by Rebekah
(Powhattan KS USA)
A loan dun filly stood in a very dirty paddock
with barely any food or water. The last of the
grass had been nibbled to the ground. She stood in the farthest corner from the gate
trying to hide from the cruel girl who was supposed to take care
of her.
She was scared, cold, wet and sick. Her mane and tail were matted, her coat covered in mud and dirt. But everyday she looked toward the kind girl that came down the road on her bike with some treats and a few grooming tools she tried her
best to get the filly clean but what she needed
was a bath.
After finishing up, she stood there and talked
to the filly that she had started to call Sammy.
Finally she had to go. "Don't worry girl,
I'll be back tomorrow." Sammy hoped she was right. Then she turned to the back of the paddock
where a tiny leanto stood. It was dirty and
leaked water but she was grateful she had
some shelter.
Meanwhile in town, the girl was looking at the bulletin board. Something caught her eye, she looked more closely and it read, Free dun filly need to get rid of. For more info call 1-824-234-0893. She almost jumped in the air it was her Sammy! Her parents had said if she could find a cheap horse she could get it. She ripped the flier off the board and stuffed it in her backpack, jumped on her bike and raced home to tell her parents.
Meanwhile back at the paddock a man was looking Sammy over.
To be continued...
Click here to read or post comments
Return to Horse Training Stories.
by Rebekah
(Powhattan, KS, USA)
The man looked at Sammy for awhile before turning to her anxious owner.
"Well?" asked Ruby. "The only thing she's good for is dog food. So do you want her or not?"
"I haven't decided yet, I'll let you know tomorrow." The man replied.
"Okay," said Ruby.
Back at Abigail's house she came busting through the door out of breath.
"Child you're gonna have an early death!" Exclaimed her mother as she turned from her task of drying dishes. "What's on your mind?" she asked as she set down her dish towel and came to sit beside Abigail.
"Now Abby, is it about a horse?"
"Yes Mom! I found the horse of my dreams!" She said as she ripped the flier out of her backpack
and handed it to her Mom. She studied it as Abby waited impatiently. Finally she looked up at Abby.
"I know you want a horse more than a lot of other things but we can't afford one."
"But Mom you said if I could find a cheap horse I could get it and this one's free!"
"I know hon--," Abby cut her off by saying
"Mom I can earn her board by working at the Dark Creek Stables. By cleaning stalls, giving lessons to the younger children. Please!"
"Well, go see what your father says."
So she went to where her father sat in his recliner reading the newspaper. Abby went through the whole process again.
"Well, if you pay for everything I don't see why you can't get her."
"Yes!" Abby said as she went to get the phone. First she called Dark Creek Stables to tell them she would be bringing Sammy in. Then she called Ruby and worked out a time to go get Sammy for the next morning at 10. She'd get her then
lead her over to Dark Creek Stables.
That night she could barely sleep but sleep finally came. She was up early got dressed and went down the stairs to eat breakfast. Her Mom looked up in surprise. "My you're up early."
"I know but I have to go over to Dark Creek Stables to make arrangements."
"Okay." said her mother.
After eating breakfast Abby headed over to the Stable on her bike to make the arrangements. She reached the stable in about 5 minutes of hard pedaling. She saw Hank the stable owner and headed
toward him. He waved when he saw her. She reached him. "So I see you're getting a horse," he said. "Yeah," answered Abby.
"Well for now we'll put her in a box stall because I bet she's never been in a stall."
"I bet you're right," said Abby as they walked into the stable.
"I want you to put her in this stall," he said as he showed her a stall more in the front with a big window that was clean and looked out over the paddocks and meadows.
She got to work by sweeping the stall clean checking it all over to make sure there was no where she could hurt herself then laid down fresh hay, filled a water bucket, washed and scrubbed it until it shone then filled it with fresh clean water. She hung it in the stall where Sammy could reach it then filled the trough in the corner with fresh clean hay. Then she got a set of grooming tools and put them just outside the stall. She checked everything again to make sure everything was just right then went to get Hank so he could inspect it.
Hank looked everything over twice before saying "Couldn't have done better myself." Then he glanced at his watch. I think you better get going its almost 10.
She raced out of the barnyard down the drive and onto the road she ran most of the way to Ruby's house. She got there at just about 10. Ruby came out of the house then said, "You can go get the old hag then get her out of my face. She jumped the fence this morning and made me look like an idiot in front of the whole world."
Abby just ran toward the paddock shaking her head. Ruby was always exaggerating. Oh well, Sammy was hers now. She whistled and Sammy came running at a dead gallop toward the fence then just at the last second she hit the brakes showering up a bunch of mud.
"You silly girl," said Abby.
To be continued...
Click here to read or post comments
Return to Horse Training Stories.
by Rebekah
(USA)
Abby walked down the road with a prancing Sammy right beside her. It was a beautiful spring day, the birds were chirping, the trees were full of buds that were ready to bloom and flowers were starting to bloom. It was a truly beautiful day, she didn't think anything could ruin it until an old grimy pickup and trailer came down the road so fast that Sammy began to rear.
"Whoa, girl. Easy, it's okay, you'll be fine." Abby soothed. She led her down in the ditch and Sammy settled down. The man in the pickup stopped. "What are you doing with Ruby's horse?"
Abby studied the man, he wore a red checkered shirt with overalls he was covered in filth,. The pickup was a green color almost rusted out and the trailer, she wasn't sure. It was so dirty she couldn't tell the color.
"Well, what are you doing with Ruby's horse?" He asked again.
"It's not her horse." Abby shot back. "She's my horse."
"Oh, she is is she?"
"Yes she is!"
"No, she's not. She's my horse!" The man retorted. "And she's going to the dogfood factory."
"No, she's not! She's not your horse! Ruby gave her to me."
"Yeah right she did!" Said the man climbing out of the pickup.
"Now give me that horse!"
"No!" Yelled Abby.
Sammy, frightened by the yelling began to rear. The man quickly backed up. That was when Abby knew Sammy would allow her to ride her. She threw herself on her back and took off at a dead gallop toward the stable. She knew Hank would help her.
They dodged cars, jumped over a log on the side of the road and ran along the sidewalk. Abby stole a glance behind her the man was coming fast behind her! "Not much further before I get to the stable," she thought.
A few more blocks and she turned into the stable. Hank came out. "You know not to--" Abby cut him off. "That man... he's following me."
"What man?" said Hank puzzled.
"He's trying to take Sammy away from me."
"Oh, he is?"
"Yeah, he is."
"Well you take her into the stable and get her cooled off. I'll deal with this," he said as the man pulled in.
The man stepped out and introduced himself as Tom McCoy. Abby didn't hear the rest. She went into the stable and began brushing Sammy. Then she took her out to the back of the stable and gave Sammy a bath. Red McCoy, the stable hand, came out to help her. They were good friends (nothing like boyfriend girlfriend, just good friends, best friends). He was grumbling something under his breath. It sounded like "hothead uncle... so stubborn.. he's gonna get put in jail someday..."
"What are you grumbling about?"
Red's face turned a dark red. "Oh, it's just Uncle Tom. He's so stubborn. He's liable to get put in jail."
"You mean Tom McCoy is your uncle?"
"Yeah but I disown him. The rotten skunk always poking his nose where it don't belong."
"I see," said Abby.
Sammy looked real pretty after she and Red finished the bath.
"She's pretty." Red commented. "A little thin but she'll soon be plump and fat like the rest."
They led her into her stall and she sipped the water down til it was empty. Abby got her some more and Sammy drank a little bit then went to the back of the stall to eat some hay.
"She'll be fine," said Red. And they went outside. Hank and Tom were still arguing.
To be continued...