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Extract 6 - Kaakhka

Staying with a family on the way

Kaakhka, the first sizeable town en route, was surprisingly large and suburban; not the sort of place where most people kept a few sheep and goats and had a spare pen. I chatted up everyone I met, but no-one said, "Come and visit us! Put your horse in our cowshed!"

"Try the hotel," someone suggested. It didn't seem the best place to turn up with a horse, but to go there was no worse than wandering aimlessly.

Afternoon tea-break

I couldn't exactly go inside, but the administrator's window opened on to the street, and I was able to lean through and speak to her while Kaan stood patiently on the pavement. I had hardly expected practical help here; but I should have known, from Olga's example, never to underestimate Turkmen receptionists. Maria was a Russian lady of sixty-three, with hair scraped back into a severe-looking bun in sharp contrast to her kind and humorous face. She was completely unfazed to find a horse turning up and asking for a bed.

"We've got a big yard round the back," she said. "Come and have a look."

So I tied Kaan to a telegraph pole and went to inspect his "room". The yard was huge and, even more important, completely secure; for the hotel was basically a truckers' hostel. Best of all, there was plenty of grass. Kaan couldn't be turned loose, however, for in one corner grew a magnificent rose bush, dripping with pink flowers. Maria was - quite justifiably - afraid that he would trample and eat it.

But at the other end was a ring of trees, which I could make into a corral for him. Now, however, came a blow, for on returning for Kaan plus baggage, I found that I'd left my long tether rope behind at the last kolkhoz. Some neighbours came to the rescue with a great coil of old rope, so thick that it might have last been used to tie up a ship. There was more than enough to wind twice round the trees, making a pen like a boxing ring.

"This is Arian. He's a grandson of Absent." The incomparable Absent, who had won a gold medal for dressage at the Rome.

Meanwhile Kaan wandered loose in the yard, while I kept a weather eye on the rose. He explored with great interest, ripping up huge mouthfuls of grass as he went, and finally settled by the pond, which was thick with his favourite reeds. No doubt there would be green cowpats again tomorrow.

Maria was quite unconcerned at these ravages in her garden. On the contrary; she even lent me a knife to cut feedstuff when Kaan was finally penned. Everything at last in order, she registered him in the books as a lorry, for which privilege I paid the princely sum of 375 manats, or about 7p.

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