The Horse By The Picket Fence

Chapter 10

4 months later:

Prince was a beautiful colt, now weaned from Queenie we knew it was time to start training him a little. We ordered him a leather halter with his name on a gold plate when Teddy got the mail he ran back telling me it was here. We ripped the packaging open to see how beautiful it really was.

"I can't wait to see him with it on," I say looking at it again.

"I feel like a girl who just got a new Prada bag."

I give him a sideways glance and we walk toward the barn. Prince looks up and I open his stall and walk inside. Ace looks over the stall wall and watches his friend. I ease the leather on his face after letting him sniff it. He makes a small fuss and when he calms down I slide off.

 I try again and this time he does not react as much. I ran my hands through his mane and fasten the buckle and feed a treat to him. I leave him to have the halter on for a bit and then take it off. Teddy smiles and shows me a picture he took. Prince has his eyes his eyes half closed and I have a smile on my face. His halter looks great and we both look happy.

"That is a great photo," I say to Teddy patting him on the back, he smiles.

***

A few more months pass and Prince was able to wear a halter, be loaded in a trailer, and have his feet ready for the farrier. Queenie was content being by herself but I knew when Ace was and Prince was not hanging out they would enjoy each other's company. I knew when he was 18 months we could send him off to be trained. I was happy my cast was finally off and I could not wait to get Prince in his first race.

Teddy watched the horses in the field. The Sun was slowly setting but Prince and Ace were still running, Prince looked royal, his head lifted, his eyes glimmering in the last appearance of the Sun. He snorted out to Ace who whinnied back.

"We should bring them in soon," I say looking at Teddy.

"Leave them out for a bit, they are having fun." 

I nod and we watch in silence, it starts to get dark and it was starting to get hard to see.

"I will grab the flashlight," I say to Teddy.

"Ok."

I leave him there to watch the horses. I hear rain outside and I quickly go to the house to get a flashlight. I grab the one by the basket by the front door. Running back out Teddy has two lead ropes ready. Not wanting Prince to hurt himself I jump the fence, Teddy quickly to follow. The rain is pounding against my chest my hands reach out blindly, it got dark quickly. My hands touch the cold water, thunder lights up the sky and I see a small white blaze.

 A soft muzzle meets my hand and I breathe a sigh of relief. I reach for the small metal loop to clip the lead rope in. Lightning cracks again, Prince flinches and shys away. I grab his halter trying to calm him down, murmuring comforting words. 

Lightning and thunder boom, Prince rears the lightning lighting up behind him the thunder booms as his feet make contact with the ground again. I quickly find the metal loop and click the lead rope in. Reaching blindly for the gate I fumble in the darkness my wet hands having little grip on the cold metal. I unlock it sliding the lock upward I run back in the barn with Prince trotting beside me. Teddy has Ace in a blanket and turned on a small heater. I looked Prince over and saw a small cut on his leg.

"He cut himself," I say to Teddy who comes over, the flashlight in his hand.

Teddy grabs some wraps cleans out the cut putting medicine in it then wraps it up.

"It will heal quickly don't worry."

I give him a worried glance and use one of the towels to dry him off. I put on his blanket and let him in his stall. The lightning lights up and again and Prince flinches a bit. I sigh know this may develop into a bigger problem.

"I am going to stay the night."

"He will be fine," Teddy says giving me a pleading glance.

"I know just put my mind at ease, ya know?"

Teddy sighs but agrees and leaves shutting the door behind him. Lightning booms again and rain pounds on the side of the barn. Prince shoves himself in the corner his wide eyes scanning the barn. Ace whinnies to him but nothing seems to calm him down. I walk to the tack room grabbing a peppermint. I walk back trying to lure Prince out of the stall, he tosses his head as lighting sounds again.

"Come on Prince," I mummer.

Prince circles again and I walk in the stall grabbing his halter pulling his head down so he can take the treat in my hand. Leading him by the halter I walk him back and forth down the barn, lightning, and thunder would sound and he would flinch. I run my hand through his coat, calming him down. I was starting to get tired and so was Prince. I did another lap with him the thunder boomed. Prince jumped a little and resisted, but I made him keep walking.

 Queenie was already asleep in the stall across from Ace and showed no signs of waking up. I yawned and turned Prince again. My steps were becoming slower and Prince caught on to the idea. Soon I could not walk anymore, I made a mental note to order Prince ear plugs and a bonnet to help block out the noise. I turned off the light to the barn and climbed in the hay loft taking one last look at Prince before falling asleep.

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Hey, everyone! So what did you guys think? Please vote and comment so I know you liked it, I hope you stick through this book because my writing gets better as you continue. Thanks,

~Luckypaws13