To Not Let Go

Chapter Twenty

         "Well, thank you, Swayde. I really needed that." Renne admitted after their two hour long trail ride/tour of the property was over. "Even though my break was only supposed to be a few minutes, I'm really glad that we got to take the horses on a ride." 

         "You're welcome, darlin'. See, I really do know what is best for you sometimes." He winked before dismounting from the sturdy sorrel horse. Rubbing a hand over the horse's neck, Swayde held the worn leather reins in his other hand. "Y'know, he is a really good horse, Reagan...what are your plans for these guys when you move back home?" His eyes drifted to the horse his girlfriend sat proudly and comfortably on top of. 

        Renne swung her right leg over Buster's back before kicking her left foot from the stirrup, dismounting from the saddle. "To be honest, I haven't thought much about it. These two boys are my babies. I bred their momma with one of our studs and have raised them since they were born. Cowboy took to the saddle and training really well, but Buster here was a lot harder to break. Growing up as colts, they both had completely different temperaments, even though they have the same mom and dad." Grabbing her horse's reins, Renne led him back into the barn, Swayde following beside her. "I would love to take them back home with me, but I doubt we will have room for two horses in the trailer." It pained Renne to think about leaving her babies behind, but at the same time, she knew that with some more training, they could be good for the program, or as back up horses for the ranch. However, she also knew that they would rarely ever get ridden if she left them here, considering they were bred, raised and trained for working cattle, not to be therapy horses. In addition, Matt and the other hands had their own horses to ride. The more Renne thought about it, the more she realized it would be in the horses best interest to go back home to Wyoming with her. Besides, Mamaw and Papaw and Swayde could always use more horses at the ranch. 

          "I couldn't help but see that extra trailer by the house, and it had an old truck hooked up to it. Based on the amount of weeds around it, I am gonna assume that it isn't being used much, if any at all anymore." Swayde slid a rein over Cowboy's neck as he loosened the cinch to remove the saddle. 

          "What are you sayin'?" Renne rested a hand on her hip as she looked over at her boyfriend. 

          "Just that maybe I could drive that truck and trailer back home with these guys in the trailer." He didn't look at Renne at first, knowing she would give him a sassy look as she contemplated the idea. 

        "That truck hasn't been run in three years. It needs all new tires, an oil change, and all the fluids topped off. Plus, the truck is 22 years old. And the trip back home is a long way to take it back, fully loaded." Looking back to her horse, Renne stroked his cheek. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him until now. "I will probably end up selling that truck and trailer anyways since we have a few extras here." 

       The comment gave Swayde an idea. He had a trip into town to make. "I understand. Well, what do you say we get these boys back in their stalls for the night?" 

      "We can actually turn them out on the grass for the night. They have deserved it. I'll go get them a bucket of feed before we turn them out." Handing the reins to Swayde, Renne walked the the tack room, grabbing two buckets, giving each horse a mixture of feed before walking back outside, seeing her horse already untacked and ready to be turned out. Shaking the buckets, both horses nickered as they followed Renne out to the pasture, to the hooks that were on the fence line, placed there just for these buckets. "There ya go, boys. Mama threw in a little extra sweet feed for y'all." Giving both horses a kiss on the neck, Renne walked out of the open gate that Swayde held for her. 

        "'Mama' gave them sweet feed?" Swayde gave his girlfriend a teasing, goofy look. 

       "Oh don't even. You greet your dogs with, 'daddy's home!' Every day." She winked at her boyfriend, grabbing the hand he held out to her, interlacing their fingers as they slowly walked out of the barn, heading back to the house.