New Beginnings at Century Farms 2: The Rescue Horse Camp

Chapter 27

*the pic above is a pic of my cat Mo who is Mo in the story!

Mel's POV (a lot of the chapters now are going to be Mel's POV except for a few)

Finally! The day I've been waiting for for a month! Cowboy comes home today!!!!!

His stall is all ready. Fresh stall shavings, clean buckets, and his paddock is manure free! I made sure all of the pictures I had of him that were all tacked up on his stall door weren't falling off, and I took a cloth and wiped the dust off of the gold nameplate that said COWBOY. Yup, the stall was ready for Cowboy, and so was I!

At exactly 4:00, a trailer that said Kentucky State Veterinary on it rolled through the gates of Century Farms, and stopped near the barn. Mom and I rushed up to the trailer, and I could hear a horse stomping its hooves in it. Cowboy!

"Hi! Could you please sign here and here, and you can unload your pony," the lady driving the trailer said. Mom and I nodded simultaneously, and while Mom signed a paper on a clip board, I went in the side door of the trailer, and saw my baby. "Hi Cowboy! I missed you so so so so much!" I said as I hugged his soft neck. He leaned into my hug and rubbed his head on my shoulder. I laughed. "It's good to have you back."

I untied his lead rope, and then Mom opened the back of the trailer, and I backed Cowboy out of the trailer. He looked around, taking in the familiar setting. I thanked the trailer driver, and led Cowboy back to his stall.

"Mel, the vet said to just lead him around at a walk and jog for today, and you can ride him tomorrow at a walk, trot, and canter, and Friday you can do some small jumps. By Saturday you should be able to do any regular jumping with him, which will be perfect for Sunday," Mom said.

"Okay Mom! Thanks!" I said.

Wow, camp is almost over. It's kind of sad to think of that, because it also means summer is almost over, too. At least the show and adoption fair is soon, on Sunday, which means the horses at Century Farms will get the chance at a forever home they deserve.

I watched Cowboy as he munched on the hay that was in his hay net. I decided to stay with him and groom him while he rested from his long trip.

As I was grooming him, I saw the spots where he was hurt. His leg looked brand new, and there was barely a scar where he had stitches.

He seemed to like me brushing him, and I missed brushing his sweet bay coat. A while later, I led him around outside, and I led him on the Midway Lake trail, which he enjoyed a lot. I also jogged with him, too. To finish up, I had him do the tricks I taught him. Of course, he did them perfectly, and I gave him a huge kiss on the nose. Oh, how I've missed my Cowboy!

That night, I had slept better than I had in weeks, which was strange since I hadn't noticed anything off in the first place. The next morning I was out of the bunkhouse bright and early. I was the first one up, dressed, and out the door! My first day of getting to ride Cowboy after his surgery!

I rushed through morning chores, which still took a while. After eating breakfast with the campers, I ran outside and grabbed Cowboy out of his stall. Since I was going to ride him, I hadn't put him in his field this morning. I led him to the closest pair of cross ties, and clipped them to his purple halter I grabbed a pink, rubber curry comb and curried the hair and dirt off of him. Next, I took a bristly brush and sweep the hair and dirt that the curry had brought up off. Then, I picked his hooves with his new red hoof pick, then put his brush box away and grabbed his saddle and saddle pad.

I smoothed his lime green saddle pad on his back, then lightly set the brown leather English saddle on his back. Then, I did up the girth, and slid the bit into his mouth, and the crown piece over his ears. I clicked my helmet on, and we were out towards the outdoor arena.

I quickly tightened the girth and ran down the stirrups, then stuck my foot in the stirrup, and swung onto his back. Ah, this was my favorite place to be. In Cowboy's saddle. It was a good feeling as we walked around the ring. I gasped as I felt his trot. It's like he was never hurt!

I continued to take Cowboy through some easy exercises at a walk, trot, and canter. I didn't want to overwork him on his first day back at work, so we stopped much earlier than I would've usually. It was a good thing though, cause now I have time to work Chester and Pippa. I would only work Pippa lightly since it's the second day back and I didn't work her yesterday.

After putting Cowboy in his field, I groomed and tacked up Chester. The once anxious, hot blooded bay was now a more easy going guy. He can still be a little suspicious at times, but he's a million times better! I led him to the outdoor arena, and there were already jumps set up at the perfect height, so I didn't change them.

I mounted Chester and warmed him up. I was eager to start jumping him since he's ready to start jumping things bigger than cross rails and small verticals. The jumps that were out were about 2-2 1/2 feet, and there were four of them. There was one oxer, two verticals, and one plank that was painted to look like a brick wall. I decided it was time to start the small course, so I did the plank as a warm up jump since it is the smallest. Surprisingly, Chester took it really well and didn't shy at not being able to see through the jump.

I patted him after bringing him down to a trot, and then made him pick up the canter again. I swear, this horse never runs out of steam! I pointed him at the first jump-the plank-then counted strides in my head. When I got to the jump, I rose into two point, and we glided over the plank. Next, we cantered up to a plain white vertical, and cleared it, too. We popped over the next vertical, and finished the course perfectly by clearing the oxer.

"Way to go boy!" I cheered as Chester cantered away from the jump. I brought him back to a trot, and then a walk. I rubbed his warm neck and he arched it. He was proud of himself. I was too. He accomplished jumping a plank and an oxer! That's great for him!

I took him over a few of the jumps singly, then decided I would take him on his first trail ride. But, I will only take him if Heather or Julie can come with me.

I dismounted Chester and gave him a short break while I looked in the barn. The owners of Chester said he was trained to be ground tied, so I let his reins drop to the ground, and he stood there obediently. "Good boy, I'll be back in a minute," I said, then hurried towards the barn.

I found Julie first, and I asked her if she'd go with me. "Sure," she said. "Just let me tack up Zeke."

I walked back outside to Chester, where he was standing. "Good good boy!" I said, and gave him a hug. I mounted him again and walked him around.

Finally, a tacked up Zeke and Julie walked out of the barn.

A little while later, Zeke was tacked up, and we went on the trail. I decided to go on an easy trail for Chester's first trail ride.

•••

I led a cooled down Chester back into his stall after brushing him and untacking him. He surprisingly loves trail riding, which makes me think he'll be a good cross country star! We his athleticism and love of the trails, he will be unstoppable!

Next, I took Pippa on a short ride. She was great-as usual-and after that I hung out with Cowboy some more. Tomorrow I would finally be able to take him over some jumps! I've been waiting for this moment for over a month.....

A/N: hi everybody! How did u like this chapter? Are you guys glad that Cowboy is back? I have a question for you guys: for my next book, should I keep the same characters, or make new ones? It will take place in eastern Oregon, so I want your guy's opinions. Please keep reading I'm so close to 800 views!! Let's go to 900!! Thx bye guys!!