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Post by gloria ivy thomas ~ on Jul 29, 2009 21:43:51 GMT -6
Hooves slapped against the ground, making slurping noises every time they came up, thanks to the fact that it was moist with rain water. Mud had dried on the lower half of Cup of Tea's normally starless-midnight-black legs, making a pretty relaxed Gloria wonder if giving the mare a bath would be worth it. Considering the fact that Tea didn't seem to mind, and she would be out in the fairly wet pastures for the rest of the day, she figured she would wait until the world became a dryer place.
Reaching the end of the trails, Gloria adjusted her seat, having to pay extra attention to what her body was doing since she'd decided to go for a bareback trail ride today. She didn't usually choose to do such easy, relaxing things lately, preferring work and challenges while she was on her fairly new horse, but she figured riding bareback would help the bond between her and Tea today. She could always do some extra work tomorrow, anyways.
Light poured down onto the pair's head as they left the timber, and Gloria stopped for a moment, tugging with her pinky gently on the lead rope, which had been tied to the bottom of the halter Tea wore and swung around, so they acted as reins. She didn't know many people that did that anymore, but when she went to the trainer that had started her out, that was how she learned to ride bareback -- the saddlessness and lack of bridle and actual reins went hand in hand. She deepened her seat and softly muttered, "Wooaah." Tea stopped, one ear swiveling, looking out for any unknown sounds, while the other held still, positioned so the horse would hear any noises her rider made.
Gloria smiled and patted the sweaty neck of the mare, cooing random compliments, still half-focused on not falling off as she moved out of her regular position. Tea seemed satisfied, but as they started to walk forward again and Gloria straightened back up, she obviously was interested in returning to the pastures, where her friends were, as well as fresh, green grass. Gloria pushed her heel into the side of the mare as her hooves started to lead her closer to the white fence instead of the stables.
They passed the pastures, Gloria content and Tea growing more eager to return to the grass. Inside the stables, the air was cooler, but all the lights were off; Gloria guessed this was because there was still a lot of natural light coming from the windows. She tied Tea up, then quickly brushed her off, scraped her hooves, and undid some of the bigger knots in her mane and tail. Gloria finished up, then returned her grooming bucket to the tackroom. She lingered there, looking at the spot in the dusty room where she'd casually left her bookbag. It was sort of odd how got used to this stables so quickly. It almost made her feel sort of guilty.
With a quick sigh, Gloria scooped up her navy backpack, adjusted it so it fit right on her shoulders, then strode back out to the hallway where Tea stood waiting. The mare heard a few horses playing outside and whinnied anxiously. Gloria chuckled, then untied Tea, leading her out to the place she wanted so desperately to be. Did she like the other horses better than Gloria? She couldn't help but wonder, but tried not to let it get to her.
A minute passe, and Tea was frolicking with her friends. Gloria watched, amused at first. Horses were so much better than T.V., she always thought, even if they weren't doing anything. She could watch them for hours, playing or simply grazing. And some things could bore her pretty quickly; the reason she could stay and just stare for so long had to do with the fact that she was so obsessed with the equines. Tea turned to tag a horse on the butt, and got a buck in return. Gloria laughed again, then snuck under the fence to sit down and lean on a pole. She swung her backpack off and sat it by her feet, sticking her hands inside, feeling for her notebook.
Her fingertips landed on the hard, cool metal of the spiral, and she grabbed on, pulling out the paper in a flash. Attached to a few of the pages, just where she'd left it, was a black pen. She took it off, then flipped to a blank page. She must look odd, she suddenly realized as she pressed the pen to the paper. Someone might see her and think, "Oh, look! It's the new girl with no friends, all alone in the pasture." Her palms started to sweat. But no, she didn't care; she couldn't. She'd force herself not to. A quick blink, and she went back to drawing a few small, absent flowers. The doodles became mindless as her thoughts wandered, but she didn't try to prevent it from happening.
A cool breeze snapped the girl into the present, and she stopped her pen and observed her drawing more closely. Horses. In a field. She looked up, then smiled again, this time at herself. She was drawing the horses in the pasture, who were now all mainly just relaxing, grazing on the and enjoying the day. Quickly, she looked back down and continued the tail on Tea. Even if she didn't have friends yet, she had the horses. And that was enough, right?
words;; nine eight four
notes;; finally done, and decent length 
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