The large Belgian mare towers over me as she rears up in resist. I've been trying to groom her for the last 15 minutes and she still won't let me. I drop the brush, and slowly walk away, backwards. I just get into binding behind a truck when I bump into somebody. I turn and meet eyes with Matt.
" What do you think your do-" I cut him off with my hand over his mouth.
" Shh! I'm trying to calm this mare down. Be quiet." I harshly whisper. We both crouch behind the truck and wait 5 minutes. I look up a tad bit and see that she is now just boringly standing there. I slowly get up and turn around the truck. She immediately lifts her head and pricks her ears. Her nostrils quiver and I reach a hand out for her too smell. I recently rubbed it in grass to hide any unknown scents. She slowly stretches her head and neck out and takes a big sniff of my hand. She nuzzles it playfully and let's me groom her dusty coat out. For just a 3 year old, she is at least 17 hands high! I ask her to pick her good up and it takes a solid 30 seconds just to move her hoof. After a mucky, brown mare steps into my 'grooming salon' she gets turned out, a glossy, golden dream. I mark her down, number 47 on my list. I've groomed 47 horses so far, some just needing their hooves picked out, others need a rough, hard groom. Scott points out my last pasture of the day and to my surprise, it's Blue's! I excitedly swing the gate open and hear Scott call from behind me.
" You need to exercise the stallions, make sure they get some time to themselves!" I secretly grin and make my way towards a black paint. He stomps his hoof, aggressively. There is a sharp squeal that cuts through the air and the next thing I know, Blue has his teeth chomped around the base of the paint's neck. I throw the lead at the two and separate them with a chestnut mare. She pins her ears at the two and Blue calms down. I halter the paint and lead him out, leading him into the barn attached to the arena. Soon after exercising 'Pedro' I call to Scott,
" I'm just going to do one more! Be right there!" I jog beside Pedro and turn him loose in the small paddock and head towards Blue. He pricks his ears, eager to see me. I stroke his cheek and kiss him.
" Hey boy. Miss me?" He bobs his head up and down twice. I let out a small chuckle and slip the halter over his face ad lead him into the barn. It's about seven o'clock and it's reasonably dark. I cinch him up in an English saddle and lead him out. I take in a deep breath and mount him, he shifts underneath me as I fasten my feet in the stirrups. I walk him over to the two paddocks and two round pens full of horses. Drafts, ponies, whites, bays, blacks, paints and so on. Then I think about the other horses in the barns and quickly jump off Blue and unlock all the stall doors. Blue neighs out to them and they trot over to him. Clever Blue. I unhitch the gates from the outside horses' pens and they bunch up in a group with Blue in the front.
As I approach, the smooth, black saddle gleams on his back. I rub his neck and swing up on him. I click and cluck to the others and steer Blue towards the huge fence opening that we have to fix tomorrow. Not me! They all surprisingly follow and I ask everyone for a fast trot, just to keep the seniors and foals with us. I watch Pedro and a grey mare trot down someone's driveway and into an open pasture gate. That must be their home. I watch as at least one third of the horses disappear down dirt driveways and concrete roads. The loud but muffled thump thump of their hooves echo through my head as I lead them to where my map and compass, I brought, say home is. I watch some lights flick on and a couple of people watch as I go by.
I feel like the leader of the heard, along with Blue. Every horse that may accidentally stray away, he neighs to them. Every two to three minutes, I look behind me checking for any down horses or foals or seniors that are being left behind. If I slow Blue down, the whole herd slows down. They trust me.
After another hour, I have only around 80 horses left. I have had one owner who literally ran up to her horse, mounted her, thanked me and rode back home. Her face was glazed with tears. I'm glad that I am bringing many horses back home. I take a familiar corner and pass a large boarding/breeding stable and half of my horses disappear down the path. I feel a smile creep onto my face. Blue cranes his neck and head towards me and I give him a pat on his neck.
" Good boy, Blue!" He pricks his ears at me and tosses his head in excitement. I let out a chuckle and look up, watching the nearby trees pass us by. I listen to a couple more hoof beats clopping down some paved drives, fading slowly away. Finally, I search behind us and find only two horses following us. One mare looks like a brown and white paint from the moonlight, but I'm not entirely sure. The other is a chestnut gelding with a large patch on his shoulder.
Cody's POV
I pace Hayley's room, thinking hard. Where could she be? What are they doing to her? I check the clock, 12:23 pm. I sigh and slump down on her bed. Looking at some pictures on her wall, I make up my mind to go see Spring and Rock. I slip my boots on and quietly open the door, I oiled it earlier so it would stop squeaking. I stop, hearing the sound of echoing hoofbeats. I snap my glance up the driveway and my heart skips a beat.
" Hayley?!"
YOU ARE READING
Blue {Completed}
AdventureHayley Barnes lives on a horse ranch with her brother, father and mother. They all have horses except for her. Luckily, a mustang round up happens and she gets to save one horse. But, before the round up, her brother leaves to get a degree in becomi...
