Even a dark shadow, has its bright moments Part 4 {English}
Even a dark shadow, has its bright moments Part 4 {English}
2014-08-31 | 
15:00:00 | 
This has happened: Emma bought the black Arabian mare Dark Shadow, also known as Sasha, from a salesman at Goldspur Farm and is now wondering if her choosing the black horse was such a good idea. Sasha is a high-strung mare with lots of energy and she’s very strong as well. The mare broke loose from her stall the first morning and had to be corralled at the Vineyard. The baroness also told an amazing story about the statues placed around the vineyard which symbolized a horse they’d raised.
-”Give her more leg and put her on a circle!” Chiaras voice could be heard all through the riding stable. She was a stern teacher, even though Chiara was my best friend and knew more about horses then I. Her voice echoed as I struggled with Sasha who refused to listen to even the slightest of my aids. I did my best to make her walk calmly. But no matter what I did, she kept bolting and galloped around the riding stable. I was terrified and didn’t know what to do. Tears welled up in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. There were people on the ledgers, watching me embarrass myself. When I passed them in uncontrolled gallop I could see Alicia standing there, laughing at me with her snarky friends.
-“Pull on the left rein and take her in on a small circle!” I could hear Chiara say again. I tried to do what she told me and yes, Sasha knew what I meant. She galloped in a small circle, still very fast, and then she jumped sideway, sending me flying into the side shoulder first. A sharp pain shot through my body and it felt as if I had broken my shoulder. Sasha bolted again and did her best to get Lion started as well, but he just stood in the middle, half asleep. He had not reacted when I crashed into the side. Chiara hurried to my side.
-“Oh my God! Are you alright?”
-“I’m fine.” I muttered and slowly stood back up. I forgot about the searing pain in the shoulder and looked for Sasha. She stood all the way down the other end of the ring and looked at me for a bit before throwing her head up and trot up to Lion.
-“Don’t worry, we’ll teach her how to behave. We just have to take it one day at the time.” Chiara smiled encouraging. I didn’t smile back as I did my best not to cry.
-“If you say so.” I whispered softly.
When we got hold of Sasha, I sat back up on her and again tried to get her to walk calmly.
-“Okay, playtime is over and it’s time to calm down.” Chara called to me as she got up on Lion. –“We’ll walk them back to the vineyard. I’ll do some research in my books and we’ll figure this out for you.” She mused and we walked out of the dressage-ring of the riding stable.
-“I really hope so! It just feels so hopeless right now. She is so strong and so difficult; I don’t know what got into me when I bought her. None of my other horses behave like this.” I sighed stately and wiped a tear from my eye. Chiara laid a hand on my hurting shoulder. I braced from the pain.
-”It will be ok! I promise you that! I’ll call you later in the evening when I find something, because all she need is some schooling, but also an assertive rider.
-“I will also look it up at the computer tonight. I’ll just feed the horses first.” I answered her and managed a pained little smile. She smiled reassuringly back at me.
The evening came in fast now during the winter season and in February the temperature often went down to -15 degrees Celsius or below. My horses were in the stable for the night and enjoyed the extra cuddles I always gave them during feeding. I stayed with Silje and just watched her eat a while. She needed a lot of feed and extra energy now as she was about three months out from giving birth to her foal. It would be so much fun to have a foal in the gang! Silje snorted at me and went back to her hay. I left the horses to themselves and made my way back to the old library and my room where I prepared a cup of tea. It was usually only tea that made me truly warm during the cold season. I stood by the window and looked to the stables, rubbing my bad shoulder and waiting for the water to come to boil. I couldn’t Sasha and my problems with her out of my mind. Would she fit in with the rest of my horses, whom were all so calm and content, whilst Sasha wanted to take the world on full speed ahead? The teapot behind me signaled that the water was ready. I turned the computer on and sat down with my steaming cup. I opened Google and started to do some research about Arabian thoroughbreds. I wanted to know more about the breed before taking on the pressing problem with Sasha and the schooling.
-”Emma? Are you in there?” I flinched awake from the desk, trying my best to understand were I was. I was in my room, I knew that much at least. It knocked on the door again and I turned around, rubbing my sleepy eyes. I flinched again as the pain in my shoulder became evident. It was worse today. I groaned and massaged it lightly.
-“Hey? Sleepyhead! You’re going to be late for the morning muck out!” Now I could make out who it was calling me. I opened the door and outside was a short girl with brown hair to her shoulders. She had a warm coat with the vineyard seal on, a vine with grapes on and in italic; Vineyard. Tight, black riding pants and sturdy winter-boots. Capucine stood in the doorway with a sandwich in her hand and said –”we’ve overslept and they’ve already started without us.” She took a bite out of her sandwich and peered into my room, noticing my computer still running and showing the Wikipedia side on Arabian thoroughbreds.
-"You’ve better hurry up. Judy won’t like that we’re late." Capucine disappeared down the stairs and out in the cold. The door closed behind her as I stood on the stairs, watching her leave.
I wrestled on some clothes and a warm jacket and went down to the stable were the day had already began.
Almost every one of my horses was out in their paddocks and only Sasha and Danny were still in their stalls.
-”Put Sasha in with the other Arabians and put Danny in the smallest paddock, I’m planning on taking him out for a ride later on.” I told a stable hand as she went into Sashas stall. She nodded her head and fetched a very excited Sasha. I stood just outside the stall and watched how she handled the horse. She was completely calm when she put the halter on, not letting Sashas energy affect her.
Sasha followed her out to the paddock, going slightly sideways with joy of being let out. The girl disciplined the mare, telling her to walk calmly instead and Sasha complied. The other of the Arabians stood in the paddock eating hay to keep their warmth and watched how Sasha bolted, playfully bucking, overjoyed when let loose.
The girl went back into the stabled and fetched Danny.
-“I’m sorry, but I don’t know you name.” I told her as she came back.
-“It’s Linnea”, she answered and kept watching me.
-“Was she good to you? Did Sasha behave when you took her out to the paddock?” Linnea smiled.
-“Oh so that was the Sasha! Everything went fine. I also have an Arabian in the same paddock.” She said reassuringly and I smiled back shyly. –“Oh, you don’t have to worry; I’m not like Alicia Kembell. And I used to have the same problem with my horse as you do!”
-“Is that so?” I smiled nervously, didn’t know what else to say. What kind of rumours had Alicia started about me now? Linnea and I helped each other mucking out our horses stalls, ate lunch together and headed back out to the stable. I got Danny from the paddock and started preparing him for our ride. He stood quietly as I brushed his black fur. Danny is a 7 year old Friesian horse who belonged to my sister. I promised to take care of him when she studied to become a veterinarian in Jorvik City. He is a very calm and gentle horse, and even though he’s a stallion; it didn’t pose a problem. You could do anything with him; he still would simply just stand there, enjoying the attention. But then again, Danny and I had known each other for many years. He had been in our family since he was two years old. Linnea stood in front of me, preparing her brown horse; that stood just as calmly as Danny.
As soon as we were done we headed out towards the Silverglade Village. But after that we went separate ways as I headed on to Mrs. Holdsworth, whom had invited me for dinner. I stopped Danny when the first downhill panned out and held my shoulder tightly. It hurt a lot and I felt dizzy. Danny stood completely still as I collapsed atop of his neck. I closed my eyes and focused on staying awake. I opened my eyes again when heard an approaching rider and I tried to sit back up. My vision was blurry and I tried really hard to see who was coming. Someone came riding from the Harvest Counties on a dark brown horse. My vision cleared a bit as I rubbed my eyes. The one coming walking towards me was a guy. He had a black winter-coat, thermo pants and sturdy winter-boots.
-“Hi there! Imaging bumping into you like this.” His dark voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it for the moment as I did my best to stay in the saddle.
-“Sorry?” I answered.
-”I’m not surprised you don’t remember me, but I’m Derek Goldspur. I sold you Sasha three days ago” , he laughed and stopped next to me. I recognized his voice now and nodded slightly. My shoulder hurt really badly, but I braced myself as to not show it.
-"I thought you sounded familiar", I said, smiling. -"But I didn’t know you stayed at Goldspurs. I haven’t seen you around before."
-"I know. Usually I live at Jorvik City, but I’ve moved here for a couple of months to sell off the rest of my horses. And since Jakob is my grandfather he offered me to stay there." He said with a smile. -"Are you heading to Moorland?" he asked.
-"Yes, i’m visiting with a friend of mine who asked me home to dinner.” I answered him and clicked softly at Danny as a signal to start walking.
-"Oh, that’s nice, I’m also visiting with a good friend over dinner to talk old memories.”
He fell in behind me in walk. –”How is Sasha doing? Has she settled in with you?” He asked as we walked down the road to Moorland.
-“Yes, she is doing just fine. She has a couple of other Arabians to hang out with in the paddock. She runs around like crazy and seems to enjoy herself”, I smiled back at him.
-"Like always then! It’s good to know she got a good home. Sasha has had a lot of different owners before you, so I really hope you’ll keep her." He said sombrely.
-"How come?" I asked and turned towards him. He was silent for a while and I could see he struggled with what to say.
-“Well, as you probably have noticed, she has a lot of energy. I believe it’s because of that nobody would keep her. They try their hardest, but no matter what they do it seems Sasha won’t listen to them. But during the time she has stayed with me; she has shown no such behaviour. We have done dressage and jump obstacles and I can tell she wants to make her rider happy. I can’t understand why everybody keeps giving up on her.” He finally answered.
We had just reached Moorland and rode passed Moorland stables.
-“I really hope you’ll be able to handle her. She is wonderful when she starts working with you instead of against.” He smiled and closed his eyes as he drew in the crisp winter cold.
Danny snorted and I stopped him as we came to the road to Mrs. Holdsworth.
-“Well, I’m off this way. But thank you for the talk and for telling me a bit about Sasha. It motivates me to work even harder to find the real her.” I smiled towards him. Derek was a very handsome guy. Dark eyes, black unruly hair. His hair might even be considered wild and unkempt, but it was very charming. He had high cheek-bones and dimples formed when he smiled. Scratch handsome… He was hot! So damn hot and I felt my cheeks flush. I smile shyly at him when I realised I had stared at him.
-"So, are you joining me at dinner with Mrs. Holdsworth then? She invited me too. She and I are good friends!” He laughed as he realised we were both heading towards her house.
-"I’ve stayed at her place before the baroness made me move in at the vineyard and work for her.”
-”Well this is interesting! It looks like it will be a fun evening.” he laughed and walked towards the cottage. Mrs. Holdsworth looked out the windows and waved as she saw us approaching. I didn’t really know how to feel at the moment except that it would indeed be very interesting.
Even a dark shadow, has its bright moments Part 3 {English}
Emma bought a black Arabian mare named Dark Shadow from a salesman in the family Goldspur. She did not know if the purchase was wise enough or if she did a good deal or not. Chiara and her best friend who knew more about horses thought that she had been able to wait until a good horse that suited Emma better. The mare was huge tittig and curious so at the first line, it was not at all like Emma imagined and the mare broke out the stables.
It took us 30 minutes to catch the mare. Chiara was the one who managed to get hold of her. The mare trotted up to me, clumsily swung her around, and her stomach hit me in the side, I had to steel myself for not going down in the snow. Chiara was not exactly pleased by the event, but honestly it was a little Madness worse than Sasha? Not so far away, we heard Baroness laugh when she was walking towards us. Her lovely dress was flying around her legs as she came towards us. She came walking in such an elegant way that it looked like she was on top of the snow and barely left a trace. Her complexion was old but so perfect for someone who is 80 years. Wrinkles could only imagine most around the eyes and on the cheeks. Otherwise, she looked stylish print. The silvery hair was set up in an elegant knot behind the neck. Her lips were painted a nice pink color and eye shadow matched in a green color against the green charms on her neck.
- "Hihi, it's been many years since I saw a little black arab running around the yard., She must have had fun, the little shadow!" She called Sasha and walked up to the staring and patted the mare calmed over the neck and down the front of the shoulder. The mare stopped jumping on his toes and then stood perfectly still, enjoying the movement as Baroness did. Actually, she did nothing, she patted the horse in the same way as I patted my horses. Though, her motion must be calmed because I've never seen Sasha so calm.
- "I do not know what got into me!" I hear my own voice shrill and Baroness turns his warm face from Sasha and looks at me.
- "What?" She asked me with the same quiet voice.
- "But, I bought her., I do not know what got into me!" The Baroness smiled.
- "I would say that you made a wonderful discovery. Arabs are elegant horses with large steps even though they are small. Yeah they are energetic, but they need to be there to handle long rides. Many Arabs descended from a single arab many years ago. Your findings with Sasha is amazing., I can see in her eyes that she lives up to its name and wants to be faithful to her new rider, but I also see a certain eagerness for her to come out and move the small strong legs. "Me and Chiara looked dumbly at her. Her voice was directed at Sasha and not us, but we immediately took a lesson from what she said and then studied Sasha who lowered her head down in the baroness's arms and snorted.
- "You seem to know a lot about Arab horses. Have you worked with these before?" Asked Chiara. Baroness laughed out loud.
- "If I so desired, but no. Equestrian Center here, before it where a private stall, was once one of the largest Jorviks horse stud who bet high on their English Thoroughbred." She looked around at her big beautiful vineyards which now lay under a white blanket of snow. - "Each statue you see." She began. - "Coming from a special horse that have been bred on the farm. All they have done something in their lifetime, and as thanks for their participation in the life together with their riders so we have decided to erect a statue in their honor." None of us knew about it, we thought horse statues were part of equestrian center but they stood there for a reason was nothing we put thought into.
- "Did you ride any of them have the horses?" Chiara asked curiously.
- "The statues at the library where they last 2 English champion horses here at the Equestrian Center., I rode them both for a coach. On the right was black as night, as Sasha here, though he has a wide blaze. A brown and one blue eye, he was a really lovely gentleman., the second left was chestnut with no signs at all. hair and tail was as bright as the body. Both competed in dressage. some gains, but also some other bows, even a trophy they got too . the ones you can check out the inside of the library. they two were the only ones who went to the host class. "She smiled at them both statues before her smile disappeared and where sadly. Wrinkles appeared more. - "The chestnut, Gordon King., He had a heart attack in the midst of a drive to Germany, where he would be exhibited., He left no offspring. A gentleman with a lot of effort and love to give. The black on the right, Bessman Big, he gave up one and another offspring, but none of them went to the major dressage elites more than the club competitions and both were two very beautiful mares with rather excitable mood. "
She laughed at the idea and got a flashback from the past.
- "I got to ride Bessman one last time before he was sold to the United States and since then I heard submit more from him. But he got a statue in his honor for his title Equestrian Center's beautiful stallion." She smiled even more. - "Bessman and Gordon each stud last pride left at the library together. Both were the twins so none of them would leave each other's side, whatever." Baroness ended the story with the right on the back, stand up straight with her hand on Sasha's muzzle and with pride she mimed with his lips "Heroes of the Heart." Me and Chiara where stunned of the story and did not know what to say more. I shivered from the bud to the top and the hairs in my neck stood up.
- "Wow, I get the idea that you two did not know a thing about it! Above all you Chiara who is so well-read should surely be the one who should have known it!" The voice was snide and just came from a person who always spoke ill of me above all. Me and Chiara turned around and sure enough, stood Mr. Charles Kembells daughter Alicia Kembell where a scornful smile. Her blonde hair hung far down from the shoulders. Her face was clean, absolutely spotless from pimples, which was a miracle considering how much stock she smeared makeup on every day. Her riding clothes was as stylish as everything else. Black and white winter dress. Her horse, Briankof, was a purebred English thoroughbred stallion. Very elegant to look at but really stallion to have to deal with. Brown with no white markings at all.
- "Are you going to say, you have not lifted a book throughout your life." Responded Ciara sarcastically back.- "Ha, yes some people have to read every day to get better! Others need to learn from day 1!" She laughed and smacked on Briankof and they went on. Then the brown beauty walked away Sasha looked up from the baroness arms and whinnied after Briankof who stopped and whinnied back.
- "Move your ass, Brian!" Alicia growled and tore the whip and Briankof walked away with determined steps away from the beautiful black mare who looked after him with sadness in his eyes.
- "Hmm, I do believe that the stallion should stay away from Sasha awhile., I saw what their conversation was about!" Baroness giggled. She patted Sasha one last time and smiled at us. - "Best you head off for a while on her., I think she may need to stretch your legs." She continued to smile and walked over to the library and into the warmth. I gulped at the thought of riding her.
- "Oh right, I'll take and rides on Lion so she will probably calm. Perhaps we should lead them first down together to the riding stable and ride in the dressage part!" Chiara smiled and were hanging with me to the stable. The only thing I could think of right now, besides the amazing story as The Baroness told, is that I will get a nightmare ride with Sasha and probably broken bones. Why am I always caught with my equestrian fears, when I least want to know of it?
Even a dark shadow, has its bright moments Part 2 {English}
This has happened: Felicity from Firgrove dragged Emma to Combine district where there would be an auction at the family Goldspur. Once they arrive on foot with their horses so the auction was almost over, so they decided instead to check out instead of the leftover horses that were not sold at the auction.
Which meets Emma Mr. Kembell who messes with a dealer to lower the price of one of the Arab horses, the black mare Dark Shadow, the dealer refused because the price was cheap enough. Emma gets a strange feeling that leads to her later stand with a written agreement that she is the owner of the black mare Sasha. Can this end well for them both?
A new day and a new morning. I stood at the window in only a gray robe and a steaming cup of hot vanilla tea and looked out towards the stables, which was my new observation. Baroness let me move into the Old Library on the first floor where there were rooms for rent during the time they lived on the farm. The room, or apartment, I shared with three horsey girls who had their horses here. All three came from families where they could afford to have one or more horses, I was an exception. I paid the first rent for the first month then after that I started working on the farm to afford to stay in the room. Before that, I lived in Moorland and had horses in Thomas and Justin's stable but I lived with Mrs. Holdsworth, in its own small room upstairs. In my room there were only just a bed, a walk-in dresser and a desk with a desk lamp. In the room here at the library, there's some more. A bed that was standing behind me, a nightstand next to the bed with a table lamp, a large closet that I barely filled with clothes, a desk in the old oak tree and a brand new computer, which for that matter was only for studying. We had a riding instructor here at the farm, which usually give instructions and then homework and test data that we can inside and out for each sample and homework she prepares for us every Friday.
I continued to look out the window and I could see how all the students helped each other with charging horses to pastures, suede, throw on new chips and clean up after themselves before heading out on rides alone or rode lesson for the riding instructor. I stood in my room and felt no envy of those who were working out in the cold. Summer was my feast, in the winter I always spent my time indoors and went never out more than necessary. Though of course, sometimes you have to sacrifice themselves for the heat and withstand the cold out for now I had six horses to confide in, and the good and beautiful heat inside had to hold out until I came into the evening, dirty and filthy with a bad stench of horse stables and horse shit. Quickly, I drank the tea and turned me on to the bed where I began to get dressed.
I kept a tight grip on the jacket to not let out any heat. Outside the sun was shining and the storm had subsided and moved on to the next target. The snow crunched under my boots for when I hastened to the stable. The night after the storm had subsided, the frost had left behind a strong ruler. I hurried into the stable where many of the students are still working on getting the winter covers are on their horses and other students' horses. Which means that I totally missed out suede boxes, I came at the right time for it. I went at the bottom of the stables, past all the students who worked diligently with practiced hands, and up to Angel who stuck his head just as I came and whinnied happily. I raised my hand and patted her hot forehead. It is always nice that someone remembers me, so it was never in school, where they came and went as they did not exist. I went into the booth and saw that she was already his winter blanket. I grabbed her halter and opened up the door of the box completely and started to lead her to one of the larger paddocks where she went along with my other mares and other students' horses.
Angel tripped on his toes beside me. I knew how she would soon explode with happiness. I looked down at her legs and saw that she was not wearing any bandages. With frozen crust I did not dare take a chance on letting her out in the pasture. I went a bit further to see if any more released any horses in the pasture. The large paddock was one of the biggest lying just outside Silveglade equestrian center directly to the left and then a bit out of the field. No horses I could see, just a pristine pasture with a crust that was waiting to get trampled on. I turned around and went back to the stables to wrap the legs of Angel. Just when I had almost arrived at the stables, I was greeted by Chiara, my best friend.
- "Hey, I see you have left your room for the cold, extra points for you!" She said as she came toward me with her moarab stallion Wild Madness, or so that she and several others called him Madness
- "Well, I have six horses to care for., I have no choice." I sighed and patted Angel neck. She was full of energy today and tried to find all the possible migration routes she could to escape out of the new-fallen snow. It was not possible to believe that she was 26 years old.
- "6 horses you say? Then you rode to the family Goldspur yesterday in the storm? Guess there was a certain Felicity who forced you?" Chiara said as she tried to keep track of Madness who tripped on tiptoe around her and wanted to run away.
- "Guess she gossiping?" I murmured low. Not low enough Chiara had really sharp ears.
- "No, I do not have to find out such things., I know how she is so it would not surprised me if she got with you., I'll just drop off jerk in the paddock, see you soon in the barn!" Also, she hurried past me with a rowdy stallion. Angel and I turned around and looked after them as they disappeared down the hill.
Angel stood nicely on time while I wrapped the napkins around her legs. I was just done with the front legs when Chiara just came back, the whole she is full of snow. I could not help but laugh when I saw her.
- "I see that it went well?" I got up when I finally was able to control myself.
- "Hm, you know?, I think I will soon sell damn thing, I have struggled with him for almost 5 years, and still no improvement., I can not believe how he went through breeding assessment. How can a maniac like that stallion get 85 points? it is beyond me? "She muttered sulkily and helped me wrap the hind legs at the Angel.
- "The judges must surely have seen something in him then? He was well three years when he did the test? Horses can be changed with the years, so do we. We mature as we age." She looked at me behind the leg on Angel.
- "If you try to be funny, it was not that fun., The stallion still think he is 1 year and believes he is something!" I laughed heartily at it. I know what problems she endured with Madness and how many times she has been chewing gravel, grass eaten or had mass submerging with the stallion and he was still in her estate.
- "But you have to see something in him because I've heard more times you talk lot of reassuring words to him when he is calm."
- "Well, he is super comfortable in handling, but in riding or conduction, he is like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode." She sighed low and stood up and patted the butt of the Angel who lashed out with its tail straight in my face. Lucky for her that I was already finished.
When almost all the horses were out in the pasture, I looked into the last box. A black Arab pacing back and forth in the box and waited for her turn. She had only just been eating some hay and then the pellet before it was time for the spill in the pasture. Many other students had already looked and admired her from the outside of the box.
- "A black beauty absolute, but what got into you when you bought her? She's nowhere near as calm as they horses you already have?" Wondered Chiara embarrassed when she looked up at Sasha who neighed after his buddies who were out in the pastures.
- "I do not know, but I think it was a sign that she would end up with me., I do not know how to explain it to you!"
- "A gentle heat from the heart maybe?, I felt the exact same thing when I bought Madness. Sick huh?" she said, looking at me then where I stood and held Saschas dark blue halter. I was nervous to go in to her because she was so full of energy. My thoughts were a nightmare. You open the box and bam, she ran me down and takes off at full gallop towards the horses, or the worst possible idea, the road where the cars ran all day. I gulped and stood at the door of the box and opened it. Sasha pricked up his ears against the sound of the door of the box when slowly slid up in front. She turned her head slightly to look better. I held out my hand to her. Quietly she walked up, sniffed at my hand, small nibbled a bit before she then pressed his nose in the palm of the hand and licked. Later went up to me and looked out the door of the box over my shoulder and whinnied loud and pushed me aside and trotted out of the box before she then started at full gallop out of the stables. Me and Chiara stood and watched her disappear around the bend in the stable and out in the open. My worst dream would come true or was it just the beginning of the nightmare?
Even a dark shadow, has its bright moments Part 1 {English}
I was still scared of horses even though I and Angel Belle come so close to each other but still there was something in them that scared me. Luckily I had 4 pieces of horses now, and everyone had a fantastic and calm temperament. I saddled Angel Belle her western saddle and put a blanket over the saddle for protection against the cold wind. Filly stood at Summerbreze and talked to her, the filly himself just stood and hung his head and trembling lower lip, I wonder if she was not so fully happy to be riding out in the blizzard.
- "Maybe you can tell me why we're going out in the snow storm?" I asked Filly after a while when I trained said Angel.
- "Well we're going to Harvest district, I was going to check out horse auction that they'll keep there." She replied with a broad smile as she donned the helmet. Summerbreze stood ready to be ridden out, though not exactly merry for it.
- "Hm" was the only response she got from me. I was not the least keen on leaving my safe warm place. I turned towards the window, which quivered to the strong wind and shivering. Popcorn, thermal blanket and a warm fire! It was music to my ears.
With a spirited horse and an incredibly lazy horse so we rode out of the vineyard and the harvesting areas. Filly decided that we would ride the long road to Moorland and crossing the bridge to get to the harvesting areas. I shivered and started to freeze, because it was so cold outside and I did not even check in the barn or from inside my room and see how cold it was. I glanced towards Filly who sat up straight and looked nothing the least mind out of the weather, she seemed to enjoy instead while Summerbreze wished that she had been at home and munch on hay, the horse refused to go on without dragging hooves behind him, Angel was the opposite, trotted and was another to get access to a gallop. I resisted because I did not think we would go bust this winter so stubborn, I forced her to go the last few steps to the harvesting areas.
- "Where is the auction?" I shouted, the wind was incredibly strong and could barely hear what we said.
- "Goldspur family will hold the annual auction this time, and they really looked forward to it when I talked to them before. A bit too enthusiastic if you ask me, but you know that the family sees the things possitivt constantly" Laughed Filly and raised his head up on Summerbreze who dragged muzzle against the cold ground.
- "You do not think Summerbreze hate winter?"
- "Of course she does, she is a summer horse, she is a little more like you. One has to force her to do things she does not like. 'Cause if she mind to follow her everywhere anyway." Filly turned his head towards me and winked. I rolled my eyes!
When we arrived at the family Goldspur, it was cars and horse trailers everywhere from the road and up to the family Goldspur and far past their house. In the pastures they had prepared the horses that would go to auction. Some had already been sold to the new families. Filly pulled me to Goldspur stable where it also had a few horses that were waiting for new family members. They horses had already gone to the auction but no one was interested any of them so they ended up in the barn and they were sold for a penny cheaper than what they were called out.
- "Emma, Emma, Emma!" Filly pulled me to one of the boxes where a white head with big eyes looked out from the door of the box and looked curiously around. Lively also was the mare who went around in the box before she looked out again and repeat the same thing over and over again.
- "Too busy for my taste. Did not the Arab horses have a lot of energy and they are not easy to ride?"
- "Oh, you are reading too much books. One should not be so large prejudices of Arab horses. Once you get to know the horse, you become one with the horse."
- "You mean like you and Summerbreze?" I replied sarcastically, and went on to the next box and let Filly, standing alone at the white Arabian horse who still pacing back and forth in the box.
Further down in the stables so heard a lot of voices. The closer I got the more I could hear the two men were discussing whether to cut down on the price of a horse. The salesman who sold the horse refused to descend to as low as the man in front of him offered.
- "The horse is for my daughter and this is what she wants, and I'll have her!"
- "Sorry, you can not accept the price I have on her so it may be, I know that more will be interested in this mare." Responded seller with some irritation in his voice when the man nagged at him.
I came closer and tried to see into the box, but the box was black so it was hard to see what the horse they were talking about. I walked around the man, who continued to harp on the mare, so I could see better. Still black and no horse. I stood closer so I stood with my nose against the grille, well enough, I saw something move in there, but black as the night she was, and with no white markings. Quietly, she looked at me before she, just like the white Arabian, pacing back and forth in the box and scraped with front hoof against the sawdust. She looked towards my direction then before she turned to cast outside the box and moved toward the box. Now I could see her properly from the little light that shone on her.
She was really black, black as night and her black fur glistened against the light. She was very small, but when I saw how her whole body was constructed. This horse had been trained for something and then not pleased anyone. Her light brown eyes tried to look out of the box but nothing could she see. She stamped her foot against the door of the box and snorted and whinnied. A sort of heat went through my heart, like a spark that sets the glow of the fire in the fireplace at home but this lit a fire in me, and the blood rushed up to the brain.
- "I'll take her," I heard I whispered, and the seller turned to me.
- "Are you sure? She is not a beginner's horse!"
I woke up and blinked a few times and turned to the seller. A young man, not more than 35 years, with a sleek black suit looking at me.
- "I can ride!" I answered him. He stroked his hand behind his head and looked at the man he tried to negotiate with. It was then that I noticed who the man was who tried to buy the mare, himself, Mr. Kembell. A disgusting man who did everything to destroy the environment for expensive hotels. His face was boiling red when he turned his eyes towards me.
- "As you can see, Emma, I was first., You may take your business elsewhere. This horse is mine and no one else!" He breathed strenuous to not lose control.
- "The horse is still mine and it is I who choose who I want to sell it to, and I believe that you, Mr. Kembell, is not a good bargain. This is not an auction, first come is that and Emma, have this horse so is it her because she offers the same price I have on her. "The young man turned to me and took my hand in a firm handshake and shook it. - "Congratulations Emma, is your mare, good to do business with you." I tried to find the spirit and responding but I could only smile nervously while Mr. Kembell, redder than a tomato, stormed out of the stable.
- "Uh ... yes, what do she cost?" I stuttered forward.
- "She is yours for $ 2000!" He smiled and it felt like I swallowed a penny.
- "Eh ... take on mortgage payments perhaps? I did not want her to end up with Mr. Kembells daughter." The man pulled his hand behind his neck and looked uncomfortable that he sold the horse to one who do not understand business. He looked up at me and smiled then.
- "You know Emma, you look to be a reliable person., We can arrange for the paper inside the family's Gold Spurs offices. Arrived there when you met Sasha and we'll fix this." He shook my hand again and left me alone with my new horse. I stood still and tried to find breath. It was then that the minute I turned towards the door of the box and on a gold plate hanging on a blue rope on a nail on the door of the box. It was then that I discovered the black engraved name plate in gold: Dark Shadow.
-9 kg!
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