Along For The Ride

Chapter 12

"shhhh boy it'll be ok". I said to Aslan as he moved back as I was tightening his bandage. His ears swing to face me and he stopped moving allowing me to tie the knot.

He nickered in pain and dropped his head to the feed pan, eating some of his grain.

I opened the door to the stall and walked out closeing it behind. I released my ponytail from its holder and slapped my hair up into a bun. Walking over to the mucking pile I grabbed a shovel and a wheel barrel. Slowly rolling it to one of the empty stalls.

Sighing I walked into the stall and started putting all of the Hay into the wheel barrel. "hmmm" I said to myself . As i started thinking about what Beaus future can hold I mean I want to and would love to train him in the western style. He's honestly to heavy to carry jumps, but he has really good stamina from what I've seen. When I train him I guess we could also stud him. Him and Melody seem to make a great pair. I. Shrugged, I'll just have to ask dad.

I looked over too him and he looked up like he felt me watching .him and nickered. I smiled and rolled my eyes finishing up mucking I rolled out the wheelbarrow. I climbed up the ladder to the hayloft and threw down a bale of hay to put in the stall. Jumping down I picked up the bale and put it in the stall spreading it out.

After that was done I looked at the clock. The clock said that it was half past 11. I smiled, it was time to exercise Beau. I grabbed his lead rope and put it on him, leading him out of the barn and into the outdoor arena with the corral fencing. I opened the entrance and led him in. Picking up a lunge line I attached it too him and picked up a whip in my other hand. "walk on" I said to him and lightly flicked the whip up. He slowly started to walk around me in long wide circles. " woah" I called to him and lightly pulled back on the lunge line. He stopped and turned to face me. I smiled and called out to him "good boy!!" I praised an threw a carrot to him he neighs and eat it up looking back at me.

"walk on" I stated clicking my tongue to teach him to respond to sounds and flicking my whip. He started to walk really slow like an old grandpa but picked up the pace into a forward walk when I clicked my tongue. I smiled and cracked the whip making him go into the trot. His trot was beautiful, he lifted his feet up like a perfect gentleman and raised his head high. I noticed that he was starting to tire out so I gently pulled back on the lunge line leading him to a walk. After going around me too more toimes I brought him to a walk.

"good boy!" I praised giving him a whole carrot and rubbing his sweating neck. I didn't want to overwork him untill he healed, but I wanted him to stay in shape. I took off his lunge line, putting him back on his leadrope and dropped the whip. Slowly opening up the gate and leading him into the barn.

I picked up one of my curry combs that were laying around and , put Beau in the cross ties. I held up the curry comb to his noes so he Could sniff it and become a costumed to it. He sniffed it tentatively and lipped it with his mouth for a minute before dropping it. Obviously finding nothing interesting about it. I slowly walked to his right wither and started brushing in a circular motion on his back, staying away from his hooves. He pricked his ears up and looked straight at me as if asking if I was mentally ok. I laughed and continued brushing his soft silky coat, making sure to get the sweat stains out.

He was so beautiful I couldn't believe that he was mine. I finally have the one thing I've wanted for so long. A dream horse. I cant wait until he's healed so I'll be able to train him. I felt a nugeing on my arm and looked over. Beau was nuzzling my jacket pocket in search of food. "don't worry Bubba you'll get some food" I laughed scratching him behind the ears. He stretched out his neck to me and puckered out his lip. Clearly enjoying it.

I walked into the tack room and grabbed an apple walking back out, and handing it to him. He Winnie's and reached toward the apple, eating it in two bites. "hungry much" I questioned and laughed moving to his left side too brush him out.

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After I was done brushing him I unclipped the cross-ties from his halter and walked him back into his stall. Locking the gate I turned and inspected each stall making sure they were locked. When I started walking up the steps I froze hearing a lonely howl rise up threw the forest.