Under The Saddle (Horse Story)

n i n e // a fresh challenge

I plopped down on the couch and grabbed the remote, turning the channel onto some equestrian channel. I was exhausted from pony club and almost ready to fall asleep, but waking up at 6:30 was definitely worth it.

I watched show jumping for a while then pulled out my phone, I had three messages. One was from dad saying he would be back in half an hour, and the other two were from the mystery number.

I stared at his halfhearted response, confused as to why he'd replied so bluntly. Sliding my phone into my pocket, I focused on the television, pushing everything that had happened today to the back of my mine. 

Thankfully, it wasn't long before I heard the car pull into the driveway, and thankful for the distraction, I jumped up from the couch, flicking off the TV. 

A fresh wave of nerves hit me when I opened the door, the car was attached to a float, and in that float were three horses, all banging around loudly. 

Swallowing the fear, I ran over to help him unload the horses. One was a chestnut stallion, a thoroughbred, his ribs easily visible through the dull coat. His eyes were wide and terrified, and his ears were pinned flat back. The second was a small pony that had obviously been abused, her dark liver chestnut coat was almost not visible through the coating of mud and she held her head low in surrender. It hurt to see a horse like this.

The last was an appaloosa mare, obviously a mustang in from the wild. She was around the same height as Breeze, and she looked around curiously. She shifted nervously, but was no where near as aggressive and terrified as the first, cautiously jogging beside Dad as he led her to one of the finished paddocks.

I led the little pony over and put her in the same paddock, however it took us at least half an hour to ease the chestnut thoroughbred into his own paddock.

"You can choose names," Dad said, smiling at me from the corner of his eye.

"Really? Thanks." I smiled. The chestnut looked wild, free and stubborn. Liked the names storm and spirit but they were too popular, I wanted a name that was different. Then it came to me. Phoenix. After mum's horse, he looked so much like mum's Phoenix.

"Phoenix." I said, "the chestnut is Phoenix." I saw sadness flicker over dad's face before he smiled and turned to the other two.

The little liver chestnut seemed nice, but she seemed sad and depressed. I decided she needed a cheerful name, one that brought her up a bit. Promise, Liberty and and Hope came to mind, hope didn't work because she had already given up hope, mind you, I had hope in her.

I decided Hope would be the Appaloosa and Promise is the liver chestnut. Dad liked the names and I then remembered Painted Bay still needed a better non-racing name, Liberty suited her, so Liberty it was.

I did a bit of lunging and work with Liberty, brushing her coat till it gleamed and plaiting her mane and tail. She really was a sweet horse, she loved people and attention.