Michaela sped through the breakfast her mom insisted she eat before rushing outside to see her new horse in daylight.
Blech! Oatmeal. Michaela never cared much for oatmeal, but her mom called it “healthy and hardy.” So she heaped it full of sugar and gagged it down as fast as she could, wanting to avoid wasting time listening to another lecture from her mom about the virtues of oatmeal as a healthy breakfast. Her intention was to get outside to the sunny paddock, as soon as possible.
Before she even swallowed the last bite, Michaela jumped up from her seat at the table, grabbed a shiny apple from the basket on the counter, and raced outside, letting the screen door slam behind her.
The horse had been dropped off the evening before. Michaela’s dad led her from the trailer into the small paddock for the night, so Michaela never got a good look at her when she arrived in the twilight. All she could tell is that the horse wasn’t the loudly spotted black and white pinto she had repeatedly wished for, but that was okay. The mare’s name was Easy, and she was a real, live horse: Michaela was ecstatic with that! Her color wasn’t important, but Michaela was eager to see what she really looked like. She wanted to see the stunning beauty she could call her own, gracing the grassy paddock.
“Mickey!” Michaela heard her mom call from the porch. She was holding out the riding helmet.
Michaela ran back and grabbed the helmet. Even though she had no intention of riding right now, she had no time to argue.
“Thanks, Mom!” Michaela replied with a grin as she took the riding hat from her mom’s well-meaning hand and turned to continue her hurried jog to the paddock and the waiting mare.
She could see the mare grazing peacefully at the back of the wooden fencing enclosing the paddock area. The thought of her best friend, Ivy, came to mind. They would be starting Middle School together in the fall. Often referred to as the “horsey twins,” they had become nearly inseparable since becoming best friends a couple of years ago. They shared the same hair color, eye color and now matching horses! Michaela grinned with the excitement of meeting up with Ivy a bunch over the summer to hit the trails on her own perfect horse. Ivy lived only a few miles down the road, within easy riding distance. Her family had a stable full of beautiful horses and Ivy had been riding her own horse since, like, forever! Michaela had only been able to ride there a few times over the years, due to the family’s busy competition schedule – but those few times were magical! Maybe she would even be good enough to compete along with them soon! Easy had been a show horse, too.
Michaela stopped at the gate. She clucked at the mare to signal her to come, but Easy continued to graze, essentially ignoring the girl, except for a swivel of her ears in subtle recognition of someone entering her space.
Michaela held the apple outstretched and clucked to the mare again.
“Come over here, you silly horse!” Michaela teased. “I know the grass is good, but come and try this apple.”
Easy finally raised her head and looked at the girl by the gate. The dark brown horse began a lazy saunter over. As she got closer, Michaela gasped. The apple dropped to the ground and rolled under the fence. The helmet she carried, swinging by the straps, in her other hand hit the ground at her feet. Her jaw dropped and her heart seemed to drop into her stomach, too.
~ To Be Continued ~
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that was beautiful, I had a boat back in 1976, we lived in the Bronx, and I had just come through some serious surgery I earned money with my paper route and my parents helped me buy it. Your story reminds me of the excitement I felt. Ah, the days of youth!