July 2009 Story Contest

Tom's Too Small!  Part 2 by McCormick &Comet age 17

It's a follow up for Tom's Too Small!

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Hershey trotted around his pasture, stopping only to nibble on some of the sparse green grass. “Hey boy,” He heard me and cantered up to the fence. “Don’t wear yourself out boy. Remember we have a long trail ride scheduled today.” I slipped his halter over his creamy brown head with long, fat blaze. “Come one, let’s get you tacked up!” I led him to a tie-stall and connected the tie ropes to his halter. “You’re filthy!” I cried as a looked at him. I grabbed some grooming supplies and began to curry his milky brown coat. “You’re feathers need combing too,” I said as I looked at his feet. Hershey was part Belgian, part Arabian, though he looked more like a draft than a sleek Arab. Three of his feathers were white; the back ones and his left front one. “Almost ready?” I jumped and spun around. “Oh, hi, um, yeah, just have to get him tacked up.” “I’ll help – my horse, Spin, is ready and waiting outside.” “Thanks, Carol,” “No problem.” Together we tacked up the big Hershey’s Chocolate Horse and I mounted up and walked him out of the stable. “There you are! Let’s get going!” Carol mounted up on her dapple gray horse, Water Spin. Jessica learned backward to meet me and snickered. “Kept us all waiting on purpose I suppose! That horse is too good for you!” “He’s just right for me.” “And that horse you had before, Tom, is too old and too small for anybody.” I ignored her, knowing I would get in trouble if I hit her.

We went up the mountain pass road and stopped before the forest. “Brake time.” There were complaints of cold and hunger so we turned back. Once back on flat land, our instructor let us canter almost all the way back to the barn, and we raced each other. Hershey pulled ahead quickly and easily. Because he was so big and had Arab blood, he had long legs. We beat everybody else to the barn and I grinned. Jessica had claimed that her horse, Twister, had won every race she ran. Now it was no longer true. Carol had come in third, after Jessica, Spin being half thoroughbred. “I won!” Jessica exclaimed. “No I did!” I said. There was a prize for the winner of the race, and it was rightfully mine. The instructor decided to finish the matter. “Girls, one’s who didn’t come in the first three places, what did you see?” “Hershey won, by a lot!” They cried. “Well,” said the instructor, Sharon, “Looks like Ellen gets the prize.” Jessica stared. Her buddies had let her down to be truthful. What had happened? I grinned. I never won anything much, but this prize might be good. We all dismounted and went to take care of our horses. I tried to follow, but Sharon stopped me. “The prize is over here, in the paddock shed.” I mounted up and followed Sharon at a walk, wondering what prize would be hidden with the horses.

“A filly!” I cried as we walked into the shed. She was a beautiful buckskin filly who looked exactly like a reproduction of my favorite horse movie character, Spirit. “Seaweed Dance is her name.” said Sharon. “She’s wonderful.” “Mind you, you have to train her and ride her and look after her, but she’s yours without charge. I heard it was your birthday yesterday, and I knew you’d win the race with Hershey.” “Thank you Sharon!” I hugged her before tying Hershey and grooming him in the shed. Sharon left me alone with my two horses. After Hershey was done, I released him into the pasture. “Come on Sea, time to get some exercise.” I bent low to untie her and led her gently out of the shed. At that time Jessica came out of the barn leading Twister. Carol followed with Spin. I walked my filly around the pasture and then the two girls came into the paddock. “What is that?” “A filly,” I said, grinning. “Did you get Sharon’s approval?” asked Jessica, tartly. “Oh, I don’t need that, she’s mine. My prize.” “Congrats g-friend!” said Carol, releasing Spin and coming over. Jessica stared. Twister bobbed his head up and down as if to say, ‘let me go!’. Jessica released him and came over. “What’s her name?” she asked quietly. “Seaweed Dance.” “That’s kind of like Water Spin’s name!” cried Carol.Jessica patted Sea on the neck, bending low and stroking her with care. “I had a horse who looked just like this. His name was Black Crow, but he coliced.” “I’m sorry, Jessica.” “No, I’m sorry. I hated everybody because I thought I could cope that way, but it just made it worse.” “Carol, Randi and I are starting a club. Do you want to join? We’ll meet right here, in the shed, with our horses.” “All right.” “The first meeting is tomorrow at 4:30 to 5:15. We’ll take a ride and groom our horse, make crafts and stuff like a horse oriented party!” “Sounds cool!” Jessica said. “Great, see you tomorrow Jessica!” “Please call me Jessie! Goodbye!”

The End For Now