A Soul Rider's Horse - The Stories of All My Horses

Darkstar

   Steves farm was always crowded in the daytime so I'd taken to working Midnight in the paddock early in the morning, shortly after the sun rose. He'd come incredibly far, Midnight was almost at Ruby's level by now, and had potential to go even further. I leg yielded to the side of the arena and picked up a left lead canter. After going once around the ring I cut across the diagonal and did a flying change, something he'd been struggling with for a while. This time he got it after going once around on the right lead I let him walk and praised him. After I walked him out, I dismounted and walked out of the ring. Steve was waiting outside it, he tended to watch my training while doing the morning stable chores.  "Nice work" he commented as I put Midnight in my stable area. "Thanks" I replied. After a moment he said "I have a horse I want you to meet". Curious I followed him out to the paddock next to the barn. In it stood a few Friesians, most were grazing calmly but one was racing wildly around the paddock. Steve pointed at the galloping one. "Nobody's been able to catch him since we put him out there, we haven't even had the chance to name him yet since we've been so busy trying tame him". "Where'd you get him?" I asked watching the horse run. "Somebody found him roaming the Everwind fields. It's pretty unusual to see a wild friesian around here so we think he was abandon". "So you wanted to show me him?" I asked. "Yeah, I've seen you work with Midnight when you first came here he was a nervous wreck, now he looks like a show horse". The compliment filled me with pride, it was rare the stable owners like Steve complimented people's riding. "So let me guess, you want me to train him?" I asked. "Yup, and if you can train him he's yours" Steve told me. I'd been wanting a friesian since I first saw them here, but they were just to expensive for me to buy. The thought of having one excited me. But in order for that to happen I needed to tame this horse. After asking where it was, I was given his halter and a lead rope. I grabbed an apple from my bag on the way out. Steve had somebody move the other horses to the side of the paddock so they wouldn't be in the way. I had the feeling the food trick wouldn't work on this horse and that was quickly proven right when he completely ignored my apple. Even hiding the lead rope behind my back didn't work, he just didn't want to be approached. So instead of chasing him I walked over to a bench on one side of the paddock and sat on it leaving the apple next to me. I don't know how long I was there, at one point I dozed off. I woke to the sound of an apple crunching. I opened my eyes to see the friesian eating the apple that had been next to me. Not wanting to ruin what I had, I didn't grab the halter right away but instead sat there watching him. He finished the apple quickly and looked right at me. He was a beautiful horse, his black fur gleamed in the afternoon sun. I glanced behind me to see a few people watching, clearly surprised this horse was so close to me. I cautiously reached out to touch him and he bolted. After a moment, he realized I wasn't chasing him and trotted back over, probably trying to figure me out. This time he let me touch his nose and I just held my hand there until he pulled his head back. I slowly stood up and started to stroke his neck. He eyed me before finally relaxing. I stroked him for a while before finally picking up the halter and cautiously slid it on to his head. Once it was securely on I clipped my lead rope on to it and led him out of the paddock and into my stable area. I put him in a stall and gave him some hay. Long before I had this chance to get a friesian I'd been thinking up names to give one if I did, so I immediately knew what to call him. "Good boy Darkstar" I whispered to him as he munched his hay.