February 2012 Story Contest Age 12 and Older Vote below
Jane Crandal & JB
2012-01-30 18:53:44
**The Beauty Of Strength** - part 2
By TGG
I breathed slowly and calmly as the horse underneath me stepped forward just a bit too slow for my liking, he wasn't as stong as my pony had been but the power was there and he used all his power with every step he took. He covered the ground fast but elgantly, instead of the elephant steps that I had thought he would take, he walked daintily along the edge of the arena with no intenton of galloping off unlike all of my ponies before this horse.
"Come on, put some effort into it, even though he's already over your standard you could at least try weakly to catch up with him slightly!" shouted the instructor, she was a tall woman with spiky black hair which stood up in a small pillar on top of her head making her look like a pillar herself. I didn't ever want to listen to her; she had taught me since I was learning to trot and every time I tried to do something she always said that she could do it better. My reaction was always to try harder and get stuff done, she obviously had turned this horrible attitude to life into a new horrible teaching method to make me work harder. I was now equal to her, at least I thought so seeing as she never competed internationally, all she ever did was shout at me to get over the jumps. What I didn't know is that she now had one up on me; she had competed internationally but had never told my mother how. It turned out tht she just had a good knowledge in showjumping and she was acctually a dressage expert. I should have been happy to have been so privelidged, I was being taught by an olympic dressage rider but no. this lady, nomatter how old she was and how much respect she had from other people, was never ever going to get one up on me, me the greatest showjumper of all time (well... to me I am).
"Well, time to end your lesson missy, I suppose you want a well done sticker now... unfortunately I think you have grown up lately since what happened to you!" she said, I was shocked, she acctually smiled at me. Where has the real Miss Garret gone? "I am proud of how far you have come in the last few weeks and now I think ti is time for you to have a go at competeing!"
'Just the time to say that' I thought as my mother walked in smiling proudly 'mum will have me on the end of a stick until I win now!'.
"There is a dressage competition going on outside the town next week, perhaps maybe you would like to come along too Jenny?" asked my mother in her usual happy wind charm voice.
"Okay, I'll see if any of my horses are avalable for the day!" Said Miss Garret, just managing a grimace for my mother.
"oh yay... a day stuck in the lorry with Miss Garret and mum. So fun." I whispered to myself and then walked my new dressage stallion back to the stables.
~TGG
TGG & Dekka
2012-01-31 23:48:19
A New Home
By Caspian136
"Ali, we're here! Ali?" My mom exclaimed, unbuckling herself. She turned around in the drivers seat in our Toyota van, which was parked right in front of our new home. I grimaced, looking out the foggy window from the dew and fog we drove in early this morning. "So, what do you think?" she asked, grinning. "Mom, what is this place?" Mom frowned, getting out of the car. I got out too, but didn't really feel like it. Instead I felt like buckling in the car and driving all the way back to Colorado from dust bucket Mississippi. She rolled her brown eyes, slamming the car door shut. "Oh, come ON, Ali! You've GOT to love it here! This is your new home, remember?" While mom took her suitcase out of the trunk, I just stared in shock at this place I was now going to call, "My home". The house had three floors, I could tell because there were three windows going up, and three windows across. The house was a pale yellow, chipping paint every where. The roof was a hideous shade of brown, and the some tiles were missing. The front and back lawn was yellow and crunchy, rather than a perfect shade of green and as soft as silk. That's how my dad's house in Colorado is. I bit my lip, thinking of the divorce, when mom handed me my pink suitcase.I turned around. "Mom! How could we ever call this place home?" I asked. "It's falling to pieces!" Mom wrapped her arm around my shoulders. "Look, I know it's pretty bad, but Alli, you're going to LOVE it here! Now, don't worry about the chipping paint. I called Watson, you know, my friend from collage? He lives around here and owns a hardware company and said he'd be happy to paint the outside another shade. He said he'd also send someone out here to fix the roof." "Fine," I mumbled, "as long as he doesn't paint the house a shade of purple!" Mom laughed, and that made me giggle a bit, too. "Come on!" Mom called out. "Let's go inside." While mom fidgeted around in her purse, looking for the key to the house, I tied my long brown hair back into a ponytail with a purple scrunchy. When she found the key, I wasn't surprised to see that it was about three inches long and made of brass. It was kind of shaped like those old fashioned keys from the 14th century, or something. "This house was built in the 1800's so the house is pretty old," mom explained, unlocking the door. Ya' think? I thought, rolling my hazel eyes. The house was even more ugly on the inside than the outside. There was a winding staircase, the yellow paint was chipping on that, the floor boards moaned when the wind rattled them, and the light switch was pretty old fashioned, too. Instead of a switch, it was a cord. It was pretty dark, so I felt the need to turn the lights on. I pulled the cord, and, the lights worked pretty well. "I guess Watson fixed the lights, too," Mom said, walking into the kitchen. The lights in there worked, but I gasped. "Mom! That stove! It's it's-hideous!" Mom nodded, looking at the old gas stove. "It's probably been here for awhile." "Yeah, but how are we going to EAT we need to cook most of our food somewhere, and I don't see a microwave or a toaster in here." "Ali, calm DOWN. Thank goodness I ordered new kitchen supplies ahead of time." "Good," I said. After picking out our bedroom's, me and mom slept on the rental beds in the living room. It was only two in the morning, and mom said we needed to get some shut eye since Watson while be here around nine o'clock. He's going to find out how much paint he needs, I guess. Or maybe he's going to fix the roof. I hope he falls of. It was hard to sleep, on account of the creaky floorboards moaning, waking me up every five seconds. Then I heard a noise. It sounded like some kind of animal or something. I got out of bed and looked out the window which showed the front yard. I saw a white horse, as pale as the moon, trot down our street. The next morning I woke up to the smell of eggs and toast, which was really odd because the stove didn't work and we had no toaster. Mom was in the kitchen, talking on the phone, pushing the scrambled eggs around the plate while she talked. She was already dressed, so I assumed Watson was coming over soon. After I got dressed in a pair of jeans and a T-Shirt, I decided to eat my breakfast too. While I walked past mom to get my paper plate of the counter, I smelled her perfume. She never ever wore the perfume dad gave her, so I assumed she was trying to impress Watson. Turns out the eggs and toast were from one of our neighbors down the road. I found a note on one of the plastic food containers that contained bacon. I thought it was pretty nice of our neighbor. Whoever it was. While I ate, I picked up a couple of words from mom's phone call. "Yes, the paint is chipping, a really bad color actually. Yellow, I presume," she said. "Yes, and the tiles on the roof are falling off, and it's the most ugly shade of green you could ever imagine.Yes. No. What? The backyard?" Then it dawned on me that I haven't checked out the backyard yet. Mom gasped. "WATSON! Why didn't you tell us?! Okay, okay, I understand. Alright, bye."
Mom sounded pretty angry when she ended her conversation. "The nerve of that man-." I was very curious about what mom was so angry about. "What is it, mom?" I asked, munching on my toast. Mom sighed, shaking her head. "Oh, nothing. Me and Watson were just talking about the condition of this house- not really well at all." "Yeah,but what about the backyard?" I asked, wanting to hear more. "Well, he said that the last owner- well, he should have mentioned this before, but-."
Mom bit her lip. "Please, go on, mom!" I begged. "Okay, well Watson said that the last owner here- well- he-," "He what?! He what?!" I said. Mom looked at her plate. "He said the last owner here died." I gasped. "What? How come?!" Mom shook her head. "I know, I couldn't believe it either, but it's the truth." I was puzzled. "But what does that have to do with the backyard?" Mom pushed her glasses up her nose. "Well, it's complicated. I don't even know the answer myself. Watson said that it had something to do with the backyard..." I gasped. "That could be anything! Spiders, wolves, bears.." "Ali, I doubt there's any bears OR wolves here, but they have been common around the last owners time." "What?" "The last owner. The last owner lived here in 1856. He was a farmer. Wolves and bears could have been around,but they didn't come 'round that very often, so I doubt it was wolves." Mom placed her hands together. "But it could have been a murderer." I gulped, but mom continued. "Watson heard rumors that it had something to do with a horse." "That's crazy!" I said. "Why would a horse do anything like that?" Mom shook her head. "I don't know, dear." Then mom got silent. "There's something else I want you to know." she said, staring at her plate. I knew it was something bad. "What? What!" "Watson, he bought you a horse." My eyes bulged out of my head. "He WHAT?!" Mom nodded, getting up out of her chair, pacing the room. Mom did this whenever she was upset. "He shouldn't have done that!" I said. "I don't know anything about horses!" Mom stopped pacing the floor and looked up at me. "I know, Ali, he should have asked me- and you-first. But he went on right ahead and bought you one." "Why?" I asked, gritting my teeth. Mom shrugged. "I don't know why. He just did." "Well, aren't we going to do something about it?!" I asked, my voice raising higher. Mom gave me a cross look. "Allison Katelyn Quimby!" she said. "Don't you DARE raise your voice at me! I am your mother!" I stared at the floor. "I'm sorry." I whispered. Mom nodded, and continued pacing the white tiled floor. "Look, when Watson gets here I'm going to tell him that he shouldn't have-." Mom's sentence was drown in honks from a car out front. Mom glanced at the black and white clock hanging above her. "He's here." she calmly said. "Now, don't talk a word about this, understand?" I nodded. "Good." Then mom walked outside to greet Watson. I stared at the floor, cross. Why did Watson buy a horse for me? Why! I clenched my teeth shut, angry at Watson. I didn't even know a thing about horses. Outside I could see Watson's blue pick up truck and hitched to it was a pale white trailer. I could see mom angrily crossing her arms, her lip in a thin line. I could hear a horse cry out, and some banging and kicking noises from the trailer. "Poor thing!" I thought. Watson got out of the drivers seat and slammed the door shut. He hugged mom. "Jane! It's so good to see you!" he said, giving her a tight squeeze. If I were mom, I would've kicked him in the shin. Then Watson looked down at me, considering the fact he was so tall. "And this must be the famous Ali I've been hearing about!" he said, grinning under the brim of his sunhat. He opened his arms wide, crouching down a little bit. "Come and give me a hug, girlfriend!" Did he just say GIRLFRIEND?! I thought. Yeah, he did. And he wants to hug me, too. Gratifying1 I thought. Instead of hugging Watson, which I didn't feel like at ALL (maybe later, oldie) I cut to the chase. "What's in the trailer?" I asked, playing dumb. Mom must have caught me playing dumb with Watson, because she gave me a dirty look. "Oh, that-well-." Watson rubbed the back of his neck. He looked up at the sky, avoiding eye contact. The way his rectangular glasses reflected the sun made me sick. He was giving me a seizure. "Oh, come ON, Watson." Mom said, giving a half hearted smile. "Show us." I felt like laughing out loud. Mom was playing dumb with Watson, too. Watson grinned. He put his hands up in the air. "Okay, okay, you got me! Come on, I'll show you!" Mom winked at me while we walked to the back of the trailer. At the back of the trailer the neighing and grunting continued. Me and mom stepped back while Watson unlocked the trailer door. I was scared to death! What if the horse runs over us? I thought. But Watson didn't look scared at all. He unlatched the door and opened it. Then, the horse bolted out! I could see a whir of black and then it bolted past me, knocking me to the ground. "Ali!" Mom called out. She ran towards me, while Watson chased after the horse.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Caspian136 & Caspian
2012-02-02 15:16:06
Saying Goodbye
By: Windfall
The wind whips through my jacket, leaving my heart colder and darker than ever, as the sky cries with me, rain pouring salty tears and misery. I feel as if I have been backed over with a truck. The heaviness in my heart drags me down like a fifty-pound weight. The driving determination to reach my destination is long since lost. Now I am just concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, the bouquet of roses grasped tightly in my freezing fingers.
My throat constricts when my eyes lay upon the cracked gray headstone; I do not dare to read the name of my beloved horse. The soil is damp and slick where I stand, smelling of recently upturned earth. Will there ever be an end to my grief? Suddenly my jeans are too tight, jacket too hot, and I moan into the silence of the night. My eyes brim with tears, and they flow over as powerful as a waterfall. I howl and scream at the stars, the only answer I'll ever need is why. They listen, knowing not to tell me it's okay, because it's not, knowing to not remind me Snowfire is one of them know, twinkling down as a shining light that will forever guide my footsteps on to the right path. I fall to my knees, not caring about the scolding I will surely receive for my ruined, muddy clothes, and lay the roses on top of Snowfire's grave. Then, in a barely audible whisper, I begin to sing, "There, there, in the darkness of the night, close your eyes and dream sweet dreams tonight. One day, you'll wake up and find me with a smiling face and then we'll be rejoined. Laughter is all you have to hear, peace you'll receive when you close your eyes and sleep." Then, to the pinprick of light in the distance, the one that warms my heart when I behold its beauty, I manage to croak out, "I love you."
Windfall & Ophelia
2012-02-04 18:27:01
<3 Calming Tiger <3 part 1
By MareOwner123
"Sweetie,you are way too attached with that pony!" Mom said. I roll my eyes, 'Well,duh mom!Mrs Jane told me to take care of SnowFlake!' I said. 'Yes,but she's not even your pony!She belongs to the riding school!Jane said she need someone to take care of Snowflake while she was in vacation!I am gonna send you to a riding school to get attached to a pony you can actually get attached to and not be mad when the pony gets taken away from you,which won't happen with you and the school pony!' My mom said,and went in the kitchen.
Well,let me introduce myself.I'm Star.I'm 13,with blonde hair (with hightlights) and blue eyes.( I am not dumb) Snowflake is a school pony that is TOTALLY white,except she has a blueish mane and tail,and in her rump there is a mark that looks like a snowflake.She is the most beautiful pony EVER!Mrs. Jane told me to take care of her while she was in vacation,and I said yes.Mom is getting mad at me because I am way too attached,so Im going to a riding school.Yay...-.-
"I'll take care of Snowflake while you are gone.For now you need to learn there are better horses." She says As she hands me my uniform for riding school.It's summer,so she didn't care about the regular school. I huffed loud and went in the bathroom to change.
*Riding school*
I looked around lost."Call my if you need anything" She says as she hands me my phone."Oh well." I say and go inside.There, waiting for me, was a nice-looking woman that looked like she was in her twenties,walked up to me."Hi!My name is Mrs.Jackson, and I will be your trainer." She says, and gives me a smile. "Hi,my name is Star."
I said. "Let me show you around!"She said,and starts walking.I followed."Best is first.This is the stables." She said,and walked up to a cream colored pony with a black mane and tail."This is my pony.Marshmallow." She said,and started walking."This is-" She got cut off by a fast black huge thing.All I caught was a dragon shaped small thing on the huge black thing.The black thing was coming for me,and when it pushed me to the ground,I fell and blacked out.All I could get out was a scary neigh and Mrs.Jackson yelling "Marvin!Dan!Come here,quick!"
TO BE CONTINUED....
MareOwner123 & StarDustAngel
2012-02-05 01:54:36
*~ Wild Spirits ~*
By Flowergunner
The morning was crisp and clear, with a small breeze, smelling of the wild mountain flowers, flowed gently threw the Herd camp. The lush green grass swayed with the motion of the tiny, frail winds, while the tall, majestic oak trees' leaves returned the grace of nature by letting blown of leaves slap softly against the stream water at the bottom of the left side of camp. The sun, just starting to touch the back of the snow-capped mountains, spread small, tender light onto the flower-filled field. There was no place that Amethyst would rather be now, than right here, watching the sun rise. As a small strawberry roan filly, with the pretty honey-colored eyes, she was a great sneaker. While the mother horses of the Herd slept with their foals, and Amethysts friends, Amethyst had snuck out to watch the motions of the sun. Not having a mother, it was easy to slip by and get by without being caught. But then there was Desiree, her adoptive mother. Desiree had been her real mother, Flower, is best friend, promising the mare that had died she would take care of her precious bundle. Amethyst did love Desiree, and her sort-of-like brother, Crosswind. Just the thought of playing with the younger colt brought a smile to Amethyst's lips, which were soaked with the dew from the grass she had been playfully lapping on. Hoofbeats brought the filly to a standstill as she looked up to see bigger horses; the stallions that had took on the night watch, each standing on one hill that bordered the entire meadows of Wild Spirit Herds territory. Each herd, Wild Spirit Herd, Mountainsong Herd, and Sweet Water Herd, had their own territory. Wide and spacious each territory was, but Amethyst loved Wild Spirit Herd best. She always disliked Mountainsong Herd, as their camp was directly in the center of the mountains, a dangerous place, with only a bit of meadow in their whole territory to run on. But Mountainsong Herd did thrive, as they always boasted about at a Meeting in the Canyons. However, Sweet Water Herd could be admired. They lived in meadows as Wild Spirit Herd did, and frolicked mostly in the rivers that ran all over the territory, some running down from Mountainsongs mountains.
Then Amethyst remembered the strong, hefty stallions standing directly in front of her, their breaths billowing in the cool summer morning air. Giving a tiny, innocent smile, Amethyst faced them bravely. "I was just Watching the sun." She said nonchalantly, flicking her mane. Star, the biggest stallion the L.I.T., Leader in Training, stallion, smiled. "That's quite alright. But stay near the nursery cave next time." Star snorted, then motioned for the two stallions behind him, Storm and Gorge, to follow him to the Lead Mare, Beauty, and the Lead Stallion, Fire, is cave, across the camp. As they trotted off in the other direction, Amethyst caught a glimpse of River drifting out of her cave, yawning. The small dun healer looked frail in the mornings light, but was facing the world and her Herd with a smile. Then, the motion Amethyst dreaded the most, she saw Desiree along with Frost walking out of the nursery cave, Crosswind and Opal skidding out behind them. Leaping over a log, Amethyst cantered across the field to them. Desiree's tired gaze landed on her dewdrop-sparkling coat. To her surprise, the mare snorted in amusement. "I'm used to what you do, Amethyst. Don't think I didn't know you snuck out this morning." Frost, the snow-white mare beside her and the mother of Opal, smiled. "Yes. When you're a yearling were both still going to be watching you. Right, Desiree?" Desiree pretended to nod in agreement. Crosswind almost died laughing, while Opal just prodded at Amethyst with her hoof. "When I'm lead mare you can't watch me!" Amethyst protested, letting her ears swivel to take in the sounds of horses awakening in their caves. Desiree and Frost both snorted with laughter. "C'mon, Am. We can go pick on the senior horses." Partly immobilized, Amethyst followed Crosswind, with Opal trailing behind her. When they were atop a hill by the senior horses, whom were grazing peacefully and chatting, they sat down and told jokes about the old horses. "I hear humans call them 'old nags' when they get old!" Opal said loudly. Florence glanced up, ears pricked, and turned her haunches to them. "Careful. Cochise loves to bite other horses. He's loosing his teeth." Crosswind mused. Amethyst and Opal turned to look at him with wondering gazes. "What?" Amethyst asked, leaning forward to tug at a honeysuckle vine by an oak. "Never mind." Crosswind rolled his eyes and glued his gaze to the mountain. "Mountainsong Herd is so lucky. I'd give my mane and tail to live in the mountains!" He said. Both fillies exchanged bewildered glances. "Why would you want to live there?" Amethyst asked him, rolling over in a patch of dry grass. "Because they have more excitement. They probably fight those big cats and bears everyday!" Crosswind boasted, jumping up. "Yea, I'm sure they don't. At least not every day." Opal snapped. Amethyst could tell that the grey filly was getting very protective of the Herd she lived in.
"Calm down, Opal. I was just saying it'd be cool to live with them, for, like, a day. I wouldn't definitely wanna get my hooves chipped by the rocks up there." Crosswind said coolly. Amethyst left her two friends to argue with each other to trot across the grass to stand at the edge of the camp. She wanted to take off and gallop like the rest of the Herd could at any time, to relieve herself of the constant energy that coursed threw her veins, overpowering her. If she went running and bucking wild threw the camp, she would be scolded by every horse for her behavior. And if she did run out of camp and into the territory of meadows and fields, she really would get scolded, along with a good nipping. There were so many 'dangers' out there if a foal left the camp unattended.
Like getting roped by a human and a tame horse, and getting taken back to a 'stable'.
Or getting attacked by a cat that ventured down from the mountains. Or getting mauled by a trespassing horse. Amethyst hated being stuck in camp. When she turned a year and was a yearling, the first thing she'd do was go into the fields and run. Which would be this fall, of course. She sighed. It was only four weeks until fall, when the oak tree's leaves turned a rich gold and orange and started to fall, and the grass started to die. It was beautiful in fall. But it was very hard to find food. Most of the Herds ribs could be seen throughout the fall and winter seasons. Every Herd was happy when Spring arrived, and the grass returned to its full green. Sometimes the three Herds all got together and found food at a stable and ate with the tame horses, who were always happy to share their hay. At times Herds would eat out of the growing hay fields, if they could find one. Amethyst sighed at the thought of being stuck in camp for another straight four weeks.
Wonderstruck by her thoughts, Amethyst decided to just venture a small ways from camp. Stepping around the large oak tree trunk that proved she was leaving the camp, she wasn't aware of Crosswinds and Opals presence a little ways behind her. "Where are you going?" Amethyst flattened her ears when she heard her friends question. Quickly subsiding from the trickling river she was about to step over, she backed up until she was behind the oak trunk. "Just getting a drink." The lie worked great. Crosswind snorted and pawed at the ground. "I'm so bored. I wish something would happen" Amethyst let her mind drift away from Crosswind and Opal, who were beginning to discuss being yearlings. She thought of the horses' in the Herd. Daring, a big black stallion, True, the prettiest palomino mare with blue eyes, Jetta, the mare that escaped the tame horse stable; with a chestnut coat, Peach, the peach-colored mare, Robin, the black and white mare, Crossfire, Crosswinds dad and Desiree's mate; a fire-colored stallion, Blaze, Opals dad and Frosts mate; a brown and white stallion, and the three yearlings that Amethyst envied, Mocha, a white stallion with brown spots, Dare, an black stallion with dark brown eyes, and Lone, an brown and white bay stallion. And of course the lead mare and lead stallion, Fire and Beauty, the two L.I.T.'s, Star and Rose, and the Healer mare, River. Then last but not least, Florence, the only Senior mare.
Once everything was thought over, Amethyst took advantage of being alone, and crossed over the boundary of camp. Breaking into a run, she felt the wind flatten her coat, her mane and tail flying threw the warm summer air. The fact she would take a good nipping for this screamed in her mind, but right now, it was about escaping and finding something better to do than just set around and be bored. She skidded to a halt beside a big running river in the path of woodland on the side of Wild Spirit territory.
Dipping her head to take a drink, Amethyst admired all the sounds of the outside, the birds chirping, the squirrels running threw the fresh grass. What was so dangerous about this? Just because she was small didn't mean she couldn't kick or buck or take care of herself. Shaking off droplets of water from her muzzle, Amethyst made her way through a thicket of briars to overlook fields full of wildflowers. Amethyst smelled the scent of Sweet Water Herd all around that meadow, so it was obvious that wasn't Wild Spirit territory. Turning around, voices drifted from a little way down the path.
She instantly recognized them as Robin, Blaze, and Lone, the day watchers. They had done their part of watching and were going back to camp. Darting behind a tree as not to be seen, she kept as quiet as a mouse. Once the hoofbeats and voices had passed her all together, the roan filly peeked out from behind the tree.
Now it was only her and some squirrels. Smiling, she bounded out of the woodland and shook off some dark green leaves from her thin coat. "Note to self: Don't forget to watch out for the next watchers." She said randomly, frolicking in a patch of pink roses that were nestled all together. Finding a warm patch of sunlight, Amethyst took a place in the middle of it, the dandelions underneath her softened her quick fall.
In a short while, Amethysts eyelids closed for a little sleep.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
To Be Continued...
flowergunner & Black Lantern
2012-02-06 17:44:54
The Horse Sanctuary
By becca bieber
I look out my window. shocked . what was my mum doing. Bonnie the new horse which came to our horse sanctuary had come yesterday. horses came to the sanctuary when they were frightened and abused they would come and learn to trust people again. my mum with blonde hair wearing her jodphurs was out plunging bonnie. i couldnt believe it. we couldnt even lead rein the horse but now he is beginning to reedeem his trust. i was so happy. I ran down to the stables and got ready to go on a trail ride. suddenly i heard a scream and a niegh from a horse. i recognised it it was bonnie i ran to the sand pit where we plunged the horses. my poor mum was struggling to carm bonnie down. he lashes his striking feet in the air a inch away from my mums head i couldnt believe my eyes i was so scared i didnt want my mum getting hurt. i ran and helped her. i carmed bonnie down.
"i think thats enough today mum we only got him yesterday his not going to be that good he hasnt settled in yet give him time." i considered to my mum.
"ok , ill put bonnie in his stable i think patch and spot could do with a ride. why dont you phone megan she would like to ride spot" replied my mum.
i ran to the house i called meg she was on her way i went to the stables and brushed and tacked the horses up ready to go on the hack.
by the time i finished megan was here.
"hi leah are you ok , i cant wait to ride spot he is amazing where are we going on the hack do you know" megan asked very exited and eager to ride spot the well mannered horse. both of the horses was mine they lived here dor a long time now. megan was wearing her new denim jodphurs she looked very smart.
"im fine i was just a bit worried my mum plunged the new horse which came bonnie and he went a bit crazy. tomorrow im going to try and plunge him in the indoor arena. im thinking of going near the woods and doing a cicuit going near by the town." i replied.
we mounted on the horses and headed for the woods. i could here the crackling of the leaves as patch's hoofs smoothly hit the floor.it was so peaceful. i loved going on a hack with my best friend megan she has dfone alot to help with all the ponys which came to the horse sanctuary.
"oh no its raining leah, please can we go " cried megan.
BANG! BOOM!
" oh no theres gonna be thunder storm hurry patch goes mental in thunder storms." i shouted .
but then i i heard a horse in stress from a small shed behind the trees i made way for me and my friend.
"you hold my horse meg i need to go and find out whats wrong dont let go of patches reins"
"i wont i promise just hurry up"
i ran down to the shed the horse had scars and was completely starved to death i could see his ribs there was no sign of anyone or a lead rope i ran back to patch he was going crazy.
the reins were slipping through megans fngers she used all her might to keep hold. i just came in time patch reared uo high pointing to the sky he lashed his strong legs through the air. i grabbed the reins and mounted.
"we need to go and get my mum and the horse box ready"
we got home and rescued the poor horse from the damp shed.
becca bieber & squash
2012-02-06 20:27:49
DREAM *chapter two*
By Candy1
It was like one of those dreams where you need to scream to survive but when you open your mouth nothing comes out I closed my eyes and held my breath hoping to slow time down it didn't work I hit the ground….………¡WAIT A SECOND! IM ALIVE?! I slowly very very slowly opened my eyes (still holding my breath by the way) and looked at my surroundings I saw air and more air was I floating in the air? no I answered my own question I rolled over on to my belly and then it became clear that I was not to move I was on a tree ladder that had been screwed to the cliff I sat very still suddenly I heard a voice that sounded fimiler but I couldn't figure out who's it was very carefully I climbed down the ladder to the entrance of a cave that's where the voices were coming from from the sound it sounded like five guys I walked into the cave a step or two to hear better "we - go- get- the horse th- house-" I was to far back to hear very clearly I turned around to go get Adam and the others but took one step and bumped into a very scraggly looking man he growled and grabbed my arm without even thinking I gave a loud pericing scream "LINDA" it was Adam he had heard me scream "AD-" I was cut off because the old man was reaching for me again I scrame again and ran straight into the cave I rounded a corner into a room that was filled with light I ws blinded for a moment when I could see again I was shocked at what I saw three boy from the boat and old man and LEWIS I was even more shocked at what Lewis said next "tie her up and gag her" he said the friendly look from earlier today todaly wiped from his face and we"ll leave her here for whatever lives here to eat for his supper I gave one last loud scream as every thing went black.
Will post next chapter in the next contest :D
Candy1 & Nitika
2012-02-06 20:40:50
The Horse in Stall 11
By laniheartshorses
The clock on the wall said 7:30 am. Plenty of time before my 10:00 am lesson. I rolled over, but I couldn't sleep. I just had a funny feeling about going and riding today. It hadn't been the same since Chance died. No girl should ever lose their first love, especially if their first love was a horse. It had been a year, but the pain was still there, a raw hole in my chest, threatening to pull me in and never let me love another horse. Not that I wanted to. I hadn't met a horse I liked since I lost Chance. I almost wanted to stop riding, just to get away from the constant reminders. His halter still hanging on the fence post, the turquoise feed bucket that he'd loved to play with, that song that I sang to him when he was nervous, and worst of all, the blue show ribbons hanging from the wall. I missed him, and I missed what we'd had. We were the pair that everyone watched in the show ring. He was the horse that people offered my parents thousands of dollars for. One person even called us twice a day for three days and offered $15,000 for our little auction horse we'd gotten for $250 because no one else wanted him. We would never sell him though. He meant too much to me. But now he was gone, and I would never see him again. I started crying as the hole in my heart began to throb. It still hurt. And in two hours I had to go and ride another horse, and pretend to love him, and smile and laugh and act like I was fine. Even if I wasn't fine, and I didn't care about the spoiled jumper my trainer had me riding now. He didn't love me, so why should I love him? I heard footsteps walking down the hall to my room, so I hurriedly wiped my eyes and turned on my light. My mom walked in. 'Oh, good! You'e already up! I hate waking you, you always look so peaceful when you're asleep' she said, 'we have to be at the barn in an hour, so you should get ready now. I didn't want to, but I had to keep up the charade.
Sure! I said with a blindingly fake smile. I rolled out of bed and methodically pulled on my breeches and socks. I poked around for a moment before I found my nice green polo shirt that I liked to ride in because it matched my horse's leg wraps and saddle pad. I pulled it clumsily over my head, and walked into the bathroom. The hairbrush was in the drawer, along with my toothpaste and face cloths. After washing up, I walked back into my room and put on my tall boots and grabbed my helmet. My tack bag, saddle, leg wraps and saddle pad were already at the barn. As I moved down the hall to the kitchen, I realized the feeling I had was not dread, but excitement! I was actually excited to go to the barn! Huh, I thought, I bet something good will happen today. I quickly ate my breakfast and got into the car with my mom. We left on the 10-minute ride to the barn, and I realized I was bursting with excitement! What had come over me? We got there, and I remembered the reason I'd been excited. Rose had texted me last night, to tell me that her and my other best friend, Clare, were going to be at the barn today! I hadn't seen them in weeks, and I couldn't wait to talk to them and share horsey gossip. I was a lame pastime, but it was pretty fun sometimes. And I could tell that right now, Rosie was bursting with news. Hi hi hi!! I missed you so much! That was Rose for you. Always full of energy. Clare waved her more normal and laid back greeting, but her smile told me that Rose's gossip was pretty good. Guess what? There's a horse in Stall 11! And the Mob isn't surrounding him! Rose said pointing excitedly. She was right. The Mob, a group of younger girls who were always hanging around and getting underfoot, was in the donkey's field, playing with the new foal. Clare said, they were in there earlier, but the left as soon as he didn't come right up to their carrots and sugar. I was dying to see this mystery horse, so I waved goodbye to my mom, who was waiting in the car in case I needed anything.
What does he look like? Is he nice? Have you ridden him? I said. The three mandatory questions, asked whenever a new horse came to the barn. Rose just sighed and looked down, He's a rescue. He looks so thin, even Ryan thinks he might not make it. And he's too shy to be nice. Ryan was the trainer at our barn. If he couldn't save a horse, no one could. I frowned, and we walked off toward the barn. There, waiting in Stall 11, was the most beautiful and sad looking horse I'd ever seen. He was so thin he was mere skin and bones. His dapple-gray coat, probably once bright and glossy, was ragged and unkempt. His fine head with large, liquid brown eyes, told of a life of love and joy long lost. With his long legs and short back, Ryan reckons he was a great jumper, Rose chimed in, breaking the silence in which me and the gray horse regarded each other quietly.
He's beautiful, I said with resolve, and opened the stall door. I held out my hand, and he looked at it with eyes that had not lost quite all of their fire. He pointedly looked at me, the Rose and Clare, and back to me. He's scared of you guys. I don't know why, but you should back up so he'll come closer and I can pet him, I whispered, not wanting to spook the giant in front of me. I heard them back up, but he still did not come forward. A voice called from outside the stall. Rose! Clare! The Mob let the donkeys get into Taz's field! Help! They left the barn, mumbling apologies, and half-hearted threats meant for the Mob. As soon as the were gone, the great gray stepped forward a bit and looked right at my hand. I spoke softly and reached out farther, straining to touch his velvet nose. He must have decided to trust me, because he came forward, and moments later I was vigorously scratching his neck and side in a horse massage. He lipped my hair, and I smiled. I'd never felt this happy around any horse but Chance. Which reminded me. I checked my watch, and realized I had only half an hour to catch, groom, and tack Spiral, the horse Ryan wanted me to ride. I'll be back soon! I promised my new friend, and set off to get Spiral.
TO BE CONTINUED
laniheartshorses & Rebel
2012-02-07 22:01:50
The Impatient Cougar and the Magic Horse
By: 9966332
Once, in a magical land, pristine in all its glory, all the animals remained untouched by humans. The animals lived in peace, happily respecting each other’s space. Well, most of them any way… the animals were sometimes troubled by the other end of the food chain, cougars, wolves, and snakes were known as the big time trouble makers. But most of them accepted that this way only their finest children would be born! Of course, for the slowest, they did not want to accept this fact at all.
In a high mountain cave lived a family of cougars, the mother, Whisper, dreamed of the day her three beautiful cubs would prowl the mountain like a whisper, just like her! Whisper cared dearly for the cubs and thought carefully of names that she hoped they would fulfill.
Watching from her cave she gave careful thought for the name of her only girl, mist swirled around shadowing the trees and tasty deer below.
“I’ll name her mist!†she cried and then pondered for the next name.
She thought the next day while hunting some field mice for some snacks, she waited by a hole concentrating on every movement near the hole. Then another name came, concentration! “I’ll name my son Conie!†with her cry of delight she scared all the mice away. But she didn’t mind and slinked back to the cave to think of one other name.
The next day Whisper was stalking a new born foal that was being very carless. The colt cantered this way and that slowly moving away from the herd. She licked her lips delightedly, barely able to stay still in the tall grass. When the foal started to move back to the herd, she was angry and leapt out of her hiding place and began trying to chase the foal down. The little colt was frightened and neighed for his father and mother. The foal’s father, Owl, known for his wisdom of the forest, ran to his son’s aide. Whisper was not going to give up her prize so easily and ignored the frightening battle cry of Owl. Before Whisper could give up her chase Owl leapt between Whisper and his colt.
“Foolish lion! Haven’t you any patience? Off with you! You disgrace God’s gift of skills he has given to you!†Whisper begged for mercy Owl’s wise eyes glanced over Whisper’s quivering body, he snorted and whirled and galloped away with his son. Whisper let out her held breath. She wouldn’t dare touch Owls foals again.
In honor of her lesson she decided on her last son’s name, Pat. She hoped dearly her sons and her daughter would excel in their given names.
Weeks and months passed and Whisper’s cubs grew and grew. And Whisper was ecstatic with Connie and Mist.
Mist could slide into the cave without anyone knowing, coming and going like the mist she was named for. Of course Whisper had a hard time keeping an eye on her young daughter but she knew those skills would make for a wonderful hunter.
Connie had a wonderful ability to concentrate on any one object, studying it with a flawless mind. With the ability it was hard to get him to stop concentrating! But Whisper didn’t mind in the least, happy with her son’s ability to the fullest!
Pat was the exception, he had no concentration, and he was clumsy and carless, definitely not like a mist! And worst of all, he had no patience! He would cry out almost constantly for food and warmth, endangering him and his brother and sister. Whisper had no idea what to do for her son, she worried he wouldn’t be able to survive in a world where you must know the secrets of the forest, which leaves crackle, and when twigs snap the most.
She hoped and prayed it was just a phase but each day brought her cubs closer to their first real hunt. And pat was nowhere near the perfect specimen of a hunter. He looked and sounded more like a buffalo then a cougar.
Whisper put off the first official hunt as long as she could, but pat tried her patience in his lessons. But she could not give up on him. Throughout the winter she taught as well as she could but pat wasn’t improving.
Winter came and went and flowers started to bloom and finally it was time for the cubs to hunt on their own. By the law of the forest after the first hunt, they were to leave whisper forever. Whether they could hunt or not.
She woke her cubs at first light, sighing with despair when pat ran outside and disturbed a covey of quail. Things were not looking up.
Whisper led the way to the meadow and told Connie to hunt some mice. Connie came back with ten mice in half an hour.
While whisper was watching Connie, mist ran off and came back with a prong horn! Whisper praised her daughter greatly and saw her off when she left to go off on her own. Connie left too, and when whisper turned to try and find Pat, he was gone!
Whisper ran over the whole forest, calling for her clumsy son. When she found him he was being chased by Owl!
“I have respected lions on the grounds they can be more powerful than me, but for you, I have no respect. You have no chance of survival if you don’t learn the art of patience!†she rushed to pats help, whisper leapt in front of Owl and hissed
“Please do not hurt my son! I will teach him! Just let him be!†whisper snarled at the black stallion.
Owl shook his head “you forget, Whisper, your cub is to leave you today! And there will be no delays! I am wise because I have learned from my mistakes; maybe your son should do the same.†The wise stallion snorted and turned away.
Pat had to leave Whisper forever, the law of the forest stated so, and so was the beginning of a hard summer for pat.
Pat still did not get the concept of patience, sneaking up, and hiding. When he spotted any sort of food he would rush at it snapping every twig and crackling every leaf in the forest. Shouting, “food!†but never an animal was brought down by pat, the lion with no patience.
With all the running around with no food forth coming, pat got very skinny… and now the other plump lions were teasing him!
Pat left the forest and went above the forest line to the top of the mountain to be alone and die in misery. Pat thought nothing really lived above the tree line except the mean mountain goats but he was wrong.
In fact nobody knew what they were. some said they were plain horses, to dumb to go down to the food. Some thought maybe ghosts but wise animals like Owl knew better than ghosts, there was no such things as ghosts in the animal world, the wise animals said that ghosts only followed people, since humans are so dramatic, the ghosts like to tease them and long ago ghosts stopped following animals when they couldn’t get them scared.
While the cold wind whipped and churned around the bare rocks and weeds. Pat found a cave that would be perfect to die in. the cave was big and black he could hear water dripping in side with loud plunks. But the plunks were broken up by moans and groans. Someone else was inside!
Pat decided it may be a meal and ventured down the long tunnel the groans got louder when the tunnel opened up seemingly glowing with light! A pale creamy filly sat in the corner between two large boulders.
Pat was speechless that the room seemed to glow from the filly. But the foal spotted him and jumped up standing on what seemed like tooth pick think legs and nearly fell.
“Do not eat me! I do not taste good! Go away! My leg does not hurt and I am not cornered!†the foal relied what she said and tried to huddle in a corner.
“do not worry,†pat said trying to calm the frightened pale bundle, “I cannot hunt, I do not have patience the wise one says…â€
The foal leapt back up, “I can help you, but first you must help me, I was running away from a mountain goat and ran in here, but I ran into a wall…†pat could see now that the filly could not stand on her front leg and blood crusted over a deep gash.
“But how can I help?â€
“Well first things first, I'm starving and can hardly walk and secondly you can’t call my filly or foal and I can’t call you lion-that-might-eat-me. So now you call me Willow and what shall I call you?â€
“you can call me pat and what do I do about your hunger problem willow?†pat had no idea what to do for a grass eating willow there certainly wasn’t no grass outside.
“go outside and get me some weeds and see if you can find some fuzzy rabbits ear. Maybe with help we can clean this up.†Pat sighed and journeyed outside and found some rabbits ear and weeds. Feeling ridiculous, he went back inside and was almost attacked by willow.
“food! How I’ve missed you!†willow devoured the weeds and then told Pat to wet the rabbits ears to help clean the wound.
Pat dunked the rabbit ear leaves in the cave water and rubbed them on her leg. Amazingly willow slept, now happy with her plans and with a full stomach.
Every day pat grew impatient sometimes he didn’t really believe that the filly could help him but somehow he thought willow might be magic. Because one day when she was resting, and he was hungry. She looked brighter than usual, then he smelled meat and outside was a dead mountain goat, fresh and carcass not touched. Every time he went out to retrieve more food for willow he found dead mice or rabbits dead for no apparent reason. But either way he filled out more and every day he grew I little less impatient with willows recovery.
When the gash had healed enough for willow to walk pat walked her outside into the rocky land scape. She jumped about happy as a lark being able to walk again. While pat swished his tail happy for willow but bored at the same time. He slinked away to see if willow had somehow produced more food with what seemed like magical powers. Instead 5 rabbits hopped in a barren meadow. Instead of rushing out and trying for a meal. He waited in the rocks until one ventured toward him. for once he didn’t grumble or complain about how long it was taking. At just the right moment pat leapt out and snapped the rabbits neck.
“yay!†willow cried from behind him, he hadn’t realized willow was watching him, “my plan worked! You have learned patience pat! And I have my gash healed! Good bye pat!†and without another word like magic a golden mist enveloped her and she was gone.
Pat felt proud of himself and confirmed in his mind that willow was magic, somehow. Grabbing his prize he raced down the mountain away from the mountain goats and the magic foal. Before the sun set he raced to the alpine meadow where the deer congregated in large numbers. He waited in the shadows knowing the deer would leave the meadow and come into the trees at night.
The sun sank lower and lower and slowly the deer frolicked into the trees. Where pat was waiting with hi new found patience.
He waited for the biggest stag to come close, then snarling like the fiercest beast, jumped onto the stags back, and toppled it to the ground. And from behind him, a short snort. Pat turned to see Owl, who nodded with approval, and galloped away.
And so is the story of Pat, the now patient cougar, and the magic foal who knew the essence of patience.
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