Forever Wild (english)

Chapter 9

*Simone's POV*

Sanchez walks down the path and I can't help but close my eyes.

The sun is shining, warming up the forest and myself. But it's not too warm, the sun is gradually becoming colder as we are getting closer and closer to autumn. This is actually the first afternoon with bearable weather where it doesn't feel like I am about to melt into a puddle.

This is one of the things I like the most about living out on the country. We can ride almost everywhere we want, and won't have to walk on asphalt to get anywhere.

The only thing that's annoying about this place is that I have no neighbors and therefore ride alone almost each time.

I'm not complaining that I get to ride as much as I want to. It's actually really nice most of the time but in the long run I can't help but feel lonely.

Ashley and Harper get to ride together almost every day if they want to. They have their horses at the same stable, and if one of them are unavailable, they have dozens of others to ride with.

That's always been one of my dreams, and if everything goes tight it might actually happen this year.

Dad joins us on a trail ride every now and then, but it's no more than three times a month. And when I ride at least five times a week on Chez, it feels like I am all alone around here.

I would much rather ride horses though, than working with everything he does. So I can't really complain that he doesn't join me more often.

We arrive at a river deep in the forest and I make Chez stand in the middle of it. I make him stand there for a while, as I am studying the trees, the sun and the sounds.

The sun is hanging lower on the sky than it did last week, these days are going by way to fast. Winter is approaching steadily and I am not prepared at all. I know that I have to survive autumn first but once summer is over all I can think about is snow and winter.

The winter is a beautiful season. When the snow lay on the trees and the sun make it glitter the nature can't be more magical. But it is so incredibly cold. And everything freezes.

Sometimes I wish I could have been a bear. Just sleeping through the cold and unmerciful weather.

After standing in the water for almost 20 minutes I make Chez walk forwards. He appreciated standing there, and were able to drink some water as well. So he is ready for the last part of the hack at least, apart from having to warm up one more time.

"Or what do you say Chez? Won't say no to stretch your legs properly now?" I smile and pet his neck.

He throws his head up and forwards before powerwalking.

I just shake my head and laugh, "You're a weird one".

We walk for a good 10 minutes before I ask him to trot. He responds almost before I get to ask him, and I can't hide my smile. Even if it's boring with hack alone Chez always make them better.

And they are not so bad when I first get out as well. It's just the thought about them that are boring.

He trots at an even pace and I can just hold lightly in the reins.

The birds are chirping from everywhere, and every once in a while a couple flies up from the bushes in front of us. Chez doesn't really care about them, but sometimes his movement will freeze for a second before continuing at the same pace.

Far away I hear the water herring in the river, and something that sounds like galloping hoves.

As far as I know, nobody knows about this trail. I look around confused and listen carefully. There is no one to be seen, and the sounds are gone.

I shake of the feeling of someone watching us and focus on the path in front of us. It's slowly turning in to an old forest road.

Based on my earlier mistake I shorten the reins and prepare myself for what's about to happen. Chez already knows what we are about to do and start misbehaving by dancing on the place and trying to get the reins out of my hands.

When we get out on the road I ask for canter and he answers right away.

He shoots forwards, and I am surprised he doesn't try to buck. Instead his ears are pointing straight forwards and I can feel that he just wants to run today.

I stand in the stirrups, it goes so incredibly fast and I can't help but laugh.

It feels like I have gotten wings, and we're about to run to the sky. The adrenaline is building up and I get tears in my eyes from the wind.

I feel unstoppable.

Chez's hooves are beating rhythmic on the ground, but his breath is starting to get heavy. He won't stop before I ask him, even when he is getting tired.

I see the road ending in the distance and I start taking him back to trot. The last meters before we get on the path again we have a collected canter, before I finally get him back to trot.

He snorts excitedly and tries to break out in canter again.

Fit devil.

After a little bit of fighting with him I get a slow trot again. We trot until his breath have calmed down and I get him back to walk once more.

After only a couple minutes of walking we reach the end of the forest, and reach our huge grass fields.

Behind the grass fields are our stable and to the right of the stable I can see the other horses.

These grass fields are where we get our own produced hay for the winter, and at the end of the summer we let the horses graze down what we couldn't turn in to hay.

One of the worst days in the year is when we have to put up the power cord around the field. Because that's a lot of meters to walk. Luckily we don't have to put down all the fence posts as well, then we would never have been able to make it in a day.

When we are almost at the end of the field I jump off and loosens the girth a notch. I always lead the horses I have ridden the last bit to the stables, because I think they deserve it after carrying me around for a long time.

I loosen the girth another notch before we enter the stable, and once more when I have put him in the wash bay. I usually untack the horses there, that way I am able to cool them down faster or use the solarium during colder days.

After untacking Chez I wash of his sweat before getting rid of the water with a sweat scraper. Then I put him out in the paddock again, and take Space with me back to the stable.

After putting on his western gear we make our way to our closest arena.

I usually use this arena, even though it is the smallest. But since it is closest to the stable it is easier to use it. Also my dad are able to see me from his office, so if something were to happen, he could see it.

This arena is mostly sand and very heavy for the horses to work in, almost like riding on the beach. Someone think that this is bad for the horses, but we have only had good results from it.

I use it almost every time I ride western, and most of the times I ride dressage. Jumping and pole work happens on the other arena, since the poles are located there and to get some variation in the surface.

Space gently dults his nose to my back and looks playfully at me. He loves to work, and even though he is getting old his body are in very good condition.

His work ethic is always on top, and he will always try his best to please the rider.

I itch his forehead for a while, before checking the girth and mounts.

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Word count: 1410