Emma's P. O. V:
I wear a short sleeved pink shirt with two hearts on it and pink jodhpurs with pink crystal heart jewellery as I lead Raven to the sandy arena.
I pause by the fence when I see my little sister cantering Merlin through the jumps, the Puissance Wall set up as well.
Merlin leaps cleanly over most jumps, though his landing was a bit sloppy after the second last jump.
"Keep that leg on him, Amber! You're loosing energy. Gather Merlin up," Marcus instructs. Amber does just that. Her next landing over a low vertical was smoother, and I smile.
I was a bit nervous as Amber steers Merlin towards the wall, but she keeps her pink gloved hands steady. Merlin has a pink saddle cloth on under his English saddle.
At the exact right moment, Merlin leaps up and soars right above the wall. He lands and smoothly takes off in a canter with a grinning Amber.
"Whoo!" I cheer while clapping. Amber canters Merlin over to me as Marcus hogs up to us, also smiling.
"Did see that?! I jumped the wall again!" Amber says happily, patting her gelding as he snorts.
"Not bad. Your landing was perfect," I say.
"Great job, Amber. We'll keep practicing the wall next time. Just remember when you start to feel Merlin lose energy, keep your leg on him."
Amber nods as she says, "I will. Thanks, Marcus. Emma, can I take Merlin on the trails?"
"Not by yourself."
"I can go with her?" Suggests Marcus.
Amber looks at me with pleading eyes. I let out a sigh as I say, "Alright, since Marcus is going with you." She grins and Marcus says he'll get Monty ready. "I'm going to practice on Raven. He's been making good progress lately."
Amber exits the arena while I lead the black horse inside. I'd already used Bach flower essence on him to help relax Raven.
I clip on my purple helmet and swing up into the saddle. I click my tongue to urge him into a steady walk. These past six months, I'd been training Raven to not rely on my voice too much. I don't want it to become a habit.
I practice walking Raven around and doing little dressage exercises, such as walking him through cones is set up earlier. I do it again in a trot and do figure 8s as well.
I decide to take ravrn over a few of the low jumps. He knocks a pole off one and I canter him around. I spot Pin coming up to the fence.
"How is he?" Pin asks.
I trot over and say, patting Raven's neck, "He's good, but he still needs work on jumping."
"Here, let me get that for you," Pin says before entering the arena and going to fix the fence for me.
"Thanks, Pin."
He goes to stand by the fence while I take Raven around the fences for another half hour. I then do a couple more figure 8s and a couple of trot twenty meter circles.
I pull Raven up by Pin and pat his neck. "You're doing great with him," Says Pin as he strokes Raven's neck.
"Thanks. I just need to get him to trust other people and things will be even better," I say, patting Raven's neck.
Pin asks me, "Do you want to go on a hack?"
"Sure. It'll be good for Raven."
Pin smiles and says, "Ok. I'll just go get Hugo."
Pin holds the gate open for me and I take Raven out while he gets Hugo. Once Pin meets up with me, we head out for the forest.
After half an hour, we pause in a clearing and I trot Raven in a circle around Hugo.
"Raven is like a different horse, ever since you started working with him," Says Pin as he watches me.
"Like I said, he's made a lot of progress. I just need to figure out a way around the block in his trust with other people."
"I'm sure you'll figure it out, as you have done with other troubled horses," Pin assures me.
"Maybe. I hope I can figure it out soon. And help Raven overcome his fear of water." I'd discovered sometime ago that Raven has an immense fear of water when I'd tried to make him go over a water jump. I'd been trying to get him to overcome it but to no avail.
I'd often help people with their troubled horses. One time I'd helped reduce a hobbled mare, when she had ropes tied around her fetlocks to a fence.
I meet Pin's gaze and smile, causing him to blush. I half Raven beside Hugo, the Andalusian gelding facing the opposite way. Pin and I lean over and our lips meet in a passionate kiss.
We kiss for a few more moments before we pull back and decide to continue on. When there were logs in the trail, I'd jump them with Raven. Pin and I race each other until I hear my phone ring with Demi Lovato's Give Your Heart A Break.
It was Amber.
"Hey, Am, what is it?" I ask into the phone.
"Emma, we're back at the yard but there's this guy with a truck full of horses he'd bought from someone else who was going to take them to a slaughter house. You and Pin need to hurry back."
"Ok. We're on our way," I say, before hanging up and tucking the phone back into my tall left boot.
"What's happened?" Asks Pin.
"We're needed back at the yard, come on," I say and kick Raven into a canter.
Pin follows and I told him what Amber told me as we head back.
Upon trotting into the yard, Pin and I dismount and tie the horses up before going to a large truck. A black haired man was there with Becky, Jade, Zoe, Marcus, Sam, Mia, Susie, Ben, Rosie and Amber.
"What's going on?" I ask as we run over to them.
"Emma! Thank god! I think that's a cow truck," Amber says, throwing an arm to the truck. Whinnies could be heard from within.
I stare at the man with wide eyes, "That's a cow truck?! And there are horses in there?!"
"It was the only thing I'd had on me," He says.
"No! You can't keep horses in a cow truck! Pin, Marcus, Becky, Jade, help me get them out!" I exclaim as I rush over to the back of the truck, the mentioned people following.
"Emma, calm down..." Sam tries to say as Pin undoes my side of the ramp, Marcus the other.
Zoe asks in confusion, "I don't get it. What's so bad about horses being in a cow truck? Isn't that the same as a horse truck?"
Jade responds, "Cow trucks are smaller and have less head space on the inside for horses. More often, a horse ends up with a head injury."
Zoe looks worried now.
The ramp touches the floor and we're met with the sight of a palomino Thoroughbred mare, who looks more anxious.
"Easy, ssshhh! It's okay, girl. Come on, let's get you out of there," I say as I slip in and untie her, noticing she's shaking and her creamy white tail is really high, before leading her out.
The others grab the other four horses, one of which is a beautiful black Fresian stallion. Eventually, we'd gotten all five of the horses out and they're tied up at the hitching post. Pin and I check them over for any injuries, but none of them has a head wound.
"All the horses are alright. They don't have any injuries," I announce, causing everyone to look relieved.
"Great job, you guys, for getting the horses out," Says Sam. "This is Erik Stone. He bought these horses and brought them here because he heard of you, Emma."
"Me?"
Erik nods his head.
"Erik also asked if I wanted to buy the horses and board them, though I don't have the money. He said I could give him the money whenever I have it, so it looks like Bright Fields has five new residents," Sam explains.
I say seriously, "I think you need to make that six new residents, Sam." She arches a confused eyebrow. I grin. "That palomino Thoroughbred mare? She's pregnant!" Everyone gasps.
"Oh my Bob!" Says Becky.
"When?!" Jade and Zoe ask in unison.
"In about four days from now," I tell them.
"That's wonderful! But I don't think I afford an extra horse," Says Sam.
"What if I were to buy the mare from you?" I ask hopefully. "Please, Sam?! I feel this connection with her."
Sam says with a weary face, "You'll have to check with your mother, but I don't see why not."
"Thank you, Sam! I'll go and call her right away!" I say before I go to the tack room to make the call.
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When I'd called Mum, she said I could buy the mare and foal. And the stallion, as he is the foal's sire. We watch the new arrivals in the field as we sit on the fence.
"I can't believe your mum is letting you have those beautiful horses," Says Zoe, watching Knight, the black Fresian stallion, gallop around with the chestnut Arabian mare, Garnet, who has a white blaze and two back white socks.
I see Ariel, the pregnant Palomino mare, is among them. I'd already decided her foal's name is Majesty, if it were a filly, a female foal. There's a bay Appaloosa gelding named Coconut, which was Becky's idea, and a Buckskin gelding with a blaze which Jade named Spirit, after the Dreamworks horse.
He's quite temperamental, much like the one from said movie, which was why Jade named him that in the first place. He's even tried to bite Jade when she was leading him here, and Marcus had to help her.
"I know. And I can't believe that guy was about to send Ariel to the slaughter house with a foal," I sigh, shaking my head. "I'm glad Erik was able to buy them off him."
The others nod their agreement.
Becky says, "Well, we need to prepare for Foal 0' Clock!"
"Can't wait," Says Marcus, grinning.
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At home, later that afternoon, BTS KPop music plays from my phone as I kiss Pin as he hovers above me, hands gently roaming my sides, my stomach.
"I'm glad we were able to rescue those horses," Says Pin when we break for air.
"So am I. And that none of them got injured in that cow truck. I was actually quite scared one of them would get hurt, especially Ariel and her foal. I'm so excited for Ariel's foal!"
"They'll make a great addition to the yard," Says Pin, smiling. "I'll be more than happy to help with Ariel's pregnancy."
I say appreciatively, "Thanks, Pin."
Pin caresses my left cheek and I sigh happily before we resume kissing passionately again.