The Great Expedition

Chapter 29

The pack traveled across the forest for days without really any problemes. Stardusts limp was slowly getting better thanks to the cool water she soaked it in every time they came across water. Her bruises were going away at a snail pace and most of her cuts were scabbed over. Her coat was back to being only one color and had not a speck of dust due to all the times she would lay in the water. The only thing that really bugged her was the bugs. They would buzz around her ears, eyes and muzzles. When the bites on her back got to itchy, Cobalt would run his teeth over them until the itch went away. Honeysuckle was getting more frisky and most of the time got on the other horses nerves. All 18 pairs of thoracic spinal nerves and 6 pairs of lumbar spinal nerves 2x. Honeysuckle would often go into bucking fits until she got dizzy or one of the horse kicked her. When they drank water, she would often take a mouthful of water and spray it all over Stardust and Cobalt. While grazing, Honeysuckle would chew some grass and spit it out.

Cobalt was ready to ditch her and just carry on the journey with Stardust. The only thing about staying with the pack was that he had Stardust. At least he had some company instead of being alone 24/7 like before he met them. Stardust was getting annoyed with Honeysuckle. At this point she should have left the mare at the farm. Honeysuckle was just being annoying because she wanted attention. Lately all the attention was between Cobalt and Stardust. Honeysuckle liked it when it was just her and Stardust and she got all of the attention. Over the period of being in the forest Stardust got less afraid of water. Whenever they had to cross some water, Stardust was usually the first on in and it was now Honeysuckle who was a bit hesitant. 

Whenever they were on a break, Stardust would continue to teach Cobalt how to do some dressage moves and Cobalt would practice late at night when Stardust and Honeysuckle were sleeping. At the end of the week he mastered a leg yeild and was working on a collected trot to be able to move on to a passage later. Cobalt could not understand how to collect his body and shorten his step and keep it like that for a long period of time. More times then he could count, he would stumble or fall. When Honeysuckle was interested in learning some moves, Stardust tried to teach her but Honeysuckle would goof off or would get mad and go into one of her fits. Bucking and spinning in circles, it was best if Stardust stayed away from the flying hoofs until she calmed down. Once Kristie started riding them again, she would have her work cut out for her with Honeysuckle. Honesuckle had to get used to a rider again and how to behave while be ridden. Back at the farm Honeysuckle had a hard time when someone asked her to do something or when she did not want to do something. Never mind now when she had not been ridden for nearly two months. 

If Kristie kept all three of them, she would have to halterbreak and teach Cobalt ground manners before she even thought about sitting on him. Who knew if Cobalt had bee trained or if they had just set him free in the forest. Kristie would have to get him used to all kinds of stuff and act like a domesticated horse. Then she would have to get him used to being lunged, then she could slowly start putting gear on him before sitting on him. Kristie would also have to figure out what Cobalt was best suited for. Whether it was three day eventing, dressage, cross country, show jumping or hunter. She would also have to get back all the muscles Stardust lost and get her used to jumping again. Three horses was a lot to ride for one person who was in school for about 7 hours a day. And three horses are expensive when you are boarding them. At least on the farm they did not have to pay someone to keep the horses. 

As they traveled through the forest, they noticed that the trees were starting to vanish and were being replaced by homes. One night they took shelter in an abandoned barn. Being in a stall again was really nice for Stardust and Honeysuckle. That night Cobalt slept outside because he had never been in a stall probably ever. Another thing he would have to get used to. Cobalt was a bit sad to be outside all by himself and that Stardust had not offered to stay out with him but he did not want to back down and go sleep in a stall after he made such a big fuss about it. It would ruin his pride and his masculinity. Being in a warm barn again made Stardust remember what it was like and how much she had missed it. In the morning the three horses mowed some of the over grown grass before continuing. Soon the trees became fewer and fewer until they were just buildings. The herd passed many children walking to school or waiting for the bus.

As the horses passed, lots of children ran towards them. There were no cars on this little road. Coablt and Honeysuckle shied away from the children running towards them but Stardust stayed where she was and allowed all the pats. After a while Honeysuckle came up to Stardust, clearly wanting some of the attention for herself. Cobalt still refused to come closer to the children and when one of them tried to walk over to pat him, Cobalt reared up. The child got spooked and ran back over to Stardust and Honeysuckle. Some of the children talked about lassoing them and take them to school. Others talked about how to convince their parents to let them have three horses. Right as the bus turned down the street, the horses ran for cover. The children were sad to see them go but they quickly got over it by telling the bus driver and the other kids from other stops about the horses.

Author's note 

QOTD: What are you? An only child, Oldest, Middle child or youngest. And was is your perk?

I'm the oldest. Mine would be that I can be on my phone as long as I want until about 8:00 ad that even if I have been on my phone a long time my parents still let me go on the computer to write.