Post by SigOUrNeY on Aug 4, 2007 16:12:59 GMT -5
Waking up, Lani rubbed her eyes sleepily. What had happened to her alarm? Rolling over onto her side, Lani jumped up when she saw her clock flash 7:43. The sun was combing through her curtains, lighting up her small bedroom gently. The yellow painted walls glowed softly, and seemed to beg Lani to sleep in longer. But she couldn’t wait. Today, the new broodmare was arriving, as well as Epona, Lani’s new filly. Mentally kicking herself for not setting her alarm, Lani threw off her covers and rushed over to her closet. If her alarm hadn’t woken her up, what had? Suddenly, she heard a knock on her front door, and Chris’ voice telling her to hurry up. So it had been Chris. In the same thought, she was glad that he had woken her up so that she didn’t miss a second, but at the same time she wanted to strangle him for letting her sleep in over an hour late. If he hadn’t seen her at the barn tending to her morning chores, couldn’t he infer that she was still asleep?!
”Be right out!” Lani hollered, throwing open the door to her closet and shucking off her nightshirt in exchange for dark maroon shirt that had JA’s logo printed in white on the front. She had three of them; the other two were in the dirty clothes hamper. Grabbing the pair of jeans that she’d thrown on the floor yesterday night, Lani hopped on one leg as a foot refused to go in. Finally, with the task accomplished and with her boots on her feet, Lani grabbed a rubber band for her hair and rushed out the door.
”No comment about my morning breath, please.” Lani said to Chris as she walked past him on her way to the barn. Grabbing her stick straight hair in one hand, she wrapped the rubber band around it until it was in a low ponytail that hung down her back. That was what she loved about straight hair. You get up and go.
”Mr. Duce has already gone to pick up the new mare. Emily and Mike tagged along. They should be here in about half an hour,” Chris said. ’Don’t worry, I’ve already filled her stall.” He added, seeing Lani head for the wheelbarrow.
”Please don’t tell me you did all my chores,” Lani said, turning around to her friend. Guilt was a lifelong partner with Sleeping In.
”Don’t worry. Epona’s stall still needs to be done, and Undercover hasn’t been longed.” Lani busied herself with scrubbing down the floor of the stall where Epona, the filly that her great-uncle had left for her in his will, would be staying. As soon as she was satisfied with it, Lani brought back in the grip pads – which had also been scrubbed – she fitted them back inside the stall and then filled the empty box with shavings. Light from the stall window kept the area bright, and once she was done, Lani wiped away a sweat. The stall was cleaner than she kept her on-site cabin.
Before she could get to Undercover, Lani heard a trailer pull into the stable yard. Eager to see the new mare, Lani hurried out to join Chris. Emily and Mike hopped out of the dark blue truck, running over to Lani, speaking simultaneously. ”She’s so pretty!” ”Her barn name is Love.” ”And she’s is so nice!” ”And we got to ride on her back!”
”All right! I can’t wait to see her,” Lani said, putting her hands on top of the two children’s heads to quiet them. She looked on as Mr. Duce and Chris pulled down the ramp, and Mr. Duce went in to untie Love and back her out. The broodmare emerged from the trailer, blinking in the light, and flickering her ears curiously. Turning towards Mr. Duce, Love nudged his arm, as though asking him to hurry up the process. Was her arrival truly something to celebrate?
Lani smiled as she looked over the mare. She was quite thick and compact, yet with powerful, long legs. Her dark bay coat glinted from good grooming and health, and the only marking she had was displayed proudly on her forehead as a white star.
”We told you she was pretty,” Emily said, tugging on Lani’s hand.
”She sure is Emily,” Lani said to the girl. Watching as Mr. Duce handed the lead rope over to Chris, the dark haired stable hand walked the thoroughbred around the stable yard. Love lowered her neck, relaxed as her eyelids drooped. She swatted a pesky fly away from her flanks with a twitch of her long tail, but otherwise remained completely docile.
”This one’s a keeper,” Chris said, patting Love’s neck. Mr. Duce nodded.
”Why don’t you longe her in the corral to work out some kinks, and then we can let her get settled.”
Chris nodded, and led Love over to the round pen, with Mike and Emily pulling Lani along to watch. Teeco, Justice Acres’ macaw, swooped in for landing on the iron rail, tilting his head as he looked at the newcomer. Squawking his presence, Teeco flapped his wings. ”Purty pony, puuurty pony,” He said, shivering his long tail. Love raised her head up. This was something new. Flaring her nostrils, she whinnied towards the bird.
”Purty purty purty,” Teeco squawked.
Love whinnied again.
”Purty Purty Purty.”
Mike and Emily rolled with laughter.
”Come on girl, best not for you to get a big head on your first day,” Chris chuckled, leading Love through the gate and into the corral. The mare followed her handler into the center of the ring, and when Chris flicked the end of the lead rope in her direction, Love shied away from it and picked up an active trot around the pen, her head level and ears pricked forward. Melissa Duce had come down from the house to join the party, and stood with her husband as Chris put the mare through her paces.
Love moved fluidly around Chris, her head curved inward as she stretched out her legs. When Chris clucked to her and swung the end of the lead rope again, Love picked up a relaxed canter, swishing her tail in rhythm with her hooves. Lani looked on, her hazel eyes never leaving the mare. She couldn’t wait to see what kind of foals would come from this amazing mare. A far off whinny signified that Just For Kicks had noticed Love’s presence, and looking over, Lani spotted him in the far pasture, the bay stallion pressing his chest up against the white washed boards. He whinnied again, and Love slowed down to a trot to look in the stud’s direction.
”No way girl,” Chris said, urging her into a canter again. Love snorted, but obeyed her handler’s orders, and carried on at a rocking horse canter. Once Chris was satisfied, he brought the mare in and patted her neck again. Mike and Emily rushed into the corral right up to the mare, who lowered her head to inspect the children. Emily rubbed Love’s star while Mike scratched her ears. Both of their smiles would have kept the world shining if the sun suddenly went out.
Chris let Mike and Emily take turns holding the lead rope as they led Love to her new stall, the laid back mare taking everything in stride. She raised her head again when she spotted Teeco, and whickered towards him. The macaw squawked.
Love entered her stall eagerly, nosing around in the corners and whuffling the shavings. Once Mike unclipped her halter, Love knelt down in the stall and treated herself with a roll, kicking her legs up as she shifted her weight.
As the group continued to watch the mare, Lani took one last look before heading off to Undercover’s stall. She needed to be ready when Epona arrived. The nervous jitters she got, though, wouldn’t help with the liver chestnut filly, who picked up on everything. Making herself take a deep breath, Lani picked up Undercover’s halter and entered the filly’s stall. Everything’s going to be fine.
”Be right out!” Lani hollered, throwing open the door to her closet and shucking off her nightshirt in exchange for dark maroon shirt that had JA’s logo printed in white on the front. She had three of them; the other two were in the dirty clothes hamper. Grabbing the pair of jeans that she’d thrown on the floor yesterday night, Lani hopped on one leg as a foot refused to go in. Finally, with the task accomplished and with her boots on her feet, Lani grabbed a rubber band for her hair and rushed out the door.
”No comment about my morning breath, please.” Lani said to Chris as she walked past him on her way to the barn. Grabbing her stick straight hair in one hand, she wrapped the rubber band around it until it was in a low ponytail that hung down her back. That was what she loved about straight hair. You get up and go.
”Mr. Duce has already gone to pick up the new mare. Emily and Mike tagged along. They should be here in about half an hour,” Chris said. ’Don’t worry, I’ve already filled her stall.” He added, seeing Lani head for the wheelbarrow.
”Please don’t tell me you did all my chores,” Lani said, turning around to her friend. Guilt was a lifelong partner with Sleeping In.
”Don’t worry. Epona’s stall still needs to be done, and Undercover hasn’t been longed.” Lani busied herself with scrubbing down the floor of the stall where Epona, the filly that her great-uncle had left for her in his will, would be staying. As soon as she was satisfied with it, Lani brought back in the grip pads – which had also been scrubbed – she fitted them back inside the stall and then filled the empty box with shavings. Light from the stall window kept the area bright, and once she was done, Lani wiped away a sweat. The stall was cleaner than she kept her on-site cabin.
Before she could get to Undercover, Lani heard a trailer pull into the stable yard. Eager to see the new mare, Lani hurried out to join Chris. Emily and Mike hopped out of the dark blue truck, running over to Lani, speaking simultaneously. ”She’s so pretty!” ”Her barn name is Love.” ”And she’s is so nice!” ”And we got to ride on her back!”
”All right! I can’t wait to see her,” Lani said, putting her hands on top of the two children’s heads to quiet them. She looked on as Mr. Duce and Chris pulled down the ramp, and Mr. Duce went in to untie Love and back her out. The broodmare emerged from the trailer, blinking in the light, and flickering her ears curiously. Turning towards Mr. Duce, Love nudged his arm, as though asking him to hurry up the process. Was her arrival truly something to celebrate?
Lani smiled as she looked over the mare. She was quite thick and compact, yet with powerful, long legs. Her dark bay coat glinted from good grooming and health, and the only marking she had was displayed proudly on her forehead as a white star.
”We told you she was pretty,” Emily said, tugging on Lani’s hand.
”She sure is Emily,” Lani said to the girl. Watching as Mr. Duce handed the lead rope over to Chris, the dark haired stable hand walked the thoroughbred around the stable yard. Love lowered her neck, relaxed as her eyelids drooped. She swatted a pesky fly away from her flanks with a twitch of her long tail, but otherwise remained completely docile.
”This one’s a keeper,” Chris said, patting Love’s neck. Mr. Duce nodded.
”Why don’t you longe her in the corral to work out some kinks, and then we can let her get settled.”
Chris nodded, and led Love over to the round pen, with Mike and Emily pulling Lani along to watch. Teeco, Justice Acres’ macaw, swooped in for landing on the iron rail, tilting his head as he looked at the newcomer. Squawking his presence, Teeco flapped his wings. ”Purty pony, puuurty pony,” He said, shivering his long tail. Love raised her head up. This was something new. Flaring her nostrils, she whinnied towards the bird.
”Purty purty purty,” Teeco squawked.
Love whinnied again.
”Purty Purty Purty.”
Mike and Emily rolled with laughter.
”Come on girl, best not for you to get a big head on your first day,” Chris chuckled, leading Love through the gate and into the corral. The mare followed her handler into the center of the ring, and when Chris flicked the end of the lead rope in her direction, Love shied away from it and picked up an active trot around the pen, her head level and ears pricked forward. Melissa Duce had come down from the house to join the party, and stood with her husband as Chris put the mare through her paces.
Love moved fluidly around Chris, her head curved inward as she stretched out her legs. When Chris clucked to her and swung the end of the lead rope again, Love picked up a relaxed canter, swishing her tail in rhythm with her hooves. Lani looked on, her hazel eyes never leaving the mare. She couldn’t wait to see what kind of foals would come from this amazing mare. A far off whinny signified that Just For Kicks had noticed Love’s presence, and looking over, Lani spotted him in the far pasture, the bay stallion pressing his chest up against the white washed boards. He whinnied again, and Love slowed down to a trot to look in the stud’s direction.
”No way girl,” Chris said, urging her into a canter again. Love snorted, but obeyed her handler’s orders, and carried on at a rocking horse canter. Once Chris was satisfied, he brought the mare in and patted her neck again. Mike and Emily rushed into the corral right up to the mare, who lowered her head to inspect the children. Emily rubbed Love’s star while Mike scratched her ears. Both of their smiles would have kept the world shining if the sun suddenly went out.
Chris let Mike and Emily take turns holding the lead rope as they led Love to her new stall, the laid back mare taking everything in stride. She raised her head again when she spotted Teeco, and whickered towards him. The macaw squawked.
Love entered her stall eagerly, nosing around in the corners and whuffling the shavings. Once Mike unclipped her halter, Love knelt down in the stall and treated herself with a roll, kicking her legs up as she shifted her weight.
As the group continued to watch the mare, Lani took one last look before heading off to Undercover’s stall. She needed to be ready when Epona arrived. The nervous jitters she got, though, wouldn’t help with the liver chestnut filly, who picked up on everything. Making herself take a deep breath, Lani picked up Undercover’s halter and entered the filly’s stall. Everything’s going to be fine.
Continued In Taking Her On[/right]