Taming Grey

Chapter 4 - Cows and Barrels

"Here." John hands me a bottle of water and nacho chips.

"Thank you. When are you up?" I said, popping a chip into my mouth.

He shrugged. "In an hour or so." He cringed and I looked out to the arena. A rider just lost his cow.

John and I decided to bring out two horses we were working with to the local rodeo. Dad doesn't like us taking them out so much because he's worried that we will show the horses off badly. But we tend to anyway.

The two horses we brought are Shining Gold and Dandy Dandelion. Dandy Dandelion is the mare Dad let me finish training for him and Shining Gold is John's horse he has been training.

Shining Gold is our only palomino stallion and Dad is quite proud of him. Gold was born to show, but only being 5 he is still getting touch-ups in his training.

Dandy Dandelion is a 6 year old flaxen chestnut mare. She's not really expected to be much of a shower, but I think she just hasn't found what she loves to do yet.

I stuff the last of my chips into my mouth and get up to throw away the trash.

"I am going to go get tacked up. You might want to get ready, too." John stands up and looks at me. "Classy," he mutters when he looks at my chip stuffed face.

I wash the chips down with my water and begin to head to the trailer. As I near, I see both horses are sleeping on their opposite sides of the trailer.

John brushes down Gold and throws the saddle on before I can even finish picking Dandy's hooves. I chuckle. "John," I call out, "we still have a little bit. There's no need to rush." He looks at me dryly.

I laugh again and begin to tack Dandy up, too. It only took me a few minutes to completely tack up, and all the years I been doing this, I could do it with my eyes close. I lead Dandy to the back of the trailer, and look around the corner at John.

"Ready?" I ask.

"Yup, let's go." He pats Gold's neck.

We head back to the arena and watch the other riders have their go, and when they announce the 10 minute break, we warm up. I climb into Dandy's saddle and begin to move her around the ring. I first walk, then trot, then canter. I run her through the barrel pattern once before I move back by the rail and watch.

The event John entered is roping. He has really been working hard with Gold to make sure he knows what to do.

"John Reefer on Shining Gold" the announcer says into the mic. I see John concentrate hard at the task. Then a buzzer goes off but I barely here it as I sit on the edge of my saddle watching anxiously. He chases the calf down and swings the rope around its neck. Then he swings out off his saddle and runs towards it. He hog ties his legs up, and then it's over. Just as quick as it started it ended, all in a matter of seconds.

I meet him at the 'out' gait and wrap him in a hug. I didn't catch his score.

"How'd you do?" I say.

"I did great. He was perfect. Not enough to get us first or anything but he's a whole lot better than he was." He pets Gold's neck. "Good boy. Good Job."

"I saw. He was more focused this time."

"Yeah. He's coming along great." He pauses, "I'm going to take him back to the trailer. You should come. That way you don't have to just sit here for another hour or so."

I glance at the arena and watch the next rider. "Ok."

I follow John back to the tailer and watch him untack Shining Gold and brush him out. I get off Dandy and grab the bucket of water to offer to her. She takes a few long gulps.