October Story Contest

Moonwalker
By: Charlielover
Age: 12

Moonwalker toppled to her feet, took her first step and fell back down to the ground. She tried again and again until she managed to walk over to her mother and drink some milk. At this moment her life seemed perfect but this poor little foal, just 3 hours old, would soon be in deep trouble and only one person could save her.
“We cant keep her and you know that.” Said Mr. Wooding to his 9 year old son, Daniel.
“Why not! I want her to stay here with me forever! Why dose she have to go?”
“We don’t have the time or the room for a foal! Do you know how early her training starts? Two months time! There’s the lunging and the….”
He carried on telling Daniel all the reasons he couldn’t keep Moonwalker. Daniel understood that they couldn’t keep her but he desperately wanted to.

Eventually he gave in and they sold Moonwalker to a man whose job was buying foals and training them up to be confidence boosters for race horses. Which meant that an owner of a race horse would buy the foal and it would run along side a race horse and purposefully loose to boost the horses confidence In its next race.
 
Two years past and it would’ve Moonwalkers first race. She didn’t take part though she was in her stable. There was a reason for that. She wouldn’t run at all because she was scared of the starting gates. Her owner, Jay had been trying to make her overcome her fear but she just couldn’t, worst of all she was passing her fear onto the race horses and so hills of complaints came tumbling in Jays office.
Eventually it came to the last straw and Jay made the dreaded phone call.
“hello this is Jay Baker…” he said into the phone.
The receptionist on the other end of the phone replied, “ oh you’re the man who trains con builders aren’t you? Any way how can I help you today?
“ I need to get rid of a two year old. I want her slaughtered.”
Jay was sure he heard a gasp at the other end of the phone but there was nothing else he could do. Surely no-one could want a useless half biroken in horse! Or could they!
 
Moonwalker was due to leave for the slaughter house next week on thursday. today was wednesday. She only had 1 week and 1 day for the rescuer she had hoped for to come and rescue her, or she would have to go the slaughter house.
 
The days passed and time was drawing to it's end. suddenly Moonwalker pricked her ears as she heard the door of her stable being opened. She got nervous and thought that she was being taken to the slaughter house, she did'nt know what day it was did she? She put her ears flat against her head and whinnied loudly tio tell the intruder to back off. She kept coming towards her. He had a headcollar and a lead rope in his hand behinnd his back, asthough he was hiding it from her. Did she think she was a baby. Surely not. Suddenly the stranger whipped her hand from behind her back and slipped the head collar over Moonwalkers head. Before she had time to protest against it she was being led out of her stall and taken into a horse trailer sneakilily parked around the back of the stable, away from anyones view. Suddenly the door slammed shut behind her and she was intotal darkness. After about 30 seconds she could hear the truck tumbling down what seemed to be a bumpy country lane.
 
When the trailer door finally opened she was almost blinded by the light. She stepped down the ramp with sheer determination to get out of the damn trailer she had been stuck in for about 1 whole hour!
"Wow what a beauty. i just can't believe Jay was going to send her to the slaughter house!" they said as the admired Moonwalkers all over black body and her long legs with her little feat.
"I just can't believe that shes going to be mine! And she's a Throughbred Arabian Cross! That's why they probably used her as a con runner becuase she couldnt run as fast as the other Throughbreds because she's half Arabian! Shes going to make a perfect best friend for me mum!" said Olivia as she and her mum led Moonwalker into her new stable!
 
After about an hour of thinking what was going on around her she finally realized that the rescuer she had hoped for had finally found her!
 
The next day was hectic and Moonwalker was in a far better mood than the night before! in fact she was in such a good mood even Olivia and her Mum noticed. "She's in such a good mood I think you can enter that dressage competition later after all! But you'll have to practise tons from now till 3'oclock and its 1 oclock now!" Olivia's mum said
"Ok I will, Mum, dont worry well make you proud!"
 
The following 2 hours were hard and almost like labor! But Moonwalker enjoyed every minute of it! Before she and Olivia noticed it it was time to be loaded up for the competition. This time Moonwalker had a good feeling about the trailer and trotted gracefully into it.
 
Soon she arrived at the show grounds and their were people rushing about everywhere! horses were alreaady strutting their stuff in the dressage ring! Number 12 was up now and Moonwalker was number 16 it wouldnt be long until it was her turn. After about 20 minutes of anxious waiting, Moonwalker was called to the arena. She was told by Olivia to perform a straight forward walk. Moonwalker waited for her next signal where she was told to do a collected canter. She picked her feet up choppily and piped into a canter. Then it was the trot. the thing Arabians are best at. She picked her feet up as if she were flying and she was sure she heard Olivia murmur
"Its like floating on clouds" to herself. After a few more gaits and a pirrouette her round drew to a close.
 
After 4 more horses the winners were announced! The judge shouted out the winners. "And in first place...... its Camelot of the Red Canyons! He will win £500 in prize!
Second place is......Moonwalker of Tridents Pride! Moonwalker will recieve £300 in prize money! And a silver trophy!"
Olivia and her mum cheered with happiness along with the whole arena!