asked Tom and a man who also worked for the R.S.P.C.A.

"Right there, I'm sure Willow won't mind staying out for the night," said Alice, pointing to the freshly bedded stable.

"Right, well if I take the front end you can take the back Sam, alright?" said Tom lowering the tailboard. Sam nodded. Inside was the pile of bones, which was once a prize-winning pony in tip top condition. He looked up, his dark eyes staring, asking for help.

When, finally the pony was out of the box and in Willow's stable, Alice fetched some soaked sugar beet mixed with molasses.

"Here you are boy... It's all right, you are safe now," whispered Alice.

"Right well, we'll quickly inspect the stable and field for safety reasons and then we'll be off, we'll tell your mother that we'll pop in tomorrow to see how he is, mix this bute with his feed twice a day to kill the pain and we'll see if he's well enough to meet your other pony tomorrow, OK?" asked Tom, bolting the stable door.

"O.K.," replied Alice.

"If there's any problems, just give us a call, bye," said Sam smiling over the stable door.

At 5 o'clock the next morning, Alice awoke and pulled on her old faded jeans and made her way down to the kitchen. The house seemed deserted and not a sound was to be heard, only a distant sheep bleating in the early morning. Alice took a carrot from the neatly stacked shelf in the larder. She made her way down to Willow's field, not wanting to disturb her new pony. She had decided today would be the day she chose his name.

From the bottom of the field was the soft wicker from Willow as he heard her footsteps crunching gently against the gravel set in the drive. Opening the gate, Alice saw Willow trotting towards her.

"Here you are boy, sorry you're not in your stable, you don't mind though do you boy? You'll meet the cause tomorrow, please be good, don't make me give him up," whispered Alice as the first signs of morning arrived, the cheerful birds singing, the sun rising and a few cars travelling to work.

At 11 o'clock, Tom Scott arrived with the local vet, Andrew Smith.

"Hello, how is he?" asked Andrew.

"Fine he's just managing to eat his bute and I think he's thinking about standing," Alice said leading the way down to the stable.

"Well, this morning I'm going to give him an injection of vitamins to boost him a bit more So hopefully he will be ready to take his first steps this evening."

"Brilliant... did you hear that boy... You going to be better in no time!" said Alice relieved that the vet agreed he was on the way to recovery.

"Don't get too excited, he's got a long way to full recovery yet!" said Tom laughing.

"Hello, things sound a lot happier today... Would you like a cup of tea or coffee? Tom? Andrew? Alice?" asked Alice's mother peering over the stable door.

"That would be lovely, nearly finished here," said Andrew smiling. When he had finished injecting the pony, they all went inside the sweet smelling cottage.

"I have decided to call him Prince... It makes him sound special, that he's wanted. What do you think?" asked Alice, pouring out the tea.

"Brilliant, couldn't have thought of a better name myself!" said Tom and everyone began to laugh.

Within a few months, Prince was the prize-winning pony he had once been. With regular visits from Tom, Sam, or Andrew, he was well on the way to becoming one of the best looking ponies in the area.

After a few years, Alice took Prince to the local show and entered him in the working hunter, which he won. And soon, he became a well-loved pony in his community, because no one would believe the transformation from the pile of bones under the old oak to a prize-winning beauty.