February Story Contest

2000 Miles
By: Nat2
Age: 10

Penny yawned and opened her eyes.  Morning sunlight streamed into the barn, flooding her stall through the pipe gate.  The warm rays splashed her copper brown coat, making it shine like a new coin.  Penny sniffed at her feed box, nibbling at the remnants of last night’s oat dinner.  

“Trigger? Are you awake?” Penny put her head over her stall door and looked into Trigger’s stall.  The Palomino Gelding was still asleep.  Penny smiled to herself, then whispered as quietly as she could, “Ride?” 

Trigger’s head shot up, and, without even glancing at his feed box, stuck his head over his stall door and strained towards the tack room, “Ride? Ride! Who’s going for a ride? Who? Can I come, can I come?” He jumped up and down in place and nodded his head eagerly.  

Penny laughed, “Well, good morning to you too! Runner, are you awake?” She turned her head and peered in the other stall.  The Dun colored Gelding wasn’t there.  “Rider must have taken him for a ride,” she murmured to herself, but Trigger’s sharp ears heard her.  

“I wanna go! I wanna go!” He pawed and banged at the stall door, whimpering eagerly as he attempted to climb out of his stall.  

“Trigger, Rider is coming back soon with Runner.  Then she’ll feed us.  And then she’ll take us for a-” 

“RIDE? You were going to say ride! You have to tell me who Rider is going to ride first!” 

“I’m not a prophet! Look, here they come!” The two horses pricked their ears and watched as Rider led Runner into the barn, opened his stall door, and walked him into it.  Rider took off Runner’s saddle, bridle, and saddle pad.  

“How was the ride?” Asked Penny when Rider went into the tack room to put Runner’s things away.  

“Mistress and I had a great deal of fun,” said Runner timidly.  

Penny smiled, “Get over two-thousand miles?” 

Runner nodded excitedly.  “Yes! I galloped into Three Birches and I heard Mistress yell happily.  Then she rode me Home.” 

He stopped when Rider came back out and filled their feed boxes with oats, then put hay in the bottom of the stalls.  The three horses ate quietly, the only sound was scraping as Trigger pushed the oats around in his box.  Penny licked her lips then lowered her head and began on her hay.  

As Runner finished his oats and began to chatter about the two-thousand miles, Penny heard Trigger let out a moan.  Her head shot up, “Trigger, what’s wrong?” 

Trigger looked as if he was in pure agony, “Rider picked Runner instead of me! I wanted to have a ride and get over the two-thou-, uh, tho-twou-oh! I wanted to get to the big number!” He began sobbing.  

Penny put her head over the stall wall and soothed Trigger, “She likes Runner, Trigger.  Just because she picked him doesn’t mean Rider despises you.”  

Runner looked uncomfortable, “I’m sorry Trigger, I didn’t mean-” 

Suddenly Trigger smiled, “Thanks for the apology, I’m better now.  Who is she gonna ride, Penny?” 

Penny groaned, “I have no idea.  Just eat your hay.” 

Trigger, still grinning, lowered his head and began to suck down his hay as if he hadn’t eaten in five weeks.  Penny looked over at Runner, who was peacefully lipping at wisps of yellow hay.  Penny lowered her head and began crunching the dry grass stalks happily.  

Rider came back out, and groomed all of the horses whilst they ate.  It felt good to have the brushes scratch gently against Penny’s coat.  She turned once or twice when Rider hit a tender spot and nickered warningly.  Finally, Rider left the barn.


That night, when Rider was in her house asleep, Penny opened her eyes and nudged Runner and Trigger over the stall walls.  “Guys, Rider broke two-thousand miles!” 

“I-I helped.”  Runner put in shyly.  

Penny nodded, “Yes.  I forgot, please forgive me.”   

Runner smiled.  

“So, I suggest that we celebrate!” Penny continued, “Tell every other pony you can find when you are taken for a ride.  Acorn, Snow White, Lightning, then tell them to tell their friends.”  

“What shall we tell them?” Trigger and Runner asked in unison.  

“Tell them to meet in the Live Moderated Chat-Room, Tuesday March 8th, and we’ll celebrate!”

All three horses cheered heartily, until an annoyed shout from Rider’s House quieted them down.  But still, they chuckled and giggled until they fell asleep.