Finding Talent (1)

Finding Talent

Chapter One:

There wasn't anything special about the horse in front of me. He looked like a plain, typical quarter horse. Short legs, stocky body, almond shaped brown eyes.

"I wouldn't write him off to quickly if I were you," Al, the horse's owner warned me, "this guy... he's got a special talent." A special talent? Most all horses had a special talent! So what was so special about this bay gelding? Could he cut cows better than the other horses on the ranch? Or did his rollbacks have an extra something?

"And what would that be?" I asked, skeptical. This horse looked ordinary. Not extraordinary.

"If you buy him, you'll find out." Al winks. Great. If I want to know I have to buy the horse. It's not like I need another horse. The five I have already suit me just fine! However, curiosity tugs at me, and eventually wins.

"How much?" I ask. I'm not willing to spend over $4000 on this horse. The horse that I don't even need. I mean, he's nice lookin and all, don't get me wrong. A shiny cherry bay, with one white sock. A long blaze ran down his face. His hoofs are black, meaning that they are strong and hard.

"I was going to sell him for $5000," Al says, calling the gelding over, "but you're a family friend Sadie. I'll give him to you for $3500." Al knows I'm a sucker for good deals. And you have to be if your only 19 and living by yourself.

"Fine," I say, taking a deep breath, and stroking the horses muscled neck, "i'll take him," I write out the check "3500 dollars made out to Al Forecot.

"Thank you Sadie," he says, as I hand him the crisp check, "but... you forgot the rules of buying a horse."

"What do you mean by that? I didn't even come to buy a horse Al. I'm here to pick up a jar of jam." I say. And it's true. Al's wife, Rosalind, makes killer strawberry jam. Rosalind always gives me a jar, whenever she makes it.

"You never went out to catch the horse, or ride it, or saddle it..." Al laughs. I laugh to. I know that Al would never cheap out on me. He's been like a second father to me since my actual dad was killed. Him and Rosalind even offered to let me live at their place. I denied though, I had my house to look after. Lots of animals to.

My parents were killed a year ago in your classic car accident. They were coming home from a rodeo, huge horse trailer hooked up, when all of a sudden a drunk driver came swerving around the corner, crashed into them, sending them, and the trailer, off a cliff. The horse in the trailer, my dads favorite cow horse, was killed as well.

So, now I live at home by myself. I've got jobs all over the town, so I make enough money, not to mention, my parents left me their entire fortune in their will. I survive alone with my horses. Thoughts of college are far from my mind. I don't need college. I'm planning on heading into the rodeo business. Maybe in two years or so I'll apply to a college, but until then, I'm doing just fine.

"Mind if I borrow your trailer?" I ask Al, "I didn't exactly come here, looking for another horse."

"I'll just bring him up to your place later tonight with his tack and such. Save you the trouble." he offers. Al's so nice.

"Thanks Al. That would be great. I should probably go now though, I need to clean out my horses paddocks," I say heading to my old truck. Then, on second thought, I turn around and ask, "what's his name by the way?"

"He doesn't have one Sadie," he says, "so the honour of naming him is all yours. Now, I think that I can hear Rosalind yelling at me about something, so I better go. Enjoy the jam." Then, he walks away, towards the house, leaving me by myself.

"Ok..." I trail off, "by horse." I give the gelding a small awkward wave, then hop in my truck and drive home. My house isn't much. Just a small farm cottage. I own 50 acres of land. It was left to me by my parents. I had 70, but had to sell some off to make a little extra money.

I also own three large stables. My parents used to breed horses for the local rodeo. I sold off most of the stock, after the accident keeping my five favorites for myself. The stables are large. Fifteen stalls on each side, all large and roomy. Each stall used to have an automatic waterer, but some have them have broken, from lack of use.

Thirty of the acres are fenced in, the other 20 is forest. I have three arenas for riding. A large hay barn as well. Its a nice piece of property.

When I get back, I grab a pitchfork, and a wheelbarrow. I said I was going to clean out the fields. I guess I better get at it. My five horses are in the first paddock. It's big, so they are all in there comfortably. One of the horses, a 15.2hh chestnut gelding named Lazy Jay comes up and sniffs at the wheelbarrow.

"What's up Buddy?" I ask him. Jay is the curious one. Blue's Rain Dance (Rain), a 14.3hh skewbald mare is the shy one. Pluto's Milky Breeze (Breezy), a 15.3hh bay mare is the moody one. GW Kitty's Moon Walk (Moon), a 15.3hh bay gelding is the friendly one. And last of all, is my pride and joy. A chestnut yearling named Tricking The Wind (Trika). I took on Trika when she was just a filly. Rejected by her dam, she was weak. So, I raised her and am training her. She loves the two Herefords I have. I think that Trika will make a good cutting horse. All of my wonderful horses except for Rain are quarter horses. Rain is a pinto.

Soon, I have cleaned up all the manure, and dumped it in the manure pile behind the barn. Then I go into the stable. It's time to choose a stall and get it ready for the horse with his mystery talent.

AN: Soooo.... how is it????? I went back over it, and made some minor changes, fixing grammar, spelling etc. I also added Sadie's horses registered names. Please tell me what you think! Vote, Comment, Fan, CRITICIZE!!!! I take criticism very well. My mom is an English teacher, so I am used to it;) Anyway, I hope you liked the first chapter!