Time to live it up and stop worrying about the past... (M)

I jump off when we get to the barn and run to my assigned horses, knowing that if I wanted enough time for a ride I needed to get these guys done. I took to of the horses to the pasture and started the timer for their exercise.

I watch as Ryan takes out a couple of the horses to turn them out and smile. He's always been a big help. Then the lady walks in. "Hello. I'm Kristen Chimes. I'm here to pick up my horses." she says politely as she shakes my hand. "Yes ma'am. They're right over here." I reply and walk over the their stalls. "Oh they look wonderful! I'm so glad I brought them here. Oh, I was on your website and saw your studs. Would there be any way for me to have a couple of my mares sent over to be bred?" "Of course. I'm glad you're happy with them and that would not be a problem at all. When you're ready, give us a call and we will gladly breed them for you." "Great. Ok let's get these babies loaded." With that I motion Sam and Matt over to lead the geldings as I lead Lilly. We get them loaded without a problem. "I will definitely give you a call. Thanks for everything." she says before shutting the door of her truck and rolling down the road. I spin around and head toward Chico and Breeze, the 2 paints that need trail time before they go home. They have already been groomed and tacked by the time I get to them. "Thanks guys." I say and lead them out to where Ryan is. "Ready?"

By chance, as soon as she walked up the timer went off for my last horses exercise time. "Now I am, let me just put these guys up real quick." I chuckled jogging out into the field, grabbing the last two horses halters and lead them back to their stalls. Then I came back, "Which ones we taking?" I asked.

"These 2 silly." I say as I'm holding their reins. I hand Chico over to him and swing into Breeze's saddle. "We'll take the trail leading to the ridge. Sound good? There have been a lot of wild horses there lately." I smile, always up for an adventure.

I laughed and swung up to Chicos saddle after grabbing a rope, just in case. "Ok, I've been itching to tame another one of those guys." I chuckled patting the rope, waiting for her to go.

I laugh and lightly squeeze Breeze into a walk up past the barn onto the trail leading to the ridge then the valley. "So you think you're gonna catch a wild horse with that tiny rope and Chico? haha. The only thing he's been trained for is trails per his owner. The fastest he goes is a lope." The trail is quiet as we move along. I bump Breeze into a trot and go a ways to warm him up before loping a few minutes along the ridge.

I laughed and followed her, kicking Chico into a canter as we reached the beginning of the trail. I laughed again and turned, looking back at Rhylie.

Watching him pass then look back toward me, I smile. "Hey! Watch out for that branch!" I call right before it slaps him. I laugh a little and bring Breeze up beside him, ducking under the branch. "Sorry. I haven't ridden this trail in a while. Didn't know that was there. I'll get one of the hands to come and trim the branches." I say letting out a little laugh.

I was smacked off of Chico by the branch, but just laughed. "Yeah, don't want that happening to a kid." I chuckled before swinging back into Chico, waiting for her this time.

I wait as he gets back in the saddle then nudge Breeze into a lope as we make our way down the ridge into the valley. I stop by the creek and hop down enjoying the scenery and letting Breeze get a drink. I look up hearing the whinnies of the wild horses. I smile and turn to Ryan. "Well, here's your chance to try and catch you a wild one." I say with a smirk.

I chuckled and followed her. As I heard the whinnies I said "Maybe a colt." I shrug and turn Chico the way of the horses.

I swing back into the saddle and follow the sound of horses. I spot a mare and foal off by themselves to my left and pull Breeze up. The foal, not even a day old, follows its mother as she makes her way through the trees and tall grass. "Ryan." I whisper as I turn around to get his attention and point at the mare and foal. "Look. They'd make a good addition to our program." 

I stopped, seeing her come up beside me. "Yeah, they'd be perfect!" I whispered excitedly. "If we can just rope the mare the foal will follow. Do you want to do the usual you get left I get right?" I asked, unraveling my rope.

"Yeah. Remember, slow at first. You don't want to spook them and have to deal with the herd too. Let's try to circle them around toward the ranch." I reply and nudge Breeze into a trot.

I nodded and went Chico at a walk, rounding to the right. He stopped, waiting for the signal to move in. He had his hand clenched around his rope, itching to rope that pretty mare.

I come around to the left of them and start guiding the mare and foal toward home. Slowly not to spook them, I nod just as they start heading that way then slowly get closer to block them from running back.

I kicked Chico into a walk again and helped herd them, then I whispered once close enough to Rhylie "Do you want me to get a rope on the mare now?" Seeing the herd had disappeared through the trees.

I nod hearing his question and whisper, "If you can, I'd do it now before they start panicking." I move up a little closer to the mare then wait for Ryan to rope her.

I nodded and brought Chico up beside the mare and held the rope infront of her. She slipped her head through it unknowingly and I let it tighten around her neck and smiled as she didn't fight. Yet.

"That was too easy. I'd wrap the rope around your horn before..." I start and watch as the mare explodes in a fit to get away almost pulling him off Chico. "Ryan, wrap it!" I yell over her squeals and whinnies. Her foal ran around her trying to stay out of the way and away from us. Grabbing a halter and lead from my saddle bag, I come up beside the mare and slide the halter over her head and wrap the lead around my horn as Ryan gets her under control. "There. Not so bad girl. It's ok. We'll get y'all home in just a little bit." I coo at her and she and her foal calm slightly.

I growled as she burst into a fit, trying madly to wrap it around the horn. "Watch the foal!" He warned seeing one kick coming extremely close to hitting it. I finally was able to tie it off and sighed "Well damn...that was a quick hissy fit." I chuckled before starting for the direction of the fields.

I grab another rope from my bag and slip it around the foal's neck before wrapping it around my horn. I look down to see what gender it is. "Ryan. We've got a little grulla colt here." I say with a smile. "I have big plans for you little one." I coo at the colt as we walk along. "Let's take the right field. I wanna avoid as many other horses as we can and get them home safe."

I smiled "Good!" Then nodded knowing that was a good idea with this mare. "Do you think instead of my evening horses I can work with this girl?" I said reaching to pat her forehead but she snapped at my hand "Cause she needs it."

"I don't mind and it would probably be a good idea just to get her ok with having us around. Just be care and easy with her. They'll have to stay quarantined in the back pen for now." I say patting the colt. "He's gonna be a big one. Not even a day old but look at those legs and muscles. Wow. He'll make a great stud." We make out way through the field, across the pond, and back to the ranch in a couple hours. "Let's let them settle down for a bit before you work with her." I say as we lead them into one of our larger round pens. The hands had put hay and water in it for their arrival.

I nodded as she told me and looked at the colt "Yeah, and he'll make great foals." Then I said "I was planning on starting with her tomorrow." Then I led the mare into the field and slipped the rope from around her neck and waited for Rhylie to get the colt in there at the gate.