July 2009 Story Contest

Once in a Blue Moon   by French Indian & Nelly age 12

It was just like any other summer day. Boiling as usual here in Florida. I thought it was no big deal driving to a ranch to look at a few horses for sale. What I didn't know that there were over 50 head. "Now keep straight faces don't show any sign of you liking the horse"
My mom said that every time we were dealing horses. She thought if you kept a straight face they would drop the price or throw another horse in the deal. My mom had been wheeling-and-dealing and trading and selling horses all her life so I trusted her and it never failed. We get out of the car and I immediatley started taking pictures. I am a novice photographer and horses inspired me so this was perfect. We walk up to the first of the 3 barns and a man introduced himself as Dave Thompson the ranch manager. He takes us to the first few stalls. But I froze at the third stall, there stood a palomino paint mare with a Chestnut foal at her side. Both had BEAUTIFUL bald faces and soft eyes. I took at least 100 pictures of her before my sister said, " You look like an idiot, it's just a horse you've seen thousands of them!" I couldn't answer because I was a babbling idiot. I couldn't believe that such a beatiful mare like this ended up a broodmare to spend her days rotting in stall. Before I knew it we already went through the 50 head of horses that had. Maybe it was because I was still gawking over that mare. We all went back to the car except my mom who was still talking to the manager. She finally comes back, "I hope you like it here, you'll be seeing alot of it this summer because he just offered me a job working here. I start tommorrow." The next I was so excited. I ran to the mare's stall and it seemed that she was excited to see me too. And it was that way for quite some, seperated from her by the bars of  that horrid stall. I finally talked the manager into letting me turning her and the baby out into their own paddock to themselves, because all the other mares would pick on her. It was as if she could read my mind and wanted to run away with me. Run away from this awful place. Where they would actually be cared for. Then it was if our prayers were answered! A second ranch was built! And my mom was the ranch manager of that one!! They said she could pick what horses could come and go out of the ranch. My mom automatically answered, "Blue and her foal and whatever other horses you can think of." I was thrilled! And obviously my mom had been watching mespend tim with the mare. I whispered a thank you and put a halter on her and ran for the trailer. She ran along side me and so did the baby. after loading her and the rest of the horses we set off to the new ranch. It was BEAUTIFUL. The roof of the barn was a clean Hunter Green and there was a fountain in front of the ranch house. It was almost heaven!Except for the fact her baby had to be taken back, but I understood it was time for him to be weaned. I went ahead and reserved the very last stall for her, because well she actually picked it. I was so excited! She had another baby on the way! Which no one told me about.The next month it began to get cold again. I groomed Blue everyday and fed her extra sweet feed and she looked like a whole new horse. By that time my sister also had gotten attached to another horse. Her name was Nick. As it turned out she was Blue's sister!! I should have known.............. I couldn't believe it.............
My mom quit. I was never happy again. They kept calling us and updating us on what's going on with the horses. It turned Blue had a healthy baby and so did Nick. *Ring* *ring*
"I'll get it!" I yelled.. "hello?"
"Hey I've got some bad news abou Blue and the baby."    My face was pale.
"What is it?!?!"
''She was struck by lightning.....It killed the baby on her side and well Blue is blind in one eye." By this time I was balling.
"Oh My god......"
"Are you ok?" My voice was quivering but I managed to squeak out an answer.
"Yes, Goodbye."

I told my mom everything. Months went by and then we got another call saying that they were selling all of the paint  horses. Including Blue. My mom ended up buying Blue and 12 other horses. When the trailer arrived with Blue in it a BEAUTIFUL black and white tobiano filly jumped out next to her.. I knew that was there, I just couldn't believe it. He handed me the lead rope and said, "Congratulations."     To this day she is still my horse, her baby is a yearling now and I ride Blue almost everyday.  The 40 acres that she shares with the other 12 mares is now our racetrack, our pasture, our clubhouse, our Sanctuary. I gallop her across it everyday, With NO saddle and NO bridle, Just a rope halter. The story I just told you  is true. The horse is real and everyone in it is too.. She is blind but only in one eye. I have helped her not to fear the storms any more. Now the storms fear her because she is a survivor. Every night she stares into my window with the moonlight draped on her back. To find a horse like that is once in a Blue moon.

Pic of me & the horse