She did not like the Big Man. Bitty Blue was nervous whenever he came
to the stables, smelling of smoke and anger. His hands were rough over
her flanks, and hard on her bit. His voice always seemed too loud. When
he took her and Popeye and Madrone out for practice or play, Bitty Blue
tried to stay calm and ready for the game, but it was difficult around
the Big Man.
Popeye didn’t like him either. Bitty Blue had seen Popeye
stop too fast and throw the Big Man—a bad, bad thing for a
good pony to do. The big man had gotten up slowly, and yelled a lot
then, switching Popeye before the next chukker. Bitty Blue knew Popeye
had done it on purpose, and she didn’t blame him. He threw
him twice again in that game, and that night, one of the grooms had
come and taken Popeye away.
Now there was Hank, the big male bay in Popeye’s stall, and
he went with her and Madrone out to the field.
The day was hot, and Bitty Blue hoped she would be first on the string
for the game. First slot meant the grass was still smooth and the game
quick. The air on the grounds would smell of freshness instead of sweat
and anger. She followed her stable mates out to the posts, and chuffed
the afternoon air, glad to be outside. The groom walked her, and warmed
her up with a few quick sprints along the trot path, putting her in
good spirits.
The Big Man took Madrone first. Bitty Blue stamped nervously at her
post, breathing in the scent of the game, and pleased to catch the
scent of the Quick Man nearby. The Big Man often played against the
Quick Man, and the Quick Man’s ponies were good opponents.
Bitty Blue knew them by sight: Reynaldo, Edna and Hot Dog. Reynaldo was
fearless; a good charger. Edna was slower, but good at cornering, and
Reynaldo had a pivot that put him where opponents could never find him.
The Quick Man rode them all well, and talked to them encouragingly;
Bitty Blue had heard him do so during the games.
Bitty Blue chuffed a little, pleased. It would be a good game, and
afterwards, the Quick Man and the Carrot Girl would share sugar with
all of the ponies—the way they always did.
It was not a good game. The ground was soft, and gave way too much for
good running. Bitty slipped around during her chukker, and the Big Man
yanked on her bit angrily. She tried to follow his leans, but he
changed too quickly, shifting his weight and keeping her nervously
trying to anticipate his direction.
He also squeezed her ribs too hard with his knees, and Bitty Blue
wheezed a little, trying to breathe.
“Hey, ease up, Jackie-boy; she’s not a mechanical
ride in front of a grocery store,” Bitty Blue heard the Quick
Man call.
“Just shut up and play,”
Stark,” the Big Man answered. “Save the small talk
for happy hour.”
After that the game got longer, and the sun, hotter. Bitty Blue chuffed
under the weight and pique of the Big Man, doing her best to follow his
lead. She knew he wouldn’t switch her out; both Hank and
Madrone were exhausted now, and Quick Man’s team was ahead.
Then she stumbled. Before Bitty Blue could straighten up, the Big Man
yanked on her bit, throwing her further off-balance. She staggered, and
went down on one knee hard. The pain made her snort helplessly, and the
Big Man cursed, sliding out of the saddle to grab her bridle and shake
her head as she slowly rose up.
That didn’t help, and Bitty Blue shied. The Big Man was about
to yell again, but a sudden whizzing sound—a familiar
sound--flew past Bitty Blue’s head. The mallet swing hit the
Big Man’s hand and he yelped, letting go of the bridle.
“Shit, Stark are you insane?
That’s my HAND!”
The field was quiet, and Bitty Blue struggled to get up again, doing it
slowly. She saw Quick Man slide off of Reynaldo and stride over,
smelling furious. He took his mallet and shoved the head of it under
Big Man’s chin. “You’re damned lucky I
didn’t go for your nose, Jack. This entire game
you’ve been treating your mounts like dogmeat, and if nobody
else in this club is going to speak up then I will.
They’re good horses, trying to do their job. Stop grinding
the spirit out of them, man.”
“They’re just equipment,” The Big Man
shot back, and Bitty Blue heard frustration and hate in his voice.
“I don’t get sentimental about equipment,
Stark.”
“Is that how you see them? Because that doesn’t
surprise me one damned bit. Potts, cut Mr. Roberts a check for his
entire string. Whatever he wants. Immediately.”
Bitty Blue turned her head; Quick Man came closer, and ran a gloved
hand along her neck, his touch soothing. “Hey baby.
Let’s get someone to look at that pretty knee of yours, okay?
Think you can come with me, hmmm?”
The officials came over, and the Carrot Girl too, and lots of people
were all talking at once, but Bitty Blue stood quietly with Quick Man
while he stroked her nose and whispered kind things in her closest ear.
After the vet came and did things to make the knee feel much better,
Bitty Blue was happy. Quick Man and Carrot Girl came to visit at the
stable, bringing good things to eat and talking in low voices.
“She’s not going to be able to play again; not to
club regulation standards, Tony.”
“She won’t have to. Wasn’t Julian asking
us for a donation to the Animal Therapy program out at the
hospital?”
“Yes, but I’m pretty sure he was thinking of money,”
the Carrot Girl was saying as she handed over more of the crunchy good
things. “Not that it’s a bad
idea—”
“It’s a great idea,” Quick Man murmured.
“Come on--this girl is as gentle as they come,
Pepper—look at her. Did you see the way Roberts was yanking
on her bit out there? I should have taken HIS fucking knee
out.”
“Yes. And I think as long as our pretty acquisition here has
board and care provided for, Julian will be delighted to have her.
There are a lot of kids who’ve never been close to a horse
before,” Carrot Girl said quietly.
She was petting too, and Bitty Blue loved the feel of her soft hands
running through her forelock.
“What about the other two ponies?” Carrot Girl
asked. Bitty Blue shifted her ears and moved closer to the Quick Man,
liking the scent of him.
“Both good ponies; I can afford to keep them and see if
anyone in the club makes an offer. I think there are a few people
interested.”
“Now that Jack Roberts has had his membership revoked,
yes,” Carrot Girl was saying softly.
“They’ll probably be snapped up. You
didn’t have to do this, Tony—but I’m so proud you
did.”
Both of them got quiet, and closer to each other. Bitty Blue waited for
the Quick Man to kiss the Carrot Girl, but he didn’t.
“Yeah, well I take damsels in distress seriously,”
he murmured. Still, he did not kiss her.
Bitty Blue decided to fix that. With a quick, firm nose nudge between
his shoulders, she pushed Quick Man into Carrot Girl, hoping he would
understand and forgive. He stumbled, tumbled into her, but Carrot Girl
caught him and Bitty Blue watched cheerfully as kissing—much
kissing, in fact--did happen.
Swishing her tail happily, and nosing through the hay underfoot for
spilled good things, Bitty Blue was content in the thought that while
she might not play out on the big field anymore, she still had a few
good moves left.
end
