Horses are a Girl's Best Friend

Chapter 1 - Barn Chores

     Ring, ring! Ring, ring! I groaned, knowing that my uncle was calling since my alarm clock was broken. I always woke up at precisely six o'clock in the morning, because I wouldn't get out of bed if it were any later. Breakfast was ready whenever I wanted it.

     I rolled over and slapped my phone to hang up. No matter how many times I was woken up early, I still wasn't a morning person. Gracelessly, I slid out of bed, stood up, and stretched. I undressed, pulled on the clothes I had piled on my desk chair last night, and trudged over to the bathroom.

     Twenty minutes later, I got my second alarm. "Amber! Are you looking to ride with the beginners or something?" I jumped when I heard Uncle Smith's deep voice from outside the door to my room."No! I'm almost ready!" I managed to squeak out while gritting my teeth against the pull of my hairbrush. Sometimes I hated my hair... it grew wild and crazy as I slept, and in the morning, I had to take forever to tame it.

     "Well hurry up then! Breakfast is on the counter."

     Yes, since he's my uncle, I get special privileges, some of them being eating before everyone else, using electronics more, and riding more often. Unfortunately, these privileges came with me doing the most chores. I had to clean out the most stalls, feed the most horses, along with grooming and washing more too.

     Hurrying now, I finished up and ran out to the small kitchen. I picked up the strawberry Pop-Tart, opened the fridge, and grabbed an apple. Taking a bite of the Pop-Tart as I walked, I went outside to eat with the horses.

     Juniper Stables had plenty of animals, ranging from top class horses to a kiddie pony named Clark. We had barn cats, dogs, and mini donkeys. It was like a home to me. Even if I was only here for the summer.

     This was my escape from everything going on at home. Normal life. My parents. It was so unfair outside of my little sanctuary here.

     Here, everyone knew the real me. At home, I only showed a slimmer of my true self. My parents didn't understand me. All other family was too distant to be friendly. My stables is my home, and even my parents understood that. This was why they sent me off to a sleep-away camp for the whole summer.

     I trotted over to Dock's stall, said hi with a pat on the nose, sat on one of the stools in front of the wall, and started to eat my food. Every morning, I picked a random horse to favor. Today I had chosen Dock because he was a gentle old man, and I wasn't feeling too crazy.

     All the other girls were still in their rooms, hanging out, not needing to be anywhere until seven for breakfast. I, on the other hand, had to take Dancer, Jemma, and Prince to the pastures and bring the others in, as well as start soaking Talia's hay, adding more water to little Octavian's bucket, muck a few stalls, and be in the tack room by the same time as everyone else, eight.

     As I finished the remains of my Pop-Tart, I watched the horses that were left in the pastures overnight. Some of them were already galloping around, waiting for food, but the others still sleeping. I wished I could be like them, resting.

     Yesterday we had to practice possible techniques, like we always do a couple days before a show. The show is on Saturday, and today is Thursday.

     I stood up, gave Dock the apple I brought down, and started with work.

     About an hour later, all twenty-five of us were crowded around my uncle, "Mr. Smith," and a few other adults in the rounded tack room. "Group A comes with me, Group B with Sophie, and Group C goes with Maddison."

     On the first day, my uncle sorted us into three groups. I was put into Group A, the most experienced riders. Group C was all beginners, and Group B intermediates.

     "Group A rides first, down the line. Sophie, Maddison, decide who cleans stalls and who feeds." All I hear is "A rides first." We haven't ridden first since the last show, two weeks ago.

     The other two groups left, in the middle of a heated argument of who would end up feeding. "Jess, take Fiona, she needs a good warmup. Ivy can ride Henry instead today. Lily, get Umber, and Paige ride Dixie. Amber, you need to practice on Indie for the show. Everyone else, get whoever you need to practice on."

     We all separated and got our horses from their stalls. I attached my beautiful dark paint horse's halter, clipped on the lead rope, and walked him back to the main barn. I attached the crossties, then I grabbed his bucket of brushes from the wall of the tack room.

     I started brushing as everyone came back with their horses.

      I finished with all three brushes and the hoofpick, then got my tack out of my locker. Setting my custom saddle, pad, and girth on the post, I grabbed Indie's bridle, reins, and polo wraps from their hook on the wall.

     I threw on the pad, swung the saddle on top, and then centered them. I connected the two sides of the girth to each side of the saddle, making sure the stretchy part was on the right one and put on all four wraps.

     As I picked up Indie's bridle, the little feather and beads on it jingled. When I was younger, I had crafted a dreamcatcher-like thread to attach behind his ear. It had a few beads at the top, then a little bluejay feather that matched his eyes underneath.

     I got the bit in his mouth, the bridle over his head, and the straps clipped together. Then I put on my helmet, attached my reins, unclipped the crossties, and headed for the arena.