by Doree
(Canada)
Chapter One: A new start
Galloping, he raced his horse, a sleek bay, down the long road that seemed like a never ending circle, others were racing beside him, he urged his horse faster, faster till the other horses and their riders seemed far from them but then all a sudden they were tumbling down and...
Slap! Her teacher's ruler brought Gabriella Stevens out of daydreaming and back into reality, her teacher hovered over her desk, her eyes narrowed and her face set in a scowl.
"Miss Stevens I've been asking you the same question over and over again, this is the 4th time this week young lady, that I've caught you dozing off. Now go to the principal's office!"
"Yes Mrs. Keller." Gabriella mumbled feeling hopeless as she though her mom who had just said that morning if she went to the principles office again she was grounded, this was now 4th time now, this week she had to go to the principles office because of dozing off in class but she couldn't help it every time she closed her eyes, even a little, she thought of that race track. Shuddering Gabriella made her way to the principal's office.
Picking up her red bike up from the ground she started on her way home. Gabriella thought of her house it was yellow, her mom always said her dad loved that color, she thought of the outside with the chickens, her one cow daisy and the 3 dogs, and even once in a while a stray cat showed up but wouldn't stick around to long because of the dogs. It was perfect, all it missed was Horses.
Gabriella felt the word catch in her throat as she tried to say it. Ever since the accident her mom wanted nothing to do with horses, so she sold all of their 10 horses, even with Gabriella begging to keep Golden Sunshine, her beautiful palomino mare that her and her dad had worked on together, it was still a no.
Gabriella was mad at her mom for doing that but then again to her she couldn't risk another accident happening and losing the only thing she had now, which was Gabriella. Gabriella pedaled faster against the wind, she shivered as she saw a large dark thing peek out of the woods feeling scared she lost concentration, and didn't notice the car coming towards her.
Gabriella swerved to the left, just in time to avoid the vehicle, which she had just noticed and crashed into a big rock on the side of the road. The man in the car leaned out his car window and yelled at her to stay off the road. Biting her lip as if to hold back the pain Gabriella started to cry.
It felt good she hadn't cried in so long, as if wanting to comfort her, the large thing came out of the shadows. It was a horse. A beautiful one at that, with its long flowing mane and tail that lightly skimmed the ground, it seemed almost like a horse out of a fairy tail book except his scares, which were deep and long, it seemed to be slightly afraid but somehow knew she was no threat.
He was walking towards her, his head hanging low, he sniffed her softly taking in her scent. Feeling as though she could speak again she spoke softly to the Stallion.
"Hello sweetie who did this to you?" It was when she reached out to pet him he regarded her with suspicious eyes and pinned his ears back.
"It's okay I won't hurt you, trust me." His ears came forward slightly and he moved a bit closer. Gabriella very carefully took her backpack from her back and slowly zipped it open. Wrong move, everything in the horse's body language said so. He turned and cantered, then stopped when he had put a good space between them, wide enough for two cars to fit.
"It's okay I just wanted to give you this apple and a few carrots." She held out the tempting treats to the Horse. Sniffing the air he came closer and closer till he was able to reach forward and grab the apple from her hand. Crunching on the delicious apple, he greedily reached his head out for more.
"No more till you're done with your apple." She said trying to keep a straight face but then started laughing. It felt good since she hadn't laughed since her dad died. The Stallion dribbled some apple juice all over her shirt as he reached for the carrot.
"Will you follow me home?" She asked wondering if he would so she tried something, she started walking away with the carrot then peeked over her shoulder every so often. He stood there with an expression on his face like he was wondering why she took his treat away from him. For awhile he stood there refusing to follow her but when she put it to her mouth pretending to almost bite it, he hurried towards her, he didn't want anyone having his carrot!
When they reached home, she threw the rest of the carrots in the round pen hoping he would follow for awhile he starred at the round pen then at her, glaring as if saying "How dare you try and trick me!" The Stallion let out a frustrated squeal, he couldn't resist it anymore, he was hungry!
He trotted into the round pen then Gabriella closed it. The dogs began to bark excitedly as they made their way up to Gabriella. "Shh! If mom hears and she comes outside I'll be in trouble!"
The dogs continued to bark but quieted down slightly and began sniffing around the pen. Jackie, one of the 3 border collies, slithered underneath the fence and jogged over to the beautiful stallion sniffing around him. He whirled around, not liking that this animal had come into his territory as if trying to scare him off he began bucking wildly. The dogs ran over to Gabriella and cowered behind her.
"Sorry buddy I have to keep you in here you must belong to someone but judging by your cuts they aren't very good owners but still I have to keep you in here, there's the highway and the other farmers don't like horses just wandering on their land."
The Horse turned around so all she could see was blue roan rump. He gave a snort and trotted to the far side to eat some grass. "Well good night. What should I call you while you're here? How about I call you Blue moon, because you're a blue roan and I found you on a full moon but just until I find your owner okay? Does that sound good Blue moon?"
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Return to Horse Training Stories.
by Doree
(Canada)
He neighed as if to say "Sure, but can I get some hay?" Laughing Gabriella grabbed some hay, filled up the water barrel inside the pen, then started towards the house.
Taylor Stevens lazily flipped threw one of her old magazines then at the clock wondering where on earth Gabriella was. The dogs began to bark excitedly, "hmm she must be here." Taylor murmured to herself, rising out of the old comfy couch and heading towards the window.
It was then she saw her daughter leading a horse into the old horse pen. Wondering why there was a horse she narrowed her eyes and made her way outside.
"Ella, what's that horse doing in the pen? Why is he here? Where did he come from?" Taylor's questions kept coming till Gabriella finally answered.
"Mom I found him a banded on the road! He's here because he has scars so he obviously he needs care and I don't know where he came from but what I do know is that I so want him! I'm calling him blue moon. Blue moon would fit in perfect here mom! We got the fencing and a barn! Please can we keep him if the owner doesn't come forward?"
Taking a deep breath in Gabriella looked questioningly at her mother, "well?" Gabriella set her face in begging mode with whimpering it always won her mother over.
"Fine but just until we find the owner, and we'll put up fliers tomorrow ok? And I heard about you getting detention. I'm going to let it go but don't let it happen again." Taylor's serious blue eyes gazed into Gabriella's.
"Okay fine, I promise. And mom he's so nice he looks like he's a thoroughbred! I can't be too sure because it's getting dark but please if the owner doesn't want him can we keep him? Just think it over tonight ok? Maybe, maybe this is what we need." Gabriella walked up stairs feeling for once in her life since the accident that had changed everything, that something good might actually happen to her.
As she sat on her bed sighing happily as she starred at Blue Moon threw her window her mom came into the view and walked up to blue moon's pen and opened it up. Taylor patted the horse and headed towards the barn only to bring out a grooming brush.
Gabriella felt tears in the back of her eyes as she watched her mom carefully and softly groom him. Lying on her bed, Gabriella whispered quietly to herself, "Maybe it's a new start," before falling asleep.
"Daddy! Alex!" Gabriella screamed as dad's horse was falling. Everything changed now she and her mom were in the Emergency room, "what's happening to daddy? she felt herself scream, "NOOOO!!!!!"
Gasping she woke feeling sweaty, taking in a deep breath she glanced at the clock. 4:00 am. Sighing she raised herself out of bed; she didn't want to go back to that nightmare.
Gabriella made herself hot chocolate before heading outside. It was dark out, but she liked it that way, Blue Moon stared at her in confusion as she entered his pen, wondering why she was here so earlier!
"Oh Blue! I can't bear it; daddy should still be here, with me, with us! Why did he leave us so earlier? I know we just met but it feels like you've been with me forever." Crying hard into his bluish, black mane, Blue just stood there letting her let out all her sadness.
"We had a horse, her name was Golden Sunshine. My dad and I worked on her together, she was an amazing jumper. Mom sold her and the rest of the horses when daddy died. Want to know how he died? I think you'll understand, you see dad and his bay thoroughbred horse, Alex the Great is what we named him, were amazing together, unbeatable, at least we thought they were.
It was a big race this one, and dad so wanted to win! Alex did too, he told me. The race was stressful on daddy he almost always won but sometimes he didn't. Alex was the most amazing thoroughbred ever!? Snorting Blue Moon gave his objection, "okay fine one of the most amazing thoroughbreds."
Seeming pleased by that the big thoroughbred continued grazed with one ear turned towards Gabriella. "The day of the race Alex wasn't himself, but we pushed it off as nothing," feeling a lump forming in her throat, she couldn't go on, it was just too painful, Gabriella gave blue one last pat before racing inside.
"Mom I'm going to have a shower then I'm going to head to school." Grabbing her towel she headed towards the bathroom. After having a long, hot shower she got changed before heading to where her bike usually was, "Right," she muttered to herself, "I left it beside the old oak tree." Feeling frustrated she started towards the school.