Wild

Chapter One

Samurai, an Arabian fresh from the pasture, stood tall as he stared down his rider, a short, spunky girl with a red braid. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and checked his girth. "Whoa, boy" she cooed, as she swung up onto his back. He hopped up on his back legs, startled by the sudden weight. The whites of his eyes showed under his black wind torn forelock.

"Easy, baby... Shhhh..." she whispered to his black tipped ear as it turned to listen. Samurai stood still, his body tensed, waiting for this strange creature next move. She eased him into a walk, traveling twice around the long sanded ring, before they halted. Scratching his wither, to reward him she dismounted in one quick, fluid motion.

Smiling the red haired girl checked his chest and girth for heat, but found no sign of having been ridden. Unclipping her helmet, she threw his reins over his fine head and opened the gate. Samurai followed her without being lead, for he trusted this girl and was confident she would lead him back to pasture. The girl grabbed the reins and jogged over to the pasture fence where she took off the saddle and replaced his bridle with a neon green halter.

Once out in the pasture Sam loped over a nearby brook and rolled leisurely in the warm summer water. He jumped up quickly and shook furiously, before galloping deeper into the great grassy pasture. His playmates a older dun mare named Shez Got Moxie, known around the barn as Moxie and a sleek black and white pony named Little Moon, otherwise known as Moon, trotted over to greet Sam.

"How'd it go? You look like nothing happened" remarked Moon casing out Sam.

"Well, she didn't do much" Sam said slightly defensive. He studied the others, before turning around. "Bet I can beat you both in a race! I'll race you to the edge of the of the pasture!" Sam called defiantly, preparing to take off.

"Oh, you wish, you little brat!" Moxie said taking a long stride ahead of Moon and Sam. Her long black mane and tail flew back and her well muscled zebra-striped legs propelled her forward. Her tall stature of 15.1 Hands and her muscled build made her appear unstoppable, almost like a monster truck, only neon flames were needed to complete the look. For being 15, she moved with the agility of a 3 year old, much like Sam.

Moon's short, well built legs allowed him to over take Moxie, barely. Sam, though moved like a dancer, with delicate strides of speed and kept an easy pace in hopes of holding off using all his energy and getting left behind, again. Sam grunted as he flew over a downed tree, which would hopefully work to his advantage and allow him a short cut.

Upon landing though, he misjudged the height of the ground and struggled to correct himself. Shifting again he nailed the landing, though lacking of a show jumper. His surprised 3 year old legs fumbled and caused him to fall on his side. Blood smeared the grass, where the sharp branches on the tree had cut him when he landed.

Moxie turned around, as she heard the crash of him falling. Startled she rushed back to him with Moon close behind. Sam groaned and struggled to his feet. "Are you alright?!" Moxie cried.

"Fine, just a little scraped up" Sam replied stretching and checking himself for anything of unreasonable pain.

"That's good. Do you think you'll still be able to train?" Moon said secretly hoping he might not be able to as the red haired girl was his and his alone in Moon's eyes. Being replaced by Sam was something he was wary of, though he liked his pal.

"We'll see. I should be fine, but anything could happen in a day" Sam replied. He hoped Moon wasn't jealous of his being ridden by the girl. If Moon had asked Sam would have truthfully told Sam he would much rather be out roaming the fields than in a cramped round pen.

Moxie snorted, "Did you hear about the show in 1 month? Maybe you'll be able to enter a class, Sam. My rider wants to show me in the flat classes,and there might be a few hunter/jumper classes!" She loved shows and hoped to see all her friends participate, though not in the same classes, because she didn't want them to fight about who would win.

"Oh, great! Wait.. I heard there's a show in a Vermont in a few weeks. There are awesome shows there, so if we have to chose, I hope we go there. Do you think we'll be able to do both?" Moon replied, meaning for Moxie to answer, as she was the barn manager's horse and probably heard a lot of the gossip and news.

"Most likely we will. I think Sam might only be able to do walk-trot and/or halter classes, though." She said as she turned and trotted over to the creek, taking a cool refreshing drink of the crisp water. Sam and Moon quickly decided that they wanted a drink, too, and that the show business could be discussed later.

Sam took a small sip, but eyed the water wondering how Moon might react to a splash battle. Before he could contemplate a better idea, he found himself kicked water into Moon's face. Startled, Moon jumped back. Moon reared up slightly and came down hard, splashing both Sam and Moxie. She turned fast enough to send a miniature wave into Sam's flared nostrils. "You two are sooo immature!" She said as caused another splash to attack the two crazy geldings.