The Super Filly

Chapter 1

I finally make it to what I think is the worlds longest driveway, our driveway.

" If only I could ride you to the house. " I say patting the mare on the cheek. A little dirt came off and I saw she was a dark, pretty, midnight black color. You would think she is a mud brown color just by looking at her because of all the nasty mud caked on her.

We started our trek down the gravel driveway. I walked where she could walk on the grass along the side of the driveway. I did this because one, she didn't have any shoes and two, I didn't want her to hurt her feet. It took what felt like an hour to get to the house when it actually took about ten minutes. I walked her to the wash room that was on the immediate left side of the stable as soon as you walked through the great doors. I tied her to the post and walked to the tack room which was right next to the wash room and got her a legitimate halter. I went back to the post where I tied the mare up at, took off the makeshift rope halter, and put the new halter from the tack room on her. After that I retied her halter up with the two lines on either side of her. I began to clean her off with the hose starting at her feet and working my way up, making sure to do her chest last. Then Pablo walked into the stable.

Pablo is a 25year old retired jockey, but he still warms up thoroughbred racehorses when people ask him. We are here in little ole North Carolina and sometimes he has to go all the way to Del Mar to warm up racehorses. I know 25 is very early to retire, but the only reason why he retired was because he got in big trouble with the jockey club. Why did he get in trouble you ask, because another owner lied about Pablo trying to kill his horse by drugging him. I know this isn't true because they never found any evidence that it happened, none, zip. So my dad took him in, and he's been here ever since.

" Who's that? " He says studying the scratched up, beat up mare I was cleaning.

" The old grumpy gus farmer's that lives down the road. " I say not even looking at him.

" You stole her! " He whispers sternly.

" No! I bought her for 60 bucks. " I say in a calm steady voice.

" Oh, does your parents know? "

" No, not yet. I wanted to clean her up first. "

" Whatever. " He sighs and walks away.

I finish cleaning her up and get her, her own lead line. After that I lead her out of the washroom and towards our house's front door. My mom was now sitting on the front porch probably worried because any other day I would have gone inside, told her I was home, then would have gone back outside.

" Mom. " I say as softly as I can. She looks up with her mouth open to speak but when she sees the mare she jumps. You would think with all the other horses here, they wouldn't tell if one was new, but yeah they can.

" Who's is that! " She says.

" Mine. "

" What! How could you have possibly got the money to pay for it? "

" One, she is not an it she is a mare and two, she was only $60 bucks so I was able to pay for her." I say in a mater of factly kind of tone

" You don't just go out and buy a $60 horse. "

" I had to! She was being beaten right in front of me! I couldn't let her and her baby suffer! " I say with my voice raising every second. " You had to be there. If you were in my position, you would have done the exact same thing. "

" Wait a second did you say baby? You mean there's another one? "

" Yeah in her tummy. You see what I'm saying. She looks like she hasn't eaten her whole life already. I can't imagine what she would look like without that baby making her look like she has some weight, and I don't want to. " I say. Mom looks her over, over and over again. Then she gets out of her rocking chair, walks down the front stairs, and then starts feeling her all over and looks at all of her cuts and marks. My mom is a vet so she comes in handy her on the plantation. One day I want to do something in equine veterinary medicine just like her.

" She's pretty beat up. Put her in stall 19 barn A. " She says after a moment.

We have three barns. Barn A and B which are stables. Then there is Barn C where all the other livestock is kept. Barn A has 24 stalls, Barn B has 12, and Barn C just has all kinds of stocks and pens and everything else that is needed for the livestock that we use it for.

I lead the mare to stall 19 in barn A. After I put here in the stall, I go get fresh water and give her a little of sweet coastal hay. I grab a bucket, take it into her stall, shut the door, and sit down on it.

" Next thing I do is give you a name. " I sit there in silence studying here. Then I hear somebody outside of the stall. I turn around and look up to see my dad leaning up against the door.

" So this is the horse I've been hearing about. " He says staring at her.

" Yup. " I say popping the "p".

" She looks happy here. Have you given her a name yet? " He says.

" No. " I sigh.

" Well, why don't you watch her, study her for a couple of days. You know, her habits, behavior, etc. Maybe that'll help you pick out a name for her. " He says. My dad knows a lot about horses and I know I can always go to him for help and answers. Well, it depends on what it is. Sometimes I have to go to my mom.

" Can I spend the night here. Not in her stall, I mean in the hay loft because I can see her from up there. " I say.

" That's fine with me! I'll let your mom know. "

" Okay, I'll be inside for super and to get ready for bed. "

" Okay, see you in a few minutes. " He says and walks away. I get up and give the mare a rub down for a few minutes. Then I hear my mom ring the dinner bell. I give the mare a kiss on the nose.

" I won't be long. " I say to her as I shut her stall door. Then I run down through the barn and to the house.

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Hey guys! Thank you for reading!!! I wanted to let you know I'm looking for names for the mare. As you know she is black and I'm taking any names from anyone. Just comment your ideas!!! I'll need names before 4:30 tomorrow. Once again Thank you!!!!!