Cowgirls Don't Cry

CHAPTER NINE - KATIE

There was a tangible air of anticipation as we arrived at the rodeo grounds and began to set up among the myriad of other trailers, trucks and livestock scattered over the grounds. Kacey parked the truck, and he and Hallie headed to the front office to collect the paperwork for this afternoon's rodeo. Cash and Jesse slid out the bolts on the horse-trailer, and Flight's nervous whinny rang out as they lowered the ramp. For a competition horse, she really didn't travel well.

"Katie, you good to come unload Marlow?" Jesse called. "We'll see if we can get Flight to follow him out without too much stress,"

"Sure, good luck with Flight," I recalled the mare's antics this morning at home, and appreciated Marlow's manners all the more. Twisting open the door to the front section of the trailer, I untied the cheeky little gelding. He nickered and nuzzled the top of my head, the thick crest of his neck just level with my shoulders. I pushed against his chest with my free hand and clucked to him encouragingly. He obeyed immediately, stepping neatly backwards down the trailer's ramp.

Flight poked her pretty face over the divider, and whinnied. Jesse appeared beside me and ducked under her lead to untie the skittish mare. I followed Marlow down the ramp and stood with him just off to the side as Jesse guided Flight off the trailer.

To be fair, Flight was only three and a half, and Hallie and Mr Chandler had hand-broken her, meaning the mare was really more of a filly, and although she'd had a fair bit of sideline experience already, this would be Hallie's first full competition season on her. Flight had a lot of promise and skill, and would take Hallie far, but first she had to get her settled down and learn to travel and handle a lot easier.

Even now, Flight had her head arced up, ears back as she sprang down the ramp, snorting and shying as Jesse did his best to keep both of them grounded. For someone with such a lanky frame, Jesse was pretty strong, and his rough hands were gentle and easy, soothing the mare.

"Hey now, you're okay," Jesse spoke softly as he worked, keeping his voice calm and low as he stepped closer to the mare and rubbed her neck. "Look, Marlow's there, and Hallie'll back soon, and there's a net full of hay for you right here,"

Flight relaxed as Jesse stroked her neck and released the pressure on her halter. Soon the young mare was tied up securely next to Marlow at the trailer, nose in a hag net and her muscles relaxed after the trip.

"Quite the handful, isn't she?" I commented, as I reached under Marlow's neck to unclip his rug.

"You don't say," Jesse replied dryly, as he did the same with Flight. "I don't know how Hallie deals with her on a daily basis, I'd take Milla any day,"

Jesse's own horse was a quiet liver chestnut mare, trained for rodeo and cattle work. She was a pretty little quarter horse, with a flaxen mane and tail and a thick white blaze and socks.

"She is a sweetheart," I agreed, tugging Marlow's rug off over his back. "But of course I'm loyal to my gorgeous boy,"

Marlow nickered as I stroked his nose, before nestling his head back in the hay net and resuming his breakfast.

"Well, since these two are good to just settle in for around an hour, how about we go check out the arena?" Jesse suggested, folding Flight's rug and tossing it down next to Marlow's.

"Sounds good," I agreed, pulling my cap down over my loose braid and giving Marlow a final pat. "Let's go check out our competition!"

"That, too," Jesse laughed. "Hey Cash, you good to watch the horses for a while?"

"Sure thing, just keep out of trouble, alright, little brother?" Cash replied, only half-joking.

Jesse smirked and saluted as we walked away, navigating the trailers and trucks that were beginning to set up all over the field.