September Story Contest

Cody Forever
By: Onaneagle
Age: 7

Jessie couldn’t believe her ears. She had won the art contest!  The prize—a week at a ranch in upper state New York!

“Jessie, what do you think about all this?” the reporter asked.

“I can’t believe it!  I’m so happy!” Jessie responded.

*   *   *

After a plane ride and five hours driving in the car, Jessie’s family arrived at the ranch. It was cloudy and raining. Jessie met the horses, the dogs and Wrangler Mark. 

The next day, Jessie woke up early and fed the horses.  She helped groom and tack them up.  Jessie’s horse was Cody, a beautiful dun quarter horse.  But when she started riding, Cody misbehaved—he kept stopping to eat the tall yellow goldenrod.  Wrangler Mark helped by taking the lead line and ponying her. 

By the third day, Jessie was head-over-heels in love with Cody.  Cody understood who was boss and stopped eating goldenrod that day.  The rest of the week passed all too quickly. 

Soon Jessie had to hug Cody goodbye and go home.

*   *    *

Jessie blinked back the tears as she sat on her bed at home and thought about her week at the ranch. 

When she started riding, she had thought Cody was a misbehaving horse, but now she was crying about him!  Jessie sniffled and remembered “the maze,” a trail with twists and curves where she had cantered Cody.

Jessie smiled thinking about Candy, a dog that had sneaked inside the cabin at the ranch, and then stayed on the porch all night after her mom had shooed Candy out.

Jessie looked up when she heard her mom announce, “We’re doing riding lessons on Tuesday, Jessie.”

“Yippee!” she yelled, hugging her mom.

Jessie’s mom stroked her golden hair and looked into her hazel eyes.  “I know you miss Cody, but now you know what you want to be when you grow up—a ranch owner!”

*   *    *
That Tuesday, Jessie’s mom drove over the barn.  “I’m Sarah,” said a friendly looking lady.  “How old are you?”

“I’m nine and I can canter,” answered Jessie.

Ms. Sarah assigned Jessie to an appaloosa named Apache.  “Hi, boy.  You are a beautiful horse,” she told him, hugging his neck.

Jessie mounted Apache and then Ms. Sarah came over.  “Okay, I want you to walk around the ring and then do what I tell you.”

“Yes Ma’am,” Jessie said.  She nudged Apache with her heels, then trotted and cantered.

“Thank you, Ms. Sarah.  Bye!” Jessie shouted as they drove away.

*   *    *
That night Jessie dreamed two dreams. 

In the first dream she cantered on Cody, but then her parents took her off and drove away without letting her say goodbye.  She woke up with tears in her eyes.

The second dream was great--she went back to the ranch and rode Cody to her heart’s desire.  She woke in the morning feeling happy.

*   *    *
Jessie had a riding lesson again on Wednesday, but something happened.  “Hi, Ms. Sarah!” Jessie greeted the instructor.  “I’ll go tack up Apache.”

“Wait, Jessie.  Today I want you to try jumping.  Is that fine with you?”

“Oh yes!” Jessie almost shouted.  She ran over to groom Apache.  Then Jessie cantered Apache around the ring, grinning from ear to ear.

“All right, head over to the cross rail.”  Ms. Sarah told Jessie.

“Okay,” Jessie said and turned Apache.  He soared over the jump, but landed with a thud, causing Jessie to fall.  She grabbed Apache’s mane for dear life and managed to swing her leg over his back.  But Jessie had no control, so when he stumbled over the cross rail again she fell off. 

Ms. Sarah rushed over to Jessie and helped her up.  Jessie’s face was covered with dust and she was holding her wrist tightly.  “Are you hurt?” Ms. Sarah asked with worry.

“Ow . . . I think I sprained my wrist.”  Jessie groaned.

*   *    *
“I know you hurt your wrist.  How?” asked the nurse.

“I fell off a horse,” Jessie answered the nurse.

“Well, it looks like you have a small fracture there,” the nurse said.  “The doctor will be coming to put on a cast.”

*   *    *

Jessie’s mom smiled sadly.  “I don’t want you to have any more falls, so I think you should stop riding.”

“Noooooo!” Jessie wailed.  “I lost my balance.  I won’t do it again.” 

But her mom wouldn’t hear about it for weeks.

After the cast was removed, Jessie pleaded again, “Mom, please!  Please, please, please!”

“All right.  But if you fall again!” she wagged a finger.  “No more riding.”

Jessie hugged her mom and shouted, “Thank you!”

*   *    *
Jessie learned how to jump safely and at Christmas she got a big surprise.

“Merry Christmas!” Jessie said to her mom.

“Merry Christmas,” her mom answered.  “Jessie, listen to me.  We got you a very special present.  If you mistreat it, I will take it away.  Now go outside.  Shoo!”

Jessie gasped when she walked out.  Ms. Sarah was holding the most beautiful tan horse she had ever seen.  She suddenly thought of Cody and tears spilled down her cheeks.  “Cody,” Jessie told the horse, “I’ll name you Cody.”

Cody nuzzled Jessie and she hugged him.  “You’re my horse forever.”