Home after 22 years

It was a lifetime ago when I bought Bella, a beautiful four year old brown mare. She was the daughter of Jenny, who had been shipped from Ireland by the family I would eventually marry into. Jenny was a lovely horse and I loved the romance of her coming from Ireland, so it was like a dream come true for me to own her daughter.

Bella was so easy to break in, but a nightmare to ride in the early days. She didn’t have a problem with carrying a rider, but she didn’t quite get the concept of walking on her own. Eventually the problem was solved by a girlfriend who followed Bella and I on our early rides with a stick to encourage the young mare on when she dug in her toes.

Once we’d sorted that issue out Bella never looked back, going on to become a terrificly brave horse and an incredible jumper.

Her retirement coincided with my marriage and we began our childrearing careers together.  Bella gave me some wonderful foals including Frank who went on to become a super eventer, Jenny (named for her Granny) andTara.

When I left England in 1997, Bella, then an old lady was left with a friend, so she did not have to make the journey to Ireland. The foals had been sold on already to super homes.

A few years ago I was contacted by the lady who was now the owner of Bella’s foal Jenny. She told me Jenny had gone on, like her mother, to be an incredible jumper.  She went on to say that Jenny had recently died, but that she’d had her own foal, Florence.   It was lovely to hear that Bella’s line had continued and that she had a grandaughter.

The message to say that Florence was being retired because of an unsoundess came out of the blue as did the request for ‘anyone who might be interested in giving her a home.’  Really? That would be me!

Arrangments were made and without me ever meeting Florence, a transport company collected her from England and a few days later she arrived in Ireland.

‘She’s travelled well.’ The driver told me, hauling down the lorry ramp. ‘You’ll be glad to have her back with you.’

I laughed at his assumption that I’d just come from England and that I’d left Florence for a few days while I traveled ahead. Before explaining I’d never even seen her before.

The partition was still in place, but I couldn’t wait, I hurried up the ramp and put my hand on the warmth of her neck. My beloved Bella’s grandaughter, with me. It felt like a home coming. Bella’s family restored to me after 22 years.