Pleasure at its Lowest

Chapter:1

"So what's on the agenda for today Zoe?" Toby my brother asked. "My western pleasure group for the summer should be getting here this afternoon. I need you to run to town and get feed for the entire month so we don't have to make the weekly trip and leave the ranch." I said.

"Let me guess your going to put the horses out to paddock while you muck stalls and clean the stalls." He said. "Yup. And the only hand we kept is helping me. Then is going to plow the arena." I said.

"Then my riders are going to be here tomorrow around noon. The other two bull rider instructors should be here about noon." He said. "Mine should be here any minute." Just as I said that there was a knock at the door.

I jumped up from my seat and limped to the door. It's how I've been walking for the past two years. I'm twenty years old, have brownish blonde unruly curly hair that is currently pulled back in a ponytail.

I opened the door seeing the friend I never lost since elementary. "Hey dude. Come on in." He entered and took his cap off. "What ya know girl?" He asked. "Not much." I answered.

"So when do they start arriving?" He asked. "This afternoon. Got to get stalls cleaned and the horses stretched." I answered. "I'll help ya with that. Gabby should be here around ten." He said. I finished my toast and slipped my boots on before grabbing my cap and walking out to the barn with him.

"How have you been keeping?" He asked. "Pretty good. Have been riding this past week." I said. "That's good. You were never afraid of getting back on especially since senior year." He said as I unlocked the door going into the office.

"Except for my mom's horses. Don't you even try to get me on one of those mares of hers. You and Gabby can use them for demonstrating." I said opening the stable side of the indoor arena up. We both led all of the thirty purebred quarter horses out to the paddock. My horse the same one I competed with two years ago was the last one to be let out.

He's a handsome grulla gelding that was sired by one of my mom's retired stallions that is now out in a pasture with Toby's bulls and damed by one of her newer western pleasure horses.

Our parents had gotten into some bad weather on their way back from somewhere up north. Toby and I were watching a movie due to the storm that had taken over parts of the state and some of a neighboring state.

The authorities called the house and Toby was the one that had answered the call. After hanging up he turned the movie off and pulled me to him. When I could tell he was crying I then knew something had to of happened out in the weather.

That was the first time I had ever seen him cry. I felt a nudge on my shoulder. That brought me back to reality. I looked next to me seeing my horse looking right at me. He nudged me once again. I rubbed his neck before patting it and letting him go out in the paddock.

"You ok?" Devon asked. "Yeah I'm fine. Just lost my train of thought." I said. He nodded. Once the stalls were completed cleaned out he and I scrubbed the walls and made sure the concrete in each stall was cleaned well. Then put new shavings down.

"Yo anyone in the stable?" Gabby yelled. "She's an hour early." Devon said. The red Merle mini Aussie yipped and greeted her. She pitched in and helped us brush the horses. After everything was done we sat outside waiting for my brother to get back.

"So who's all helping your brother?" Devon asked. "No clue he told me they were big shot bull riders. So most likely their ERA or PBR." I answered. He nodded. "Ooh girl get with one." Gabby said.

"No. I'll be on my side of the ranch and they'll be on the opposite side. The only time we'll see them is for meals." I said. Once Toby pulled up him and Devon unloaded all the horse feed then went to the indoor bull riding arena leaving Gabby and I by ourselves and the dog.

Then I noticed a truck pulling in.