A Summer to Remember

A summer to Remember p. 6

Elizabeth's POV

After we untacked, we put our horses back in the paddock. I have to usually get someone to help me with Meg because she doesn't like the paddock or cross-ties. She was abused in the paddock and on cross-ties. Today, when we went down, Rialdo, Meg's field buddy, was already there. So we put Dr. Pepper, Sammy, and Midge in their paddock. But when we opened the gate, and led the horses inside, Meg started whinnying.

"What's wrong, Meg?" I asked. We shut the gate. She whinnied even more. We opened the gate and she walked forward. We opened it wider, and she walked in. We all looked uneasily at each other. But then Dr. Pepper, leader of the gang, walks over and rubs necks with her, walks over so he is by her side, and starts grazing. She and all the others start grazing too.

"Wow, that was weird. Meg doesn't go in paddocks unless Rialdo is with her. For her to want to go... Usually even with Rialdo you have to make her go. Shaking it off, we head back up to the barn.

Ally's POV

Okay. The mental check list? It had to be written out. I wrote it out and we got to work. My tack trunk is purple to match my showing colors. *sigh* it's a long story. Well, to make a long story short sort of,: When I didn't own Dr. Pepper, I got him a halter. It was purple. He would fight me every time I /tried/ to put it on. So, it's kinda a inside joke. He likes the halters that buckle by his jaw, this one buckled by his ears. At the time, I didn't know he hated them. Now I do. His halter is still purple, but the kind he likes. My saddle pads are purple, my helmet, my stirrups, my dressage blanket, all are purple. Ps a dressage blanket is a blanket that covers just their behind. His leg wraps and bell boots are even purple!

Ps again bell boots are boots that protect a horses ankles while jumping. Any way, all of that went into my trunk. Once we got all the basic stuff like that in, we cleaned our saddles, bridles, and grooming stuff. That all went in too. Soap, (saddle,horse, and regular all purpose tack soap) went in too. We got our peppermints, and treats and put them in too.

Alec's POV

I have to admit, riding Pepsi was fun. I learned some stuff, and fed her a carrot! That was fun. The weird thing was, I heard Meg whinnying while I rode and saw them let her walk in Dr. Pepper and their other horses field. I saw Jennifer shoot them a puzzled look and frown. I was a bit confused at this. I was like in my mind 'What the heck is wrong?!'

"Hey Alec, can you dismount for me?" she asked. I nodded and slipped off Pepsi's back.

"Is something wrong?" I asked. She gave me a nope-nothings-wrong-everythings-peachy-look, then Changed her mind and shot me a Naw dur look. Just then, Meg whinnied loudly. Jennifer didn't even bother with the gate. She hopped over the fence, and sped over to the field meeting Natalie, Sarah Grace, Elizabeth,and Ally on the way.

Jennifer's POV

They all had soap on their hands. I figured they had been cleaning tack. They had bothered to get halters and calming medications. They were so stupid to let Meg a mare and Dr Pepper a stallion in the same paddock together. When we got to the paddock, Dr. Pepper was nibbling on Meg's shoulder. Meg gave a whinny of great delight.

"Stop them!! Get them apart!!" Elizabeth hollers. Again, not bothering with the gate. We hop into the paddock.

Ally's POV.

By this time, Dr. Pepper was rubbing all over Meg. His own little sign of love. I walk up to Dr. Pepper, and brace myself. I know what he will do. It has happened with him and Meg before. Sometime, we ought to just let them breed. It's obvious they are in love. We pull Meg over to her paddock, her whinnying all the way in protest. And me, holding Dr. Pepper, who is kicking and bucking trying to get me to let go so he can go after Meg. I push him towards his stall. Whenever this happens, I force him in his stall, and feed him. It distracts him from his urge to be with Meg again. Yes, they have bred before. So I guess you could call them mates. Actually, Pepsi is their cute little foal. She is 3 years old now. Jennifer's POV

While Dr. Peppers eating, I medicate him. Ally stands by his head and strokes his neck in a hope to calm him down. Dr. Pepper raises his head and rubs his face on Ally's shoulder. I step out of the stall to let them play. But I stay by the gate. The first time this happened, Ally was stupid enough to get on him right after I medicated him. She got on and ended up with her butt planted hard on the ground. I wanted to make sure it didn't happen again. Also, I've always been a tiny bit jealous that she has a special place in his heart. She is one of the only people on this earth that he will let hug him and kiss and love on him.

Alec's POV

I heard Elizabeth yell desperately, 'Stop them!! Get them apart!!" And saw the horses rearing. I ran down to the paddock as fast as I could. I knew enough not to run n the paddock, so I walked over to Jennifer. A few seconds later another girl comes running up to the fence and jumps over. Gates are just to slow today I guess.

"What happened?!" she asks breathlessly. I thought I saw someone run out of the barn. I guess it was her.

"A few dumb-bells let Meg and Dr. Pepper in together, and pi**ed me off."Jennifer replies jerking her head at Ally and Elizabeth. I start to get angry. "It really was idiotic. They should have known that they usually get all lovey this time of year." Jennifer says. I start to fume.

"Ally is NOT an idiot. Neither is Elizabeth. Meg just wanted to be with her mate! Seriously, do you not understand that?!" I say. Jennifer spins, and stomps up to her office. "Whatever!!" she yells back at us. Ally and I start to walk up to the barn.

"Wow," she says, "you just ticked off Jennifer. That is not good." she laughs. I guess she forgot she was mad at Jennifer.

"No, I actually think it's a good thing," although I'm glad she didn't start cussing. When she gets ticked-off, usually the first time it's directed at you, you think your scarred for life. After a while, it becomes a tiny bit less scarring." she laughs. She has such a cute laugh. We walk into the tack room and I spin her to face me. She gives me a puzzled look. I step forward. She gets the message. My arms twine around her waist. I pull her close........

A Summer to Remember p. 7

Ally's POV

He pulled me close and my arms found their way around his neck. It was perfect. But just as his lips were about to meat mine, the door opens. We jerk away. In my head, I hear music like when you get eaten in Pac- man. Wah-Wha-Wha-Whaaa. Perfect 1st kiss ruined. Natalie's face crumbles.

"I'm soo sorry! I'll leave." she starts to rush off.

"It's okay," Alec and I say in unison. So Natalie grabs her bridle and rushes off.

"Now where were we?" Alec asks playfully. Again, my arms twine around his neck and his arms go around my waist. This time, our kiss was not interrupted. It was perfect. I have now accomplished 1 thing already this summer: I got Alec Hale to like me.