Amber Angel: A true story
Dedicated to Royal Amber (Amber Angel)
By Bethany Bowers
Many friends have walked in and out of my life, animal and human. Even though they were brilliant, I don't really remember most of them, although a lot of them I do.
But there is one friend; I loved her until the very end. This is a story about my very special pony Amber. I have many precious memories of her that I hold close, many pictures that sit proudly on my desk, and many friends that still remember her and talk about her.
The golden day that I met Amber, was when I was visiting my neighbour's house. I saw a golden mare galloping down the grassy stretch of my neighbour's pasture behind her house. Curiosity got the better of me, and so I crept out the back to see a girl riding a beautiful chestnut mare, Amber. The girl was galloping the poor horse hard, whipping her intolerably to make her go faster. At the time, I didn't know so much about horses, but I knew enough to figure that the poor horse was being treated unfairly.
I was allowed to ride her. My fingers sent a tingle all the way to my toes as I mounted the little pony. Grasping the reins, I set off at a gentle trot. She willingly took my weight and accompanied me around the pasture at a smooth, almost invisible pace. I loved her immediately. The girl who was riding her that day never came back to see Amber.
After that, I came up everyday to brush and pamper her. I learnt a lot around her. I even attempted to ride her at one stage, tacking her up and everything. Even when I failed and bopped about in the saddle, she stayed quiet and gentle, attempting to help me with my mistakes in any way she could.
After about three months of riding her around the paddock, brushing her and getting to know her, my parents and my neighbour organized for me to have her down in our pasture next door, where I would lease her as no one rode her anymore at her old home.
Every morning, I gazed down at our pasture, and watched her graze. I watched the sunlight lick her glossy golden coat and her ears perk at the slightest noise. I watched her galloping around the paddock, her mane and tail streaming behind her as if she were an angel sent from heaven.
Once, I took her out of the paddock to feed her, away from the nosey goats that always tried to steal her food. It was a chilly afternoon and I was shivering in my thin polar fleece that I had just shoved on as I rushed outside. I wrapped my arms around my friend's neck, seeking warmth. Amber's ears perked up as she embraced her neck around my body, warming me to the toes. She held her neck there, until I finally turned her head back to her feed so she could eat before her food got cold. I never forgot that moment.
She had a favorite rubbing spot. She loved it when I rubbed hard on her girth between her two front legs. She had the strangest reaction to it that made many passers by stare. She stuck her head high into the air, closing her eyes and drooping her ears. Then she started to sway from side to side as if she was in danger of falling over- she never did though. I stood there and laughed, and rubbed her until I felt as if my wrist was about to fall off.
Whenever my family had friends over, I let the little children ride her. Amber took them for rides without anyone holding onto her. I even had a little toddler ride her. Everyone knew and loved Amber; there wasn't one person I knew that had a bad thing to say about her.
Almost every weekend I took her trekking. I remember the last time I ever rode her. I took her on a trek in the forest at the top of the hills with my friend Eva, and her horse Troy. We carried lunch with us, stopping at the top of the hill gazing over the town of Mosgiel.
Amber was so quiet that we could just leave her and Troy standing under the sun with no tack on whatsoever. She never ran away, she just happily dozed in the sun next to me.
We fed her carrot sticks, and at one stage Amber even drank some of my orange juice, and then stuck her top lip into the air to prove she didn't like it one bit. I laughed and rubbed her little white stripe that ran down her perfect face.
On the way home, she raced Troy. She ran and ran until Eva and Troy were out of sight and then finally stopped running. I was laughing as Eva and Troy appeared around the corner about five minutes later.
One day I came home from school to see Amber lying downhill. I went down to her, checking to see if she was okay. It was strange to see her lying down on a day like this; it was slightly windy and overcast.
Amber was calling for me, lifting her head and releasing a faint whinny, begging me with her eyes. I was immediately at her side, trying to pull her to her feet. She was too weak. I stayed with her until my mother came down to see what the problem was.
"Call the vet!" I cried. My mother rushed inside and called her lawful owners, who called the vet.
All the time I stood by, telling her it would all be okay. She attempted to get up onto her feet, but fell down with a sigh. She was hungry, so I feed her some food and un-strapped her coat as it was tight around her belly. I hugged her tightly, close to my beating heart.
The vet and Amber's owner Catherine and her son arrived.
Catherine told me the dreadful news that it was about Amber's time to go. The vet had said that she had just lay down and decided it was her time to go, and she waited for me. At this point, Amber was a grand age of thirty years old.
I cried for my friend. Amber let out a slow sigh as she was put to sleep. I stroked her neck as she died, my head resting on her sleek neck. She took her last breath on July the 18th, 2006.
Even though a whole year has passed since my friend has gone, I still remember her. I sit here stroking the dark piece of her mane that I have in memory of her.
My beautiful girl still lives on in my heart, as I know she lives on in many others. I cry often as I am crying now. Sometimes, as I go and sit by her grave, I feel a warm wind rustle through my hair. I know that it's my girl, my dear, sweet, Amber Angel.
R.I.P. my Amber Angel