1 week later
I pulled into The Arena, and looked for an open parking spot.
The Arena is the bar Kiara owns, her mother owned it till she died two years ago, then when Kiara turned 18 she got it.
It was a nice bar with a big arena next to it with bleachers and all the shit.
Behing the announcers box on the other side of the arena was a big trailer parking area and about 12 small horse pens, so people don't have to have there horses tied constantly before getting ready.
I looked ahead and saw she had the steers out in a big pen behind the arena.
I parked the truck and trailer and squinted as the 4 PM sun blinded me.
I finally parked and got out to see Kiara meet me st the trailer.
"Hey! What are you doing here?" She said enthusiastic.
"Hey, well I brought Bullet and Linc, to watch the barrel racing tonight. I figured if we came early I could work with them in the arena a little bit and get better parking?" I said as a question making sure it was okay with her.
She was the only person I told about me going out on Apollo again.
"Sure, I've got to get back inside but I'll see you tonight!" She said speed walking back to the bar swinging her rag over her shoulder.
I came becasue in my opinion a lot of horses work eith a money see money do thing.
And just letting them am watch can't hurt, I think it helps and I always did it the day before a run with Lily or any horses I rode or worked it.
It can't hurt.
And plus getting them warmed up eith the other horses can help horses who have never done that before get a experience before I send them home.
I open the trailer door, to see Linc with his head over Bullets neck, and his lop flipped up and a crazy look on his face.
Linc is a horse client horse. He's a cute little buckskin (that isn't so little) he's almost Bullets height, I don't know what it is with people and tall barrel horses I always preferred shorter ones for Barrels.
I giggled at Linc as I untied Bullets halter amd lead him out. He's still getting used to the trailer process, I step down amd walk out death gripping the end of his lead rope, he hunches back amd snorted then finally super mam jumps out and lands in font of me sliding past.
I can't help but bust into laughter as this huge puppy is afraid to get out of a trailer, he pulls his head up in what looks like an offended look.
I finally get myself together and tie him to the trailer, and undo Linc and tie him.
Linc is more civil getting out and I'm greathful for that.
I tack them both up and tie Bullet to the railing, no ones here yet and ik gonna tale full advantage of that.
I warm him up quickly, and walk and trott the barrel pattern.
He does good and little sketchy of the second barrel for some reason but he got over it.
I finally tie him with enough lead so he can snack on some small patch of grass.
I get on Linc, and we warm up, mid way through trotting around the arena, I spot Kiara coming out again.
I trotted over to her and Linc is very interested in her shirt.
"Soooo, I know this is like a huge long shot but a girl bailed and we have a open barrel slot if you wanna run. Where doing a short one tonight only like 20 girls?" She asked, ikna little stunned at the checking, I know Linc would be ready, but I wasn't exactly planning on this tonight.
I straightness up in the saddle and look donw at Linc who's playing with the hem off her shirt.
Kiara sends me a pleaing smile, I know she's never push me to but she really loved watching me run when we where younger.
I cave and comply.
"Fine. No promises I'll do good though!" I tell and her she just grins her mega-watt smile and twirls around skipping back to the bar.
I sigh, what have I gotten myself into.
I give the boys a break and the trailer parking around me starts to fill.
I finish braiding Lincs main just to keep myself copied.
I check my cinch one last time, before getting on, there are a couple more girls warming up, I slip a blue ridden on Bullets tail, knowing there's bound to me mares near, and stuipid people, I've seen alot of accidents, where stallions aren't marking and people go up with other horses and try to pet them and the Stallion freaks.
I don't want that happing.
I still a red one on Linc just incase. He's with me to learn barrels he's 9 years old and he was just used for trail rides, but a new lady baught him and wanted to get him going on barrel racing, but when she went out for a ride a week after she baught him he kick her sons horse who was behind him becasue he got to close, so we've been working with that too.
His well mannered a little coo coo but he means well, so we wanna nip it in the butt before the aggresson progresses.
I finishing trying the ribbons and get on Linc I look back at Bullet tied there knwo8ng he'll be safe, I trust my little town, but just to be sure I make sure there are camera in sight and he's only a few feet away from where I'll be.
I warm Linc up with the other horses, I take note of two snotty girls, I know okw from last year in high school, Jazzy, she's a snob, she lives of her daddy's money, never pays for anything heraelves and ruins her horses, she has a new one every couple months bc she can't keep a good one alive.
It's sad really.
The other one is a tall girl with black hair, she's really pretty, but the sparkles on her are blinding I feel bad for her horse, she came pushing by my and ignored the red ribbon and kept following us and she almost clipped Linc twice.
I sighed when the Rodeo started, they started with some bull amd being riding, then Roping now Barrel Racing.
"Hey." I heard a squeaky voice say next to me. I turned to see a tall skinny beautiful little bleach blonde. I'm not talking chopy bleach blonde. Like professional looking and stunning.
She had the prettiest crystal blue eyes.
"Oh Hi." I said to the girl not wanting to be rude.
"I just wanted to sat your buckskin is adorable! I know he doesn't have a white ribbon, but is he by any chance for sale, I've been 3atching him move and he looks so smooth!" She sounded very hopeful I almost wanted to just tell her yes.
"Actually he's a client horse that I'm training this is his first run, I'm so sorry. But his owners do sell fix up and revoke alot of horses so if you are looking for a horse they might be doing that with this guy?" I felt to bad to just flat out say no.
She sighed and frowned, but perked up and looked at me "Okay, Well can I have your number just incase? OR your re a trainer so if you have another horse for sale maybe? I'm looking for a new barrel racer."
I smile at the girl and we exchange numbers.
She goes for her run, in a flash flash of white.
Her grey gelding turns the last barrel perfectly, I feel a twist in my gut when she makes it around but I exhale a breath I didn't know I was home when she runs home.
I sit there antsy in my seat till where called next.
I sit there making Linc walk the ally way.
I can feel how antsy he is under me, he knows what's gonna happen, and if this horse loves anythingnits to run.
We fianlky hit the end of the seemingly never ending ally and I let go.
I give him his head as he turn the first barrel, the second.
I close my eyes as he get to the third.
I feel that gut wrenching feeling in the stomach.
I feel a weird motion in his hind and I panic.
Doing this infront of a crowd is making this so much worse.
I open my eyes, coming uo the a barrel we turn seamlessly.
I sigh, as I give him his head and let him run home.
****
Well how's is going?
I'm like everyone else in the human race, I don't like anything I do and regret it all immediately so I rlly rely on yall telling me if it's good or not soooo pls gimme some feed back!