October Story Contest

By ponypals & Coco Puff age 12
Shane  was playing Horseopoly  with  her big sister Kylie  in their room when the phone rang. Shane heard her mom say into the phone, "Yes, ok we'll be right there. Ok good bye." Shane's mom came in to their room a minute later and told them that  Mr. Creek  from The Golden Horse Ranch had called. She said, "His prized golden stallion (Golden Spirit) is missing and he needs help finding him." Shane thought about Golden Spirit. He was a beautiful palomino stallion with a spot on the back of his barrel, four socks, a wavy,  cloud like, white mane and tail,  a big star on his fore head and two big brown eyes. "I'll help." she said. " I'll go get Hershey right now!"

" Me too!"  Kylie said, "I'll get Zoom." They ran to the barn. Shane ran to her black pony, Hershey's stall and grabbed her halter then she ran to the paddock and haltered Hershey. To go faster Shane jumped on Hershey's back and they galloped back to the barn. When they got there Shane pulled Hershey up in front of the tack room,  ran inside and grabbed Hershey's bridle. Then without putting on her saddle Shane jumped on Hershey's back. They beat Kylie and her horse Zoom to The Golden Horse Ranch. When they got there Mr. Creek met them at the gate. He looked  worried. "Oh good you two are here. I have Mr. and Mrs. Sage looking in the woods on the west of the barn and Mr. Weed and Nina Crest looking around the lake to the east. Kylie can you look up on Golden point ?"
"Sure." Kylie replied. Then she galloped up the trail leading to the point.  Mr. Creek looked at Shane. "Can you ride up into Horse Shoe Canyon?'' he asked.

 "Sure." Shane  replied. Then she kicked Hershey and galloped up to the canyon. When they got there Shane and Hershey started to trot down the trail that led to the bottom of the canyon. They had gone at least half way down  when suddenly there was a sound behind them. Shane stopped Hershey and listened. It sounded a little like the faraway sound of a horse screaming and men yelling. Shane almost fell off Hershey. She knew that scream. GOLDEN SPIRIT! Then she saw hoof prints in the dust on the trail. Were they Golden Spirit's? YES!  Shane knew they must be because he was the only one in the state that had G.H.R.G.S (Golden Horse Ranch's Golden Spirit) engraved in his shoe and when he walked on the trail his shoe left a "G.H.R.G.S." print behind. Shane saw that the hoof prints left the trail and started walking  though the brush on the west of the trail. So Shane kicked Hershey into a trot and they started to follow the track, but, Shane had seen something  that worried her.

Next to Golden Spirit's tracks were the tracks of cowboy boots and that could only mean one thing... someone had stolen Golden Spirit! Shane kicked Hershey into a canter. She had to find Golden Spirit before something bad  happened to him.  Shane saw a clearing up ahead so she turned Hershey into the bushes so no one could see them. She tied Hershey to a tree and started to sneak through the bushes towards the clearing.  There she saw Golden Spirit tied to a post with four men standing around looking at him. Then a 5th man came out of a little cabin. Next to it was a hitching post with five horses tied to it. One was black with a star, two were bays with snips, there was a dappled gray with black legs, and a buckskin paint. Shane watched as the 5th man whistled to the four men standing around Golden Spirit and they ran inside the cabin. Shane saw her chance. She ran over to the hitching post and untied the horses. Then she tied all the reins in knots and threw them over the horses heads so they couldn't trip on them and set them loose. Then she walked slowly over to Golden Spirit talking softly to him, "Easy Golden Spirit. Easy boy."   Soon he was calm and relaxed so Shane untied him and led him down the trail. When they were close to the spot where she had left Hershey Shane left Golden Spirit on the trail and went to get Hershey. Then she rode Hershey back to Golden Spirit. She led him while riding Hershey. When they got back to The Golden Horse Ranch, Mr. creek ran up and threw his hat up in the air "YAHOO!" He shouted. "Where did you find him Shane?" he asked. " In the canyon." she replied. Then she told him the whole story. When she was done Mr. Creek said, "We'll let the police take care of those men!" Then he gave Golden Spirit a big hug.

THE END