𝙳𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝙳𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚛

Ten

Weeks later, Isla prepared to pack her stuff for her next competition in Tryon, NC. Not having Dagger watch her as she packed her things in the barn aisle was strange.

Isla was lost in her thoughts when Jay laid a hand on her shoulder, startling his daughter.

"It's just me, munchkin. Are you ok? Where's Kailey? I thought you said she was going to be here." Jay asked, looking at his daughter sitting in the aisle outside Navajo's stall, trying to organize her tack box, ensuring she had everything she needed for her competition.

"I think so. Not having Dagger here when I pack up for a show is weird. It's throwing me for a loop, and I don't know if I have everything. Kailey came out earlier; since something came up, she'll be here to put Ghost on the trailer." Isla told her father honestly. Jay nodded.

"Can I help you?" Jay asked, sitting down next to his daughter. Isla nodded. "Maybe we should get you to travel tack boxes for competitions, so you have everything you need ready to go each time," Jay suggested, making a mental note to remember that as a Christmas or birthday gift.

Isla chuckled, agreeing with her father.

The two then went through everything Isla had scattered out, organizing it inside the tack box to Isla's liking, making sure to pack some extra things in an emergency. Isla grabbed her tack box cover that read.

Isla Marie Halstead

5021 Charlie

High Meadow Stables

Isla was happy to have her tack box packed and ready to go. It was ready to be wheeled onto the trailer once Anna was prepared for the trailer to be loaded.

"Ok, so that's done. What's next?" Jay asked his daughter.

"Umm, now I have to bathe Ryder. Do you want to help me?" Isla asked her father.

"Sure, munchkin. I'll grab your bathing supplies for Ryder and meet you in the wash stall." Jay said.

"Ok, where's mom?" Isla asked, curious as to why her mother wasn't there with her. Hailey was always there when helping Isla pack up for competitions.

"She was going to come but got called in for a case. Voight said he only needed one of us, so I wanted to come out and help you."

"Oh. Ok. I'll meet you in the wash stall." Isla said.

The two parted ways, meeting up at the wash stall as planned. Isla walked Ranger into the wash stall, clipping him to the cross ties, while Jay got the bucket filled with soapy water.

Isla then brushed Ryder's tail, putting it in a quick braid, so it wouldn't get tangled when he swatted his tail at the flies.

They get started bathing Ryder, working around each other effortlessly. Isla was working on Ryder's neck and shoulders, while Jay was working on Ryder's legs. Isla smirked before ringing her sponge out right about Jay's head.

"Hey," Jay said, dunking his sponge in the bucket of water before standing up and doing the same thing to Isla.

An all-out water war broke out between the father and daughter. Isla grabbed the entire bucket of water, tossing it all over Jay, while Jay grabbed the hose and sprayed Isla.

By the end of it, Ryder was half-bathed, and the two looked like drowned rats. The two laughed at each other before returning to the task.

Eventually, they finished bathing Ryder and put him back in his stall.