Neisha Woodward lives in a remote area. Neisha is a young teenager and she has a job. She helps her mother with the family horse-trekking. Jane Buxton asks Neisha some difficult questions about her work. JANE. You're far away from any kinds of cities and towns. It’s a
beautiful place,but don’t you think that you’re isolated from the rest of the world. NEISHA. Not at all,its like the world visits us here.
JANE. How does your day begin? Neisha. Uh-mm well I start by doing my Correspondence School work. Also Dad helps me and my sister with that. After our lunch break, I jump on my little pony,bright coloured red, and ride up to the horse yards. I sometimes help my Mum with the afternoon trek. I help Mum by getting the horses in , brush them,and clean their feet out. Mum puts the saddles and bridles on.
JANE. Do you go on the trek, too?
NEISHA. Yes. It’s my job to talk to anyone who is a bit nervous. I show them where the old hotel used to stand and where the fantails are nesting as well.
I point out the tailings. Tailings are the heaps of stone left by gold miners and I tell them the story of the gold miner who moved a large rock in the river and found a fortune of gold. As soon they’re talking and laughing. They forget they’re sitting on a horse. Its also my job to shut the gates. Mum opens them, and shut them behind us.
JANE. How long is this ride? Where do you go?
NEISHA. I don’t know how many kilometres it is,exactly,but we go for three hours. There are several different rides we take people on. Some are quite steep. Some have beautiful views from the hilltops. On some rides, we go through native bush and,if we sit quietly, the robins come around us.
We have to cross rivers on some of the rides. That’s the part the trekkers get most excited about. They’re sure they’re going to fall off in the river. They think they’re get swept away, but they never do. They scream if they get their boots splashed. But they don’t think about me riding behind them. My little pony has ultra-short legs, and I get soaked!
JANE. Do you stop for a rest on the way?
NEISHA. We stop for a afternoon tea under some bushes and trees. Usually we stop by the river or somewhere with a good view. I light the thermette. When the water has boiled, I make the tea. Mum ties up the horses on some near fences or trees so they can have their own tea, too!
JANE. With so many people coming through, you must have some stories to tell.
NEISHA. Yes, some funny things happen. We had a couple who were on their honeymoon. They insisted holding hands while they rode along. Their horses walked one each side of a tree! They looked very surprised. Even they laughed!
Another two girls spent the whole time picking up horse hair off themselves. It was spring, you see. The horses were losing their winter coats. The girls never looked up at the views as they rode along. They just picked off horse hair. When we stopped for lunch, the horses were itchy. They rubbed their heads on the girls, and the girls had to start picking off hair all over again!
Another girl was nervous. She squealed every time her horse took a step. After half an hour, she lost her voice. ...............
