Brock and Brad had gone back out to Hope Island to pick up the young couple again - but their motor seized, and Brock stayed to guard the boat overnight. I had hoped to see him again for more useful tips before I left - but I decided to stick to my plan of leaving Monday morning. I took both horses for a ride into Ayton (less than a kilometre) to make some phone calls.
I also picked up a cake for Harrie and me to have, but as I got on Nugget - lead rope in hand - he took one look at the plastic bag I was carrying and we were off!!
I let go of Sarah just as he started bucking wildly in the middle of the street with quite a few people watching! One bloke called out "ride him!" as we bounced everywhere like a full-on rodeo! I lost my Akubra and cake!) then fell off a bit further down the road - quite gracefully considering the circumstances.
By now both horses were trotting away down the road - I picked up my things and caught a lift with a bloke I waved down as he drove by. They were easy enough to catch and jogged all the way home. So much so I had to get off and lead them in... should I still plan to leave the next morning?
Harrie woke me at 6 am, I packed up, got the horses and saddled up, then sat down to a sumptuous breakfast with Harrie - left-over meat-tray chops in a sauce on toast - delicious. More goodbyes, more promises. Slowly but surely we made our way back through Ayton, then even slower towards Wujal - by the time we started to climb on the CREB track I was worried. The horses were playing up. Nugget just fidgety, but Sarah pulling back on the rope and being really stubborn.
It was hot, we were all dripping with sweat. I wanted to get down near water for the night, Sarah still baulked. Then I made a mistake - I got angry. As far as I could see at the time, Sarah was just being a pig, and didn't want to go any further. She stood braced against the pull of the rope like a mule, and I got stuck into her... it wasn't the physical manifestation but the raw anger, even hatred, inside me that took me by surprise.
Sarah was tired
I got her going again, we reached the first crest (great views) and went through a gate. I decided to let her go and see if she would follow us at her own pace (with the gate behind us I had nothing to lose) - and she actually jogged along ahead of us for a little while (I had to keep a tight rein on Nugget to stop him trying to get ahead) then promptly lay down in the grass by the side of the road!! She was just tired all along! I felt like such a fool. I tied her up in the shade and took Nugget for a ride to look for water. I feel quite confident on him now, and this road is very isolated, so I brought him up to a canter - great fun along the windy dirt road through beautiful forests... we eventually found a creek with muddy puddles, and a short cut back to Sarah. She seemed fine now, so I walked her down for a drink, and took two water bottles to fill also.
Later on, after a dinner of muesli (I didn't bother with a fire) the landowner came past, and advised me of the best places to stop for feed, and then it rained.
Once again I was up before dawn, and on the road by about 7 am with the resolution to stop for frequent rests and to completely unsaddle them for a long lunch before continuing -although that had been my theory all along, up until now I'd been going at first light, and stopping after lunch to give me time to set up fences, cook dinner etc... however much I did need that time to set up (and relax!) at the beginning, I now had my act together logistically for setting up/breaking camp so there were no more excuses. Besides, I could relax at lunch time instead. Well, that's the theory...
Having a drink
Everything was fine, I pulled over to let them (and me) drink at the muddy pool, have a quick graze and rest - but then Sarah didn't want to leave. Then I made another mistake, I started to "drove' her ahead of me, she trotted along just ahead, still a bit afraid of me I think. They drank at another creek crossing, and Sarah headed back the wrong way. I urged Nugget up to overtake her and turn her round but as we trotted past, she broke into a gallop, as did Nugget!
