Infinity

Chapter 7

    It was an average fall day. The dew was still resting on the grass, and the sun was just beginning to slice through the clouds. Our breath was left behind in a cloud of vapor. The buckle of the girth was dragging on the gravel. Her movements were swift, yet cautious. When we entered the round pen, she didn't move. She knew something was different. I set the saddle, girth, and pad on fence. With the bridle in hand, I steadily approached her, and tried to act like nothing was different. Her eyes met with mine, and she flared her nostrils. I slid her halter off and it dropped to the ground. I placed the bit flat in my hand and lifted it to her mouth. She immediately refused and started walking backwards, almost on the verge of rearing. I tried again. She pinned her ears and violently tossed her head. There were deep lines formed in the sand from her hooves. I stood and thought of what to do. Then, it hit me. I looked down at the shiny, metallic bit. It was cold. I started walking towards her. When I was right in front of her, I lifted the bit to my mouth. Who knew how many horse's mouths and human hands this had touched. It was definitely not the first thing I wanted to do. I cringed, licked my lips, and shoved it in. It stretched the corners of my mouth in an unpleasant way. I looked up at her, and she was staring right at me with her ears forward.

"See, little one? It's not so bad." I said, barely managing to get the words out. I finally removed the bit, almost gagging in the process. I placed the bit on my hand once more, and lifted it to her mouth. She took it. I lifted the bridle up and delicately put it over her ears. I fastened the throat latch and nose band. She was chewing on the bit, the sound of metal banging against teeth was present. I rewarded her with an oatmeal creme pie, which was part of about five I had shoved in my pocket. Now, the dreaded part; saddling. I retrieved the saddle, pad, and girth from the fence. I lifted it to her nose so she could touch it and smell it. I lightly drug it across her side. She flinched a little, but not much. Finally, I placed it on her back. She didn't move a muscle. I was in shock. I straightened it out so it was more comfortable. Then came the girth. I was sure that that was what would make her flip her lid. I bent down, reached under her stomach, and pulled the girth to the other side. I very slowly put more and more pressure on her belly. Finally, it was the tightest it could be, and I buckled it. She was not phased one bit. I took the reins and started leading her around. She acted like she had been ridden everyday for five years. Her ears were forward and her tail was calmly flowing in the wind. I gave her a huge, beaming smile. I have never heard of any horse not bucking and flipping out when they were saddled for the first time. It was a miracle.

My headstrong uncle was making his way to the pen, with the company of a hispanic jockey no taller than me.

"Did you get that animal saddled yourself?" He shouted.

"Yes. It was very difficult." I said sarcastically with a smirk.

"Impossible." He said in disbelief.

"Your definition of impossible is different from mine."

"Clearly it is. This is Hank. If anyone can break that animal, its him." He said, motioning toward the miniature man. He had short, jet black hair, but a kind expression. He never stopped smiling. Ever. The brightness of his smile over-powered his stained, white T-shirt. It felt like you could tell him anything, no matter how bad it was, and all he would do is find the good in it and ignore the bad. You could slice his arm off and he would forgive you.

"Is this the filly I've heard so much about? She's a real beauty!" He said with a chuckle. He walked up to her and firmly patted her shoulder. She flinched at his sudden touch. "Don't be afraid, mi amiga. I don't bite. You may, but I don't. If anything discomforts you, just let me know, princess." He kindly laughed. His smile never fell from his face. He was innocent, just like her.

"Cora, go and stand outside the fence. You not being in here will help her concentrate more. Take video." He commanded.

I pulled out my phone to record. I was running low on space due to the three-hundred other photos and videos I took of her. Hank bent down, snapped his boots, and placed his helmet on his head. My uncle adjusted the stirrups to Hank's desired length. He led her into the middle where Hank was standing, ready to sit upon her back. Hank gripped the back and front of the saddle, and just pulled on it to simulate what it would feel like on her back. She tensed and pinned her ears, but did not move. He gave it a few more tugs. Then, he lifted himself halfway up, leaning on her side. This made her stumble a few steps to the right. Finally, my uncle gave him a leg up, and he very softly landed on her back. She lurched forward but did not bolt. Her ears were flat on her head, and her legs were spread far apart. Hank gingerly stroked her neck to reassure her. Her breath was forcefully coming out of her nostrils. My uncle clasped a lead rope onto the bit to try and lead her forward. Right when he put pressure on her mouth, she flew backwards. She violently swung her head and reared up. Hank stood up in the stirrups and miraculously didn't fall off. She returned to being still, but her ears were still pinned. Her stomach was going up and down and her nostrils were going from big to small. Neither of them freaked out. Neither of them said anything. It was just another normal day to them. They had no fear. They had a few tricks up their sleeves for that kind of thing. I, on the other hand, almost passed out. I gripped the board of the fence so hard that the white paint rubbed off. My uncle rubbed her neck to calm her down. He picked up her halter that was on the ground and slid it over the bridle. He took a few steps forward. It happened again, but this time worse. She spun completely around, ripping the lead from his hand, and took off. My uncle ran for his life and jumped over the fence. She was running and bucking ferociously. Hank was being jerked all over the place. She would not stop. His face was flown into her neck ad his legs were out of the stirrups.

"Don't fall off, Hank!" My uncle yelled through cupped hands.

I couldn't breathe. She was slamming him into the fence. If he fell he would be trampled. He finally grabbed hold of the reins, and seesawed left and right. She skidded to a stop, almost falling on her butt. Her neck was all the way up, and her nose was pointed up to the clouds. I could see the white of her eye. She stopped. Hank dropped his hands and caught his breath. I closed my eyes in relief. My uncle stayed where he was, not daring to go back in there, at least not while she was still filled with fire. Finally, she was calm. He went back in there possessing side reins. He looped them around her bit and fastened them to the girth. Her neck was curved and her nose was tucked in. She didn't like it at all. My uncle picked up the lead once more and tried to walk her forward. She as calm for about five hesitant steps before she realized what was going on. She suddenly flew backwards once more. She was violently spazzing her head, trying to be free from the side reins. She was successful. They both snapped in two, and she flew her head up and stood on her back legs. She slammed back onto the ground and started sprinting in circles around the pen. She started bucking again, and Hank was hanging onto her side. My heart started racing and I felt weak. Suddenly, she jerked her body to the right and left Hank behind. He slammed into the fence, bounced off, and hit the ground. I gasped and covered my mouth with my hand. My uncle jumped the fence and ushered him through the wood boards. She was still bucking. Hank was up and standing, which was a huge relief.

"I'm sorry, Cora." He sincerely said. He felt bad about not being able to break this wild hearted filly. If he couldn't, no one could. He grabbed his water bottle and shuffled to the barn. He had an obvious limp. The filly finally stopped. She was heaving for air. Her legs were coated with sand due to her bucking and running. My uncle went back in there to bring her back to her stall. She ran the other direction and let out another buck. He turned around and left the pin.

"Catch your horse, Cora." He said as he was walking off. I sighed and turned to look at her juvenile movements. Reluctantly, I opened the gate and stepped in. When she heard and saw what I was doing, she immediately stopped.

"Hi, little one." I said in a soft tone. I slowly put one foot in front of the other. She was breathing heavy, but her ears were perked forward at me. She tore her halter off her face during her circus act. The reins were dangling off the bit, almost touching the ground. I slowly bent down and grabbed them. I let out a sigh of relief, along with a smile. My uncle clearly heard that all the ruckus had stopped, and he turned mid-stride and stared at us. He let a little grin pass by his lips. I stroked her neck and her breathing steadied. I moved my hand to her face and very slowly started moving it down to her nose. Her eyes were so dark that they were like black holes. They were staring straight through me, sucking up all my secrets. I just stood there in her peaceful company, watching her thoughts play throughout her eyes. I was glued. The outside world was blocked out, and all I could hear was laughter, happiness, and infinite possibilities awaiting us. My hand finally reached her nose. I took a heavy breath and swallowed a lump in my throat. I slowly walked to the saddle, put my hand on the stirrup, and just stared at it. My heart started racing. I looked over to see her head turned, looking at me. I stared at her for some time, and whispered: "Alright, little one."

I grabbed both ends of the saddle, hoisted myself up, and lightly landed on her back. I was sweating and shaking. Her ears were still forward. I patted her neck and smiled. I grabbed the reins and squeezed her to go forward. She walked on. The biggest smile over took my face and I screeched in accomplishment.  The same occurred to my uncle, although he yelled "Impossible!"

"Haven't you learned that nothing is impossible with this filly?" I yelled through my beaming smile.

We picked up a trot and I was giggling like a five year old. I haven't felt that happy in years. She was so calm, so willing. We were one. We were infinite. My uncle stood and watched us in awe. His mission was complete; his mission of making me happy once more, and she was the only one who could achieve that, and she did. She chose me to sit upon her mighty back, I chose to accept her invitation, and all I had to do was put my trust in her and hold on for the ride. We walked out of the pin and entered the field that met up with the race track. She stood there and took in the vast rolling hills that awaited her. I leaned up to her ear, gripped her mane, and said: "Take me to infinity."