Come on up

Sabina and I go out to feed the horses. Sabina stands on the hill and calls out to them "Come on up! Tornado! Come on up!" The little voice sings out over the mountains like a long forgotten ballad. I progress into the shed to make the feed. At one point I see Sabina duck around the corner of the shed. Then I hear the horses hooves. "She wouldn't go into the paddock by herself, would she?". I bolt out of the shed, scoop still in hand.

There is Sabina, in the paddock, together with the four horses and a pony, while the fifth horse is galloping straight at her. He stops right in front of her, and does a little buck. Fear rises in my throat and panic grips me. I look at the horses - no fear, no panic. Peace. To them, Sabina has just joined the herd, and they're happy to have her.

I calm myself - the situation will only become dangerous if I show any anxiety. I smile, walk up to the fence and ask Sabina to come out. "But I want to get Tornado, mama". "I know, but we need to get his headstall first". "Oh", she comes up to the fence and clambers out. I sigh relief.