Double Trouble

Chapter 6

Sunday, Day 2 of Break

Mel's POV

I woke up and checked my clock: 5:20. Usually I should've been up 10 minutes earlier, but since it's break, Mom let's us all sleep in.

But I couldn't. I can't waste my valuable break time sleeping!

I tossed the warm, cozy blanket to the side, and swung out of bed. I peeled off my fleecy pajamas, and pulled on thick jeans, wool socks, a cotton long sleeved shirt, and my purple down jacket. I would probably replace the down jacket for something a little lighter later, but it's really chilly in these mornings!

I tip toed down the stairs, careful to not wake Julie or Art. Lucky for us, Art decided to stay here for his winter break away from college. Yay.

When I was downstairs, I pulled on my boots that fit my feet just right, then went out into the cold. The crisp air enveloped me, and I hunched down into my jacket, and half jogged to the barn.

When I got inside, I noticed that it was just me and Mom. No Liv. No Heather. No Cadee. It was strange! But I sort of liked it, I mean, don't get me wrong! I love my friends and I love that they come out all the time, but it's nice to have sometime to have my barn to myself. Aaaahhh.

I checked the white board that Mom updates daily. I looked at the chores that were listed for me in a fun, green pen.

It was usually the same things each day. Feed, clean stalls, switch blankets, let certain horses out, etc.

But I decided to check who Mom assigned me to work with today. She also puts lists up for that, too. I saw that it was Secret, Rocky, Chex, and Lux.

I grinned, happy to get to work with a mini today! Secret, Rocky, and Chex were all horses you could ride, but Lux was a cute chestnut and white paint mini, and she was really cute! We only got her about 3 weeks ago, along with some other minis, such as Minnie, Lucy, and Troy. 

I had a flashback to when we got them. I remember we brought our bigger horse trailer, and drove about an hour away from here. What we saw was heartbreaking.

There was a house trailer, and only a small, muddy pen for the 4 minis. There was no grass-it had been so rainy it had turned into mud, and the minis had eaten most of it. 

When I took a look at the minis, I almost threw up. They were skin and bones, and Troy was laying on the ground, he couldn't even get up. I saw him look at us with pleading eyes, and I actually started to tear up. 

"Julie and Mel, you girls get the three that are standing. I'll look at the one that's laying down," Mom said calmly. That's Mom, always calm during rescues.

We hurried into action. The horses had halters luckily, so we quickly haltered the 3 and they knew that they were leaving. They didn't know where they were going, but I know that they were happy to leave that mud pit!

They easily loaded, and then we went to go help Mom. 

"Is he going to make it?" I choked out quietly.

"If we can get him standing and in the trailer, I think he will," Mom said.

The three of us were able to help him stand up, and slip the little halter on. He also knew he was leaving, so he tried as hard as he could to take strong steps to the trailer, and after minutes of hobbling towards the trailer, we got him in. We closed the door and latched it, and then the owner came out of the trailer.

"What are you doing with my horses?!" the middle aged man yelled at us from his dirty trailer.

"We are seizing your horses, and you will be reported for animal abuse. You have been neglecting these horses, so we are taking them away," Mom said in her professional voice.