One day I had enough. I was in the arena with a riding child and a horsefly sat on my belly. I stopped and tried to shoo it away with my leg. The child didn't see the gadfly and pushed me on. I wanted to go on, then stumbled, but. The child lost its balance and I immediately stopped so that it could sit down properly again. At that moment, the riding instructor shouted something and the girl rammed her feet into my stomach. She seemed angry with me because I had just stopped. What was this girl's problem? If I hadn't stopped, she would have fallen off. I didn't feel like carrying beginners around the train anymore. So I just stopped. She spurred me on again and tapped me with the crop, but I just kept standing. Next she slapped me with the crop and I ran off, suddenly startled because a dog came running into the arena and I got up on my hind legs. The girl fell down and I stopped immediately. I...I didn't mean to. Concerned, I lowered my head and sniffed her. She pushed my head away from her and mounted again. I did as she said for the rest of the lesson.

When I was back in the paddock, I saw a woman with blonde hair who had already watched the riding lesson. They were talking to the riding instructor and then approached the paddock. I pricked up my ears and looked towards them.

"Well, I don't know," said the riding instructor, "if he's already so frightened by a dog.""Every horse has to learn first," the other woman replied, "and you've seen how well he looks after his riders. He stopped immediately when Jul lost his balance."Please her, that's a horse. That was just disobedient," the riding instructor said."Come on," the blonde asked, "I think he'd be good for it.""Are you sure Paige? I don't know. But if you really want to, you can try him out. We're looking at a new pony anyway. A Welsh pony gelding."

"I'm happy for them. But I've felt in the riding lessons I've watched that it's not quite right for him."

"If you think you can try him out today."The blonde woman nodded and then they continued towards me and I was haltered. She stroked me and then led me to the grooming area. She brushed me and then saddled me up. Then it was time for the bridle. Without a bit! I liked that straight away and was happy that there was no more tugging in my mouth today. She rode me around the arena for half an hour. She could ride very well. She only gave light aids and I was happy to listen to her. The woman seemed pleased too. "I think he would fit in wonderfully with us," the woman said to the riding instructor when I was back in the paddock and had been given an apple.

The next day, a new pony was led to us in the pasture. It was a grey Welsh pony. It came to us in the meadow, but didn't seem to be in a good mood. So I turned away from him and grazed next to Don. And that's when I recognised his voice as he called out, "Hey Haflinger!" I turned back in his direction and saw that it was Loki. It had been a few years, but I would recognise his moods anywhere.

"Loki?", I asked, surprised to see him here."What?!" he snapped at me, "Surprised I'm still alive?" I nodded abruptly. "You know," he then began, "There might be some nice people after all."Apache stepped up to us, "Who's that? Do you know him?" he asked."This is Loki," I introduced the pony."I can introduce myself too," he snapped at me."He's in a good mood," Apache muttered, "come on, we'd better go to the watering hole."I agreed with him and we just left Loki standing there. "OK, that's not what I meant!" he called after us and ran after us.

The next day Loki went along to the first riding lesson. We were in the advanced group this time, as the riding instructor couldn't quite assess who Loki was suitable for yet. I watched Loki and noticed that he didn't always do what his rider wanted. He was very stubborn and when he wanted to go to the grass, it was difficult to stop him, but his rider had him under control quite well.

Loki seemed satisfied after the lesson and did not complain. I asked him if the bit didn't bother him when it was tugged at, but he said that he had experienced worse, but he was then too proud to tell me.