|
Post by <Amy> on Mar 12, 2009 5:07:00 GMT -6
Taylor Stone It wasn't often that Taylor didn't want to be at the stable. Usually she wanted to be with Invisible Ink out in the rings or riding the trails but today she was doing a special favor for the stable owner, Amy Garland. Apparently one of the rescues was far from dangerous but still needed survallince to be unloaded. Normally Ty wouldn't mind that, rescues all needed extra attention. What bothered her was that the owner of the horse coming in was supposedly Matt Lauren, one of the stable hands. That was what made Ty frown on the whole thing. She'd heard some rumors about him and none of them had been particularly clear or particularly good.
Heaving a sigh, Taylor left the stall of her beloved black Warlander, Ink, and headed out of the stable. Behind her, Ty heard the big stallion snuffle unhappily and wished she could go back and ride him but she couldn't. She had just finished getting him settled back in from the vet and now the TAEA horse was coming in, probably in about five minutes or so. Ty stepped out into the sunlight, her medium brown hair pulled back in a ponytail wearing a green tank top, slightly faded jeans and black riding boots. The jeans and tank hugged for her form, not overly curvy but nice, skin starting to recover its tan from the wintertime greyness.
Heading for the small rings where horses were kept temporarily, Ty hopped up to perch on the top rung, heels of her boots caught on a lower rung to keep her steady, hands holding the top rail on either side as she watched the driveway for signs of the trailer. When none appeared, Ty looked around the stable yard for the kid she was helping but didn't know what he looked like since she never payed any attention to the guys at the stable. Couldn't trust a guy as far as she could throw him and sadly for all guys, she wasn't that strong.
Taylor's attention was caught when a pickup turned into the drive, a white TAEA trailer hitched on the back. Getting down from the fence, Taylor waved to the driver, flagging him closer to the small rings. By all accounts from what she'd heard Amy say, the horse was sweet and well trained but very shy and skittish. Ty just hoped whoever her adopter was they would at least have enough sense not to make a lot of racket and scare her.
|
|
|
Post by BeLuna on Mar 15, 2009 10:05:53 GMT -6
Today, apparently, was the day. Matt would finally be receiving the horse he'd been dreading ever since he'd been sentenced to work at Southern Blues Stables. Well, he had chosen it, but only because it was better than jail. Yet he had no experience whatsoever with horses except for what he had learned the past few days. Mostly, he had learned about how much shit horses produced in just one night in a stall. Quite a lot, if you were wondering. He just hoped none of his friends learned of his being forced to muck stalls, clean the stables, even clean tack, whatever the owner asked and on top of that, train an abused horse. He would be humiliated beyond belief if word ever got out about his sentence. Right now, they thought he was doing normal community service like working in a soup kitchen or picking up garbage on the side of the road. At least, that's what he told them.
Matt Laren(no 'u' for future reference) finished sweeping out the main walkway of the barn, sweeping dirt and clods of mud straight out the door and outside. He sighed, wondering if he should try and prolong meeting /his/ horse or if he should just go and get it over with. He leaned one hand against the side of the barn for a moment, shaking his head, wondering why he had ever gotten himself into this mess. Finally, he walked through the barn, pausing to put the broom away; the owner, Amy was it?, would probably freak if he didn't put it back.
He came out the other side and stopped in the doorway for a moment, watching a trailer come down the driveway and stop in front of a series of small rings and a pretty girl. Damn, this place was full of pretty girls! They were just a little horse-crazy. So there were some perks about being stuck working here...but he still wouldn't like word to get out that he was here. Matt walked towards the trailer and the girl, trying to see inside the darkened windows as he walked past. He waved to Taylor with a charming smile, the flirtatious gentleman as always.
"Hey, I'm Matt and I guess this would be where I meet my horse?" he asked unnecessarily, gesturing to the trailer. "I really don't know much about rescue horses or, well, horses at all so I guess you're here to help? May I ask your name?" Matt was a little anxious about unloading a horse, as he had never done anything like that before, but the presence of a pretty girl helped everything. He appraised her silently and secretly, not letting her see how his amber eyes took her all in without ogling her. [/center]
|
|
|
Post by <Amy> on Mar 15, 2009 12:15:29 GMT -6
Taylor studied the guy coming toward her with a guarded expression. Her posture was a bit tense but overall she didn't look frightened or furious, just neutral about his presence. Like most guys he switched into "flirt mode" the second he caught sight of her and it took all of Ty's focus to not roll her eyes at him. Instead, Ty let him talk, arms crossed over her chest. It was obvious in everything about him that he didn't want to be here, helping her get Rose settled. Who knows? He was probably some dangerous guy that was part of the whole "rescue stable" deal, rescue horses and guys in lives of crime. Taylor tried to pull herself together and remember not all guys were like the last one she'd known but it was hard so she decided to focus on Rose, get things done and get out. Too bad she knew she wouldn't do it. She wouldn't just unload Rose and leave a skittish horse with a guy she didn't trust.
"My name is Taylor" Taylor said, not giving him her nickname like she did other people. "Since you obviously have no experience or desire to work with this horse, I'll unload her. Just have the gate open and close it when she's in."
Straightening up, Ty brushed past him to the trailer. Carefully, Taylor let the ramp down and pulled back the bar that kept horses back from the opening during travel. Ty wasn't surprised to find that Rose was in the back of the trailer, seeing as she was shy and probably had no true love of travel. Taylor moved the bar and clicked her tongue, pulling a treat from her pocket and focusing on the Halfinger rather then the guy Amy was forcing her to work with.
"Hey baby" Taylor cooed. "Come on out of there." Ty reached into the trailer with the treat in the palm of her hand, trying to coax Rose out of t he trailer.
Taylor had to admit Rose was a pretty horse. Her coat was solid chestnut except for a blaze between her eyes, a contrasting flaxen mane and tail that could use a bit of grooming but otherwise she was fine. There was an old green nylon halter on her but she wasn't tethered. Taylor unwound a lead rope she had been holding, moving slowly so she wouldn't scare Rose. The mare was obviously weary but she looked well enough. She was far smaller then what Taylor was used to. Rather then being sixteen or seventeen hands, Rose was a mere fourteen hands, delicate in her size but still having the powerful and enduring appearance of most ponies and mountain breeds.
|
|
|
Post by BeLuna on Mar 15, 2009 18:39:02 GMT -6
Matt saw Taylor's immediate dislike for him and he realized that his tactics would have to be much different with her if he wanted to get on her good side. Ever. She looked at him with a blank stare and he ran a hand through his hair as she finally spoke. Did everyone around here see so clearly through him? Sure, he had no passion for horses, he didn't want to be here, but could someone just give him a chance? Like Armelia, she had at least called him out for what he was and then still given him a chance.
"Nice to meet you, too, Taylor," he said almost sarcastically to the empty air, because by now she had finished her retort, brushed by him and was going to unload his horse. He opened the gate and leaned on it, watching Taylor try and coax the shy horse out of the trailer.
Rosie was enticed by the scent of the treat in Taylor's hand but was not quite sure whether it was safer in here where she had been moving about anxiously for hours with loud noises, or out there in the unknown. The scent of fresh air and horses reassured her a little, though, so slowly, step by cautious step, she made her way down the ramp. As soon as she saw the lead rope, though, she stopped dead, flashing back to memories of a man with a long rope that hurt. She snorted and would neither move forward or backward, stuck on the ramp looking from Taylor to Matt to the rope. Finally, she quickly got off the ramp and nibbled the treat from Taylor's hand, sighing tiredly and hanging her head low, expecting to be hurt. Matt watched with a raised brow, wondering how in the world they expected her to respond to him at all. [/center]
|
|
|
Post by <Amy> on Mar 15, 2009 18:50:33 GMT -6
Like with every TAEA horse she met, Taylor's heart bled for the poor animal. How humans could break a horse so much was beyond her and it made her sick just to think about. She could never hurt Ink or Lady, ever. How anybody else could was just disgusting. Still ignoring Matt, Taylor gave the mare the treat when she stepped off the ramp. It was obvious the mare didn't like the idea of a lead rope but Taylor didn't want her to bolt as soon as she thought she could. "Sorry sweetie, don't worry it won't hurt" Taylor murmured, clipping the lead rope on the ring on Rose's halter. She held the rope loosely with plenty of leeway if Rose wanted to move and kept her posture relaxed, offering a second treat to soothe the mare's frazzled nerves.
Taylor moved at Rose's pace, stepping when the mare did and moving slowly until she got to the gate. Here she paused, giving Rose another chance to absorb her surroundings a little better now that she was free of the trailer. A student on what looked like a Welsh pony clopped into the stable yard and made straight for the barn, the horse's pace relaxed and utterly calm. Ty hoped that to some level seeing another horse relaxed and comfortable might help poor ol' Rose.
"Just a little farther and you'll be off the lead" Taylor promised, again starting to move.
Getting the chestnut mare at last into the ring, Ty gestured for Matt to close the gate and latch it. Offering a third treat and murmuring praises, Taylor unclipped the lead rope and slowly backed off from Rose. When her back hit the corral railing, Taylor boosted herself up and over so she was standing outside of the ring. She looked over at Matt as she wound up the lead rope again.
"You're her rider so she has to trust you, somehow. Go on into the ring, she won't bite unless you bite first. Just stand in the middle and wait and see if she comes to you."
Taylor reached into her pocket and pulled out a couple of wrapped red and white mints. Striding over to Matt, she offered them to him to help give Rose a reason to approach him and something to praise her with when or if she did.
|
|
|
Post by BeLuna on Mar 17, 2009 19:26:42 GMT -6
Rosie kind of gave a weary sigh as she heard the soothing words, not wanting to do anything that would upset this soft-spoken girl. She hadn't hurt her, yet, but that wasn't to say she wouldn't. And there was a male over there by the gate. They could be trusted even less. She nibbled the treat lazily, dropping it from her lips to the ground because she really wasn't all that interested in it. Warily, she picked up her head and followed Taylor, glad that she wasn't being pushed or shoved to go faster.
Matt watched the slow progress of the girl and horse, wondering if he would ever care so much about an animal that he could just be patient like that. He kind of admired that patience in Taylor. As the student trotted by on the horse, he watched it go by and Rosie finally showed some interest in something. Her head went up a little and her ears perked forward, but then the horse was gone and she started plodding towards the ring again, tugging slightly to the right. She didn't like going into rings...bad things happened there. Matt looked on as step by step she was coaxed into the ring.
He closed the gate when Taylor motioned wordlessly for him to do so and latched it, keeping his eyes on the mare. Her ears flicked back to hear the sound of the gate closing and she shied away from the noise a little, although this time she did eat the treat offered to her by Taylor. Matt looked up as Taylor instructed him quietly, raising a brow at her suggestion. "You want me to go in there with a frightened horse?" he asked incredulously, looking from her to the horse and back. That did appear to seem what she was asking and he didn't want to appear like a wimp. Some old horse wouldn't, couldn't hurt him. "Alright, but I've got no clue what to do," he conceded, taking the mints from her with a shrug and slowly climbing over the gate into the ring.
Rosie looked up as he came in, then dropped her head to the ground again, snuffling for grass or something good to eat. "She looks a little skinny and underfed, is she going to be okay?" Matt blurted out quietly, although he was unsure why. Why would he care about the well-being of an animal? His cars, maybe, but a horse? He stayed by the edge of the gate, as wary of her as she was of him and unwrapped a mint, holding it loosely in his palm. Rose didn't budge...but she was curious. [/center]
|
|
|
Post by <Amy> on Mar 17, 2009 19:35:36 GMT -6
Taylor smiled a little at the guy's admission that he knew nothing about what to do in the pen with a frightened horse. He would figure it out. Rose wasn't much different then he was really. She had no interest in being with them and he had no interest in being with her but Taylor had been told to stick them together. They would just have to figure it out as they went along. Ty leaned on the fence, watching the chestnut mare perking her ears when Matt started to unwrap one of the mints Taylor had given him. At least she was curious and not blatantly ignoring him. It was a small progress but still progress and that was good in Taylor's book, no matter the form. At Matt's question, Ty shrugged.
"That's up to her and kind of up to you" Taylor said, keeping her voice calm and level so it wouldn't frighten Rose. "She doesn't trust us like you don't trust her but that'll get better the more you two know each other. Just let her come to you, try talking to her. She seemed to like it earlier."
Really Taylor hoped Rose would get better. It was a shame when somebody didn't know how to love another living thing and that was what Matt's problem was. Maybe that was why she felt more defensive? He showed more interest toward things that didn't live and breathe. Her old boyfriend had liked fast cars and parties, dangerous things of darker sorts but that was what had drawn Taylor to him. A shiver rolled down her spine just thinking about.
Pushing unwanted memories and thoughts away, Taylor focused again on Rose and Matt in the ring. She doubted Rose would charge him, bucking and shrieking but sometimes there were unlikely results from quiet horses. Either she would relax and take the mint and then they would repeat the process or she would spook and go bananas for a few minutes before they could try working her again. Ty almost wanted Matt to get bitten but...that wouldn't help his outlook on horses and even though she was loath to admit it, it wouldn't make her feel any better either.
|
|
|
Post by BeLuna on Mar 18, 2009 18:21:32 GMT -6
"Talk to her? A horse? She can't understand me," he said, raising a brow at Taylor. He tried to keep his voice like hers, not wanting to startle Rosie into kicking and bucking like a mad thing. Well, he didn't know if she would, but it was always possible. Talk to a horse? That was the lowest of the low. That was the epitome of humiliation. It would be almost like talking to himself, only it would be to a dumb animal. Matt looked at Rosie again, who was looking at him with dull eyes, hoping beyond hope that he would be kind to her. Something in him reached out in pity to the broken horse before him, and something else didn't know what to do.
He sighed finally, shaking his head, and held out the unwrapped mints, feeling like an idiot. "Hey, pretty girl, come here," he said quietly, trying as hard as he could not to feel like a complete and total fool. If any of the guys saw him doing this...ugh. Well, he was stuck doing this, so: "Come on, girl, I won't hurt you."
Rosie's ears perked up again and swiveled towards him, listening to his tones that he was trying to make appear soothing. He'd never done this before, so of course it was a little rough, but he had neither whip nor lead rope, nor anything in his hands that could harm her. He sounded nice enough, just unsure. She stayed where she was for a moment, undecided, shuffling her hooves nervously. Matt kept talking to her, not sure what he was saying or why, or if it even mattered, suddenly wanting her to come to him.
He had just about given up on her and was looking to Taylor for what to do next when he felt big velvety lips on his hands grab the mints. Although he tried his hardest not to shout in surprise, he did flinch a little, freezing as the chesnut mare stood quietly in front of him, chomping on the mints. His eyes met her tired ones, but they weren't so dull in them. There was a glint of hope. "Um, Taylor, what's her name?" he asked quietly, amazed she wasn't running away. Perhaps she was tired of running. He tried to touch her, but she shied away. [/center]
|
|
|
Post by <Amy> on Mar 18, 2009 18:36:41 GMT -6
Taylor rolled her eyes. Of course guys were just too manly to think horses could understand or bother talking to one. The horse may not be able to understand what the words meant exactly but they understood tone. Before Taylor could get to telling Matt this however, he was slowly starting to talk to Rose. Ty closed her mouth and simply leaned on the fence to watch. Her gaze would shift from Matt to Rose, waiting with baited breath for some sort of reaction from the Halflinger. For the most part all she seemed to do was stand there and stare at him, dull eyed and almost pathetic looking. Seconds dragged into minutes, five minutes to ten.
When Matt turned toward Ty, Taylor saw the mare start moving forward. She opened her mouth to tell him to stand still when the mare reached out for the mint in his hand. A smile spread over Taylor's face, dark eyes brightening happily. Rose was looking at Matt with more interest than before, not moving away but just shying a little when he went to touch her. Most horses did that to new owners so it wasn't that unusual and it was definitely good that she'd actually gone to Matt. Part of Taylor had expected her not to, expected Rose to see that he wasn't worth it but...if he was worth something to Rose that was good enough for Ty.
"Her show name is Roses are Red" Taylor said calmly. "I'd just call her Rose or Rosie for short if I were you. She was probably somebody's trail pony, she didn't like the lead rope and probably doesn't like whips. Most abused trail and pleasure horses don't."
Ty grimaced at the very idea of somebody whipping a horse without good reason. Some events like thoroughbred racing required the use of a riding whip but pleasure riding usually didn't. Even when Taylor rode Lady in dressage she didn't keep a riding whip with her, simply because it wasn't necessary and it was cruel. Still, some people had to have them and from the fading marks on Rose's haunches, they'd used it a little too much.
|
|
|
Post by BeLuna on Mar 20, 2009 15:26:53 GMT -6
Matt stayed perfectly still, not wanting to scare the mare away, almost like a hunter who had spotted his prey...only he had no intention of harming her. Intentionally. He watched Rose and she watched him, both looking for the other to do something first. He had seen the almost triumphant expression on Taylor's face when Rosie came up to him and secretly, he felt a little proud that she had actually come to him. Now, however, what should he do? He had no more treats for her, of course she had taken them all with one bite, and she was just standing a few feet away from him. If he moved towards her, she would move away and it didn't seem like she was moving towards him without some incentive.
"Rosie," he said quietly, and her ears flicked straight up again at the sound. He found himself smiling and quickly hid that from Taylor, not looking her way. "Um...what should I do now? If I move towards her, she'll shy away, and if I move away that's just not helping anyone." He asked Taylor this question quietly, glancing towards her out of the corner of his eye and slowly running his hand through his hair, for he felt sudden movements would also startle the skittish horse. God, what had he gotten himself into?
The horse was beautiful, sure, but he had no idea what he was doing! What if he ended up making her worse? He certainly didn't want to hurt her or even make her more afraid of humans, but he didn't trust her or himself. The marks on her looked painful and he certainly felt some sympathy that he couldn't explain, but he was no horse fanatic. He had no idea how to make her trust him or if he wanted that. He didn't want to get attached...that would just be bad. [/center]
|
|
|
Post by <Amy> on Mar 21, 2009 8:39:20 GMT -6
Taylor watched Matt and Rosie, trying to think of what to tell him. She thought back to when she'd gotten Ink and Lady. What had she done then to help Ink trust her? Taylor frowned slightly, trying to remember. She'd been an emotional mess, still kind of was, and had spilled her gut to the stallion. She'd cried and hugged his neck, told him everything. It just seemed like he was always there at the right time and he had started to really, honestly trust her as his rider and owner.
"You just have to keep talking to her, tell her you've never loved horses, tell her why you're here. You have to open up to her before she opens up to you. With horses they follow example, you're the lead stallion, that's all there really is to it" Taylor said. "If she comes close enough, just very gently take a hold of the cheek strap of her halter and try to lead her but only lead if she'll willingly follow. Try to bring her to the fence."
Taylor still had the lead rope coiled in her hand and wanted to try something with Rose. Ink used to hate the dressage crop and when Taylor had gotten him to trust her she had put him in a ring and been in the ring with him, the crop behind her back. She would stroke his neck and talk to him and then she had slowly moved the crop so it rested on his flank. He had tried to shy but she kept him on a short leash and had continued moving the crop on his side until he completely relaxed. After that, Taylor had ridden with it no matter if they were jumping or just pleasure riding. Now he had no protests to the riding crop.
Now, that process would probably have to be more extensive with Rose but it might work all the same, just take a little longer. Taylor would explain it to Matt when he got closer so she wouldn't have to raise her voice when she mentioned a crop. Sometimes horses seemed to understand those words and she didn't want to spook Rose until Matt had a firm hand on her. Besides, they wouldn't be using the crop, not yet. Just the lead rope. Rose needed to trust Matt more before they broke the whip fear.
|
|
|
Post by BeLuna on Mar 21, 2009 11:23:29 GMT -6
"That's your advice?" Matt asked with a small shake of his head, not in a condescending way but in a way that suggested it just hadn't been helpful to him. "You want me to tell a horse my life story and then expect her to reciprocate? I haven't told anyone my-" he paused a minute, remembering the other day with Alto. "Wait, that's a lie, I have told one person, but that's not the point. I just don't think talking to her is going to make her trust me." Matt shrugged, watching the mare and then looking back at Taylor. "Don't get me wrong, maybe it works for some people, but I don't see how."
He chuckled at the idea of being the 'lead stallion' as Taylor said. Him, taking charge? Responsibility even? That was what this was supposed to be about, but he didn't really see himself doing it. He didn't really see himself getting Rosie to trust her and learning how to ride. He didn't want to get attached to this horse, but what he didn't know was that he already was. Just seeing her had made him hers.
With a sigh, he turned back to look at Rosie who was suddenly right next to him. Her big head was level with his and she let loose a sigh that mimicked his own. "We've got a comic here, have we?" Matt said quietly, following Taylor's instructions and grabbing the strap of the halter. At first, Rose tossed her head, but when he didn't let go she just sighed again and dropped her head. Matt took a step forward and tugged gently, but she wouldn't budge. "Come on, girl, let's go," he said quietly, trying not to get annoyed that this was taking so long and that she was so stubborn. Finally, she picked up her feet and followed along beside him, stopping as he did beside the fence.
"What now?" [/center]
|
|
|
Post by <Amy> on Mar 21, 2009 11:52:06 GMT -6
Taylor rolled her eyes, trying to bite back her own annoyance. This guy was such an idiot. How did he expect anybody, horse or human, to trust him if he didn't give a little something first? Maybe he had never told anything to anyone but this was where he needed to talk, had to make Rose trust him or this would never work. Horses required trust and patience, two things Ty seriously doubted this kid had a single speck of. He was the fast car, fast women type and it made Taylor sick to see him in the ring with that skittish little mare. She wished she could bring Ink out and let the stallion give Matt a good kick but that wouldn't help anybody.
Before Ty could snap at Matt however, he turned back to Rose and did what he was told. Taylor rolled her eyes when his back was turned and leaned on the fence, arms crossed. She kept the lead rope mostly hidden as Matt reached to grab the mare's halter. Rose, of course, tried to resist and toss her head to get free but Matt kept a firm grip which was good. At least he was doing what he was told. Taylor straightened up when Rose and Matt stood at the fence.
Walking away from them, down the fence a little, Taylor climbed the fence and dropped down inside the ring. She moved as slowly as she could manage so Rose wouldn't spook and kick Matt even though she had to say she wouldn't be sorry. Amy would kill her though so Ty moved carefully. She kept the lead half hidden behind her back, slowly walking toward the mare and boy.
"Keep a firm hold on her ok? She's probably not going to like this very much."
Standing at Rose's hip, Taylor looked the horse in the eye. Keeping eye contact with Rose, Taylor moved the arm holding the lead from behind her back. "Shh Rose, shh" Ty murmured, slowly moving the lead toward the mare's hip, ready to jump back if she tried to kick.
Very slowly and gently, Taylor rested the nylon lead against Rose's hip.
|
|
|
Post by BeLuna on Mar 22, 2009 15:45:52 GMT -6
Taylor pegged Matt right, almost down to his very last trait. He was untrusting, had little patience and was the fast car, fast women type of guy. What she was wrong about though was that he was an idiot. That he wouldn't change. Something about this barn...that judge had been a wise one and somehow had known that this would be just the place to heal him. To change him and make him a better person. Matt was changing, and only after a few days. It wasn't a lot of change, but a little was progress.
Rose followed Matt placidly and he found himself watching her fluid movements, slightly admiring the way she moved. He shook his head to rid himself of the thought and smiled almost sheepishly at Taylor. She didn't look like the kind of girl that would ever be fooled by any kind of act he put on. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try.
He watched as she climbed easily into the fence and instructed him what to do. When she said Rose wouldn't like it very much, he got a little wary. Wouldn't like it as in would freak out and hurt someone or just would get slightly annoyed? "What are you going to do?" he asked quietly, but before he could get an answer, she was already doing it.
Rosie had watched Taylor, too, but her gaze was wary. She was not stupid, she had seen the swinging rope disappear behind the young girl's back. A shudder ran involuntarily through her and she kept a sharp eye on that one. Neither of them had harmed her yet, but that didn't mean they wouldn't as soon as her guard was down. Taylor looking her in the eye made her even more nervous, but the talking was slightly soothing. Suddenly, she felt the familiar brush of rope on her side, although it was nowhere near as painful as it had been before. Still, the sensation was the same, so her reaction was panic. She squealed and tried to toss her head, shying away and coming very close to kicking Matt. However, he moved out of the way just in time, unable to keep ahold of her head. "Sorry! I couldn't keep a good grip on her," he apologized quickly as Rosie showed the first signs of activeness since she had arrived. She tossed her head high and galloped to the other side of the ring, her sides heaving. [/center]
|
|
|
Post by <Amy> on Mar 22, 2009 18:35:58 GMT -6
Taylor had fully expected Rose to reject the feel of the lead but she hadn't expected it to be so much of a rejection. She yelped and jumped backward to avoid the mare's flying hind legs as she started tossing about. Taylor over balanced and toppled, landing on her butt in the dirt. The lead rope flew out of her hand and landed with a thump on the ground of the corral, useless and utterly harmless, not that Rose cared. Ty sighed and heaved herself to her feet, dusting off her blue jeans and watching as Rose galloped around the other side the corral. She looked over at Matt and shrugged.
"Its ok. Believe it or not better she run off than you get kicked in the head. Amy would kill me."
Taylor crouched down and gathered up the fallen lead rope before straightening and watching Rose again. They'd taken three steps forward, three steps back. Now they were standing at start all over again. Maybe she had rushed it too much? Ty raked her fingers through her hair and sighed.
"It's my fault, I think I rushed her. Guess we'll have to wait for her to calm down and just clip a lead and get her in a stall. The therapy for her fears will have to wait."
Dark brown eyes watched as the frightened Halfinger mare cantered around the ring, kicking up her heels and casting them suspicious looks. Taylor didn't blame her. If a guy tried to feel her up to "help her" Taylor would probably freak out just as badly if not worse than Rosie was. At least she hadn't tried to kick them intentionally. She had just been flinging around to get away, not cause intentional harm. Something told Ty she was just too sweet for that under all her fears.
|
|