Blue {Completed}

Chapter 14

I finally finish setting down my new saddles. I hear a distant whinny, from one of the front pastures. I pop my head out and pretend to whinny back to Blue. He pricks his ears, from what I can see, and lopes back away from the fence. He spins around and speeds up, towards the fence. Not even four feet away from the fence, he jumps. He stretches his shiny neck out and lands on all four feet, slightly tripping over his own hoof. I run and grab his halter at his stall, only to be met at his stall by Blue. I clip his lead on and tie him up, grabbing the new saddle pad, saddle and bridle to tack him up. He snorts when I let him smell the new leather. I lead him out into the arena and, quickly, hop on. He jolts forward and I slow him to a soft lope. I take him around a couple of laps, between short bucks and a slight rear. He yanks at the bit, nearly tearing the reins out of my hands.

" Blue! Easy boy!" I shout. He snorts and keeps galloping around. I just let him keep galloping around the arena, which is filled with pool noodles, other objects to introduce him to, and a tarp laid across the ground. He spooks to the right and accidentally runs over the tarp, crow hopping along the way. I bounce up and down, forward and backward in my seat. I eventually turn him to the gate and slide off of him. I stroke his hot neck, whispering soothing words to him.

" It's okay Blue, you're okay." I slowly undo the cinch and slide he saddle and the pad off, resting it along the fence. I walk up to him and unclip the throat latch, taking the bridle off and setting it over the saddle. I grab his lead shank and clip it onto his halter. I lead the tall, energized stallion over to the makeshift tunnel made of blankets. He slowly, and carefully, takes a few steps in. We emerge from the mass of blankets and he quickly steps away from it and doesn't notice the pool noodle obstacle in front of us. I step through the five noodles and he tosses his head in the air. I reach through, slowly petting his soft cheek. He bravely steps through and I reward him with a treat.

" Now that is what I call a mustang makeover," Sara says from behind the fence. Blue pricks his ears forward.

" He goes from a wild, reckless stallion to a sweet gentleman.What happened to the tack and riding?" I shrug, leading Blue over for Sara to pet.

" Hey! We're trying. Just working up to it, by bomb proofing him first." She chuckles softly and grabs the tack, bringing it back into the barn. I turn Blue away from the gate and lead him over to the tarp. He locks in place, ears alert. I rest the lead over his neck and step onto the tarp. He lowers his head and, cautiously, sniffs it. I reach my hand out, asking for him to step forwards. He eyes both the tarp and me suspiciously and places one hoof on the blue tarp. It makes a loud crinkle noise, making Blue step back once.

" Hey. No, no, no. Come back!" I sarcastically whine. He touches my palm with his muzzle and steps forwards, soon reaching me.

" Good boy, Blue!" I praise him and give him a treat, patting his neck. I grab his lead and lead him over to the barrels. He sniffs them easily, an idea pops into my head. What if we could work on the barrels sooner than planned? I stare up in awe at the beautiful, glossy, muscly, tall stallion. Let me rephrase that. My beautiful, glossy, muscly, tall wild stallion. I take a picture of him in the nicely lit arena and send it to Sara and Cody, wishing he could be here right now. I know, it sounds and looks pretty stupid sending a picture to my friend who is just a few meters away, but now she can look at him when ever she wants. Even in her own stables. I place a kiss on his muzzle and walk him out and into the barn, clipping him to the crossties.

" Thanks for sending me that cool picture of Blue." Sara says from Daisy's stall.

" No problem." I reply. After grooming his perfectly pretty coat and picking his feet out, with some hesitation from him, I lead him back into his stall. After locking him up and checking his water, I turn to Sara. She looks up from her phone and smiles.

" You know the rodeo that's coming up?" She asks me.

" Ya, why?" She smirks even more.

" I think you should compete in barrel racing with Blue!" I raise my eyebrows at her.

" Are you crazy?! He hasn't even gotten used to his tack yet! And I just introduced him to the barrels not too long ago. What makes you think that I can-" She cuts me off.

" I believe in you. You're Hayley Barnes. You finished the barrels in 11 seconds on Spring. If you can do that on Spring, you can definitely do that with him in four weeks." My eyes widen.

" Four weeks?! Please, it took my mom at least one year to master just 13 seconds." She now raises her eyebrow at me.

" Yes, but that is your mom. She isn't you." She stands there for two seconds before leaving into her truck, waving goodbye to my mom through the kitchen window. I watch her truck roll down the road, and out of my sight.

" What do you think, Blue? Can we get you to master barrels in four weeks?" He neighs out loudly and paws the wooden shavings, triumphantly.

" Yes? Me too." I pat his neck and make my way up to the hay loft. Bringing down four flakes of hay and throwing the into each stall, passing Dodger's old and empty stall.

A/N
Hey everybody! How do you think this book going? How many chapters should be in this book? By the way, I have a plan ahead of time (about two or three chapters after this one)! Thanks so so much for reading!
-Acacia