The winter had felt so long, and it was so cold. Cold! Never before had I ever felt cold like that. Since I had been a desert horse all my life, I had no long shaggy coat like Napoleon. Alec and Henry took care of that, blanketing me in warm layers. I went out on the days it was nice. Sometimes we'd have a heavy snowfall and I had to plough through it, but that was fun. Icy days, Napoleon and I stayed in because it was too slippery and dangerous for us. Then Tony and Alec would lead us around the barn to let us stretch our legs anyway.
After a great long while, I noticed the temperatures rising. The winter going to go away! My layers of blankets came off one at a time, until I could go out with none. Napoleon and I started shedding, but his fur, being long, came off in clouds when he was being groomed, so it looked like more snow on the ground. He had gone whiter this year in his newer coat. The snow melted away to reveal brown grass at first, which quickly turned green. I discovered to my joy that the trees weren't dead after all! They sprouted little leaves, and some trees blossomed in lovely flowers. Soon they all looked like they had when I had arrived, and all was right with my world again.
One fine sunny day, while Alec was at school, Henry came in to look at me. He paced back and forth and I felt something important was supposed to happen today. He kept looking at a little thing on his wrist, and looking away up the driveway. My ears pricked...I heard the sound of running feet. Alec! I whickered as he ran to the fence, and dropped my head to graze again. Eventually he whistled for me, and I trotted up to him. I sniffed...did he have a treat for me? I sniffed again carefully, then poked my nose in the correct pocket. The boy laughed and pulled out some sugar cubes for me, which I happily crunched.
Alec moved out into the centre of the field, and I stepped alongside him. Henry came into the field too, with a bunch of leather things. He dumped them down on the grass, and I gave them a perfunctory glance. It looked different from the things that Napoleon wore, and didn't concern me. I started to graze when the boy held me by my halter. Wait a second, something's happening. I watched Henry pick up the larger item off the grass and approach me with it. What's he going to do with that? He put it down on my back and I pinned my ears back. I don't want that on me! I gave one simple buck and the thing went flying off me. I circled around but the boy held onto me. Henry went and picked it up again, and tried again. I smoothly popped my hindquarters up and sent it off again. It was so easy. Again and again they tried. I was getting bored with the whole exercise. I don't know what they were trying to accomplish but it was silly. I pitched the thing...I found out it was called a saddle...off as easy as a horse jumps into the air.
Finally, Henry went off to the barn, and I thought we were done. I was wrong, for he soon came back with some cords. Now what? He fixed them onto the saddle and now they seemed to want to try again. Alec held the saddle over my back but it didn't touch me. Was this all they wanted? A bird tweeting distracted me, and in that moment, things happened. Alec dropped the saddle on my back and then I felt a great pressure around my belly. It reminded me of that thing that got me onto the boat after I swam out from the island. I reared high to escape the pressure, not caring that Henry was right beside me, working away on the saddle. He jumped away at last as I came down. I went up again, but the saddle did not come off. I had to get rid of this thing! I bolted down the field, pitching and bucking as I ran. It stuck onto me like a burr. This wouldn't do! I put my head down and put in my biggest bucks that I could. It didn't move. I tried again, rearing as high as I could go. I lost my balance and fell over backwards. I heard a crack from the saddle and scrambled up. The thing was still on me! I galloped again around the field, though not as hard as the first time.
Alec whistled at me to come to him. I did stop for a moment, but feeling the weight on my back and belly again, ran away again, kicking and bucking. Finally I tired, and stood still. The boy walked to me, talking softly. He offered me a sugar cube, which I considered not eating for a second. Then I changed my mind, and lipped it up. He grabbed me by the halter, and asked me to walk. I did, giving little bunny hops now and then. After a while, I stopped doing that too. I guess it wasn't so bad.
Alec stood next to me and patted me. Henry came up alongside as well, and I looked at him. Suddenly I felt a bigger weight on my back and I gave an enormous buck and flung whatever it was off me. I was startled to see the boy flat on his back. Did I knock him over? I went to him and poked him with my nose. He slowly got up, Henry supporting him. He patted me again, and went to my side. This time he stroked my neck and back all over. Henry talked to me too, and slowly picked up the boy so he went on my back. I knew it was Alec, but it was still too strange and I reared. I landed and bolted. Alec grabbed my mane, just like he had on the island. I fled blindly at first, but then suddenly realized it was only Alec on my back. Right, of course. I let him steer me. He allowed me to run around some more, before pulling me up beside Henry. I did feel better, albeit a little tired from all the excitement.
Henry patted me and spoke kindly to me. He held something in his hands...a different kind of halter? Alec stayed on my back and before I knew it, Henry had put something on my head. It had straps on my nose, in front and behind my ears, under my chin and cheeks and, worst of all, a cold hard thing in my mouth. I shook my head and tried to spit it out. I moved my tongue and tried to spit it out. No go. Soon, the cold thing warmed up and although it felt strange, it wasn't too bad. I remembered wearing something similar when I was in the desert so it was actually okay. My master had always ridden me bareback so of course I didn't know what a saddle was, but a bridle, I was familiar with. The boy steered me around, and I remembered my very early lessons, and soon caught on to what he wanted. Alec finally jumped off my back and gave me more sugar and a hug. He led me back to the barn where he took off the tack and gave me a good grooming and feed.
