Post by Marshall Chase Jenner on Dec 20, 2012 23:49:31 GMT -8
[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=style, background-color: f9f9f9; border: #1e6986 solid 10px; width: 420px; padding: 15 5 15 5px;] what could be better than now Dodging left, then right, then bac again, barrel nearly touching the ground, ears pinned flat back. The short and stocky chestnut horse moved with measured accuracy, his agility and quickness a refined art. He was poetry in motion. His wide brown eyes were locked on the young calf doing its best to get back into the herd, but the horse between him and his destination would sooner die than let that little beast get by him. The calf made a dash for the other side of the arena, and was followed by the significantly larger animal. The calf dodged back, then stopped, his every move blocked by the horse. The rider astride the horse pulled him up and turned him away from the calf, letting the animal scamper back to the others. Horse and rider were both strewn with sweat despite the slightly cooler temperatures of winter. Cutting was no gentle task, and the cowboy could feel the ache deep within him... especially in one leg which was still held together with all sorts of metal objects. He was about to start walking the horse around the arena to cool him out when the semi truck with a load of new shavings pulled in and drove by on his way to drop off his load. He was driving plenty slow enough and did nothing to spook your ordinary horse, but the moment the chestnut heard the engine then saw the beast of a vehicle, he went into a panic, and with the same quickness and agility that he had used to keep the calf from the herd, he dodged away, easily unseating his unsuspecting rider and bolting to the other end of the arena, sending the cattle into a frenzy as well. Marshall hit the ground heavily, immediately feeling the pain rush through him as his horse took off without him. He lay on the ground a moment, the breath knocked out of him, before pulling himself slowly back up onto his feet and willing his lungs to inflate again. He was an experienced cowboy, and he knew the most dangerous place to be when the cattle were racing about was on the ground. The truck disappeared behind the barn, and Marshall looked over towards his panicked horse who now stood at the furthest corner, staring wide eyed where the truck had disappeared, his whole body shaking, more sweat building up on him now than it had from working the cows. He sighed and limped towards the horse, brushing off just a little of the dust that clung to him, though it really made no difference. Simmer down there big fella. he said, approaching the frightened animal cautiously. There was no telling how he might react. He could explode again at any moment when he was like that. You're alright, it's been 8 years since the last time something happened to you because of a truck like that. He was really only speaking for the sake of drawing the horse's attention back to him... and to settle his own nerves. He grasped the reins, and the trance was broken. The horse looked away from where the truck had vanished and back to his rider, clearly still jittery. Once he had the horse's attention back just a little, he quickly loosened the cinch and pulled the saddle off of the horse's back and set it on the fence, followed by the bridle which he draped over the saddle, replacing it with a halter. Once that was done he moved over to the gate and let the cows back out of the arena and into their pens, before starting to walk the horse out. Neither of them had ever full recovered from the wreck all those years ago, Marshall physically, and Des mentally. They were a bit of a wreck, which was a pity, considering how far they'd gone before it had happened. Chances were they'd always be that way. Marshall would always limp. Des would always come unglued at the sound of a semi truck. It was part of what defined them, and they had learned to live with that. life's not about what's better tagged Paisley words 790 muse Desperado- Eagles notes -- credits irish & john butler trio! if you would like a template, ask, please do not steal! |
