Born In The Saddle - Quicksilver Stud - Book 1 (#wattys2016)

Chapter 12

After our heart to heart Clay walked me back to the stables, where Connor was finishing up the dressage clinic. A few of the spectators turned and looked but I held my head up high and carried on. Clay had told me to call it a day but I declined the offer and went to help Amber bring in the ponies.

She skipped along to the door of a horse called Cocoa as I fastened the bolt.

'Two left.' She stated.

'Do I even need to ask?' I sighed feeling utterly exhausted after my trying day.

'Well there's Donny and......

'.....and Blaze.' I finished the sentence for her.

Blaze was proving to be a real pain to bring in every night. He was loving the good weather, and the late hour that the sun went down. He seemed to think that if the sun hadn't gone to bed yet then he didn't need to either.

The other day Amber had called him cheeky, and I'd discovered in the last few days that 'cheeky' was a major understatement. He'd let you think he was ready to be caught, allowing you to get within a couple of paces of him, and then he'd go charging off at the gallop for another half an hour.

He was even growing wise to our bribery tactics. On Wednesday, Amber had taken a couple of handfuls of fibre mix in a bucket to lure him in. He'd slowly approached, sniffed at the contents and then wrapped his teeth round the edge and dragged it from Amber's grasp. He then pranced off to the other side of the field and emptied the bucket before Amber could catch up.

'Look, you've had a rough day I'll get him.' She offered graciously.

'No, no, it's my turn. I'll sort it. Besides, it's not like this day can get any worse.'

I looked around the feed room like I was arming myself for battle. Picking up two carrots I stuffed both pockets and marched purposefully to the large open paddock that backed onto the river at the bottom. I could see Blaze grazing peacefully at the far side, but he looked up, sensing my approach even when I was only halfway down. I held one of the carrots in my hand making sure he could see the tasty orange offering as I moved towards him.

But he's clever, that was another thing Amber had called him. His head remained lowered just above the grass he'd been munching, but his gaze was fixed firmly on me - and the carrot. He was thinking. I could practically see the cogs turning behind his eyes.

'Now, here's how it's going to go today boy.' I spoke encouragingly. 'You're going to let me clip this rope on and then you get this nice yummy treat, ok?' I waved the carrot in my right hand into the air, holding his attention. Blaze stood stock still waiting for me to reach him.

I got to the last stride in front of him, gratitude surging through me as I reached out with the clip, only for Blaze to spring into the air, whip the extra carrot out of my left pocket and then canter away triumphantly.

I glared at him in disbelief. He virtually inhaled the thing.

'You really think you're funny don't you.' I muttered grumpily. Blaze pulled that face that always made me think he was smirking.

This was going to be a serious battle of wits. I was not letting go of the other carrot until I had that pony clipped on to the rope in my hand. But he wasn't going to make it easy.

Everytime I got close to him a little bubble of hope swelled inside me, only for it to be burst in an instant as Blaze would turn and flee. Not that I was the only one getting frustrated. Blaze wanted the carrot and, though he was sharp and got close to nabbing it a couple of times, I managed to cling onto it.