That night, Piper’s first night in the barn approximately six months after she bought him, was a long one. Partly because she didn’t sleep very well. At first Piper had been interested and happy in the stall, curious of the cows lowing nearby and the woodchips and rubber matting beneath.
But no sooner had she turned to leave that he became restless, anxious, neighing and disturbing the nearby cows. So she stayed a little while longer, reading, drawing, checking tack and bolts and windows. When she was absolutely sure Piper was sleeping, she sidled out of the barn and crept back towards the house.
And as before, Piper’s panicked calls and the sound of kicking greeted her. So she stayed the night in his stall, sitting against the wall on clean bedding, his head in her lap like an oversized puppy, her right leg asleep and numb and uncomfortable. But she wasn’t going anywhere. The stallion snorted softly in his sleep, and her eyes traced the line of his cheek, his brow, his legs, the one odd hoof.
A mental note was made to send a card to Bear Run Equestrian. She tried to imagine a nondescript gelding in Piper’s place and couldn’t. Yes, this nondescript gelding would have had a personality of his own, but would she have worked anywhere near as hard to form a bond with him? No. She knew that.
Everything could just wait when it came to Piper. She wasn’t sure when she drifted off, only that when she opened her eyes sunlight was drifting in and Piper was waiting by the stall door, one foreleg raised, ears pricked forward and body alert as he watched something she couldn’t see.
She stretched, working feeling back into her legs again. Yes, having a stallion fall asleep on you was not conducive to good blood flow. But here she was, slowly standing, stroking Piper over and following his gaze.
Coffee would have to wait, she thought when she saw what he did. A morning this gorgeous, full of possibility, could not be wasted indoors. She wasn't done taming Piper - a million things lay ahead, such as the cows still, other people, highways, and being loaded into the trailer, but she was content for now.
Piper took longer to settle into the barn than he took with most things. For one, she couldn't always sleep with him as she had the first night. Which meant that she spent many nights in her bed listening to him whinnying and then the cows would become restless and disturbed and before she knew it she was getting no sleep anyway. But with each night she firmly reminded herself he needed to become adjusted to the barn, he quieted sooner and sooner. She came first thing in the morning to care for him and turn him out, making sure to stick to this new schedule so that he would be calmer and she could get her work done for the day.
After a while, and especially during that winter, he seemed to truly enjoy his stable. One of his favorite things to do (and, oh, was he discovering things he loved to do, both good and bad) was to come in after she cleaned his stall and roll in the new bedding, snorting and kicking his legs into the air.
She enjoyed watching him, and was glad that both of them were finally getting sleep.
Word Count: 560
But no sooner had she turned to leave that he became restless, anxious, neighing and disturbing the nearby cows. So she stayed a little while longer, reading, drawing, checking tack and bolts and windows. When she was absolutely sure Piper was sleeping, she sidled out of the barn and crept back towards the house.
And as before, Piper’s panicked calls and the sound of kicking greeted her. So she stayed the night in his stall, sitting against the wall on clean bedding, his head in her lap like an oversized puppy, her right leg asleep and numb and uncomfortable. But she wasn’t going anywhere. The stallion snorted softly in his sleep, and her eyes traced the line of his cheek, his brow, his legs, the one odd hoof.
A mental note was made to send a card to Bear Run Equestrian. She tried to imagine a nondescript gelding in Piper’s place and couldn’t. Yes, this nondescript gelding would have had a personality of his own, but would she have worked anywhere near as hard to form a bond with him? No. She knew that.
Everything could just wait when it came to Piper. She wasn’t sure when she drifted off, only that when she opened her eyes sunlight was drifting in and Piper was waiting by the stall door, one foreleg raised, ears pricked forward and body alert as he watched something she couldn’t see.
She stretched, working feeling back into her legs again. Yes, having a stallion fall asleep on you was not conducive to good blood flow. But here she was, slowly standing, stroking Piper over and following his gaze.
Coffee would have to wait, she thought when she saw what he did. A morning this gorgeous, full of possibility, could not be wasted indoors. She wasn't done taming Piper - a million things lay ahead, such as the cows still, other people, highways, and being loaded into the trailer, but she was content for now.
Piper took longer to settle into the barn than he took with most things. For one, she couldn't always sleep with him as she had the first night. Which meant that she spent many nights in her bed listening to him whinnying and then the cows would become restless and disturbed and before she knew it she was getting no sleep anyway. But with each night she firmly reminded herself he needed to become adjusted to the barn, he quieted sooner and sooner. She came first thing in the morning to care for him and turn him out, making sure to stick to this new schedule so that he would be calmer and she could get her work done for the day.
After a while, and especially during that winter, he seemed to truly enjoy his stable. One of his favorite things to do (and, oh, was he discovering things he loved to do, both good and bad) was to come in after she cleaned his stall and roll in the new bedding, snorting and kicking his legs into the air.
She enjoyed watching him, and was glad that both of them were finally getting sleep.
Word Count: 560
