The Great Expedition

Chapter 10

Over the next few days more people came by the farm, picked up the horses they bought and left. More changes happened inside the house, more stuff was packed away in boxes and taped shut. Soon almost every surface in house was covered with boxes of stuff packed and empty boxes waiting for stuff to be packed into them. The only room that stayed relatively normal was Kristie's. Sure her room had boxes in it but none of her stuff was packed into those boxes. Sooner or later Kristie would have to start packing but she was procrastinating by taked multiple long trail rides on Stardust or one of the few horses still left on the farm. If she was not riding, she was spending time with Stardust trying to get her horse to forget about the friends that had left the place. So far her attempts were sorta working but the moment she left Stardust alone or in a paddock, she would start pacing up and down the fence line only stopping for a couple of seconds to rear up in the air. 

Oh baby please calm down. You are going to hurt yourself or wear yourself out if you keep doing that. Once Stardust heard Kristie's voice, she quit pacing and walked over to the gate either hoping to be taken out of the lonly paddock or to get a treat. Kristie went over to the gate and for the third time that morning, she grabbed the halter and lead rope that was attached to the gate, clipped it on to Stardust's face, opened the gate and lead her pretty grey mare out of the paddock. 

I will have to talk to mom about putting one of the few horses still on this property into the paddock you are in. Do to many horses leaving the farm, there were few suitable horses to go with Stardust. 

Honeysuckle could go in with you but you would probably get really annoyed really quick with her baby antics. Stardust bobbed her head. 

Should we go for a trail ride or just a walk with me beside you? Kristie asked her horse.

KRISTIE! Kristie's mother shouted. HAVE YOU RODE AMIGO AND HONEYSUCKLE YET? OUR FATHER DOES NOT HAVE TIME TO RIDE HIM TODAY.

IN A FEW MINUETES MOM. I'M JUST TAKING STARDUST OUT FOR A BIT TO STOP HER PACING.

THAT HORSE WILL NEVER GET OVER HER SEPARATION ANXIETY IF YOU KEEP DISTRACTING HER. HOW IS SHEGOING TO SURVIVE WHEN WE ARE GONE. 

FINE I WILL GO RIDE AMIGO BUT THEN I'm TAKING STARDUST OUT FOR A BIT THEN I WILL DO HONEYSUCKLE.

Sorry baby. I got to go ride another horse. Would you rather I put you back into your paddock or into your stall. Kristie got an idea. She led Stardust into the barn and cross tied her in the aisle She then went back outside but this time towards the geldiong paddock. Once at the gate she grabbed one of the two halters attached to the gate and walked towards Amigo. The bay gelding was pretty close to the gate so it did not take long to get him up to the barn and tied up facing Stardust. Kristie then went into the tackroom and grabbed her brushes and started to brush Amigo. After he was clean and since she had already brushed Stardust this morning, she went back into the tack room to grab his saddle, saddle pad, breastplate and bridal. after the saddle was secure on Amigo, Kristie got her boots and helmet on before unhooking Amigo to put on the bridal. Once everything was ready to go Kristie unhooked Stardust and led both horses outside the barn and into the ring that had a shoot. She then ground tied Amigo ad led Stardust over and into the shoot. Once both ends were closed she went back over to Amigo, led him over to the mounting block and mounted. Then she directed Amigo to walk over to the shoot. She unhooked one side of the shoot grabbed Stardust's lead rope and said.

Ok baby time to come out we are going on a trail ride. Once Stardust was out of the shoot, she directed Amigo and led Stardust out of the ring. After a while of walking Kristie squeezed Amigo into a trot, glad to be going faster Stardust tried to pull ahead but Kristie held on tightly to the rope and gave it a small tug. Stardust, who was not happy relectently slowed down. Once they got the the clearing Kristie dimounted ground tied Amigo and led Stardust over to the other side of the clearing and tied her to a tree. She then went into the forest near by and looked for a giant log. Once she found one she dragged it over to the end of the clearing where Stardust was tied, untied her and led her back over to Amigo. She then mounted Amigo and said 

We ready to try this? Kristie pulled Stardust closer to Amigo and reached down to unclip Stardust's lead rope. Once she was unclipped Stardust just stood there. Kristie pushed Amigo into a canter. Once Amigo was several feet away from Stardust, that was when her senses kicked in and Stardust started to gallop to catch up to him. Once she caught up to him she galloped ahead. Amigo pulled clearly wanting to go faster, Kristie held him back eventually he gave up and relaxed into a nice smooth canter. When Stardust looked back and saw that Amigo was not chasing her, she stopped and waited for him to catch up to her. Once Amigo surpassed Stardust galloped to catch up again. This happened for quite some time until Stardust realized that Amigo was not going race her. She settled into a canter matching Amigo stride for stride. After a while of cantering Kristie pushed Amigo into a gallop. Stardust raced ahead bucking as she went. After awhile she settled into a gallop again matching Amigo, stride for stride. After a few more laps of galloping Kristie slowed Amigo to a walk, Stardust still galloping sometimes throwing in a buck or two. After a bit more cantering fro Stardust she slowed to a walk and walked over to Kristie. Kristie leaned down and grabbed Stardust's halter and clipped the lead rope back on to the halter. The group then walked back to the farm.

Author's note 

QOTD: Do you have any pets? If you don't what pet would you want to own?

I own a boxer dog named Milo and a quarter horse named Flurry.