Mom gave me a surprised look. I guess my attitude changed up. Honestly I couldn't stand Dad's attitude anymore.
“And who’s Liberty?” my dad asked.
He probably doesn’t care who Liberty is anyways. And wouldn’t it be obvious because Liberty was startled in there? I sighed and shook my head. Maybe I should just give up on helping my parents in keeping Cooke Breeding Ranch up.
Olivia! You are supposed to support and help your family!
I led Liberty into the pasture and set her free. Instead of trotting off, She just turned around and gave me a questioning look like the one in the pasture. But this time it wasn’t a huh? look. It was more of a What is wrong? look. She knows too well already. Maybe it was just me imagining things.
She turned off and trotted away. She was probably just waiting for a treat and then realizing there was no treat.
I returned to the barn which was empty now. I couldn't really do anything to help anyways... so what was the point in trying?
The rest of the day, I practically don’t speak, just soft murmurs to the horses and that is about it. Dinner was just filled with clinks and my mom’s soft speaking about work at Mia’s. My dad replies were only grumbles and none of them directed at me.
I was in my own bubble for the rest of the day.
My sleep was restless, rolling around worried about what would happen to our farm. We only had one foal. Then I think about my dad. He usually is the "cooler" parent who goes easier and understands a bit more, but lately, it feels like Mom is more understanding. He never lets me ride anymore, doesn't understand that I have my own opinions and doens't listen to them.
I woke up in the morning groggy and tired. I combed my hair back I plaited it into a braid. Before I left my room, I checked the clock that sat on a stool next to my bed as a bedside table. 6:32! I jumped and ran out the door. I was exactly half an hour and two minutes late to my chores.
I can't help but notice the heavy feeling weighing down on me as I shove on my worn out boots and quickly walk out of the house fumbling as my feet slip into place into the boots. I enter the barn and hear a few nickers and heads popping out
"Sorry girls, no carrots now," I say to them.
My mom had the chores written down on a white board stuck to the bulletin board inside of our barn. I dashed into the barn and checked it. The list was short:
-Feed Liberty
-Lounge Honey
-Honey-Pasture A
-Muck out Honey’s stall
The rest of the day is yours.
See you at lunch!
-Mom
I raced into the feed room grabbing a bucket, I flip open the feed bins. I scoop out the measurements of beet pulp, rice bran, and the supplements that Liberty now gets. I fill the bucket with water and set it on the ground to grab the spoon. My foot knocks the bucket and it flys to the ground spilling everything.
I groan shoving the feed into the corner, and made a mental note to clean that up after I get Honey out. I halter up Honey leading her out to the round pen. She shoves her shoulder into me as I walk. I turn around and make her back up but she doens't respond.
"You know what?" I say to myself throwing my hands up, "Screw this, screw all of it." I put Honey into the round pen so she can move around.
I grab Selia and quickly tack her up and mount up.
“Come on girl, let’s go on a trail ride.”
She nickered and I couldn’t resist but give her a pet on her neck. I chose a path to my favorite peak and began riding on the public trails. Normally, I chose Harmony to go on trails because she was calmer and wouldn’t react as much to strangers or bikers on the trails, but I felt like riding Selia because she was more fun.
Looking down at my watch, I began to worry about the time. I had to be back in time for breakfast. It was 7:14. “Come on girl,” I murmured and clicked to her and squeezed. I allowed her to go on a slow easy jog along the trails. The sun flashed in between tree leaves ahead of me and I felt like I was nearly blinded. I held my right hand up, shielding my eyes. The visor on my helmet was useless right now.
I jogged for a bit and then let her walk. When I saw a smooth hill, I took the chance. I asked her to lope up the hill. The wind amused my cheeks, whispering into my ears. Even when the land flattened out I continued loping and around the corner.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a bay quarter horse popped out.
“Whoaaa!” I said. I sat heavily, and checked back on the reins. The rider did the same, halting her horse.
“I am so sorry, I should’ve known not to be loping on these bending trails!” I apologized. The smiling face rung the bell in my head and I nearly stared. It was Sarah Lowell!
“I’m sorry, It is my fault. I should’ve watched out for other horses,” she returned.
I clicked and asked Selia to walk on. Sarah Lowell asked her horse-Vallero to walk on next to Selia. Selia reached out to touch noses.
“Vallero is very friendly to other horses, right?”
“How do you know-” she became flustered, “Right. Your horse is friendly, too.”
“Her name is Selia,” I said, running a hand down her mane.
Sarah smiled, “Well, how is your farm going?”
“Well, I would like to say fairly well, but this year isn’t as well. Stud prices went up and we only have one filly.”
“Oh,” she said worriedly, “Is there anything I can do?”
Don’t build a riding facility on the plain! The horses love the view too! I wanted to tell her but of course I didn’t. Instead I just said, “Thanks for offering, but we’re doing okay. My dad started working overtime at the tack shop he works at at and my mom began a part-time job.”
“Well, so what do you do? Do you help at the breeding farm?”
“Well, I’m sort of like a stable hand. I lounge the horses as exercise, groom, muck out, pasture, and stable them. Sometimes I walk them and I don’t ride much. Today I was a bit lucky.”
Sarah Lowell smiled, “You are always welcome to ride at our place if you have nowhere to ride.”
“Oh, no that’s not the problem,” I spoke so fluidly and not nervous as I would’ve expected when I thought of meeting Sarah Lowell, “We do have a riding arena. I just don’t get riding time.” Speaking to her wasn’t that hard since she was really friendly.
“Oh,” Sarah just said.
It felt awkward riding together in the silence so I just asked a question, “Are you looking forward to holding clinics?”
“Um, yes,” she said hesitantly, “I’m excited to help everyone here, but I’m not sure if everyone will go crazy”
“Oh.”
“I’m hoping to have some helper other than Murray.”
I wanted to wrinkle my nose at the thought of him, but on second thought, I stopped myself from doing it.
“Are you going to hire anyone? Some of my friends are hoping to get a horsey sort of thing to do over the summer.”
“Well,” Sarah looked at me with a bright glint in her eye, “I was thinking maybe I could hire you. It is a paying job. Are you willing to take it?”
_
A/N: ahhhh this is so bad, the next chapter will be even worse... not that it really matters since no one reads this lol
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One Bay Later
RandomAll Olivia Cooper wants to do at the Bickleson Huntington Annual End-of-Year Horse Show is ride one of their mares or even her own (almost) gelding in the horsemanship class. But her father has other ideas. He is set on the idea of his daughter show...
