Horses, Love, and Rodeo

Chapter 1: Check In
"Travis," I call, "Where is the over-under?"

"Why would I know," he yells back. "It's yours anyway!"

"Come on Trav, I know you know where it is and we need to get going!"
"It's in the barn under the saddle pads."

"Thank you!" I reply.

"You're welcome, did you load Porter?"

"Yes," I call back. Porter is Travis's roping horse. My barrel horse is Prada and my poles horse is Tyson. Travis is my best friend, always has been. But now we might be something more. We met at a rodeo when I was 6, Travis was 7. When I was 13 my mother was killed when she fell of her horse. My dad refused to my continuing riding, and when I wouldn't stop he left me. Having no other family to take care of me, Travis's parents offered to take me in.

We're on our way to a big rodeo down on Fort Worth. Travis and I are trying to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo. It'll be hard to do, but it's early in the season. Only the 3rd rodeo.
"Found it!" I yell, "And the horses are loaded!! Let's go!"

Travis and I climb into the big F350 Ford and take off. I turn up the country music station and we sing along to every song. The long drives to rodeos are fun with Travis.

After 3 hours and 45 minutes in the truck, 2 bathroom breaks, and one drive-through meal, we arrive at the rodeo grounds. I check us both in while Travis unloads the horses and gets our paddocks set up. Tyson, Porter, and Prada share a large paddock, since they lived together for 4 years.

After our horses are settled we start getting ready for the barn dance that they always have the night before the first day of the rodeo. Travis throws on his pink rodeo shirt and his Wranglers. I take a bit longer to get ready. First I put on my Miss Me jeans and nice pink Ariat shirt. Then after I put on my makeup I pull on my hat, shove my feet in my boots, and adjust my jeans over them. I hook my arm through Travis's and drag him of to the dance.