Kobi- Memoirs of a Mustang Read online

  One afternoon, after the weather had turned cooler, Daisy came out for our typical evening session. But this time, after our ride, she had a small black box that fit in the palm of her hand. She flipped a small switch on the side of the box and it started to vibrate.

  The noise startled me and I threw my head up to protect it from the vibrating buzz. The sound nagged my mind: I had heard it before. But where?

  “Easy, Kobi. It’s alright.” Daisy stroked my neck. The box continued to buzz in her hand. “These clippers aren’t going to hurt you. They’re just going to cut your whiskers and make you even more handsome.”

  I looked at the clippers wide-eyed and suspicious. I seriously doubted the vibrating, buzzing clippers could make me look any different and not hurt me at the same time.

  Daisy laid the clippers on my neck, allowing me to feel the vibrations. It didn’t hurt at all, it tickled. Something about it felt very familiar.

  Now where did I feel this before? Think!

  The vibrations on my neck jarred my memory. My mind flew back to Nevada. I finally remembered that sound.

  Wasps! It sounded like thousands of wasps all buzzing at the same time. I had heard that buzzing once before, right after I had been captured off the plains. It was those peculiar wasps that didn’t sting from my younger days. I didn’t know what it was at the time, but it was definitely the same sound. So those weren’t strange wasps after all, they were clippers!

  I quickly found out being clipped wasn’t so bad, it just tickled my lips, unless Daisy got too close and nicked my skin. That stung a little. But whenever it happened she felt so bad about cutting my skin that I didn’t have the heart to make a big deal about it.

  It’s what happened after the clipping that I hated the most. The wash rack. Not to mention the smell! She coated my skin with a gel that made me stink like some sort of fruity flower. She put this goo in my mane and tail to make it soft.

  Hey, Daisy, come on now! I’m a mustang, not some sort of domestic house pet. Mustang is a perfectly acceptable smell: dirt, dust, sweat, with a small hint of citronella fly spray.

  She didn’t listen. If the shower and the wash rack weren’t bad enough, the next day they loaded me onto a horse trailer.

  Bianca’s own horse, Cinnamon, was going along too, so I felt pretty confident I wouldn’t be leaving forever. A small part of me was scared that I was being sent off to an auction, like Jake had been, never to return. I was so relieved when I backed off of the trailer and there was Daisy, waiting to grab my lead rope.

  Daisy, you’re still with me!

  While I was being walked to my stall, I started to get that odd feeling in my stomach again. My stomach was starting to cramp up again like that time I had colic. Daisy, Wendy, and Bianca were working hard to get us settled. They threw down stall shavings, filled our water buckets, and gave us our dinner. Since my stomach was starting to hurt, I wasn’t hungry, so I didn’t eat.

  “Uh, oh. Look at Kobi.” Daisy pointed out. “He’s not even trying to eat. Something’s wrong. You don’t think he’s trying to colic again, do you?”

  “I think he might just be stressed out.” Bianca shrugged her shoulder. “Take him for a walk. Let him have a look around. Maybe that’ll help calm his nerves and settle him down.”

  Daisy came into my stall and haltered me up. We walked all around the show grounds, checking out the other horses, the arenas, and the grass. I started relaxing and by then I realized just how hungry I was, so Daisy let me graze for a bit. By the time I made it back to my stall I was feeling myself again and was ready for my dinner. Must have just been my nerves!

  I didn’t know what to expect the next morning, the big day, my first horse show. Our classes were early in the morning, so I had to be fed and groomed before the sun had risen over the horizon. I was a little nervous and anxious after breakfast, but Daisy’s familiar movements while she groomed me calmed my nerves. Daisy asked Ruth to come to the show for moral support and to crest-braid my mane, since Daisy had no idea how to braid. Daisy also refused to cut or trim my long, thick mane, making the task all the more difficult. Ruth had to pull extra tight so it wouldn’t fall out right in the middle of our class. Ruth yanked my mane so tightly that I couldn’t blink! No worries that I would try and take a nap before the class. Heck, I wouldn’t be able to close my eyes for a week! By the time I was all tacked up it was already time to warm up.

  As Bianca was lunging me, preparing my mind and body for our first class together, two humans, an adult and child walked by. They were discussing me.

  “Oh, look at that cute little pony! I wonder what classes he’s going to be in.”

  Pony? Did they call me a pony? Seriously? Just because I don’t lumber around here like one of those skittish, harebrained purebreds doesn’t make me a pony! I’ll show them! Humph, pony!

  I did show them, too! I showed everybody what a mustang can do. It was much easier than I had thought it would be. When Bianca was riding, I dropped into my groove, remembering all that I had learned. I flexed at the poll, I stretched, I gave both the collected and extended trot. In short, I was amazing! The judge noticed too. For my first show I earned scores of 55 points for our first class, which was good for a Second Place ribbon, and 61 points in our second class for First Place ribbon! First and Second Place. Not too shabby for my first time out. Daisy and Bianca were proud of me, and I was, too! The only person who didn’t seem proud was Bianca’s father. He kept giving me odd looks, like I had two heads growing out of my neck.

  When we got home to our barn that afternoon, a couple of humans who were there visiting with their horses came up and asked Daisy how the show went. While Bianca and Daisy bragged about my classes, a teenage boy rode up on his horse with a sneer on his face.

  “I don’t see what the big deal is about a wild mustang doing dressage. Any old horse can do that stuff. They’re born knowing it!”

  “Oh, you think so, do you?” Bianca scoffed. “Then you come out here anytime on your horse and I’ll be more than happy to you give both you and your horse a lesson. Then we’ll see what your domestic horse was born knowing.”

  We all turned our backs on him and left him standing there with his jaw hanging open, catching flies. I think that boy was just trying to impress Bianca with his opinion on horses. Too bad it had just the opposite effect on her!

  *****

  The rest of the show season went well. Bianca and I kept earning First and Second Place ribbons. At the end of the Fall Show Season, I overheard Bianca telling Daisy, “Guess what? You’re never going to believe it!”

  “What? Tell me. What happened?”

  “Well,” Bianca continued, so excited that she was almost breathless, “Kobi and I earned High Point Champion for our level for the Fall Series!”

  “You’re kidding! That’s great. But what does it mean?”

  “It means in only three shows, Kobi scored enough points that we got the highest point total out of all the horses competing in our level. It means that he beat out all of those other horses for the entire series. Can you believe it? High Point Champion!”

  “No! Honestly, I never would have thought that a wild mustang would have done so well in dressage.”

  Well, I knew that I could do it, Daisy. You just had to have a little faith in me and give me a chance!

  Since I performed so well in the last three shows, Wendy convinced Daisy to allow Bianca and me to try to qualify for Championships during the Spring Show Season. We needed three scores above 63. I qualified in my first three rides. Like I said, I was on fire! That meant the fall shows would just be good practice for me before I rode in the final Championship Show in November.

  *****

  Things continued on an upswing until our second show of the Fall Season. When Bianca and I came out of the ring, Daisy was there to greet me and lead me back to my stall. After taking off my saddle and bridle, Daisy quickly realized I was dripping in sweat and needed to be rinsed off before the next class.


  “Ruth, would you help me get Kobi rinsed off? I don’t think I can handle Kobi being in a strange place and the wash rack on my own.”

  She muffled some sort of response.

  “Ruth, what’s wrong? Are you crying? What’s going on?”

  “I’m so mad right now. While Kobi was in the ring I overheard Bianca’s father saying some really mean and nasty stuff about Kobi during his last class. He didn’t even care that I was standing there hearing him. In fact, he was talking loud enough for everyone over there to hear him.”

  “What did he say?” Daisy asked. I could tell just by the way Daisy asked the question that she was about to go on the warpath. I could even picture her face without needing to see it: her eyes would go squinty, she’d scrunch up her eyebrows where they would almost meet in the middle, and her lips would pucker. I’d seen that look before and it wasn’t pretty!

  Ruth dropped her voice, making it sound deeper than it was normally, and pretended to be Richard. It was so funny. I snickered to myself, until I heard the words he used.

  “My daughter, Bianca, is so much better than that little horse. I don’t know why she still rides him. He messes with her head and she’s not going anywhere with him. She should just focus on her own horse. What’s the point of riding him in the championships, anyway? He’s not going to win.”

  Ruth switched back into her normal voice, “I walked up to him and told that him it mattered to you.”

  Ruth puffed herself back up, dropped her voice and pretended to be Richard again. “Hmmh! Bianca’s riding skills are way beyond that mustang. She should be riding much better horses than him. He’s just not up to her standards.”

  At that point, Ruth knew she’d never change Richard’s closed mind and couldn’t handle any more of his hateful talk. She stormed away from him and looked for Daisy.

  What Richard said made my blood boil. I think Daisy’s blood was boiling right up there with mine, but she expressed her anger differently. After Wendy came back in from calling Bianca’s other class, she found Ruth and Daisy next to my stall, deep in whispered conversation.

  “What’s goin’ on, Daisy? You’re mad about something.”

  “I’ve decided I’m pulling Kobi from the next class and the Championships.”

  “What?” Wendy seemed confused.

  Daisy, you decided what? I don’t want to get pulled. I earned it. I want to do those classes. Isn’t that what we’re here for? Isn’t that why we’ve worked so hard? Don’t let them talk you out of it! I can prove them all wrong. Trust me.

  “Ruth just overheard Richard saying some hateful things about Kobi.”

  “And?” Wendy asked.

  “Richard doesn’t think Kobi is quality enough for Bianca to ride him. He thinks that she’s better than Kobi and he’s a step down for her. Richard forgets that it was Kobi who got Bianca’s confidence back in the first place.” Daisy was so angry. Her face was still scrunched up and she was spitting out her words.

  Wendy sighed, choosing her words carefully. “So what? We don’t really care what he thinks, now do we? Honestly, what does he know? He’s the idiot who bought her that big crazy thoroughbred that rattled her so much in the first place. If it weren’t for the horse that he bought her, her confidence would be just fine.”

  Yeah…what does Richard know anyway? He obviously doesn’t know a good horse when he sees one.

  “We all know what Richard said isn’t true,” Wendy continued. “You and Kobi have worked hard, including helping Bianca get over that fear she had of showing with her horse. You and I both know that.”

  And I know it too!

  “So,” Wendy went on, “what’s the best way to prove him wrong?”

  “That’s just it. We don’t need to prove anything to Richard or anyone anymore. If Kobi’s not quality enough to be here, I just want to take him home.” There was a hitch in Daisy’s voice, like she was about to cry.

  “You’re missing the point. You and I know both know what Kobi is capable of doing. He’s already proved it. If you pull him out now, Richard wins. You have to keep Kobi in this show. I know the first class didn’t go as well as you had hoped. With all of this rain we’ve been having, it’s been difficult for him to be worked. Just leave him in today as practice for the Championships next month. Kick butt in the Championships and prove to Richard and to everyone else—and I do mean everyone else—once and for all that a mustang has the quality to be here competing, and winning, against all of these purebred horses.”

  Go, Wendy!

  “Okay.” Daisy conceded, not quite convinced yet, but smart enough to let Wendy’s words soak in. “I know that Kobi is amazing. I’ll let the rest of them find out at the next show.”

  As if she’d been standing around the corner listening, Bianca came storming up the barn isle. “I just heard,” she fumed. “Daisy, don’t listen to a word my father said! I love him, but sometimes he’s an idiot. Don’t you dare pull Kobi from the shows. I want to ride him all the way into the Championships. He’s already qualified for it, and we’re doing it.” She didn’t even wait for an answer; she just turned on her heel and marched back out.

  “Well,” Wendy laughed, “I guess that’s settled. Now, quit stomping around here like a wounded bear. Take a deep breath, cool down, and get Kobi ready for his next class.”

  Finally it was time for our last class of the day. We didn’t do as well as I had hoped. There was too much drama and emotion surrounding the ride. Everyone was too flustered from the morning’s events to give it our best performance. I blame Richard for that, but we still managed to pull out a 49. Daisy thought the judge’s comments about the ride were hilarious: “Difficult ride due to tension!”

  Tension? That judge didn’t know the half of it!

  After the last class, Bianca came up to Daisy as she was brushing me down and wrapping my legs for the ride home.

  “We have a slight problem.”

  Oh, no. Now what? I don’t think I can deal with any more human problems today!

  I could feel Daisy’s body tense. She stopped wrapping my legs and took a deep breath. Not bothering to stand up, Daisy rested her head against my shoulder and sighed. “What’s the problem now?”

  “For whatever reason, my dad really doesn’t like Kobi.”

  “Hmmph, you don’t say.” Daisy replied, quiet enough where I was the only one to hear her.

  “Dad said he won’t drive me to the barn on weekends anymore if I’m going to ride Kobi. That means I’ll only be able to ride one day during the week and won’t have time to ride more than my horse. I don’t know what to do. I really want to take Kobi to the Championships; we earned that. I have to be the one to ride him; we can’t transfer his points to another rider now.” Bianca’s voice just trailed off.

  Still resting her head on my shoulder, Daisy gave another huge sigh. I knew her well enough by now to know that her mind was racing trying to think of a solution to this latest problem.

  Standing up, Daisy looked over my neck to Bianca, “How about if I come out and pick you up early on Sunday mornings. We’ll grab a bite to eat on our way out to the barn. You can work Kobi first. I’ll untack, groom him, and finish him up while you work your horse. Then I’ll wait for you to finish up and take you back home. This way you’ll get to work Kobi one day a week, your horse two days a week, and your father won’t have to be involved.”

  “You know, I think that’ll work great. Let’s give it a shot! Championships are only a month away. We can make anything work for a month.”

  *****

  For the next four weeks, Daisy was out every day to work me and to make sure I was in perfect shape for Championship Show. Bianca rode me on Sundays and Daisy took care of me when the ride was over. I enjoyed all the attention and worked hard for both of them. I knew my reputation and that of mustangs everywhere was at stake.

  With all of our hard work, there was nothing that could stop me from proving that I was worthy, high quality, and had earned th
e right to be at Championships. Bring it on!

  CHAPTER 10 — CHAMPIONSHIP

  It was the morning of the Championship show. When Daisy got to the show grounds it was still dark and so cold my breath came out in white puffs. I nickered to her so she could find me in the dark stable.

  “Oh, there you are, Kobi,” she whispered. “Ready for breakfast, my little champion?”

  Ready? Are you kidding? I’m always ready for breakfast!

  I heard her scoop the grain out of the bag and pour it into my bucket. I nickered to her again so she would know just how hungry I was.

  While I was happily munching away on the sweet grain, Daisy started to curry all of the stall shavings from my body. I could sense her nerves were on edge, so I understood why sometimes she rubbed me just a bit too hard. She would lighten up whenever I stopped eating and turned my head to glare at her. Thankfully, Wendy and Ruth showed up to take over the finishing touches before Daisy could rub all the hair off my body. Bianca stood back to keep herself clean for the show.

  After I was groomed, braided and all tacked up, Bianca and I headed out to warm up. As we were walking out of the barn, she stopped to pick up the lunge line and whip.

  Ugh! I hate running around in a circle. What’s the point? It’s the dumbest thing we have to do. I’d rather not.

  I was getting angry and frustrated at just the thought of lunging. I tossed my head around and pawed at the ground.

  “Hey, Bianca?” Daisy followed us out into the dawning morning. “I have an idea. Since lunging makes Kobi so mad, why don’t we skip it for now? If he doesn’t settle in, lunge him, but first give him a shot at warming up under saddle.”

  Oh, yeah! That’s a great idea—skip lunging.

  I held my breath to see what Bianca would decide to do.