August Story Contest
Snickers the Horse
By: swimmer juli
Age: 16My Mom woke me up at 7:00 AM on a Monday in summer. I freaked out because it was summer and I didn’t have to wake up so early but I was filled with happiness when she told me I was going to Horse Camp. I had always wanted to go to horse camp. When I was younger I was always so jealous of my sister when she went to horse camp because of all the friends, the horses, and of course all the riding. Everyday for the next week my sister, Emily would wake up early in the mourning and take a shower, get dressed, brush teeth, eat breakfast and go to horse camp. I, being little and wanting to go too mom let me and every afternoon I would come with a bag of carrots and feed the horses in the stalls, pet the dogs and hold the grey cat, Tuna. Everyone loved Tuna loved to hold her, pet her and again I was so jealous! Now it was my turn to go to summer camp! Now I got to ride the horses and see the dogs it was my time to have fun!
I took a shower, got dressed, ate breakfast, and brushed my teeth. Then my mom told me it was time to go. I packed my lunch and headed out the door behind her. I was talking to my mom the whole way and thanking her about one hundred times until we pulled up to the stables, and as soon as we pulled up I saw this magnificent horse! She was a beautiful bay horse with white markings. I wished I could own her but as my mom said “owning a cat or a dog is out of the question!” so owning a horse would be a little much and we probably don’t have enough money to own one either.
As I got out of the car and my mom walking with me, a little shy about the new surroundings and people walked in and went to the office to pay and register. I walled towards the other kids as my mom told me being even shyer then before so I didn’t say anything. We waited a little until the instructor walked in. Then everybody went to the arena. The instructor, Abby told us the basics about riding and riding safety. About an hour later we learned about the different brushes and practiced grooming and on horses. After grooming we had to sweep the aisle. When we were done everyone had lunch in the party/lunch room. I sat next to two girls whose names were Kira and Mary.
After lunch we found out have horse we were riding. Each day we got a different horse. We all checked the whiteboard to see what horse we got I found my name and horse. I got Snickers I was hoping for a nice horse that listened to you. I went to see what pasture Snickers was in PASTURE 4 it read I grabbed a lead rope a and headed out the barn door to pasture 4 with some other girls including Kira and Mary, the girls I sat with for lunch. In the paddock I saw the beautiful bay I saw earlier. I didn’t know any of the horses here so I asked Kira for help in finding Snickers. I was shocked when I realized that Snickers was the pretty bay.
Inside I groomed Snickers until her coat was spotless. I grabbed her tack and saddled up. I was the last to be ready but my horse looked best out of all 12 kids. Everybody else was already mounted up so I got on Snickers as fast as I could. When I got on and started walking Abby said that we should all start and try to trot. So I clucked to Snickers and right away she started to trot. Just as I was getting the hang of trotting Abby said that the more experienced riders should go ahead and start cantering while everybody else come in the middle and watch. I really liked the cantering because it looked so graceful yet so fast! So I made it my goal to canter by the end of camp. At the end of the lesson we played some games on our horses.
I won the trot race! It was AWESOME!
But then the lesson was over. So everybody dismounted and went back to the isle to take all the tack off and groom again. After everyone was done grooming we took the horses back to the pastures and waited for our parents to come but I had an apple and one carrot to give to the horse I rode so I gave them to Snickers. She gobbled up the snack. That when I saw my mom’s car pulled up so I knew it was time to leave. I said goodbye to my friends and left.
In the car my mom asked those questions. “How did it go?”
“Good.”
“Did you meet any new friends?”
“Yes.”
“Did you have fun?”
“Yes I did mom I loved it!”
After my mom and I got home I watched TV. Not much was on so I turned the TV off and I went on the computer and played club pony pals for awhile (IT WAS AWESOME!) Before I knew it, it was time for dinner just as my family and I were sitting down the phone rang. It was the owner of Snickers he sounded very worried and frustrated. He said to come immediately to the stables. I told my mom very quickly. She understood so we hopped in the car and drove full speed. Right when we got there I saw Paul, the owner of snickers was waiting in front for me. I followed him to Snickers pasture and was horrified at the site of not seeing her. I turned around to ask why when I saw a big search and rescue team was headed our way, all outfitted with huge flashlights and headlights shining very brightly at Paul and I, so I didn’t have to ask were Snickers was.
Everybody was headed to the forest behind the stables to look for Snickers. That was the most ideal place for her to run. We spit up into groups of 15 1 vet, and 14 search and rescue people. One group had 17, Paul and I included. We looked everywhere! Right when everybody was just about to head back I saw something move in the bushes. I thought the shape looked like a horse but I thought no, it can’t be Snickers. I shined my light were I thought she was and there was that sneaky, beautiful, bay peeking out from behind the bushes. She trotted over to me, still with a halter on. Just in case I found her I brought a lead rope. I clipped it on to her halter. By that time everyone noticed the big bay horse standing next to me. The news was out by walkie talkies to the other groups. I pet Snicker’s muzzle the whole way to the barn. Everybody met out in front of the stables. The search and rescue team was hooting and hollering and congratulating me about finding that lost horse. The vets had checked Snickers over and said she was as healthy as a horse. Soon everybody was heading room so I thought all the hubbub had died down but just then a news crew zoomed in to the parking lot. There were two cameras and one interviewer with a microphone in her hand. The whole crew had walked over to Snickers and I. Instead of feeling shy I felt confident. The interviewer asked me lots of questions so I answered them as best as I could. Soon the hubbub really did die down I brushed Snickers because she was full of mud and leaves I put her in her stall, took the halter off and closed the door.
Apparently the news story was all over the TV Tuesday mourning. Channels 5, 6, 10, and 8 basically every new channel had the story. I wonder how it spread so quickly. I did the same mourning routine as yesterday and went to horse camp. Went I got there everyone congratulated me about last night and that they can’t believe I was on national TV!
Everyone went by so quickly after that my mom told me it’s because I was having so much fun. It was soon Friday and we had a pizza party and made cool frames with the horse we were riding. It was soon time to say goodbye to everyone when I saw Snickers owner looking like he was waiting for me. I went up to him and he said “I almost forgot to repay you for helping find my horse. You can have what ever you want but not something like owning Snickers.”
I thought about this for a while then I finally decided I said, “If it’s okay I don’t want anything Paul I already had the best time of my life with Snickers already.”
I didn’t know what he’d say, but this is what he said, “Anything for you even if its nothing. I respect your wishes and again I want to thank you for saving Snickers, she is the BEST horse EVER.”
All I said back was “I know.”