3. Hope

Jeff went home, wondering and thinking all night. The next morning Matt visited him again. Jeffs role in the ‘matthardyshow’ had slowly disappeared, “you’re face hasn’t been in it in over two months! And before that you didn’t say anything, but were some background! We could let you’re fans know you’re back on track!”
“not yet, Matt!” Jeff responded for a week. The week passed and Jeff found himself thinking of Joan, he went to his practice ring and climbed up the turnbuckle, there he sat and thought… He decided to start training and in the following week he trained every day and even had taken his dirtbike for an easy ride. At the end of the week he again took the motorbike and took off, meanwhile wondering why he was so afraid to go to the ranch, he’d gotten at a long empty road and speeded up, not as fast as he once always did, but though on a nice speed level. He slowed down when he passed a horse and stopped the bike a little further, he got off and recognised the white stallion. “hi there!”
“long time ago!”
Joan nodded, smiled and then pointed at the bike, “you’re on the right track!”
Jeff smiled, “thanks to you..”
“wanna race?”
“what?”
“in the woods right there”
“uh..ok?” Joan explained how the track went and then counted to three. The horse started faster then the bike and Joan was a head off Jeff, who was getting more and more amazed of her guts, she flew between the trees and over depts and hills. Jeff was afraid to hurt her or the horse and just followed, until he realised she had know he would be…he waited for the perfect moment and then passed her. He enjoyed a boost of adrenaline. “alright!” Joan said when they hit the finish. They slowly walked to the ranch and Jeff explained how he’d been training. “You know, Jeff. There’s a lot off thing s we’ve got in common, one of them is the fact that we’re always trying to push the borders, dare us and hell we’ll be there, no challenge to big, an addiction or love for adrenaline, you’ve always been more extreme the me, but right now you’re afraid for a lot of things, but we’re going to fix it, right Jeff? Soon, you’ll once again be the king of risks…Would you like to learn how to ride a horse, Jeff?”
“uh..what?” amazed by the sudden change.
“I think it could help you to..”
“right..and you teach right?”
“yeah”
“in private at home also?”
“uh yeah..”
“cool, then I should buy a horse.”
“sorry?”
“I’ve got all this space, I’d like to use it for animals, horses are lovely creatures, so yeah.” Jeff thought in silence for a few minutes and then asked Joan if she’d help him, when she sad she would, he felt happy…They got to the ranch and Joan took the horse away, while Jeff talked to Randy. When Joan came back she spotted a happy Randy. Jeff explained he asked for two guys to come and help him to build it up and that he wanted to buy a horse. Joan laughed, it explained it all…Joans working day was over and she agreed on Jeff preposition of having a look at the pasture. They walked around and talked for about an hour and then decided the stables would be near the house and the and of the meadows would be at the street, there was a border of trees so that was good. Joan drew a plan and Jeff called Matt and Shannon. He explained them what he’d come up with. The friends only got really excited when Jeff suggested to us it in the show. Then he called to order tons of wood and brought Joan home. The next day was her day off, so he picked her up in the morning and then was introduced to Shannon. Matt decided to make a preview for the episode and gave Joan the camera. 3hi” Matt said to the camera, “I’m Matt Hardy and I’m pleased to tell you that one of the following weeks, we’re taking you back to Jeffs place.” Joan moved the camera to Jeff. “Hi, this is Jeff Hardy, I know it’s been a while, but quiet recently someone put me up for this crazy idea.” Joan moved the camera to Shannon, “and we’re going to help him to try to get it on it’s feet!” A bit later Joan filmed how a truck delivered about twenty really broad posts, that were going to be used in the stables and at corners. Then the for of the looked at Joans plan:




Matt went to put the previeuw online and then gave the camera to Joan again, who filmed Jeff, “Hi you guys! I’ve gotten the weird idea of wanting a horse, so this..” and now Joan filmed the terotory and then got back to Jeff, “…needs to change in stables and meadows!” then she filmed them fooling around and trying to put the posts in the ground. Matt heavily breathing came towards the camera, that’s the corners and then fell on the ground. Joan stoppedc filming and Matt got up, to enthusiast to think of the heavy posts. The next day Joa took a day off and got to film how tons of wood were delivered in the morning. “AS you can see, Shannon said, it’s really early..but as always Jeff’s determined.” Then the two guys Jeff had asked for arrived. Matt took the camera and pointed it at his face. “You all guessed it, the three of us can’t ever make it alone! SO we proudly present Jim and Horace” he pointed the camera at the to men, who both nodded. “..who are going to help us out. And also Joan” camera switched again, “who’s the horsetrainer, teacher and also architect for the stables and meadows. Joan laughed and the rest of the day they passed the camera around and acted silly, but at the end off the day pretty much work was done.
Jeff brought Joan home and she went to the ranch the next day. After training a few horses, Randy told her to get her horse and go to Jeffs and take a whole pile of papers: horses for sale. Joan took her own horse and when she arrived, matt filmed how she and her horse came up the lawn. She gave the papers to Jeff, who brought them inside and took the saddle and bridle off of her horse and then tied it to a tree, then Joan inspected what the guys had done and when she had checked all that stood, the arena was entirely fenced, Matt filmed how Joan and Jeff talked and then how Jeff went to get a long rope and began to tie it round the posts of the stables and how Joan got her horse and released it in the arena. The horse walked around and then started to eat grass. At the end of the day again a lot of work was done. Joan took a few days off and a week afterwards all the meadows were fenced, the gates and everything was done except for the stables. Another week later they were too. They then gathered in Jeff living room: “now the meadows are ready and I have three stables, it’s time to pick a horse. Shannon filmed how Joan and Jeff went through the horses and Matt was working on the episode. Finally Joan and Jeff got out. He picked an eight years old mare and a paint two years old mare. The eight years old mare wan’t highly trained, but it was a very special horse, a horse for Jeffs taste!

The two years old mare was a horse caught by the cowboys in Texas, she’d probably by scared and wild still, but no fear, like it should.




Matt stopped filming, “time to mix it” he said! Jeff and Shannon always helped, but they decided Joan should be there to. So they spent the night making the next episode, t looked real good in the end and they all were satisfied. Matt would bring Joan to the motel and Shannon, who’s car was still at Jeffs and Jeff to Jeffs house. On the way Matt stopped the car as Joan yelled, “Wait, Matt stop!” Shannon looked surprised and Jeff turned around, “what?” he asked concerned, but Joan had already gotten out off the car. The three guys got out and followed her until she slowed down and bowed. She was clearly looking at something, without any thinking Jeff walked towards her. “what?” She looked up and smiled at him, proudly, but then her face got serious and she pointed between the bushes. Jeff searched the ground and then saw a big dog or wolf lying there, his paw in a claw and a big flesh wound in flank. “He’s still alive” she whispered. Jeff startled of the sadness and pain in her voice. “I need to help him” Jeff nodded “agreed”
“there’s all kind of medical stuff at the stables.” Jeff once again nodded, “c’mon, we’ll have to hurry!” They ran back to the car, “what was it?!”
“get in!”
“c’mon hurry” Matt and Shannon, overwhelmed got in the car. “drive!” They guided Matt to the ranch and Joan jumped out of the stopping car, sprinting in the stables. “Hey!...fucking crazy” Matt mumbled, not understanding. Joan was already back with disinfectant, morphine vaccines and some rags and jumped in the car. “get back!” poor confused Matt drove the car back and wasn’t even surprised when Jeff and Joan jumped out of the car without a word. They got to the animal that was now barely breathing. “to much morphine will kill him..” Joan said.
“And else the pain will.” Jeff added. Joan nodded. With a little agreement Jeff threw a rag over the animals head and Joan injected a bit of the morphine. The animal was sedated pretty soon, they released her paw and Joan lifted her up. “you’re putting That in my car?!” Matt yelled when they came back, but the determent faces of the two animal loving people in front of him dared him. And a bit later Shannon and Jeff switched places. But when they arrived at her motel and they wanted to bring the animal in. The house boss forbid her to take the animal inside, so Jeff decided it should go to his place. “logic he doesn’t want it in there, it’s a fucking wolf!”
“shut up Shannon” When they arrived at Jeffs they put him in an old dog bench in the living room and Joan disinfected his wounds. Joan was worried and Jeff suggested her to stay over in the guestroom, she agreed, but the next morning he found her at his sofa, next to the animal. He made coffee and served the table. Then he gently woke her. “How are ya?”
“fine”
“how is she?”
“less” Joan sighed “I got up to check on her and she was moaning in pain. I found the right dose to keep her without pain, but it needs to be redone every half an hour. They had breakfast and Joan kept on sedating the animals pain, disinfecting the wounds and replacing the bandages. At noon, both Jeff and Joan realised the wolf didn’t mind being touched anymore, that would have been bad, but she already needed less morphine. “she’s getting better!” Joan decided Happily. Then she had to pick up her phone. A little later she came back: stripes has arrived in the ranch yesterday night, they’re going to bring her in an hour.”
“But, then she needs to stay here alone, until the young one gets here, right?”
“uh yeah”
“but, how long’s that going to take?”
“I don’t know..”
“it’s sad if she needs to stay alone, can’t they temporary put a horse here…ok that’s a silly question..”
“it would’ve been, but I’ve got my horse down there, I’ll give Randy a call!”
And so an hour later the to mares were released in the arena. There still was a lot off grass in the arena so they decided to let the horses eat it and then there would come tons of sand, to make it a real arena. Matt filmed the whole idea and made Jeff and Joan promise that the first lesson would start the day afterwards. Joan had taken a week off again. “I’ve been here for a month and I’ve taken as many days off as I’ve worked…They won’t let me return if I keep handling it like this…I can’t take a week...two days, then she really needs to be better!”
“and uh..are you staying here, those two days?” Joan startled and looked at Jeff, she opened her mouth to talk, but he was quicker. “I mean, I can’t touch her.” Joan smiled and felt like hugging Jeff, but controlled her self just in time. Then she called Randy she’d be back sooner. “That gives me two months to put this right.” Jeff nodded, but you can already start tomorrow too actually.” Joan looked at him.
“with me!”
“oh, yeah right.” She laughed and so did he.
“you know there’s one stable empty, there’s place for a horse that needs training.” After discussing it with Jeff and Randy it was decided, a new trouble horse would be brought that day. It arrived ten minutes later. As soon as the horses had calmed down and grazed, Joan checked on the wolf, “ We should name her” She said. Jeff nodded, “You’re not going to release her?” Joan looked at him and then looked back at the wolf whose faith in her had grown in a short amount of time. She shrugged, “we’ll see” Jeff smiled, though Joan couldn’t see him. He was happy she was around, it had been a long time since he’d been so happy and he agreed on Matt, who wanted the wolf in the show too. So that day again Joan was on the Hardy show and Matt knew people at home would see how happy it made Jeff. When Matt and Shannon left, Joan and Jeff went to the practice ring, Joan had agreed to let her train by Jeff, thus training Jeff also. Jeff was a good teacher, he was a calm and easy person, which made it extremely pleasant for Joan. They decided to use her agility, strength and balance to make her a high flyer, but they started on the floor with basic stretches and movements and because she seemed to learn pretty fast, he even explained a twist of faith. They both in slow-motion practiced a few. “Why don’t you try a real one?” she asked, “it’s practice c’mon”
“but..”
“I can stand a little pain ok, c’mon.” Jeff agreed and executed a twist of faith, Joan staid down, “are you ok?”
“yeah! It’s..cool” she smiled and got up. “now you try” after a bit of stunning feints and practice she agreed and Jeff was happy with the result. When they got back inside they both startled, they’d been out for over three hours. Joan went to shower while Jeff made some food. They ate and then Jeff went to shower and Joan did the dishes. Then she went to check on the wolf, who still laid down all day, but ate and drank normally. The wounds were healing and she kept sedating her, because it was extremely necessary that she didn’t move to much, then the wound would start bleeding again. The animal had gotten a bit stronger though, she she only had to sedate every two hours now. Both exaggerated Jeff and Joan sat down in the sofa. “I’m so tired!”
“me too”
“should go upstairs..”
“…but then I need to climb the stairs.” They looked at each other and laughed, “let’s go!” they got up and went to bed. The next morning Matt arrived earlier then expected. Jeff and Joan had only just finished breakfast. He filmed Joan taking care of the wolf and how Jeff watched what she did over her shoulder. “Soon” Joan said. “she’ll be able to walk.”
“nice”
“what?! You’re going to let her walk around here?” everyone now looked at Shannon. “I mean..”
“We’ll hide her when you’re around, Shannon” Jeff said and then shook his head: “ a professional wrestler, afraid of a dog.”
“It’s a wolf.”
“potato, potado...same difference.”
A bit later They al went out side. “ok” Matt said half for the camera, half to the others, I suggest Joan first shows us how to really do it, if you like of course.” Joan looked at Matt nd then nodded “sure, but I was what so ever going to ride Stripes before I ut Jeff on her back. Her file says she’s all easy, but I want to experience that first!” Matt nodded “ok”
“What about with your horse?” Jeff said, “that show you potential.” Joan smiled. “sure, Jeff”
“ and the other one, THAT will show potential”
“Ok, I’ll ride Tynko and Stripes.” Jeff looked at her. “The arena isn’t quite an arena, I couldn’t show you a lot with my horse, but I will, once the arena is an arena.”
“ok, we’ll keep you to it” A few minutes later she longed Thynko. “This horse she said to the guys. Is trained, but has been handled wrong. Meaning he’s spoiled, like parents spoil there kids, so this horse has turned into…” the horse stopped walking, Joan tried to make him walk a again, the horse kicked and treat to bite. “heee!” Joan yelled, which seemed to startled the horse, then she hit the ground with the wipe she held in her hand the horse again startled and walked on. “…that” Joan continued. Trouble is I don’t really like to get to hard on a horse, but when it’s spoiled like this one…” she made the horse stop. “…I’ll have to. It’s sad I know” She got a saddle, she lifted it and just in time jumped away as the horse kicked. “see that’s not normal behaviour, she dropped the saddle and fast walked towards the horse, she looked totally fearless the horse lifted his head and startled when she walked towards her, waving her hands and arms brutally. He turned around and ran away from her. “What are you doing now?” Jeff asked. “because he is so spoiled he has no respect for humans. Horses have a hierarchy, like dogs, in that hierarchy, he now is leader, above men and that is never a good thing, so I’m going to try and tell this horse that Showtime’s over, meaning, I’m boss. When he kicked he said plain simply: frack off, I actually had to step back, because else he would have hit me, strike for him, but he’s not used to people coming back like this, I’ve got a strike too” smiled and Matt turned the camera at his face shrugged and then filmed how Joan made the horse run circles. Matt after while pointed the camera at his face again and raised his eyebrows, “let’s try this.” And then yelled to Joan: “Say Joan, isn’t it possible, he’s scared of the saddle?” Joan smiled and without looking away of the running horse responded plain simply: “no” Matt once again raised his eyebrow, but not towards the camera. :”do you get it?” he asked Jeff, who just shook his head. A bit later she made the horse stop and come towards her, she put the saddle on and once again sent him away, the horse was becoming tired and Joan, trying to avoid more difficulties, for today, called the horse back and took off the saddle. She escorted the horse to the pasture and called for stripes. Stripes seemed like a soft and gentle horse, she immediately came to her and made no problem what so ever when Joan put the saddle on her back or the bridle in her mouth. “Jeff?” Joan suddenly asked, “I just think of it now, could you hold her? I want to check on the dog first. “dog? It’s a freaking wolf!”
“yeah yeah Shannon, sure Joan!” Jeff grabbed the rein and Joan went inside. A bit later she came back, “sorry, she’s fine”
“no problem” Jeff said and handed her back the rein. Joan got up and the horse, as it should stood still until Joan asked her to walk. Joan did some simple exercises and decided this horse was ready to be ridden by Jeff. She got off and showed Jeff how to get on. She got a long rope and let the horse walk circles at this rope, “you know Jeff, when you’re not in control of a horse, things can go bad, when you do have control you choose how bad you go, so first we’re teaching you how to control your horse then how to play daredevil with it. Want a demonstration.”
“I believe you”
“that’s not enough, Jeff” She came towards him and removed the horses bridle and replaced it by a halter at the long rope, once again she made the horse walk. She called Matt and handed him the rope. Then she went to get her horse and saddle it, gave her to Matt and made Stripes Jog. “Hold on, Jeff” She made the horse gallop, Stripes nicely collected galloped, but Jeff sat pretty clumsy. Joan took her horse and asked Matt to open the gat of the arena, stumped he did as asked. Joan trotted her horse towards the open space that used to be Jeff bike area.
She galloped the horse. “You’re not going to be scared Jeff, and if you are, you’re gonna learn to control it, by learning to control her. Jeff looked at her and nodded, “alrighty then” she said. “hold on tight” and then galloped the horses in a straight line. She speeded them u and they race over the field then they walked the horses back. Jeff wasn’t as quiet as expected he was enthusiast and had felt ‘the kick’. They removed the saddles and went inside.