Fate loves the Fearless

Glory

I slowly blew air from my lips. I sat for a moment without allowing new air to enter my lungs. I could feel the 1500 pounds of muscle moving beneath. Prancing, dancing, waiting to be set free. I shift my body so I am in position. Finally, I let a breath slip into my body. My brother, Colton looks me in the eyes. He is saying something, but I am not paying attention. I am thinking of the speed. The feeling of her weight turning on a dime under me. The surge of fear that rushes through me as I whip past everything I know and feel as if I could take off and soar.

"Hey!" I blink out of my daydream and look Colton in the face again. "Were you listening at all?" He looks frustrated...shoot. "Yeah sure I was." I mumble back. He sighs heavily, closing his eyes briefly and pinching the bridge of his nose, as if trying to rid himself of a hard headache, as if he is the one racing and not me. His eyes caught mine again. "Just remember," he said, calming himself. "There is only one way to succeed at anything, and that is to give it everything." I nodded as I looked between her golden ears towards the arena, where the barrels were set firmly on the soft dirt.

Here we go.

Colton's hands were grasped onto Angel's reins. She danced underneath me. I sat calmly as I could and tried to fix my hands on the tight braided rope. Light flashed in my eyes and music pounded in my ears, along with my heartbeat. Colton nodded to me as he let go of the reins. Angel began to hop until I planted my heels into her side and felt her hind legs throw us forward. I shifted my body into position as everything began to slow down. Her legs lunged forward as if eating the soil. Her ears cocked to the right as I leaned and she dropped her butt and made a diving motion, pulling us around the barrel. Her direction changed in a heartbeat, and we headed for the next barrel. She began to drop her shoulder, forcing us to fall toward the earth. I pulled her body up and her hooves sprayed dirt around us. A soft jerk twitched beneath me as Angel changed directions. She dragged her body up and regained her balance. We were headed for number 3. I felt her get excited but I told her to wait. As we neared that last can, I slide my hands higher up the reins, and.....NOW! I pulled back and then shoved my hands forward in a quick motion as I set her free. Her muscles moved beneath me and I felt that heart racing moment when it seems it would be more natural for a horse to be flying in the air, rather than running on the ground.

As I galloped back into the alleyway, I perked my ears for my time. Angel followed my motions, waiting of the booming voice of the announcer. "Amazing run by Avalon Hunt!" Justin's voice fills the arena. He is my age, one of my good friends. "A little slip up but she still ended with an amazing time of 19.647." Cheering rang through my ears. But I was in my own thoughts.

'Shouldn't have sat so fast!'

'Lost my balance.'

'Let her shoulder drop.'

Angel moves restlessly under me. She can tell something is wrong. I smiled and lean down her neck.

"You did amazing, Glory," I called her by her second name. Her full name is Angel's Glory. "It was my fault." She blew air noisily out of her nose. "Le'ts go home, babe." I say to her.

I fell asleep in the car. I have a nightmare. It comes in flashes.

Angel and I are having an amazing run. Around barrel 1, now 2.

We head for 3.

Something's wrong.

We begin to round the can.

Suddenly we are on the ground.

I hear a shriek come from Angel.

I scream.

There is blood.

I wake up to Colton shaking me. We are home. Parked in front of the barn. I rub my eyes and trip out of the car. I walk to the back of the trailer and pull the pen out of the loop. THe door swings open, Angel stands there giving me a lazy but, excited look.

"Hey, Glory."

She nods her head and swings it around. The rope whips around her head.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm tired too."

I climb into the bed of the trailer. I untie her lead rope and she walks out with me.

My brother will take care of the tack. I just need to take care of my baby. I lead her into the barn and up to her stall. I unhook the door and she pushes it with her nose. Ready for bed i guess. She closes her eyes like she read my thoughts. I dump hay into her feeder and hang a bucket of oats, filling up her water, too.

"I love you, Glory." I say. I kiss her nose.

She breathes heavily out of her mouth and looks me in the eyes.

I hug her around the neck and she pulls her head around to my side, hugging me back.

I kiss her cheek and smile at her.

"We'll go for a trail ride tomorrow, okay?"

She answers with a nod.

"Love you baby."

With that I latch the stall door and head to the house.

After a shower I climb into bed, with my 2 dogs already hogging half of the mattress. I shove and push them until I have enough room. Twix sets her head on my stomach as I drift off to sleep.

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I know that this isn't really the regular stories that show up on here but, I felt inspired to do something different. Please no rude comments. Thanks,

KyKy <3