Post by racingbelle on Jul 19, 2010 11:37:57 GMT -5
Rush: Story of a Mustang Stallion
By:RacingBelle
Epilogue
Almost there… almost free… come on run faster we’re almost there. Humans! Why do they catch us? What do they use us for? I wonder where the others are? Pay attention to the herd! Or what’s left of them.
Chapter 1
"Daddy, why are they so nervous? I thought you said they were a friendly herd," said Cindy. "They were Cindy", pondered Mcgregor, "but now their not. I have been watching this herd for weeks and they haven’t acted this way before." "Hey Dad wasn’t the herd bigger before?" exclaimed Mindy thoughtfully. "Why didn’t I think of that!", Mcgregor said, "Some of the herd must have gotten into a mustang trap! That’s what’s making that stud so nervous! He thinks we are going to catch some of them. Come on girls lets go home they are not going to let us watch them any longer so lets respect them and go." "O.K. Dad we don’t want to upset them any more either." both girls replied and both were disappointed they couldn’t have stayed longer. "That’s my girls! Now lets just get back to the truck. I’ll see if I can find another herd for us to watch." their Dad said. "Oh look! Their they go!", Mindy yelled as the mustangs ran across the plain, "Aren’t they just beautiful!" "Yes, yes they are." Cindy and Mcgregor replied.
Chapter 2
We are safe for now. We can no longer trust the humans. They were capturing us now. I heard about it in other places but never here so I thought we were safe, but we’re not. Not anymore anyway. I was telling all this to my herd while we seemed to be in a relatively safe place. I didn’t think those humans were after us since I had seen that man a couple times before, but one can never be too careful. I also couldn’t let my guard down. If I did there would be serious consequences for me and my herd. My herd was condensed of 10 mares, 5 foals,7 yearlings, and 4 two year olds that I couldn’t kick out yet due to our situation. Yes, I do mean literally kick out. I have to do it, because they can take over the herd and overthrow me when they get stronger. When they do get kicked out they go and join a bachelor group or join up with some other lone bachelor and form their own bachelor herd. Anyway back to the topic. I am the leader of the herd, but the lead mare does most of the leading. She leads the herd to water, food, safety (mainly when I stay behind to fight another stallion), and good places to rest and sleep. But I, I am their protector. I protect them from other stallions, predators, and now humans. All of the herd was uneasy. Ever since 3 mares, 2 two year olds, and 4 yearlings had been captured we have all been uneasy. I wanted everly so badly to reassure them, but sadly I could not. I had to warn them of the dangers they were now in. I told the mares with foals or was expecting a foal to stay close to the herd itself. I also told the mothers who currently had a foal to keep a closer eye on them and not let them stray to far. Then I told everyone else simply to stick to the herd and not wander far or not at all. I was desperate not to lose any more of my herd to those … those beastly things call humans! How I hated them now! They take us, the wild horses, away from our home the Wild! They used us for…for who knows what! I was so angry I could barely think. I started to tremble and paw the ground in frustration. Then I moved away from the herd so as not to upset them more than they were. How I hated not being able to get the rest of my herd, the ones who had been captured, back from those beasts! How I hated not being able to do anything to stop them from capturing the rest of us. Only the humans themselves could decide if they were going to stop. I hoped that there were some humans who could help us. We couldn’t talk their language, but we could sure understand them! How I wished we could talk so we could defend ourselves! I wanted to let the humans know they were taking us away from our families and friends. I had to calm down and think about my herd. I had to think about the future and about where to go now. Our home, our safe haven was sadly no longer safe and getting more dangerous all the time. I had to move the herd for their safety and mine.
Chapter 3
"Hurry up Cindy! I already got Teddy tacked up!" Mindy Forester exclaimed as she tried to rush her sister Cindy Forester. "I can’t! Sterling won’t hold still and is acting like an idiot!" "Here let me help you Cindy." Mindy said very patiently to her younger sister… very patiently. After all she was just learning how to ride. Well, actually she also had a lot to learn about horses themselves. Cindy had a horse named Sterling’s Dream which their dad had given to her. Mindy also had been offered a horse but she refused. None of the horses were right for her. The Phantom was too uncontrollable, Sheza Special Hero was too gentle she was more of an beginners horse, Cash Secret was the perfect horse for Mindy plenty of fire and spunk, but had the wrong career, Cash was a race horse. So now Mindy was looking for the perfect horse. So Cindy was lucky to have Sterling. Sterling was a great 3 day eventing horse. Which meant she was great at cross country, show jumping, and dressage. Sterling was just that talented. Then again she was still green that meant that she was still learning. She was only 9 years old which is pretty young in horse years. Cindy was training her though and she would become better at everything. Also Cindy and Sterling would become closer when they did train together. The horse that Mindy rode and trained is named Teddy. Teddy’s full name is Teddy Bear. Teddy is a great cross country horse and he was getting better at show jumping. Mindy was trying to train him for 3 day eventing but she would have to train him in dressage much later in his career because he needed more time to mature and grow a little more. Teddy was only 5 years old. That was young to be a dressage horse. When Mindy was done tacking up Sterling she said to Cindy "All right Cindy lets go before we are late to class. You don’t want that now do you Cindy?" "No, I don’t Mindy now lets hurry." Cindy hastily replied.
Chapter 4
I had just woken up and I was still thinking of what to do. I certainly couldn’t stay here with my herd. It was definitely too dangerous to stay. Way too dangerous. It was also dangerous to leave. I was stuck in a bad position. Really stuck. Stuck as a fly on golden tree sap. Why was it so dangerous to leave? Well, for one thing we could get caught leaving. Caught like in a mustang trap. I also have no idea of where we could go. This was our home for as long as I could remember. I had found this land when I had been in a bachelor herd. I protected it for a long time from the other bachelors and stallions in the area. Then I made it a great place to start a herd. I had won my first mare Sunshine, whom was now my lead mare, here. My seemingly ‘forever’ home was changing from a safe haven to a complete nightmare. I started trying to remember all the places I went to that might be suitable for a big herd but failed. I have to use my last and I mean last resort which was a valley, a hidden valley. This may sound good to you but it is not. The path there is very dangerous, almost suicidal. I had to talk to my lead mare in order to make a decision. Then I had to talk to the whole herd as one to make a final decision but I thought this was our last and only hope. We had to make this decision quickly I did not want to stay here for more than three or four days.
Chapter 5
Mindy couldn’t sleep. All she could think about was the horses on the ranch. Teddy was coming along great in his training. Her dad had moved them into the advanced class, which was a really great accomplishment for her. He had also said she was a natural at training horses. Cindy was doing well in her classes too with Sterling. She and Sterling were moving up into the Intermediate class. Then Mindy started to think about what type of horse she should buy when and if she found the right one. Maybe a Thoroughbred, then again a Quarter horse would be cool, or maybe… and she fell asleep thinking about horses.
* * *
The next morning she woke up to her alarm clock buzzing. Mindy wondered why she set it so early. Why would she want to wake up at 5:00 in the morning? She shut it off and was about to go back to sleep when she remembered why she had set the clock so early. Today was the day her father would take her out to see the mustangs. He had found them again and wanted to see if they could get closer on a horse than if they were in the truck. So she hurried up and leapt out of bed to get dressed. Mindy could hardly contain herself as she walked down the stairs, when she should be running, everly so quietly as not to wake Cindy, who would be staying home, up. She immediately told her dad upon seeing him that she would take Phantom Bay and that she had thought about it for most of the night. She had decided to take him because he was fast, great on trails, and easy to handle in hard situations. Good choice he said then told her that they would be eating breakfast on the trail and to tack up quickly they needed to get a move on. Mindy almost slammed the door in her rush to get to the barn.
Chapter 6
The herd as one made the decision to leave. True it was dangerous to leave but we decided it was more dangerous to stay. So we were going to leave later this mourning. I couldn’t wait! I wanted to be just about carefree again. I wanted not to worry about the humans capturing us ever again. Sure I would still look for those who had been captured but I was sure we would not find them. I talked a little bit more about what the entire herd needed to know for the journey. I told them it would be tricky and risky but we could do it. With that statement there was a lot of stamping, rearing, and whinnies of agreement. I was still very determined to keep my herd safe. Now it was time to leave. I turned toward the west to start our journey, my journey to go and find this hidden valley simply known as Wild Horse Paradise.
Chapter 7
Mindy and her father were now on the trail. Mindy’s dad Mcgregor was in the led while Mindy followed closely behind. Mcgregor was trying to follow the tracks that was surly the herd. The tracks were spread all over the trail in the shape of hoofprints. The hoofprints were all sorts of sizes the littlest ones were the foals, medium looking ones were the yearlings to two year olds, and finally the big ones that were the mares and the stallion. Mindy’s dad was thinking hard of where this trail went. He hadn’t been on this particular trail in a while. Then suddenly he knew where it went but it would be too late by time they got there on this trail they would have to take another harder faster one. "Mindy!", he called, " I know where their going but its a hard trail we have to take if we are to catch up to them in time. So we have to hurry and you have to trust me. This is why we left your sister Cindy behind." With that Mcgregor spun his horse Bayfire and galloped toward a path that looked more like an overgrown deer path than anything else. Mindy was so very confused and wanted to ask some questions. That is what her sister Cindy would have done but she was not Cindy and her father had asked her to trust him so trust him she would. So Mindy also spun her horse Phantom Bay to follow her father. This would be risky riding they were about to do and they couldn’t think about the lashing branches or sting vines, you just had to ride.
Chapter 8
This was the most dangerous, risky part of our journey. It was called the Mining Shafts among us horses. The Mining Shafts were exactly what they were named for. On top it was very rocky but inside or rather below was the real danger. The mine shafts underneath could give into your weight if you stepped in just one wrong spot. So we had to be very careful if that wasn’t already obvious. We were just starting to cross when my lead mare Sunshine fell back from the front of the herd to talk to me. Rush she said there are humans on horse’s backs. What should we do? Run now! I immediately said thinking I was not going to loose any more of my herd to those beasts. But Rush she said it could be dangerous! Come on Sunshine! Run everyone run! I yelled to my whole herd. Everyone started to run but I started to fall! I felt my leg pierce the ground and go deep within it. I knew what was happening my right leg felt like it was being torn off. The pain was excruciating. Rush! Sunshine screamed as she looked back. Go on without me! I screamed weakly. Take the herd to the valley! You know the way. But Rush! she cried. I know what she was thinking but I couldn’t let her do it. Go now Sunshine! Now! I screamed as loudly as I could which wasn’t
that loudly anymore. Good bye Rush! Good bye Rush! Good bye! She was sobbing now as she ran away. I knew she was thinking about how she would break it to the herd. I couldn’t think about it long though because I was falling into a world of black darkness and pain.
Chapter 9
Mindy and her dad had seen the mustang stallion go down. Mindy had already dismounted and wanted to go and help him immediately but her father stopped her. "Mindy", he said, "he might just get up on his own." They waited about five minutes but he did not get up. Mindy rushed carefully but quickly to his side. She noticed immediately that he was unconscience but breathing. Then she also noticed that his right leg had gone into the ground though some kind of underground tunnel. Her dad had stayed put and was waiting for her analyze. "Dad get over here he is worse than we thought!" Mindy yelled. He got over there almost as fast as Mindy did. After one quick glance her father knew it wasn’t looking good for the horse. He knew there was going to be some damage to the leg. " Mindy listen to me you have to go back to the ranch for help. We are going to need lots of it. Phantom Bay is much faster than Bayfire. Go now before…" , Mcgregor commanded, not wanting to finish that last sentence. Yes, dad she replied hopping onto Phantom Bay right quick. "All right, boy, this is going to be some of the most risky, dangerous thing we have ever done. This time instead of trying to catch up with them we’re riding for a life. Let’s go!" Mindy was determined to save this horse’s life. She would ride her best and go as fast as she could. From then on Mindy started doing the fastest, hardest riding she had ever done in her riding career. The jumps were bigger than any jump she had jumped before. She went over bushes, fallen trees, rotten logs, small streams, huge rocks, and once Phantom Bay jumped into a small but deep creak, ready to swim across as fast as he could.
* * *
About thirty minutes later of rough riding Mindy arrived at the ranch. "Cindy! Cindy where are you?" Mindy called. She dismounted quickly, ground tying Phantom Bay knowing that he would stay. Then she rushed into the house calling for Cindy again. " What’s the matter Mindy?" Cindy said as she rushed down the stairs. Mindy explained quickly about the mustang stallion while she called the ranch hands. Immediately Gus, Charlie, and Mac appeared. Mindy told them to go get their horses and be ready to ride she’d explain everything later. Mindy went to get Teddy as her fresh horse to ride. Cindy was about to go get a horse too but Mindy told her to take care of Phantom Bay and to get one of the foaling stalls ready. The stallion was going to need a lot of room when he got to the ranch. Cindy agreed but made a deal with Mindy that she would help take care of him. Mindy agreed quickly but then turned toward the boys and said " Come on guys we have a horse to save!" Suddenly there was a lot of whooping and clattering of hooves all had one mission: to save the mustang stallion.
Chapter 10
It took about three hours to get back to the ranch. It took almost an hour just to get his leg out from the hole. It was badly cut. Some of the skin was hanging off of the leg. In one spot you could see the bone. The stallion had woke up thankfully after they had gotten his leg out of the hole. They had put two lassos around his neck, which Mac and Charlie were holding on their horses. Then Mcgregor put a halter on him then connected to a lead rope to it. The going was slow. The stallion could hardly walk. He wouldn’t put that right foreleg down. His leg would be nothing of a beauty after stitches, which he needed badly, and they didn’t know if he was going to be able to use it like he did again. When they all got back to the ranch everyone was exhausted. Then when everyone got to the stall Cindy had prepared the stallion wouldn’t go in.
You really couldn’t blame him. The stallion had never in his life seen a stall or had ropes around his neck. He had never had a halter upon his head nor seen a human this close. Finally when they got him in the stall the vet arrived. " Doc, what are we going to have to do with him he is torn up pretty badly.", Mcgregor said. "Let me see him first Mr. Forester." Dr. Sue replied. She took one look at his leg and knew what she had to do. " This guy is going to need stitches, therapy, and antibiotics. He is in really bad shape. He might just make it though. He has a good chance because he is young, but he has to get used to human contact or else that could hinder his recovery." Dr. Sue explained. " Mindy, please take Cindy to the house then come back quickly." Mindy’s dad said. Mindy quickly steered Cindy towards the barn door. She took one last lingering look at the stallion. He was laying down peacefully as if waiting to see what his fate would be.
Chapter 11
After the girls had left to go to the house Mcgregor and the vet talked about his chance of survival and recovery. When they had both come to a final decision Mcgregor said "Since you think his chance of recovery is good, I think we will take a chance with him." The vet agreed and replied "Lets get to work."
* * *
One hour later the stallion’s leg had been stitched up and the leg itself bandaged. Mindy reappeared after they had started stitching up the stallion’s leg. Her dad explained what the road to recovery would look like and told her that hid chances were good. "Dad can I give him a name?" Mindy asked. "Sure, I don’t see why not." He replied. " Thanks, I have the perfect name for him. You know how he had us all rushing around? His full name will be Rushing Rush. We can call him Rush for short." She explained. "Wonderful name and wonderful thinking Mindy! That is the perfect name for this tough guy!" he exclaimed. Thanks dad.
Chapter 12
I had woken up still very drowsy and my leg throbbed. Hi Rush, I heard a voice say to me. Rush the voice called again. She said it Ruusshh in a sing-songy voice, instead of just plain Rush. I was really dizzy like I feel when I chase Sunshine around in circles too much. Wait Sunshine, Sunshine is that you? I snorted. I couldn’t see right everything was so blurry. I couldn’t see anything straight. Where am I? I thought. I could only remember limping down a well worn path with something around my neck and something on my head. Matter of fact there was still something on my head. Rush? I heard that girly voice again. My vision was less blurry and I started to see right again. I really wasn’t that dizzy anymore. What I saw wasn’t open grass around me it was… it was. I didn’t know where I was. I was closed in from all sides. Suddenly I heard that voice again but this time I knew it wasn’t Sunshine. It said ,rather loudly I might add, Dad come here quick he is waking up! I heard some footsteps coming toward me. Your right Mindy. This time it was a man’s voice who spoke. I guess Mindy was the voice that I had heard. I started to get up so I could have a look around. I grunted and heaved myself up. Now I could fully see my surroundings. Wait what is this on my leg. I looked down to see my leg wrapped in something white. I was about to bite it off when Mindy said sharply Rush quit that! You want to get better right? So just leave it alone. That I did just because I did want to get better. I absolutely wasn’t listening to a human. Especially to a girl human or any human for that matter. Then she continued to talk. She said Rushing Rush. We will just call you Rush though. That’s your new name boy. What did she mean new name? That was my name except for the ‘Rushing’ part. I shook my head and flattened my ears. I heard her dad leaving but Mindy didn’t leave. Once he was out of what I heard was a barn she started to talk to me. Hi boy. Your a good horse now aren’t you? Will you let me into the stall with you? I flattened my ears and shook my head no. It’s OK. I won’t hurt you. I won’t even touch you yet. Wait what does she mean yet I am not going to let her touch me let alone get near me. Then I relented. Instead of baring my teeth and flattening my ears, I snorted but flicked my ears in interest. She didn’t seem like a threat. I wasn’t sure what to think. Should I let her in or keep her out? Mindy watched me closely as if she was trying to read my mind. I just stared at her and moved a little bit back in my stall. I knew I could not excape if she opened the stall anyway I was too weak and could hardly walk. I was going to have to let her trust me not to excape when she opened the door so I could excape. Besides I had to wait until I could get this thing off my leg and could be able to run. Mindy knew I had given her permission to enter my stall. So she did. I still could defend myself if need be. I had learned a lot of techniques that didn’t evolve using my legs. Just as she entered she left. When she returned she had something in her hand. This is a book Rush. The book I’m reading is My Friend Flicka. She stayed with me for hours. Sometimes she would read outloud to me. It was a good book she was reading. Then sometimes she would just talk to me. That’s when I started to think long and hard about the humans. Some of them weren’t bad at all. I still thought some of them were beasts. Mindy in the end kept her word about not touching me. I liked that about her. Finally when the sky started to get dark she left but not before she said good night to me. I was alone finally with my thoughts.
Chapter 13
"Dad he was amazing", Mindy said that night at dinner. "All he did was stand there listening to me. He never once tried to attack me. Though the first time when I entered the stall he thought about it but didn’t do it. Rush is a great horse Dad are we going to keep him?" Mindy was so excited that she could only stop talking long enough to let her father answer her question. "Yes, Mindy we are going to keep him. The vet and I don’t know to how he going to recover. He may not be able to use that leg how he once did when he was in the wild." Mcgregor replied. "Yes!" ,she almost yelled, "Dad I have a question to ask you since we are going to keep him. I think I have found that perfect horse for me and that horse is Rush. He is everything I dreamed about in a horse. Rush is smart, willing, accepting, beautiful, and brave. Plus so much more. Can he be my horse Dad please?" " Yes, Mindy he can except first we have to make a deal. You will continue to train Teddy, do your chores, and I trust you to train Rush right when you think he is ready. Do you understand Mindy? You will keep doing what you normally do on this ranch. If I find that your neglecting your duties you will not have that horse. Deal?" "Deal!" she yelled happily.
* * *
Later that night Mindy heard a low, haunting, lonely whinny. She immediately knew it was Rush. He was pining for his herd, the wild open spaces, and finally his freedom. Her heart ached for the wild mustang stallion. Mindy wanted to confort him, to tell him it would be all right that she would always be there for him. That she would always love him for who he is. Mindy finally wanted to tell him that she was his and he was hers. This is how it would be forever and for always. Wait who said she couldn’t do this? Well, of course her father wouldn’t approve but he didn’t have to know. If Cindy found out she could always threaten that she wouldn’t be able to help take care of Rush. That would shut her up. So Mindy creeped out of bed and put on her barn clothes. Mindy quietly opened the door and snuck past Cindy’s and her Dad’s room with ease. She paused at the back door, the one closest the barn, to make sure that no one had awoken. When no one shouted at her or demanded to know where she was going she slipped out of the door unoticed and home free.
Chapter 14
I heard someone coming. I let out a challenging whinny to those that could hear. Shhh the stranger said. I hobbled to the opening in the door to see who was coming. Oh I sighed it was only Mindy. Shhh she said again I don’t want to get caught. I did what I wanted to do which was to stay quiet. As I had said before I was not listening to any human. Hi boy she added then started to talk to me. The real thing that irked me that she said that I was hers and she was mine. That was how it was going to be forever and for always. I didn’t want to stay here forever! I wanted to go home back to my herd and Sunshine. I wanted to be free as a bird. I wanted to feel the wind in my face and whipping my mane around my neck and feel the sun on my back. I wanted to see grass all around me where ever I looked and to see the sun set and rise everyday. I wanted to see stars a night and not the barn roof. I wanted to see blue skies and the sun in the day. I was so unhappy but how could she see that when she was so happy. I didn’t want to accept or even think that I would spend the rest of my life in this stall and inside of fences. I wouldn’t stay here! I couldn’t stay here! I was pining for my home and she could see it. She thought she could fill the gap by being here for me. That gap in my heart, my very soul wouldn’t be filled until I could have my freedom again. Mindy tried to convince me to let her touch me for even a second which of course didn’t work. Then she said see you in the mourning and left. In order for me to get back to my home and herd I had to get better which meant getting rest. So I did until I felt the mourning sunshine hit my face.
Chapter 15
Mindy had successfully sneaked back into the house after she had went to the barn. When her. alarm clock buzzed at 6:00 A.M Mindy jumped out of bed already dressed. She had gone back to bed with them on so she could save some time. She wanted to spend less time doing chores
and training Teddy so she could spend more time with Rush. She ran down the stairs quickly. "Hey! Hey what is the big ‘Rush’ he said laughing at his own joke. "Very funny Dad stop teasing my horse." she quipped. "Would you like to explain where you were last night Mindy?" Mcgregor asked. "You know what Dad that joke was so funny I forgot to laugh. So how about we laugh right now ha ha ha. I’ll grab some breakfast later. OK Ok. Bye now" Mindy said all this while backing toward the door. After Mindy had left her dad laughed. He knew his daughter had sneaked out of the house to go see her horse. He was the same way when he had gotten his first horse. She wasn’t hurting anything so he would let it go.
There were twenty- four horses and fourteen foals living at T & Q Ranch. The T standing for Thoroughbred and the Q standing for Quarter horse. Mindy could name all of them. This morning and just about every morning as one of her chores she would go out and feed six horses. Usually they were the same six horses. She knew these horses the best. Mindy knew that Phantom was a bit bossy when it came to his food, that Misty Meadow would get aggressive, that Topside was very picky when it came to when he ate, and the rest were pretty much as unpredictable as a hurricane. After she was done she had an hour to spend with Rush before she had to muck out stalls and groom horses. Then she had to train Teddy for an hour. Her dad told her last night that she would feed Rush whatever he needed to be fed. Also that
night she had made a feeding schedule that looked like this:
Rush’s Feeding Schedule
Morning: 1 scoop of sweet feed Afternoon: 3 flakes of hay Evening: copy morning
1 scoop of Stud Nuts schedule except give
half a scoop of rice bran 3 flakes of hay
1 scoop of alfalfa
one forth of a cup of minerals
2 flakes of hay
Mindy got a bucket in the feed/tack room and measured the morning amount of feed put his antibiotics in, mixed it up and took it to Rush. "Hi Rush. Want some food? I know it’s not what your used to but you will love it anyway." Then she left him to get two flakes of hay.
Chapter 16
I wouldn’t eat this stuff. How did I know that she didn’t poison it? This morning I had smelled the other horses. I nickered to them but nobody answered. How rude were these horses? I turned back to this ‘food’. I wasn’t sure if I should try it but I was mighty hungry. The humans didn’t feed me anything yesterday. I guess to get me hungry enough to eat this morning. First I took a big sniff. Mmm … it had so many different aromas some that I had never smelt before. I took a little nibble thinking that I would spit it out. Wow! This stuff tasted really good. So many flavors that I had never tasted before. The feed was sweet, salty, and the only familiar flavor that was in this feed grass. How I missed the sweet taste of grass! Mindy came and toss some more food into something on the wall. "This is hay Rush. The thing that the hay is in is called a hay rack." I just flicked my ears to let her know that I was listening. I was really enjoying this food. You don’t get this type of food in the wild. Then I started to think about the differences in me and these horses in captivity. These horses who live here get their food taken to them everyday. Also they never felt the harshness of the cold wind or the heat of the hot sun. They have the conforts of their stalls and fences. While I, I never knew the life inside of fences or stalls. I had always known the harshness of a cold winter wind or the hot beating rays of the hot summer sun. I had never had my food brought to me everyday. I always had to search for it and work really hard to find it in the winter. These horses the humans wouldn’t like my life and I surely didn’t like theirs. I was different from these horses in captivity. I have seen many things that most horses here would never believe. I had run as far and fast as I have ever wanted. Horses in captivity were constricted by fences and humans. I was glad that I didn’t have to live in captivity everyday. This what I was living now was only temporary until I get better that is. Nothing would hold me back, not even metal chains, when I was ready to get back to my herd. Even if they somehow kept me from going to my herd I would always be a wild mustang stallion at heart. I sighed things were getting really complicated in my life. Then I noticed Mindy was coming closer and closer to my head. I swung my head around to let her know that I didn’t appreciate her trying to sneak up to me. "Easy boy", she said as I went back to eating, "I just wanted to stand by your head Rush." Mindy took a step closer to me and walked until she reached my head. I didn’t like the way she looked me in the eye and started to reach out with her hand. She reached and reached until she touched my neck! Mindy touched me! I thought I would never let any human touch me ever. I stamped my hoof and flattened my ears to let her know that I didn’t like her touching me. Mindy didn’t take away her hand from my neck she only started to stroke me. Mmm that felt good. I leaned into her hand for more. Wait what was I doing? She was a human and humans were bad. Really really bad. The worst things that could ever happen to a mustang like me. Why was I accepting this human? I only knew one answer and I didn’t want to think it or even believe it. Was I becoming tame? No no no no and no! I wasn’t I couldn’t be! I was wild! Wilder than the rushing river, wilder than the fiercest winds, and wilder than anything that had ever lived! I just wanted her to go and leave me to my thoughts. I was done with my feed. While I was thinking I licked the bucket clean. I turned toward this hay to see how good it was when Mindy said bye Rush see you later. I have some other chores to do. With that she was gone leaving me my thoughts and this delicious hay that tasted like dry, dead grass in the summer time.
Chapter 17
As Mindy left the stall and shut it behind herself. Her thoughts came faster than a frieght train. Rush let me touch him! Then he had leaned into her hand. He really seemed to enjoy it. Rush also seemed troubled like he didn’t know what to think about her. Like he went off into space somewhere. Maybe Rush was remembering his herd and freedom. Then Mindy thoughts turned toward how she was going to train Rush now that he was rapidly healing. The whole time Mindy was thinking her feet automatically headed to the house. When Mindy’s hand reached out to open the door Mindy was surprised. Then she opened the door and let herself inside. Mindy walked t o the computer and clicked on the icon for Microsoft Word. Mindy titled her paper Rush’s Three Month (or more) Training Plan. When Mindy was fineshed typing the paper it looked like this:
Rush’s Three Month (or more) Training Plan
Month One: Allows me to stroke him
Allows me to touch his legs
Allows me to touch him all over (not including the head)
Allows me to pick up his feet
Month Two: Permits me to groom him
Lets me to halter him
Lets me clip a led rope on him and lead him around.
Permits me to pick out his feet
Tolerates leg wraps and blankets on him
Month Three: Allows a saddle pad on his back
Allows a bit and bridle on him
Allows a saddle to be on and a girth tightened
Most important part of all let’s me RIDE him!!!
By:RacingBelle
Epilogue
Almost there… almost free… come on run faster we’re almost there. Humans! Why do they catch us? What do they use us for? I wonder where the others are? Pay attention to the herd! Or what’s left of them.
Chapter 1
"Daddy, why are they so nervous? I thought you said they were a friendly herd," said Cindy. "They were Cindy", pondered Mcgregor, "but now their not. I have been watching this herd for weeks and they haven’t acted this way before." "Hey Dad wasn’t the herd bigger before?" exclaimed Mindy thoughtfully. "Why didn’t I think of that!", Mcgregor said, "Some of the herd must have gotten into a mustang trap! That’s what’s making that stud so nervous! He thinks we are going to catch some of them. Come on girls lets go home they are not going to let us watch them any longer so lets respect them and go." "O.K. Dad we don’t want to upset them any more either." both girls replied and both were disappointed they couldn’t have stayed longer. "That’s my girls! Now lets just get back to the truck. I’ll see if I can find another herd for us to watch." their Dad said. "Oh look! Their they go!", Mindy yelled as the mustangs ran across the plain, "Aren’t they just beautiful!" "Yes, yes they are." Cindy and Mcgregor replied.
Chapter 2
We are safe for now. We can no longer trust the humans. They were capturing us now. I heard about it in other places but never here so I thought we were safe, but we’re not. Not anymore anyway. I was telling all this to my herd while we seemed to be in a relatively safe place. I didn’t think those humans were after us since I had seen that man a couple times before, but one can never be too careful. I also couldn’t let my guard down. If I did there would be serious consequences for me and my herd. My herd was condensed of 10 mares, 5 foals,7 yearlings, and 4 two year olds that I couldn’t kick out yet due to our situation. Yes, I do mean literally kick out. I have to do it, because they can take over the herd and overthrow me when they get stronger. When they do get kicked out they go and join a bachelor group or join up with some other lone bachelor and form their own bachelor herd. Anyway back to the topic. I am the leader of the herd, but the lead mare does most of the leading. She leads the herd to water, food, safety (mainly when I stay behind to fight another stallion), and good places to rest and sleep. But I, I am their protector. I protect them from other stallions, predators, and now humans. All of the herd was uneasy. Ever since 3 mares, 2 two year olds, and 4 yearlings had been captured we have all been uneasy. I wanted everly so badly to reassure them, but sadly I could not. I had to warn them of the dangers they were now in. I told the mares with foals or was expecting a foal to stay close to the herd itself. I also told the mothers who currently had a foal to keep a closer eye on them and not let them stray to far. Then I told everyone else simply to stick to the herd and not wander far or not at all. I was desperate not to lose any more of my herd to those … those beastly things call humans! How I hated them now! They take us, the wild horses, away from our home the Wild! They used us for…for who knows what! I was so angry I could barely think. I started to tremble and paw the ground in frustration. Then I moved away from the herd so as not to upset them more than they were. How I hated not being able to get the rest of my herd, the ones who had been captured, back from those beasts! How I hated not being able to do anything to stop them from capturing the rest of us. Only the humans themselves could decide if they were going to stop. I hoped that there were some humans who could help us. We couldn’t talk their language, but we could sure understand them! How I wished we could talk so we could defend ourselves! I wanted to let the humans know they were taking us away from our families and friends. I had to calm down and think about my herd. I had to think about the future and about where to go now. Our home, our safe haven was sadly no longer safe and getting more dangerous all the time. I had to move the herd for their safety and mine.
Chapter 3
"Hurry up Cindy! I already got Teddy tacked up!" Mindy Forester exclaimed as she tried to rush her sister Cindy Forester. "I can’t! Sterling won’t hold still and is acting like an idiot!" "Here let me help you Cindy." Mindy said very patiently to her younger sister… very patiently. After all she was just learning how to ride. Well, actually she also had a lot to learn about horses themselves. Cindy had a horse named Sterling’s Dream which their dad had given to her. Mindy also had been offered a horse but she refused. None of the horses were right for her. The Phantom was too uncontrollable, Sheza Special Hero was too gentle she was more of an beginners horse, Cash Secret was the perfect horse for Mindy plenty of fire and spunk, but had the wrong career, Cash was a race horse. So now Mindy was looking for the perfect horse. So Cindy was lucky to have Sterling. Sterling was a great 3 day eventing horse. Which meant she was great at cross country, show jumping, and dressage. Sterling was just that talented. Then again she was still green that meant that she was still learning. She was only 9 years old which is pretty young in horse years. Cindy was training her though and she would become better at everything. Also Cindy and Sterling would become closer when they did train together. The horse that Mindy rode and trained is named Teddy. Teddy’s full name is Teddy Bear. Teddy is a great cross country horse and he was getting better at show jumping. Mindy was trying to train him for 3 day eventing but she would have to train him in dressage much later in his career because he needed more time to mature and grow a little more. Teddy was only 5 years old. That was young to be a dressage horse. When Mindy was done tacking up Sterling she said to Cindy "All right Cindy lets go before we are late to class. You don’t want that now do you Cindy?" "No, I don’t Mindy now lets hurry." Cindy hastily replied.
Chapter 4
I had just woken up and I was still thinking of what to do. I certainly couldn’t stay here with my herd. It was definitely too dangerous to stay. Way too dangerous. It was also dangerous to leave. I was stuck in a bad position. Really stuck. Stuck as a fly on golden tree sap. Why was it so dangerous to leave? Well, for one thing we could get caught leaving. Caught like in a mustang trap. I also have no idea of where we could go. This was our home for as long as I could remember. I had found this land when I had been in a bachelor herd. I protected it for a long time from the other bachelors and stallions in the area. Then I made it a great place to start a herd. I had won my first mare Sunshine, whom was now my lead mare, here. My seemingly ‘forever’ home was changing from a safe haven to a complete nightmare. I started trying to remember all the places I went to that might be suitable for a big herd but failed. I have to use my last and I mean last resort which was a valley, a hidden valley. This may sound good to you but it is not. The path there is very dangerous, almost suicidal. I had to talk to my lead mare in order to make a decision. Then I had to talk to the whole herd as one to make a final decision but I thought this was our last and only hope. We had to make this decision quickly I did not want to stay here for more than three or four days.
Chapter 5
Mindy couldn’t sleep. All she could think about was the horses on the ranch. Teddy was coming along great in his training. Her dad had moved them into the advanced class, which was a really great accomplishment for her. He had also said she was a natural at training horses. Cindy was doing well in her classes too with Sterling. She and Sterling were moving up into the Intermediate class. Then Mindy started to think about what type of horse she should buy when and if she found the right one. Maybe a Thoroughbred, then again a Quarter horse would be cool, or maybe… and she fell asleep thinking about horses.
* * *
The next morning she woke up to her alarm clock buzzing. Mindy wondered why she set it so early. Why would she want to wake up at 5:00 in the morning? She shut it off and was about to go back to sleep when she remembered why she had set the clock so early. Today was the day her father would take her out to see the mustangs. He had found them again and wanted to see if they could get closer on a horse than if they were in the truck. So she hurried up and leapt out of bed to get dressed. Mindy could hardly contain herself as she walked down the stairs, when she should be running, everly so quietly as not to wake Cindy, who would be staying home, up. She immediately told her dad upon seeing him that she would take Phantom Bay and that she had thought about it for most of the night. She had decided to take him because he was fast, great on trails, and easy to handle in hard situations. Good choice he said then told her that they would be eating breakfast on the trail and to tack up quickly they needed to get a move on. Mindy almost slammed the door in her rush to get to the barn.
Chapter 6
The herd as one made the decision to leave. True it was dangerous to leave but we decided it was more dangerous to stay. So we were going to leave later this mourning. I couldn’t wait! I wanted to be just about carefree again. I wanted not to worry about the humans capturing us ever again. Sure I would still look for those who had been captured but I was sure we would not find them. I talked a little bit more about what the entire herd needed to know for the journey. I told them it would be tricky and risky but we could do it. With that statement there was a lot of stamping, rearing, and whinnies of agreement. I was still very determined to keep my herd safe. Now it was time to leave. I turned toward the west to start our journey, my journey to go and find this hidden valley simply known as Wild Horse Paradise.
Chapter 7
Mindy and her father were now on the trail. Mindy’s dad Mcgregor was in the led while Mindy followed closely behind. Mcgregor was trying to follow the tracks that was surly the herd. The tracks were spread all over the trail in the shape of hoofprints. The hoofprints were all sorts of sizes the littlest ones were the foals, medium looking ones were the yearlings to two year olds, and finally the big ones that were the mares and the stallion. Mindy’s dad was thinking hard of where this trail went. He hadn’t been on this particular trail in a while. Then suddenly he knew where it went but it would be too late by time they got there on this trail they would have to take another harder faster one. "Mindy!", he called, " I know where their going but its a hard trail we have to take if we are to catch up to them in time. So we have to hurry and you have to trust me. This is why we left your sister Cindy behind." With that Mcgregor spun his horse Bayfire and galloped toward a path that looked more like an overgrown deer path than anything else. Mindy was so very confused and wanted to ask some questions. That is what her sister Cindy would have done but she was not Cindy and her father had asked her to trust him so trust him she would. So Mindy also spun her horse Phantom Bay to follow her father. This would be risky riding they were about to do and they couldn’t think about the lashing branches or sting vines, you just had to ride.
Chapter 8
This was the most dangerous, risky part of our journey. It was called the Mining Shafts among us horses. The Mining Shafts were exactly what they were named for. On top it was very rocky but inside or rather below was the real danger. The mine shafts underneath could give into your weight if you stepped in just one wrong spot. So we had to be very careful if that wasn’t already obvious. We were just starting to cross when my lead mare Sunshine fell back from the front of the herd to talk to me. Rush she said there are humans on horse’s backs. What should we do? Run now! I immediately said thinking I was not going to loose any more of my herd to those beasts. But Rush she said it could be dangerous! Come on Sunshine! Run everyone run! I yelled to my whole herd. Everyone started to run but I started to fall! I felt my leg pierce the ground and go deep within it. I knew what was happening my right leg felt like it was being torn off. The pain was excruciating. Rush! Sunshine screamed as she looked back. Go on without me! I screamed weakly. Take the herd to the valley! You know the way. But Rush! she cried. I know what she was thinking but I couldn’t let her do it. Go now Sunshine! Now! I screamed as loudly as I could which wasn’t
that loudly anymore. Good bye Rush! Good bye Rush! Good bye! She was sobbing now as she ran away. I knew she was thinking about how she would break it to the herd. I couldn’t think about it long though because I was falling into a world of black darkness and pain.
Chapter 9
Mindy and her dad had seen the mustang stallion go down. Mindy had already dismounted and wanted to go and help him immediately but her father stopped her. "Mindy", he said, "he might just get up on his own." They waited about five minutes but he did not get up. Mindy rushed carefully but quickly to his side. She noticed immediately that he was unconscience but breathing. Then she also noticed that his right leg had gone into the ground though some kind of underground tunnel. Her dad had stayed put and was waiting for her analyze. "Dad get over here he is worse than we thought!" Mindy yelled. He got over there almost as fast as Mindy did. After one quick glance her father knew it wasn’t looking good for the horse. He knew there was going to be some damage to the leg. " Mindy listen to me you have to go back to the ranch for help. We are going to need lots of it. Phantom Bay is much faster than Bayfire. Go now before…" , Mcgregor commanded, not wanting to finish that last sentence. Yes, dad she replied hopping onto Phantom Bay right quick. "All right, boy, this is going to be some of the most risky, dangerous thing we have ever done. This time instead of trying to catch up with them we’re riding for a life. Let’s go!" Mindy was determined to save this horse’s life. She would ride her best and go as fast as she could. From then on Mindy started doing the fastest, hardest riding she had ever done in her riding career. The jumps were bigger than any jump she had jumped before. She went over bushes, fallen trees, rotten logs, small streams, huge rocks, and once Phantom Bay jumped into a small but deep creak, ready to swim across as fast as he could.
* * *
About thirty minutes later of rough riding Mindy arrived at the ranch. "Cindy! Cindy where are you?" Mindy called. She dismounted quickly, ground tying Phantom Bay knowing that he would stay. Then she rushed into the house calling for Cindy again. " What’s the matter Mindy?" Cindy said as she rushed down the stairs. Mindy explained quickly about the mustang stallion while she called the ranch hands. Immediately Gus, Charlie, and Mac appeared. Mindy told them to go get their horses and be ready to ride she’d explain everything later. Mindy went to get Teddy as her fresh horse to ride. Cindy was about to go get a horse too but Mindy told her to take care of Phantom Bay and to get one of the foaling stalls ready. The stallion was going to need a lot of room when he got to the ranch. Cindy agreed but made a deal with Mindy that she would help take care of him. Mindy agreed quickly but then turned toward the boys and said " Come on guys we have a horse to save!" Suddenly there was a lot of whooping and clattering of hooves all had one mission: to save the mustang stallion.
Chapter 10
It took about three hours to get back to the ranch. It took almost an hour just to get his leg out from the hole. It was badly cut. Some of the skin was hanging off of the leg. In one spot you could see the bone. The stallion had woke up thankfully after they had gotten his leg out of the hole. They had put two lassos around his neck, which Mac and Charlie were holding on their horses. Then Mcgregor put a halter on him then connected to a lead rope to it. The going was slow. The stallion could hardly walk. He wouldn’t put that right foreleg down. His leg would be nothing of a beauty after stitches, which he needed badly, and they didn’t know if he was going to be able to use it like he did again. When they all got back to the ranch everyone was exhausted. Then when everyone got to the stall Cindy had prepared the stallion wouldn’t go in.
You really couldn’t blame him. The stallion had never in his life seen a stall or had ropes around his neck. He had never had a halter upon his head nor seen a human this close. Finally when they got him in the stall the vet arrived. " Doc, what are we going to have to do with him he is torn up pretty badly.", Mcgregor said. "Let me see him first Mr. Forester." Dr. Sue replied. She took one look at his leg and knew what she had to do. " This guy is going to need stitches, therapy, and antibiotics. He is in really bad shape. He might just make it though. He has a good chance because he is young, but he has to get used to human contact or else that could hinder his recovery." Dr. Sue explained. " Mindy, please take Cindy to the house then come back quickly." Mindy’s dad said. Mindy quickly steered Cindy towards the barn door. She took one last lingering look at the stallion. He was laying down peacefully as if waiting to see what his fate would be.
Chapter 11
After the girls had left to go to the house Mcgregor and the vet talked about his chance of survival and recovery. When they had both come to a final decision Mcgregor said "Since you think his chance of recovery is good, I think we will take a chance with him." The vet agreed and replied "Lets get to work."
* * *
One hour later the stallion’s leg had been stitched up and the leg itself bandaged. Mindy reappeared after they had started stitching up the stallion’s leg. Her dad explained what the road to recovery would look like and told her that hid chances were good. "Dad can I give him a name?" Mindy asked. "Sure, I don’t see why not." He replied. " Thanks, I have the perfect name for him. You know how he had us all rushing around? His full name will be Rushing Rush. We can call him Rush for short." She explained. "Wonderful name and wonderful thinking Mindy! That is the perfect name for this tough guy!" he exclaimed. Thanks dad.
Chapter 12
I had woken up still very drowsy and my leg throbbed. Hi Rush, I heard a voice say to me. Rush the voice called again. She said it Ruusshh in a sing-songy voice, instead of just plain Rush. I was really dizzy like I feel when I chase Sunshine around in circles too much. Wait Sunshine, Sunshine is that you? I snorted. I couldn’t see right everything was so blurry. I couldn’t see anything straight. Where am I? I thought. I could only remember limping down a well worn path with something around my neck and something on my head. Matter of fact there was still something on my head. Rush? I heard that girly voice again. My vision was less blurry and I started to see right again. I really wasn’t that dizzy anymore. What I saw wasn’t open grass around me it was… it was. I didn’t know where I was. I was closed in from all sides. Suddenly I heard that voice again but this time I knew it wasn’t Sunshine. It said ,rather loudly I might add, Dad come here quick he is waking up! I heard some footsteps coming toward me. Your right Mindy. This time it was a man’s voice who spoke. I guess Mindy was the voice that I had heard. I started to get up so I could have a look around. I grunted and heaved myself up. Now I could fully see my surroundings. Wait what is this on my leg. I looked down to see my leg wrapped in something white. I was about to bite it off when Mindy said sharply Rush quit that! You want to get better right? So just leave it alone. That I did just because I did want to get better. I absolutely wasn’t listening to a human. Especially to a girl human or any human for that matter. Then she continued to talk. She said Rushing Rush. We will just call you Rush though. That’s your new name boy. What did she mean new name? That was my name except for the ‘Rushing’ part. I shook my head and flattened my ears. I heard her dad leaving but Mindy didn’t leave. Once he was out of what I heard was a barn she started to talk to me. Hi boy. Your a good horse now aren’t you? Will you let me into the stall with you? I flattened my ears and shook my head no. It’s OK. I won’t hurt you. I won’t even touch you yet. Wait what does she mean yet I am not going to let her touch me let alone get near me. Then I relented. Instead of baring my teeth and flattening my ears, I snorted but flicked my ears in interest. She didn’t seem like a threat. I wasn’t sure what to think. Should I let her in or keep her out? Mindy watched me closely as if she was trying to read my mind. I just stared at her and moved a little bit back in my stall. I knew I could not excape if she opened the stall anyway I was too weak and could hardly walk. I was going to have to let her trust me not to excape when she opened the door so I could excape. Besides I had to wait until I could get this thing off my leg and could be able to run. Mindy knew I had given her permission to enter my stall. So she did. I still could defend myself if need be. I had learned a lot of techniques that didn’t evolve using my legs. Just as she entered she left. When she returned she had something in her hand. This is a book Rush. The book I’m reading is My Friend Flicka. She stayed with me for hours. Sometimes she would read outloud to me. It was a good book she was reading. Then sometimes she would just talk to me. That’s when I started to think long and hard about the humans. Some of them weren’t bad at all. I still thought some of them were beasts. Mindy in the end kept her word about not touching me. I liked that about her. Finally when the sky started to get dark she left but not before she said good night to me. I was alone finally with my thoughts.
Chapter 13
"Dad he was amazing", Mindy said that night at dinner. "All he did was stand there listening to me. He never once tried to attack me. Though the first time when I entered the stall he thought about it but didn’t do it. Rush is a great horse Dad are we going to keep him?" Mindy was so excited that she could only stop talking long enough to let her father answer her question. "Yes, Mindy we are going to keep him. The vet and I don’t know to how he going to recover. He may not be able to use that leg how he once did when he was in the wild." Mcgregor replied. "Yes!" ,she almost yelled, "Dad I have a question to ask you since we are going to keep him. I think I have found that perfect horse for me and that horse is Rush. He is everything I dreamed about in a horse. Rush is smart, willing, accepting, beautiful, and brave. Plus so much more. Can he be my horse Dad please?" " Yes, Mindy he can except first we have to make a deal. You will continue to train Teddy, do your chores, and I trust you to train Rush right when you think he is ready. Do you understand Mindy? You will keep doing what you normally do on this ranch. If I find that your neglecting your duties you will not have that horse. Deal?" "Deal!" she yelled happily.
* * *
Later that night Mindy heard a low, haunting, lonely whinny. She immediately knew it was Rush. He was pining for his herd, the wild open spaces, and finally his freedom. Her heart ached for the wild mustang stallion. Mindy wanted to confort him, to tell him it would be all right that she would always be there for him. That she would always love him for who he is. Mindy finally wanted to tell him that she was his and he was hers. This is how it would be forever and for always. Wait who said she couldn’t do this? Well, of course her father wouldn’t approve but he didn’t have to know. If Cindy found out she could always threaten that she wouldn’t be able to help take care of Rush. That would shut her up. So Mindy creeped out of bed and put on her barn clothes. Mindy quietly opened the door and snuck past Cindy’s and her Dad’s room with ease. She paused at the back door, the one closest the barn, to make sure that no one had awoken. When no one shouted at her or demanded to know where she was going she slipped out of the door unoticed and home free.
Chapter 14
I heard someone coming. I let out a challenging whinny to those that could hear. Shhh the stranger said. I hobbled to the opening in the door to see who was coming. Oh I sighed it was only Mindy. Shhh she said again I don’t want to get caught. I did what I wanted to do which was to stay quiet. As I had said before I was not listening to any human. Hi boy she added then started to talk to me. The real thing that irked me that she said that I was hers and she was mine. That was how it was going to be forever and for always. I didn’t want to stay here forever! I wanted to go home back to my herd and Sunshine. I wanted to be free as a bird. I wanted to feel the wind in my face and whipping my mane around my neck and feel the sun on my back. I wanted to see grass all around me where ever I looked and to see the sun set and rise everyday. I wanted to see stars a night and not the barn roof. I wanted to see blue skies and the sun in the day. I was so unhappy but how could she see that when she was so happy. I didn’t want to accept or even think that I would spend the rest of my life in this stall and inside of fences. I wouldn’t stay here! I couldn’t stay here! I was pining for my home and she could see it. She thought she could fill the gap by being here for me. That gap in my heart, my very soul wouldn’t be filled until I could have my freedom again. Mindy tried to convince me to let her touch me for even a second which of course didn’t work. Then she said see you in the mourning and left. In order for me to get back to my home and herd I had to get better which meant getting rest. So I did until I felt the mourning sunshine hit my face.
Chapter 15
Mindy had successfully sneaked back into the house after she had went to the barn. When her. alarm clock buzzed at 6:00 A.M Mindy jumped out of bed already dressed. She had gone back to bed with them on so she could save some time. She wanted to spend less time doing chores
and training Teddy so she could spend more time with Rush. She ran down the stairs quickly. "Hey! Hey what is the big ‘Rush’ he said laughing at his own joke. "Very funny Dad stop teasing my horse." she quipped. "Would you like to explain where you were last night Mindy?" Mcgregor asked. "You know what Dad that joke was so funny I forgot to laugh. So how about we laugh right now ha ha ha. I’ll grab some breakfast later. OK Ok. Bye now" Mindy said all this while backing toward the door. After Mindy had left her dad laughed. He knew his daughter had sneaked out of the house to go see her horse. He was the same way when he had gotten his first horse. She wasn’t hurting anything so he would let it go.
There were twenty- four horses and fourteen foals living at T & Q Ranch. The T standing for Thoroughbred and the Q standing for Quarter horse. Mindy could name all of them. This morning and just about every morning as one of her chores she would go out and feed six horses. Usually they were the same six horses. She knew these horses the best. Mindy knew that Phantom was a bit bossy when it came to his food, that Misty Meadow would get aggressive, that Topside was very picky when it came to when he ate, and the rest were pretty much as unpredictable as a hurricane. After she was done she had an hour to spend with Rush before she had to muck out stalls and groom horses. Then she had to train Teddy for an hour. Her dad told her last night that she would feed Rush whatever he needed to be fed. Also that
night she had made a feeding schedule that looked like this:
Rush’s Feeding Schedule
Morning: 1 scoop of sweet feed Afternoon: 3 flakes of hay Evening: copy morning
1 scoop of Stud Nuts schedule except give
half a scoop of rice bran 3 flakes of hay
1 scoop of alfalfa
one forth of a cup of minerals
2 flakes of hay
Mindy got a bucket in the feed/tack room and measured the morning amount of feed put his antibiotics in, mixed it up and took it to Rush. "Hi Rush. Want some food? I know it’s not what your used to but you will love it anyway." Then she left him to get two flakes of hay.
Chapter 16
I wouldn’t eat this stuff. How did I know that she didn’t poison it? This morning I had smelled the other horses. I nickered to them but nobody answered. How rude were these horses? I turned back to this ‘food’. I wasn’t sure if I should try it but I was mighty hungry. The humans didn’t feed me anything yesterday. I guess to get me hungry enough to eat this morning. First I took a big sniff. Mmm … it had so many different aromas some that I had never smelt before. I took a little nibble thinking that I would spit it out. Wow! This stuff tasted really good. So many flavors that I had never tasted before. The feed was sweet, salty, and the only familiar flavor that was in this feed grass. How I missed the sweet taste of grass! Mindy came and toss some more food into something on the wall. "This is hay Rush. The thing that the hay is in is called a hay rack." I just flicked my ears to let her know that I was listening. I was really enjoying this food. You don’t get this type of food in the wild. Then I started to think about the differences in me and these horses in captivity. These horses who live here get their food taken to them everyday. Also they never felt the harshness of the cold wind or the heat of the hot sun. They have the conforts of their stalls and fences. While I, I never knew the life inside of fences or stalls. I had always known the harshness of a cold winter wind or the hot beating rays of the hot summer sun. I had never had my food brought to me everyday. I always had to search for it and work really hard to find it in the winter. These horses the humans wouldn’t like my life and I surely didn’t like theirs. I was different from these horses in captivity. I have seen many things that most horses here would never believe. I had run as far and fast as I have ever wanted. Horses in captivity were constricted by fences and humans. I was glad that I didn’t have to live in captivity everyday. This what I was living now was only temporary until I get better that is. Nothing would hold me back, not even metal chains, when I was ready to get back to my herd. Even if they somehow kept me from going to my herd I would always be a wild mustang stallion at heart. I sighed things were getting really complicated in my life. Then I noticed Mindy was coming closer and closer to my head. I swung my head around to let her know that I didn’t appreciate her trying to sneak up to me. "Easy boy", she said as I went back to eating, "I just wanted to stand by your head Rush." Mindy took a step closer to me and walked until she reached my head. I didn’t like the way she looked me in the eye and started to reach out with her hand. She reached and reached until she touched my neck! Mindy touched me! I thought I would never let any human touch me ever. I stamped my hoof and flattened my ears to let her know that I didn’t like her touching me. Mindy didn’t take away her hand from my neck she only started to stroke me. Mmm that felt good. I leaned into her hand for more. Wait what was I doing? She was a human and humans were bad. Really really bad. The worst things that could ever happen to a mustang like me. Why was I accepting this human? I only knew one answer and I didn’t want to think it or even believe it. Was I becoming tame? No no no no and no! I wasn’t I couldn’t be! I was wild! Wilder than the rushing river, wilder than the fiercest winds, and wilder than anything that had ever lived! I just wanted her to go and leave me to my thoughts. I was done with my feed. While I was thinking I licked the bucket clean. I turned toward this hay to see how good it was when Mindy said bye Rush see you later. I have some other chores to do. With that she was gone leaving me my thoughts and this delicious hay that tasted like dry, dead grass in the summer time.
Chapter 17
As Mindy left the stall and shut it behind herself. Her thoughts came faster than a frieght train. Rush let me touch him! Then he had leaned into her hand. He really seemed to enjoy it. Rush also seemed troubled like he didn’t know what to think about her. Like he went off into space somewhere. Maybe Rush was remembering his herd and freedom. Then Mindy thoughts turned toward how she was going to train Rush now that he was rapidly healing. The whole time Mindy was thinking her feet automatically headed to the house. When Mindy’s hand reached out to open the door Mindy was surprised. Then she opened the door and let herself inside. Mindy walked t o the computer and clicked on the icon for Microsoft Word. Mindy titled her paper Rush’s Three Month (or more) Training Plan. When Mindy was fineshed typing the paper it looked like this:
Rush’s Three Month (or more) Training Plan
Month One: Allows me to stroke him
Allows me to touch his legs
Allows me to touch him all over (not including the head)
Allows me to pick up his feet
Month Two: Permits me to groom him
Lets me to halter him
Lets me clip a led rope on him and lead him around.
Permits me to pick out his feet
Tolerates leg wraps and blankets on him
Month Three: Allows a saddle pad on his back
Allows a bit and bridle on him
Allows a saddle to be on and a girth tightened
Most important part of all let’s me RIDE him!!!
