Merlander's Herd, A Story of Loyalty
by Horse Gentler
Merlander and her herd are facing one of their most intense moments while being pursued. Only Merlander's loyalty can save them....
Merlander and her herd galloped through the woods, dodging trees and still keeping a fast pace. Then, horror caught Merlander's heart. Where was Cici? "Ardeo!" Merlander called. No reply. What was she doing? She was still running. "Ardeo! Ardeo! Ardeo!" Still no reply. "Jupiter?" Merlander called for the big buckskin. No response. She tried the other names. "Crispin! Whisper! Khan! Bella! Windall! Lotus! Jewel! Sallah! Rafael! Snowjewel! Reeta! Sham! Shadow! Nigel! Liberty! Cici! Silky!" No response. Merlander stood alone. Then a new thought pierced her heart. Could her herd have been captured without her knowing it? A rustle warned her someone was coming. She knew who. But she had to save her herd. She took a detour and retraced her steps. She heard a frightened cry. Cici. She ran. Merlander ran so fast, she wondered if she was running or flying. She did arrived at the place the horses had slept the previous night. All 19 of her herd were in a hidden corral. A trailer was backing up. Ardeo had aparently tried to resist, and was now lying, tranquilized on the grass. She heard one of the humans say they should start loading the horses before their angry leader showed up. Jupter was an amazing fighter. He knocked out a human by busting him on the head. Another took his place. He hit jupiter on the head with a thorny stick. Merlander was mad at what they had done to Ardeo, but beating her friend up enraged her. She fought anger blazing inside her. She lost. She burst out of her hiding place and yanked the man's arm. Merlander tasted his blood in her mouth. In a falsh, the entire meadow errupted into a riot. Dog snapped at Merlander's heels and everyone was after her. This gave a chance for the others to escape the trap. Ardeo was coming around. He stood up a bit groggy while Jupiter took down the gate. He busted it down as one human caught Merlander. She looked at Ardeo in the eye to say: "Go without me." "NEVER!" Ardeo yelled. Despite his drowsyness, he knocked away the man holding his mare. The herd did not retreat. They charged. They outnumbered their enemy, even with the dogs. The men present decided that they just couldn't take the freedom from this herd. They fled. Then the herd took off for their forest, their home.
****
Epilouge
Another year. Merlander's foal was arriving on her birthday. "What a wonderful day!" Silky shouted "A birthday AND a foal!" And she sang a song that Merlander had not heard her sing. "Our leader's day, she thought of us, not her, Whose foal arrives on her birthday, that's our Merlander!" Merlander smiled. Silky sang wonderfully. Hours later, a small appaloosa resembling Merlander laid on the soft grass. "A lovely filly, like you Merlander," Cici said. "What's her name?" Ardeo asked. Merlander thought a moment. "Well, Shenedoah," she said. Nigel whooped. The herd celebrated Shenedoah's birth, and they had a good reason to. This little filly would soon be the leader of the herd, galloping like the wind.
Hope you liked it! ~Horse Gentler
Horse Gentler & West Australian
2012-05-02 03:36:56
Aero Unlimited
by Rio3535
Aero tenses, his whole body anticipating the rush of adrenaline, the feel of the turf on his hooves and the wind rushing through his mane as he passes the other horses. Tanner pats his neck, the gentle thud soothing him and her voice coos to him. Telling him to run. To win. To stay safe.
The whole stands go quiet as Aero and Count Stephan, his sire, 's show down, to see who was better. Count Stephan snorts, throwing his head back. Aero responds with a shrill snort. The crowd watches eagerly as the announcer's voice calls out:
" Ladies, Gentleman , and every child out there, welcome to the Showdown Race. Sire vs. Son, winner takes the glory, looser goes home. You see on the turf, the fastest, fiercest horse ever to be foaled, Count me Aero! And his sire, the all great Count Stephan! They are waiting for the bell to ring. This is a mile course, and the fastest time, with no penalties, will be the winner! Ready? GO!!! "
Aero leaps from the starting gate, his eyes glued in front of him. His father his in front of him. ~ It's just like him, ~ Aero thinks, ~ That he'd burn off all his energy at the start! ~ the crowd is on it's feet, some cheering for Aero, some for Count Stephan. The Count is starting to slow at the half-pole. Aero fights for more lead and Tanner gives it too him, allowing him to shorten his stride and take in all the power his limbs have to lend to him. His body is laced with sweat and dirt. The Count slows more, but his jockey urges him on, asking for what the Count doesn't have. There's a bump in the track, Tanner realizes! She turns Aero away from it, but the Count hits it. He comes crashing down with a shrill screech of pain, all the while the crowd is screaming with him.
What will happen to Count Stephan? Will he finish the race? Will he live? Find out next week :D
Rio3535 & Atlas
2012-05-02 03:36:56
Way Out West: Part 1
By Windfall
My eyes flutter open, taking in the whitewashed walls, the hospital bed's springs digging into my bruised back. I struggle to sit up, all the tubes I am hooked up to straining. Fast asleep in the chair beside me is my mom, her dark hair shielding her face from my vision like a curtain, chin in hand with her elbow on the arm rest, and an old issue of "Southern Living" lying open in her lap. As my fuzzy thoughts begin to clear and I remember yesterday, I take a sharp breath. Lord, that hurts, as does the dull ache of my whole body I start to realize despite the steady drip of morphine the doctor has hooked me up to. My head pounds and my throat is dry, my ribs are throbbing and my leg feels like it is burning, but the pain is not enough to keep my thoughts away from Luck. If I could manage it, I would scream. I feel like throwing up and begin sweating violently, the world spinning and becoming a blur. The last thing I remember before passing out again is my medical wristband, Jake Hadley the only personal information I can make out typed neatly on it.
It was a beautiful morning. The sun was just beginning to rise, the birds already chirping, when I mounted Luck and went out for a ride. I breathed in the crisp air and pulled my Stetson lower over my eyes, bumping my heels against Luck's sides to ask her for a brisk walk. We headed out for Royal Ranch's rusted front gate, passing the cow pasture where they grazed contentedly. One stuck its head over the fence to sniff at us cautiously. I smiled and patted it on the head. We continued up the dirt driveway and I opened the gate, clucking Luck through and latching it behind us.
We were galloping through a field, the long grass almost reaching my knees atop of Luck, her mane whipping in my face and stinging my eyes, no particular destination in mind. I felt as a free as a bird, the feeling of just a nice long run equivalent to flying. I laughed, encouraging Luck to a full out sprint, her huger for speed never ending, when suddenly we both went down screaming. My surefooted steed had, for perhaps the first time, stumbled. She struggled to get off of me, her weight crushing my ribs and pinning my leg, but I held her down, cooing softly and, staring at her broken leg, doing my best not to cry. I did not feel any pain save the agony in my heart. "Stay down, girl," I whispered, rolling out from underneath her and readying to run back to the ranch for my dad and the vet. She nickered at me softly and met my eyes with her beautiful brown ones. "Oh," I said quietly, understanding the language of love for my horse I had come to learn. I knew she wanted me to end it now, put her out of her misery. I pulled my pistol out of its holster, tears streaming like a waterfall from my eyes. I loaded it quickly and silently, the only sound my sobbing, and hugged her coal black, lathered neck fiercely. "I love you," I whispered into her ear, pulling the trigger.
...TO BE CONTINUED...
Windfall & Ophelia
2012-05-02 20:49:10
The Joy of Spring - In Finality (Look in the Magazine to see the other parts of the story.)
By Maid Mairain
Jen smiled at me. "Care for a gallop?" She said.
So Jen and I galloped around the pasture, kicking up our heels and having amazing amount of fun. Finally we grazed again, getting plenty of eating in before we would have to go in.
When Louise came to bring us in to our stalls I was thoroughly happy- but not for long. I was too gleeful to think of what had happened this morning and didn't notice that I cut across Mesatarja's path. But She noticed alright! In two seconds flat, she rushed at me, knoncked me over and was fighting me, or rather, killing me. She had an intence hatred for me, and the root? Jealousy of course.
Mesa pounded me with her feet as I hopelessly tried to struggle to my feet.She bit me too, atemting to get my kill spot on my neck. She sent a hoof towards my belly, I use my hoof to block- and my neck was uncovered. Mesa dove for my neck. I couldn't stop her! I rolled out of the way, but Mesa was coming at me again. I closed my eyes and wished that death would come quickly. But it didn't.
When I opened my eyes, Mesa was being held by Louise and Louise was crying.
"How could you Mesa! How? You're my pony. Don't do this. I told you not to. You could have killed Joy! Mesa WHY???"
Louise sobbed as she led Mesa In. She came for me last. She took me to the bathing house and hosed me down, putting bandages on my wounds. Then She climbed on my back and buried her face in my mane and cried.
"Oh Joy. Don't hate Mesa. She doesn't understand riding schools. She thinks everyone is trying to take her place as my own pony. And we don't have enough money to have a lot of stable hands so she ends up not getting ridden much. She's jealous and that's the only problem. I'll just have to have mom sell her. That's the only thing to do. And.. Mesa's a good horse and she'll fetch a good price so maybe... Maybe we can hire another hand so I can have more time to ride my pony. You know who that pony is right?" Louise had stopped crying now and she dismounted and dried her tears in my coat. "It's you. Mom gave you to me for my birthday and I'm going to give my all to you."
She kissed my forehead and hopped on my back, riding me to my stall.
I was Happy now. Happy.
THE END
Maid Mairain & Dawn Rising
2012-05-23 21:52:12
Wild Horse Ranch, The Calling of the Brumbies
By Hopeless Dreams
Ileen Jalalcayrity’s blond, hip length, hair swayed in its pony-tail as Ileen, on her palimino mare, Summer Wishes, made the jump. Ileen sighed with relief as she led her beautiful mare back over to the old, smallish stall that Summer Wishes had spent the last three and a half years living in. Before that, Summer Wishes had stayed in her mother’s stall. Summer wishes was 4 years old, and was born on the old, small, ranch that her owners, who were poor, lived on. Thirteen year old Ileen brushed and washed down her mare, than stuck Summer Wises in her stall. Ileen’s family couldn’t afford saddles, so they rode ther horses bareback hith horseshoe’s only. They had to work to buy food for the horses. Their horses were origanly wild horses roaming Queensland.
Ileen opened the door, and than walked into her house. Her sixteen year old brother, Tyler, was listening to goth music on the radio. Ileen heard the loud music, and without even thinking, through a spare apple at the radio. To Ileen’s relief, the apple hit the on/off button and the horrid music was elliminated. Tyler turned around and started to acuse Ileen. “Hey! What did you do that for?!†Tyler yelled as he picked up the apple.
“Put-The-Apple-Down-So-We-Can-Sort-This-Out…†Ileen said as she backed away. Tyler threw the apple, and Ileen caught it. She threw it back, and Tyler caught it. Tyler put down the apple, and than, reached down, and grabbed his gym shoes.
“Don’t you dare,†Ileen said with disgust. Tyler threw the shoes straight at Ileen. Ileen screamed and then ducked, the shoes just missing her. Suddenly, both Ileen and Tyler heard a crash as frail china hit the wooden floor.
“Tyler!†Ileen secreamed Tyler, and herself, ran over to where they heard the crash.
“Not good! Not good!†Tyler panicked when he saw what had fallen.
Ileen was second to arrive. She nealt down to where the mess was. She gasped when she figured out that what had fallen, was her mother acient, frial, white brumby made out of rare, expensive china! It was even older than Tyler, even as old as their mother, who’s grandma had gaven her the china horse when Ileen and Tyler’s mother, Lila, was only Ileen’s age.
Ileen panicked, she tried to gather the little pieces back together. “It’s useless Ileen! The pieces are too small to fix! It’s too late! We’re dead!†Tyler panicked.
“Tyler! Stop it allready! Go get the glue, we have photo’s of the china horse, so I’ll get them, okay,†Ileen said, as she, and Tyler went off to find some glue and photo’s.
A little while latter, Ileen and Tyler sat back down near the mess. The four holves of the horse wre still ndamaged, but only one remained attached to its leg. “Okay, since the holves are still unbroken, we’ll sort them out first, okay, than, two of the legs are still okay, one of the legs is attached to its holve, and the other leg is in pieces, we’ll start with the three legs and three holves. Tyler got the super glue and smuthered two holves in glue. Tyler then matched the two legs to their holves. They put the legs on the bench on a paper towel to dry.The head was only in four different pieces, so they assembled that next. The tail and mane were still whole, so they put them aside. The neck, was in three pieces, so it was easy too. The body was in seven different pieces, so it was hard, but Ileen managed to instruct Tyler without failure. All that was left, was the one leg that was broken into millions of pieces and the hoof that matched up to that hoof.
Ileen and Tyler grabed a cup of water each, sat down to rest for a bit. Suddenly, the phone rang. Ileen and Tyler excanged looks. They knew it was their parents, Lila and Tyron, who where on a buisness trip. “I dibs you grabng it!†Tyler yelled.
“Darn it!†Ileen said with anger as she walked over to the pone. She picked itup and tried to act inocent.
“Hello, Ileen speaking,†she said into the phone. Tyler listened to what Ileen was saying. “Hi mum, how are you?†Ileen said into the phone. “That’s good, I’m good too!†Ileen said into the phone. “Oh, Tyler is, is, is, doing his homework! He can’t come talk to you at the moment, sorry.†Ileen said untruthly, as her brother, hated homework. “Yeah, I know he doesn’t uassaly do his homework, but hey, there’s a first for everyone!†Ileen said half truthly, cause she had never lied to her parents before. “Okay, bye!†Ileen said, as see hung up the phone.
“Homework?!?!?!†Tyler said with alarm, as he just rember that if he didn’t do his homework, there parnets were going to ground him. Tyler rushed into his bedroom.
“Tyler! What about the china brumby?†Ileen screamed.
“You fix it!†Tyler yelled from his bedroom.
Ileen set to work on the leg. After she finished on the leg, and had glued it too the hoof, she set work to putting the rest of the brumby together. Ileen attched the leg to the horse, and then left it to dry. She lay on the couch, as she read a book about horses. “Ileen, Tyler! Guess what! We’re home!†Ileen’s mother said as she walked through the door, Ileen’s father following.
“Mum! Dad! Welcome home!†Ileen said, rushing home to see her parents.
“Ileen honey, why don’t I make you, your father ad myself a hot cup of tea each?†Lila said as she headed for the kitchen.
“Why don’t you go say hello to Tyler first?†Ileen panicked, blocking her mother.
“Okay! Tyler I’m home! I’m coming up to see you!†Lila called out to Tyler as she and her husband walked up to say hello to Tyler.
As soon as her parents had left her sight, Ileen ran over to the kitchen, and put the china horse back up in it’s rightful place.
Ileen, Tyler, and their mother and father sat around their old wooden table. Lila got up and walked into the kitchen. “How is my little brumby going?†Lila said.
Ileen and Tyler exchanged panicked looks.
“Here it is!†Lila said with delieght as she took it off the bench to hug it. Tyler and Ileen got ready to here their mother scream, and tiny china pieces scater on the floor, but to their relief, the china horse stayed glued together, the pieces didn’t fall, the glue held the China horse in place.
Ileen got onto Summer Wishes and they trotted down to the river. Suddenly, out of the corner of her one of her eyes, she saw a herd of brumbies venturing across the mountins. “Brumbies! Summer Wishes! Look at them! Brumbies! They are so wild and free and beautiful and fast, aren’t they girl. Brumbies! Come on girl! Let’s get closer!†Ileen said, and to her surprise, Summer Wishes neighed with delieght.
Find out what happens in part two
Hopeless Dreams & Roseliena
2012-05-26 06:00:19
The Unicorn Guardians: Lucy and the Path
By Starwalker123
CChapter One Horse
13 year old Lucy Dawn Sky bikes over to the stables. Her long brown hair was pulled back in to a neat braid her green eyes twinkling in the dawn sun. It is Monday June 12 in town of Hidden Valley Washington. Her friends Kate, Noah, and Nate (Noah and Nate are twins) are meeting her at River Hill Stables were they work for lessons. Lucy reach the stable and Locks her purple bike to the bike rack. Lucy goes inside to Mr. G’s (The barn owner) office. The twins and Kate are waiting for her there.
Lucy says, Hi wants up?
Noah, Mrs. G got three new horses on Sunday.
Nate, She post that they belong to Us.
Kate, She said she’d pay for everything.
Lucy, A horse of my own.
Mrs. G comes out of her office Do you want to go meet your horses.
Yes the kid say.
Mrs. G leads the kid to the last stalls on the right side of the barn she stop by a black gelding
Mrs. G, Lucy this is Star of the Night or Star. He is a 7 year old Friesian Gelding. Goes over to the next horse a dun gelding Kate this is Free as a Dove or Freedom He is a Quarter Horse mustang cross. He is 5 ½ years old. Moves over to the next horse a blue roan paint mare Nate this is Blue River Lady or Lady she is a 5 year old paint horse. Noah’s mare is her sister. Move down to a red roan paint mare, Noah this is Red Hills Sunset or Sunset. She is 4 years old and Lady’s Sister.
The kid say thank you.
Mrs. G, Tack them up and come to the riding ring.
The kids tack up the horse and lead them to the ring. The mount and ride in to the ring.
Mrs. G, Want do you think?
Lucy, His great.
Kate, Freedom is a little spooky.
Nate, I love Lady.
Noah, I love Sunset.
Mrs. G , Raising Trot.
The Kids trot the horse. Lucy raises to Stars trot.
Lucy, Good boy.
Mrs. G, Canter.
Freedom spooks and bolts. Kate slows Freedom and rides him in a circle.
Mrs. G, Good job Kate. Take him around the ring then canter.’
Kate walks around the ring and canters Freedom.
The kids halt.
Mrs. G puts up to low cross rails. Lucy your first.
Lucy canters Star in circle and over the jumps.
Mrs. G, Again drive with your legs more.
Lucy drives Star over the Jumps.
Mrs. G , Good Nate you try.
Nate circles Lady twice and canter toward the Jumps. Lady flies over the fences.
Mrs. G, Next time shorten the reins.
Nate shortens the rains and canter over the fences.
Mrs. G, Good Noah you try.
Noah circles Sunset and canters at the jumps.
Mrs. G, Perfect. Kate your turn.
Kate circles Freedom 4 time and heads for the jumps. Freedom stops and Kate flies off.
Mrs. G, are you ok.
Kate, Yes. Gets back on Freedom and canters a big circle.
Mrs. G , Go ahead Kate.
Kate gallops Freedom over the jumps.
Mrs. G, Good now calm him down and try again.
Kate calms the gelding and jumps again.
Mrs. G, Good cool them down and then muck out the lesson horses stalls.
The kid cool down and stable their horses.
Lucy, There is 12 school horses, and 2 donkeys.
Noah and four of us.
Lucy leads the way to the lesson horse stalls.
Lucy, We can all clean three and work together on the donkeys. Kate you will do Strawberry, Ruby and Tango. Noah you can do Raven, Cookie and Champagne. Nate you can do Milkshake, Cherry and Lucky, I’ll do Aurora, Honor and Rain. We can all do Dash and Streak.
The kids clean the stalls. They meet up at Dash and Streaks two stall barn.
Lucy, It’s weird she got us horses.
Noah, It is.
Nate, Not really we are top riders, Lucy on Honor, Kate on Tango, Noah on Champagne and Me on Lucky.
Lucy think of all the times shed won ribbons on Honor. Your right.
Kate, Let’s work.
Kate and the boys start to work. Lucy grasps a rake and gets to work too. 30 an hour later the kid finish work it is 12:oo o’clock
Lucy, We should go to my place for lunch. But we can’t tell her about the horses.
Nate and Noah, Thank Luc we told mom we were going there for lunch this morning.
Kate, Thanks Luc.
The kid say good bye to Mrs. G and Mr. G (her husband) I head to the bike rake. Lucy unlocks her purple bike, Kate her plain gold one, Noah his green and gold mountain bike, and Nate his Red and Gold Mountain bike. The kids bike up the hill to Lucy white two story house. Lucy and her friends park their bikes and go inside.
Lucy, Mom, Kate, Noah, Nate and I are here for lunch.
Lucy’s mom(Susan), come in to the kitchen.
The hungry kids come in to Kitchen.
Susan, Hi guys I have peanut butter or Tuna.
Kids, Tuna please.
Susan next sandwiches and hand them out.
Nate, Thank Susan.
After lunch the kids bike back to the barn.
Lucy, Want to see if we can go for a trail ride?
Mrs. G walks over, Lucy your leading an hour ride in 10 minutes.
Lucy, Yes Mrs. G.
Mrs. G, boys your helping Mr. G put up the fence in the back field and Kate you are going with Lucy.
Lucy, Can I take Star.
Mrs. G, Yes and Kate your on Tango.
Lucy and Kate, Thanks Mrs. G.
Lucy goes to Stars stall. She leads out the black Gelding. Kate brings the gray Arab gelding It Takes Two To Tango or Tang over. The Girls Saddle up and Lead the horses outside. The other Riders are not regulars at the Stable, A girl is riding Strawberry, a boy on Cherry and a man on Ruby. The man looks to be the kids dad.
Lucy, Mount up.
The family mounts.
Lucy says, Have you ridden before?
The girl on Strawberry says, Yes at a farm near where we live.
The dad and boy nod no.
Lucy, ok, so meadow Trail it is.
Kate walk Tango a circle
Starwalker123 & Star
2012-05-29 23:09:21
msjane & AE
2012-05-31 04:26:41
This is Club Pony Pals, the official Pony Pals game and virtual horse world. Here you can adopt, ride and care for the pony you always wanted. Our site is based on the Scholastic books about three girls by Jeanne Betancourt.
