Buddha on Pride

Chapter 4

* Just a heads up that yes, i am skipping ahead 3 years at a time for the first 5 chapters because nothing major starts to happen up until Kaci is about 16. Thank you for patiently waiting why i have writers block! Now it is back and ready to go! THANK YOU! - Ally Pawloski *

Chapter 4
* 5 years later *
( Kaci is 14 years old, Buddha is 7 at this time )
The snow had melted, spring time. My birthday is soon, 15 years old. The smell of blossoming flowers, cherry blossom trees, and hay fields made a crisp smell in the air. Sweater weather still but not for long. Show season soon to come. Spring Showdown Hunters show is on its way. I reached for the water bottle in the dark rustic oak shelf, filled it up with ice and cold water. I swung open the screen door that led to the porch as my border collie, Jay, followed behind me.
The dirt and rocks of our driveway to the barn crushed beneath my boots. I pulled open the faded red barn doors and strolled over to my chestnut gelding's, Maverick, stall. I grabbed his leather halter off of a hook, unlatched his stall and put the halter over his head. His hooves clopped on the cement, the noise I always enjoyed hearing. grabbing the cross-ties, hooking them to his halter. Unbuckled his sheet and took it off over his head. Dust particles floated in the sunlight that shone in the open barn door as i brushed Maverick's neck. Dirt piled onto the cool cement flooring of the old wooden barn when i picked his hooves, one by one. Unlocked the tack room door and grabbed the Stubben saddle from the top rack. i shook the dust off of the dark blue practice pad and set it high on Maverick's back, then the white pad and the saddle, after removing the saddle bag. I tightened up the cinch on both sides and unhooked the cross-ties and halter and slipped the black coated rubber bit into Maverick's mouth. I led him outside as the sun warmed my face and my arms. I opened the arena gait that held jump standards that were already set up from earlier that morning. Jay was right by my side. He sat outside the arena as usual watching like a human being. Maverick followed me over to the mounting block. I climbed on his tall back. After a lap of walking I trotted him, i pressed him forward to engage in a long trot. I sat a step to put myself on the right diagonal. I posted high and tall, lining my heels with my hip and shoulders. Pressing my heels deep in my stirrups into a sitting trot. I cued Maverick into a canter. His smooth canter allowed me to sit easily with the help of my muscular thighs and calves. I directed him towards the small set cross rail, set at approximately 2'. I held him to the jump as he gained speed and stretched for one more stride then lunged forward at the jump, completely clearing it. I reached my
two-point, my hands clinging to Maverick's mane. His front hooves touched the ground as a cloud of dust was set to the air and free with the wind. I patted Maverick on the neck. We glided over that jump with easy several more times then went on to the vertical 3' jumps and the 4' Oxer. Maverick soared over all of them with ease. I pat him on the neck as i cooled him out to see my mom standing at the rail with Jay by her side. She smiled at me high on Maverick's back.
" That was absolutely beautiful Kaci! " She clapped her hands to applaud us.
" He's amazing! Were connecting really well in the past couple months. I certainly think were ready for the Spring Showdown. " I smiled from ear to ear and laid a few pats on Maverick's neck.
" I think so! Kaci, I've been meaning to talk to you about something. " I looked down at the dirt. Something was up and I knew it wasn't going to be good. I sat in silence on Maverick as I waited for an answer to reach her lips.
" I know you want to try new things Kaci besides roping and barrel racing, but ever sense Maverick came to the barn, you haven't spent much time with Buddha or Fiona. Now Im making some really tough decisions here because they're both great horses with amazing potential and i cant let them sit out to pasture and I need room for the up coming foals.
Kaci - "
" Mom, No! Fiona is a great horse but I don't need her, shes my childhood horse! But Mom, I cant let Buddha go! He's my horse, mom please don't do this, I will spend more time with him I promise!!! " Tears began to weld in my eyes as I tried to hold them back.
" Kaci, " she sighed, " I have to do whats right for the ranch, this is my business you know. Its what I do for a living, were short a stable hand.
And I pay the bills, i pay for Buddhas feed, vet bills, and all. Ive been working a lot more than i probably should with my back pain and you're slacking! I told you that you can only keep Maverick if you picked up the slack and you haven't been! "
" Mom please just give me a little more time and I promise you i will work harder and more! You haven't even given me a warning! " A tear fell from my eye and ran down my cheek.
" Fine Kaci, but this is your last and only warning. You know I hate to see you upset and I don't want to be the bad guy but theres a lot of chores to be done around here and until i find more stable hands to take over for Jerry and Ferris than we will both be working over time. Derek cant do it all by himself. " I look over to see Derek pushing a wheelbarrow from the barn, wiping sweat from his forehead.
" I will mom, I promise. " I dismounted from Mavericks back and walked to the gate. My mom unlatched it for me and pulled me into a hug.
" Im sorry for being upset, Kaci. I know you love both Buddha and Maverick; its not right for me to make you choose between them. Ive just been stressed out. But Fiona does have to go. I have a lady and her daughter coming to look at her later today. "
" I know you wouldn't make me choose between them mom. Okay, thats fine. Do you need me to ride her before they do? Show them her ' buttons ' ? " I asked.
" Yes please, if you wouldn't mind. Buddha does need more attention though, okay? I hate to see him untouched and out to pasture with no attention. you and him make a great team Kaci, along with you and Maverick. " She pulled away and walked towards our log cabin house, Jay following at her side.
I wiped the tears from my face as I looked up at Maverick. I broke down into tears and hugged my hot sweaty horse, but I didn't care. I could keep both my horses, I don't know why I was crying. Maybe its the thought? Or maybe because I knew that I had abandoned Buddha and hadn't even realized it? I led Maverick to the barn, put a cooler on him and tied him in his stall to cool down while did. I strolled over to Buddhas pasture, who was near the gate. I reached out to touch him after i closed the gate behind me. Just before my palm touched his nose he spun around and galloped off. I dropped to my knees, sobbing into my hands as I realized that I had abandoned the horse I had promised to take care of, so he stopped caring for me.