The Crimson Promise

Training 101

The next day was cool and a low mist hung in the air. The sun slid through the tiny creaks of the stall Leo lay in. He lifted his head and struggled to his feet. His legs were stiff but he forced them to bend and he made it to his feet. He let out a long sigh and licked his lips.

He swayed on his feet.

"Leo." A soft voice whispered from the stall door. He perked his ears toward the sound and then swung his head to see her with his better eye.

"Hey bud." She said stepping into the stall and rubbing his nose. He pushed into her loving her affection.

"I bet you want breakfast." She said rubbing his forehead. She placed a kiss on his nose before dashing off.

Leo couldn't help but call out to her, loudly.

She returned with a bucket of feed. Leo nickered at her and pawed at the ground. He tossed his head and his mane flared around him like a wild flame.

"Ok ok, here ya go." She said moving aside to let Leo at the bucket. He thrust his mouth into the amazing feed. He gobbled it down.

"Later training starts!" She said and then she left to let Leo eat his feed in silence.

Amy POV
"I'm going to teach Leo to jump." I told my grandmother and mother. My grandmother was making lunch and my mother was setting the table, my grandfather in town.

My grandmother pursed her lips and flipped a pancake, "I don't know Amy, his kinda short." She said.

I sat down at a table, "Well yeah but in the events they will lower the jumps based on your size, well most of the time." I said, then I really thought about, he was only 15 hands even.

I really wanted to try.

"What about barrel racing?" My grandmother asked as she placed a plate full of food in front of me.

"What's that?" I asked picking up a fork.

"Well it's a event where horse and rider gallop around three barrels in a clover leaf pattern." She said moving back to make another plate.

"Sounds boring." I said not really interested in the idea.

"It's actually loads of fun you should try it." My grandmother suggested.

"I really want to jump." I said, I looked at my mother who looked at my grandmother.

"Well ok his your horse." She said handing my mother a plate.

"Hello family!" My grandfather bellowed from the leaving room.

"Made it just in time, we are having fried chicken, mash potatoes and fried okra." My grandmother said handling him a plate.

We eat in silence for a little while until my mother cleared her throat, "So Amy wants to jump her horse."

I stared at her wondering what she was up to.

"Can't." My grandfather said placing food in his mouth.

"And why not?" I asked, bewildered.

"Too short and to old." He said chewing around his food.

"His not to old." I said, remembering the fire that still burned in his eyes, you didn't get that from old horses.

"Yea, his 14 that's to old for jumping." My grandfather said.

"Are you sure? Did you check?" I asked i knew by finding out the age of a horse was by their teeth.

"Don't have to, just look at him." He said standing up and putting his plate in the sink.