Crows Don't Fly Through Autumn Rain
Air Express
Dakota reached up and ran the back of her hand across her forehead, wondering what exactly it as she'd been looking forwards to that summer as she finished mucking out the last stall. Her parents had taken a couple of horses to deliver them to their new owners and would be gone all morning. That meant there was extra work for Dakota and she had just finished out mucking out the stalls of the six horse barn after finishing with the paddocks.
Dakota exited the empty stall and pushed the wheelbarrow outside to empty it. Once she stepped out of the barn a familiar nicker reached her ears and she looked up to see the familiar dun pony trot up to the fence to her.
Although they had about seventeen horses currently at their farm, Charlie was her own pony. He was just about thirteen hands and she was starting to outgrow him, but she loves the pony. He could be quite mischievous and always found ways to get out of his stall or paddock. He almost had a puppy dog personality although he tended to push around the larger horses whenever he was let out with them.
"Want to go for a ride, Charlie?" Dakota called over to the Highland pony as she dumped out the old straw from the wheelbarrow and left it outside the barn. She almost skipped over to Charlie's paddock as she grabbed the halter and slipped in between the rails. The gelding trotted over with a snort and nudged her arm, looking around for treats. Instead of giving him one, Dakota slid the halter on and buckled it.
It only took a couple of minutes to leave the paddock and have Charlie cross-tied in the barn outside the tack room. She would have to go for a short ride to get back when her parents returned and have the rest of her chores done. If she had time she wanted to ride by Joel's place and say good bye before he headed out West.
Setting her light blue saddle pad on Charlie's back, Dakota then lifted her old all purpose saddle onto his back and cinched up the girth. She grabbed her bridle, sliding the bit into his mouth and pulling the rest of the bridle on and buckled it. She quickly checked over her tack before grabbing her helmet and leading the pony from the barn.
Once up in th saddle, Dakota turned Charlie towards the far pastures to head into the forest. If she had enough time she would take a loop around from Joel's place and take an old road back the long way home and see if she could get a glimpse of Crow Nest Stables.
Dakota loosened her reins a bit as she straightened up in her saddle, squinting slightly from the sun's bright glare as she gazed across the pasture where the Morgan, Icarus, was grazing. The liver chestnut stallion was their main stallion standing at stud at Autumn Rain Farm. Admiring him for a couple more minutes, Dakota turned her attention back to Charlie and urged him into a trot. Charlie was still quite frisky since she hasn't had a chance to ride him for awhile now.
Charlie jumped forwards into a trot, his small strides covering the grounds quickly as they entered the cool forest. Dakota tightened her reins a bit as she posted to his trot, heading along the trail that would eventually take them to where Joel lived. It only took about ten minutes of the ride through the trail to reach his property. However, as Dakota approached, she could see that Joel probably wasn't home. Their usual old truck wasn't in the driveway and the house was silent.
"I guess I'll have to talk to him later then, right Charlie?" Dakota mumbled, although she couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. That was quickly replaced by the curiosity she had in Crow Nest Stables. Turning Charlie away from the fence line of the field behind Joel's house, she continued along the trail.
As they continued along the trail, Charlie began to get a bit more worked up. He pulled on the bit, attempting to leap forwards in a trot or canter at any slight movement by Dakota and twice he tried to run off with her when she leaned down to adjust her boot. Starting to feel slightly annoyed, Dakota leaned forwards and clucked to him. She might as well take him for a gallop now so he would hopefully settle down a bit later.
Dakota asked for a faster pace and Charlie responded with enthusiasm. With a playful buck, he took off at a gallop down the trail and Dakota could hardly see anything through his flying black mane. She grinned, making no attempt to slow him down as he tore down the trail which took them to the edge of the forest and along the fence line of yet another field.
Suddenly Dakota felt his gait falter, as if Charlie was having second thoughts. His head raised, ears pricked forwards as he looked towards something in the distance that Dakota couldn't see. Attempting to gather up the reins and regain control before he bolted again, Charlie suddenly shied to the left. Dakota felt herself tumble off her back, managing to do a full front flip before she landed hard on the trail, rolling out of the way of Charlie's hooves although the pony had shied to the side of the trail. Dakota rolled over with a slight groan, attempting to catch her breath before she sat up. She hoped that no one had been around to see her fall, although she could hear some voices that sounded like they weren't too far off.
Dakota exited the empty stall and pushed the wheelbarrow outside to empty it. Once she stepped out of the barn a familiar nicker reached her ears and she looked up to see the familiar dun pony trot up to the fence to her.
Although they had about seventeen horses currently at their farm, Charlie was her own pony. He was just about thirteen hands and she was starting to outgrow him, but she loves the pony. He could be quite mischievous and always found ways to get out of his stall or paddock. He almost had a puppy dog personality although he tended to push around the larger horses whenever he was let out with them.
"Want to go for a ride, Charlie?" Dakota called over to the Highland pony as she dumped out the old straw from the wheelbarrow and left it outside the barn. She almost skipped over to Charlie's paddock as she grabbed the halter and slipped in between the rails. The gelding trotted over with a snort and nudged her arm, looking around for treats. Instead of giving him one, Dakota slid the halter on and buckled it.
It only took a couple of minutes to leave the paddock and have Charlie cross-tied in the barn outside the tack room. She would have to go for a short ride to get back when her parents returned and have the rest of her chores done. If she had time she wanted to ride by Joel's place and say good bye before he headed out West.
Setting her light blue saddle pad on Charlie's back, Dakota then lifted her old all purpose saddle onto his back and cinched up the girth. She grabbed her bridle, sliding the bit into his mouth and pulling the rest of the bridle on and buckled it. She quickly checked over her tack before grabbing her helmet and leading the pony from the barn.
Once up in th saddle, Dakota turned Charlie towards the far pastures to head into the forest. If she had enough time she would take a loop around from Joel's place and take an old road back the long way home and see if she could get a glimpse of Crow Nest Stables.
Dakota loosened her reins a bit as she straightened up in her saddle, squinting slightly from the sun's bright glare as she gazed across the pasture where the Morgan, Icarus, was grazing. The liver chestnut stallion was their main stallion standing at stud at Autumn Rain Farm. Admiring him for a couple more minutes, Dakota turned her attention back to Charlie and urged him into a trot. Charlie was still quite frisky since she hasn't had a chance to ride him for awhile now.
Charlie jumped forwards into a trot, his small strides covering the grounds quickly as they entered the cool forest. Dakota tightened her reins a bit as she posted to his trot, heading along the trail that would eventually take them to where Joel lived. It only took about ten minutes of the ride through the trail to reach his property. However, as Dakota approached, she could see that Joel probably wasn't home. Their usual old truck wasn't in the driveway and the house was silent.
"I guess I'll have to talk to him later then, right Charlie?" Dakota mumbled, although she couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed. That was quickly replaced by the curiosity she had in Crow Nest Stables. Turning Charlie away from the fence line of the field behind Joel's house, she continued along the trail.
As they continued along the trail, Charlie began to get a bit more worked up. He pulled on the bit, attempting to leap forwards in a trot or canter at any slight movement by Dakota and twice he tried to run off with her when she leaned down to adjust her boot. Starting to feel slightly annoyed, Dakota leaned forwards and clucked to him. She might as well take him for a gallop now so he would hopefully settle down a bit later.
Dakota asked for a faster pace and Charlie responded with enthusiasm. With a playful buck, he took off at a gallop down the trail and Dakota could hardly see anything through his flying black mane. She grinned, making no attempt to slow him down as he tore down the trail which took them to the edge of the forest and along the fence line of yet another field.
Suddenly Dakota felt his gait falter, as if Charlie was having second thoughts. His head raised, ears pricked forwards as he looked towards something in the distance that Dakota couldn't see. Attempting to gather up the reins and regain control before he bolted again, Charlie suddenly shied to the left. Dakota felt herself tumble off her back, managing to do a full front flip before she landed hard on the trail, rolling out of the way of Charlie's hooves although the pony had shied to the side of the trail. Dakota rolled over with a slight groan, attempting to catch her breath before she sat up. She hoped that no one had been around to see her fall, although she could hear some voices that sounded like they weren't too far off.