by Connie Foss
“I understand from my escort, Thomas, that your true name is Sir Hershey. Mm, most appropriate,” she continues. “With such a mouth-watering name and delicious color, you have me in the palm of your hand, Sir Hershey. But take my advice and dispense with the ugly nickname.“
Oops, this cat must have come from Hollywood or some other unreal place. I hope Tom can handle her, but I’m afraid he’s in for it.
With the afternoon comes Meg carrying a jumping saddle.“Are you ready for some fun, Bubba? It’s been so long. I know you’ve missed it as much as I have,” and Meg gives me a big hug. I’ve missed those, too! “But we’re off now to make up for it. All of the tack is new, and I bought
your old saddle, but it’ll soon mold to you and feel just like your skin.”
Oh, it does! The jumping is just as good as ever and both of us revel in it. Then back to my new roomy accommodations and all is well…except where is Annie?
Chapter Fourteen:
AtLast
Meg doesn’t usually come see me until late in the day. Others do the regular chores while Meg is busy training new horses. But this
with her cheery smile and puts my halter on me. She does something new, though, for this time she puts a chain over my nose. Wonder what that’s for.
“Bubba, remember when you and I went to that All Breed show and we met Annie and Milt? Well, Milt decided to retire Annie from shows and let her raise a family. So she has come to live with us, because you are to be the father of her family. How does that strike you, Sir Romeo?”
With the mention of Annie, my ears prick up and my heart speeds up. I even nicker a bit, enough so Meg knows I remember.
“So come on, big guy, we’ll go meet Annie and Bill in the breeding shed behind the stable. I expect you don’t know we have such a place, but we are actively in the business of producing more wonderful horses like you. The Chocolate Farm is on the move. Come on. Let’s go see your gal.”
It’s so great to see Annie, and I greet her joyfully…noisily actually.
that, I calm down a bit. Annie looks wonderful, but she’s some how different.“Annie, it’s me. Bubba. It’s so good to see you! I’ve missed you and thought about you everyday.Are you okay?”
“Oh, Bubba, my dear friend,” Annie nickers to me. “I feel the same way, and yes, I’m okay. It’s just that all the fun is gone because I don’t get to jump any more. Milt said my leg injury is just too painful. Remember how much it hurt me to jump? But seeing you makes me happy again. Bubba, are we going to have a baby?”
Life is totally good now that Annie is here.
Annie,the breeding shed,and Meg’s telling me that the Chocolate Farm is getting into the business of producing more horses must have been the something Bill was talking about. How exciting that I get to be a part of their plans. Geoffrey and Julie are, too. I wonder if that includes Percy and Prince. Maybe that’s why there are so many strange mares in the pasture.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN:
Mickey Returns
The show schedule for The Chocolate Farm is tight, with a show of some sort every other weekend. With the large number of show stock in training, Bill and Meg and Lilly are busy but obviously happy with their job. I get to go for the jumping classes most every time the horse trailer leaves, but Julie is retired from the show ring to raise babies. Percy goes to the shows that have classes for Miniature Horses, and Geoffrey goes to every Arabian show and is doing well in Western Pleasure. Prince, too, goes to the Arabian shows where he is in the Hunter Jumper classes. But the farm is showing quite a few other horses in almost all disciplines.
One morning a couple of familiar faces appear. It’s Bruce and his little boy Mickey. Mickey has grown a lot since I last saw him and seems happy to be in the stable. When Bill greets them, Mickey almost smiles, though still looking down.That hint of a smile is a sign that he is making progress handling his autism.
“Mickey, would you like to see a baby goat? Come with me,” and though Bill reaches for Mickey’s hand, Mickey pulls back.“Oh, sure, just follow me,’ and Bill starts walking toward Prince’s stall.
In the old stable, the one that was lost in the tornado, Prince’s stall was right next to mine…Prince on my one side and Percy on the other. But in this new stable, Prince’s stall is at the end of the aisle. I can’t see what all is happening, but when I hear a giggle, I know the walk to see a baby goat has been successful.
“You like little Patches, huh, Mickey? She is cute, and she loves Prince. She even goes to horse shows with him. They’re great friends. The reason she has the name Patches is because of the patches of brown this little gal has all over her body.
Julie is busy being a mother, Geoffrey will be happy to have you ride on his back, Mickey,” Bill tells them. “Lilly is bringing Geoffrey now, but while she gets Geoffrey ready, would you like to go see Julie and her Baby, Mickey?”
Mickey still isn’t talking, apparently, but he is pulling on Bruce’s hand.That is real progress.“I’d say the answer is yes, Bill.We would like to see Julie and Baby. Is Baby really the foal’s name?”
“I guess you’d say it’s her stable name. Her registered name is
she looks as though her colors will be chocolate and white. We’ll not know for sure until she sheds her baby coat.”
Fortunately, in this new stable my stall is on the north wall of the stable so I can see Julie and Baby most all the time. Bill, Bruce and Mickey are soon outdoors by the mare pasture fence where Julie and the baby with a few other mares and foals are enjoying the morning sun.“You probably recognize Julie, the dark chestnut in the corner. The other mares are here to be bred for more babies.
“Hey, Jules, bring Baby over here. Mickey wants to see the two of you,” Bill hollers and then whistles. Julie’s nudge with her nose gets Baby on her feet, and the two come trotting over. Now that she’s up and moving, with a shake of her head, Baby shows her stuff and playfully cavorts around her mother.
I enjoy watching them out there in the pasture, and it looks as though Mickey is enjoying them, too. Julie reaches over the fence for a pat on her nose from Bruce, but Baby is sticking her head between the fence boards right into Mickey’s face. I’m not sure, but I think I hear giggling as Mickey reaches up to pet Baby.
“She likes you, Mickey,” Bill says, glancing over at Bruce. He and Bruce exchange a knowing look, as though to say this, too, is progress.
When they come back in the stable, they’re around the corner from me, and I can’t see what’s happening. I can hear, though, and what I hear is all happiness. Geoffrey seems to be a hit for Mickey actually sits on his back.
When it’s time for Bruce and Mickey to leave, Bill says,“I’ve been doing some research on how horses help us all, and I was reminded that they are able to sense how we feel about them. Their understanding therapy program is so helpful to people, especially kids like Mickey. A horse demands nothing but to be appreciated, which helps bring a kid out of his shell.”
“Just seeing the exchange between Baby and Mickey made the trip today worthwhile,” Bruce remarks. “We’ll be seeing you every week for sure, Bill. Wednesdays at 10?”
“Sure thing. See you then.”
Chapter Sixteen:
The Next Year Brings a Surprise
I was really busy last year, but it was great with lots of girl friends, plus fun at the shows. Here it is spring again, and I’m rolling in the new juicy grass of the pasture. It’s my turn to be turned out to play .
Annie and I are excited about having a baby. It’s due soon, and I’ve been watching out the window everyday, knowing the day I can’t see Annie, it will be because she will be in a foaling stall.Another Chocolate Farm baby will be on the way.
Julie’s Baby is growing fast, but she’s not any nicer to be around
isn’t with Julie any more but runs in another pasture. She seems to be leader of the pack, and whenever I’m being led past her pasture, she runs right along the fence nickering at me.
Well, h
ere comes Lilly to take me back to my stall. “Bubba, just look at you.You have grass stains on your fetlocks. Been having a good time? Good thing most of your body is dark bay for it doesn’t show the dirt…well, not all that much anyway.”
As we’re walking back to the stable, here comes Baby running along the inside of the fence. Looking at her, Lilly says, “How are you, Baby? Getting pretty leggy I’d say.”
Suddenly Baby wheels around, running off into the pasture before turning and heading back toward the fence. As she nears, she gathers herself and with a mighty leap, Baby jumps the fence! I stop dead in my tracks, hardly believing what I just saw. Baby jumping? What a surprise!
After the initial shock,Lilly says,“What? The daughter of Western Pleasure parents can jump? How can that be?”
We both stand in amazement as Baby calmly walks over to me and says,“Well, Uncle, when do we go jumping together?”
When I’m back in my stall and Baby is back in her pasture, I hear Lilly jabbering, she is so excited. “Meg, you wouldn’t have believed it. With no warning at all, Baby jumped the pasture fence! I could hardly believe it.Yet I saw it happen. All of the time I thought she would take her mother’s place in the Western Pleasure classes.”
“Well…I’ve noticed she’s really grown, more than I expected from Julie, but her father is good-sized. There must be some jumper genes in Baby from somewhere. One thing we know, her attitude is
rules the roost with the other horses?”
“I’ll check with Gretchen about how old she needs to be to
start her training. She can’t show in regular under-saddle classes until
she’s three, but I don’t know about jumping.There’s a lot of concussion
need to look into.”
Huh, I didn’t know that. Maybe Annie started jumping too soon, and that’s why it got to hurting too much and she had to retire. How they’re going to keep Baby from jumping fences, though, is anyone’s guess.
But I have other things to think about. Bill told me that another of the mares I met at that open show last year…a Clydesdale like my dad…is coming. Her name is Dulcie, and her owner likes the action that I have. In hopes of getting some of that in a foal with Dulcie, he wants to breed us. Bill doesn’t know that Dulcie and I have already met. I’m excited, for next to Annie, Dulcie is a favorite. Now she will be more than just a memory. I wonder if it’s today that she’s coming. I guess I’ll just have to be patient, but that’s hard.
This morning Bill has another man with him doing chores.When Bill dumps the grain in my feed tub, he introduces me to the guy. His name is Gordy and he seems pretty rough. A big guy with tattoos all over, up and down his arms and around his neck. The tatoos make him look dirty, but his long blond hair seems clean enough. He must really need a job, for his jeans are torn and so is his shirt.The only thing that looks cared for is his Harley Davidson baseball cap.
“Get two slices of hay and put ‘em in Bubba’s stall, please, Gordy. Bubba is the main man here.Treat him nice.” And they went on around the stable doing the feeding. With all of the horses and the new involvements with breeding and therapy, Bill, Meg and Lilly need as much help as they can get.
Later in the day, I hear Gordy shouting at Prince. I don’t have a clue what’s going on, but it doesn’t sound good. Meg’s scolding follows the shouting. Hmm. Maybe Gordy isn’t the right one for the job. Time will tell.
Chapter Seventeen:
Tom and Gordy
“Hey, Bubba, how ya’ bin?” Here comes Tom jumping up into the feed box, rubbing his side along the railing.
“You’re looking mighty good, Tom. I haven’t seen much of you and your wife,Angie, for a while. How are things?”
“If your foals ever come in litters and you have to take care of them, you’ll know why you haven’t seen much of me lately. Angie had a litter of…get this, ten kittens. Ever’ night while you’re sleepin’, I’m
“Congratulations,Tom, you and Angie make a great pair. So what did you name ten kittens? That’s a lot of names to come up with…and remember!”
settled on numbers. The kittens are One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten. Now the only problem is tellin’ them apart, ‘cause they all look alike…long-haired with pinched up faces jes like their ma. But, ya’ know, Bubba, when Mr. O came to hang out here… wal, that was the bes’ thin’ that ever happen’. He keeps droppin’ rodent tidbits in the straw outside our nest. With Mr. O around, you’ll never hear growlin’ bellies from my guys.”
“Hey,Bubba, did you knowd that weirdo Gordy brought a dog with him? I heerd Bill tell him to keep his dog at home, but that mutt was chasing Angie this morning. I’m on my way to hide out near whar
lesson he’ll not furget no time. I ain’t got claws for nothin’, ya’ know.” And he was off.
I just woke up from a little nap, and guess what woke me…a clatter of horse hooves coming down the ramp of a trailer.A welcome sound. Maybe it’s Dulcie!
“Gordy, get a lead on that mare and take her to the lot out back of the breeding shed.This gal’s got to be checked by the vet before we put her in with the other mares.”
Oh, darn, that’s Bill talking and it means I won’t get to see the mare for a while. When I whinny, the answer I get back doesn’t tell me anything. It’s probably not Dulcie, for I might have recognized her voice, or she would have called me by name. But maybe no one told her where she was going.
Fortunately, Meg is here, and we are going out for some jumping fun.
“How are you, Bubba? And what do you think about Baby and her jumping? It was a surprise to me, for sure. I expect it will be a number of years before we can really put her into training for jumping, and in the meantime, how will we keep her inside the fence?”
All of this reminds me of when I was a carriage horse and would jump the lot fence whenever I felt like it, making sure I was back inside
doubt it, though, for she is all too cocky.
As Meg and I are coming back from jumping, we see Gordy out behind the breeding shed smoking.“Bubba, head for the breeding shed. No way is anyone going to be smoking on our farm.We told Gordy that, but look at him!”
“Gordy, put that cigarette out and put the butt in your pocket. If you smoke one more time, you are out of here!” There is no mistaking Meg’s anger or her determination. If Gordy has any smarts about him, he’ll never touch another cigarette.
in a barn where there is straw or even just wood in abundance burns quickly and totally. At that show, we were lucky that Annie’s Milt was there to take us to safety.
“I don’t know about Gordy, Bubba. He so rough around the horses and now this. He may not last, but we really need help, if we’re going to be able to do all of the showing and breeding that’s scheduled.”
Meg and I stand there next to Gordy until he has done as she ordered and gone back to the stable to clean stalls.
I was in my stall when he came to clean it, and he was muttering under his breath all the time. He even gave me a poke with the pitchfork and that hurt. He is trouble for sure.
Chapter Eighteen:
OurFoal
This morning there’s promise of a beautiful day.. As the sun
window. All is fresh with the new spring, and I feel new, too. Checking out the mares in the pasture, I see some are lying down, soaking up the
I look for Annie, and I keep looking, for I’m not seeing her. Maybe this is her day…maybe our foal is on the way! How can I know for sure?
I whinny, but no one comes. Surely someone is with her if she’s foaling. But maybe they are using the mounted “foal watch” camera and watching from the house. I pace back and forth in my stall. This is hard…not knowing. Soon I hear some noises as the others in the barn wake up and Meg, Bill, Lilly and Gordy come to feed us.The rattling of
and water splashing into the water buckets are the general noises of a stable.
I whinny again, asking for answers about Annie. Gordy unlatches my doo
r and pushes me aside to clean the stall. “Shut your trap, you dumb horse. Don’t give me any static, or I’ll show you who’s tough.”
“Gordy,” I hear Bill scold from the aisle,“you will give the horses respect and kindness, or you are long gone.”
I whinny at Bill, but he doesn’t understand that I’m not worrying about Gordy. I’m worrying about Annie.
“Bill, where are you? We need to call the vet.” It’s Meg and
“Annie’s been at this for most of the night and there is no progress. I’m going to call for help, okay?”
Call the vet…something’s wrong with Annie? Oh, no. Let me out of here. “Annie!” I whinny, “Annie!” But no matter how loud I scream or how much banging I do, I still can’t be with Annie.
The day is long, going on and on and getting nowhere. Lilly gets the horses exercised, but nothing else is happening in the stable, except what must be happening in the foaling stall.The vet’s truck comes and goes and comes again. Meg runs to the house and back.The stall is too far away for me to hear what’s happening.
“Oh, Annie, Annie. Hang in there,” I bugle for the umpteenth time.
Gordy is doing the evening feeding when I see the vet wearily climb into his truck and leave. Soon Meg and Bill come out of the foaling stall.
As they walk dejectedly by my stall, they don’t even acknowledge me, though I’m whinnying right at them. Oh, what has happened? Is Annie a mother, am I a father?”
dawn slide over the mare pasture. When it’s light enough, I see Annie back where she usually is. But there is no foal. I whinny at her and she hears me, comes to the nearest fence and answers me.
It’s a sad answer, for she tells me that our baby is dead.“Bubba, she was so beautiful, but she just couldn’t breathe. I licked her and loved her for both of us, but she didn’t make it. I’m so sorry.” The sad whinny
another, as they nurse their mothers. I hurt for her.