Trouble X Two

Chapter:3

Bright and early. I got up, ate breakfast and made sure everything was good to go. I grabbed the check book and checked the ranch account. "Mind if one of the twins goes with you?" James asked. "Nope. It will be a nice experience for him." I said. "Packing a lunch or getting it at the vendors?" James asked. "At the vendors. It's going to be too hot to pack a lunch." I said.

The twins came in right on cue. "So which one is going to the stockyard with me today?" I asked. They looked at each other. "I'll stay behind and help James." One said. I should really figure out a way to tell them apart. "Grab something to eat. We need to get there to get a prime parking spot." I said. "Yes ma'am." The one going with me said.

Annie threw him a ziplock full of muffins. I grabbed my phone and made my way out the front door with him tailing. I unlocked the truck getting in. He got in the passenger side. "Sorry for the mess. Every time I get in, it gets thrown over there or in the backseat." I said. "I'm used to it. Kent is the same way." He said. So Eli is the one going with me today.

At the stockyards, I backed into a spot as they were unloading nearly a hundred horses. "Wish I could purchase those that are not going to be sold today." I said. "No room?" He asked. "Not enough money. If I see any mares that might be a good investment I'll get them." I said. "I'll help ya spot them." He said. "I go for the ones no one is bidding on." I told him.

"I would too." He said. I got out and got into the backseat. I moved buckets, chains and a few other miscellaneous things trying to find the leads I keep in my truck. I finally found my hoard of leads and stuck them in an empty bucket. "What time does the first one start?" Eli asked. "At nine. In about thirty minutes." I said.

I closed the door and locked the truck before leading the way. I got a bidding paddle and went to find a seat. Eli sat down beside me watching the ring. "It's different sitting up here instead of handling the animals." He said. "You might get used to it the more you go." I said. "Sure about that?" He asked. "Absolutely." I told him.

At nine sharp it began with a well bred stallion. "My girls would probably have nice foals from a stud like that." I said. "Probably so." He said. I watched intently until a six year old gelding that had a limp. No one was making a bid until I flashed my number. I can work with a lame horse. No one else bid on him. That's one gelding.

I got two mares that looked underweight and finally two more geldings that could be turned into ranch horses. There was one more that I absolutely took pity on and had enough for him. At the end of the sale, even though it was already noon, I wanted to see how many more were left. Many were loading their horses up and getting out. I went and got my leads out of the truck and went for my purchases.

I signed the papers for each horse and made sure they had a halter with my ranch name on them. I had to be careful of the one with a limp. He honestly looked frisky and ready to run. I ran my hand along his back while Eli held his head.

I pinched certain places along his rear flank all the way down to his heel. He flinched at his heel. I squeezed it again. "Let's move him to the trailer and out of these conditions." I said. Eli nodded. I gave him a lead. He led the horse to the ranch trailer. I had him tie the horse up in the grass freely.

I then tried to get him to pick his hoof up for me. He declined. I got him to finally pick the hoof up. "Hoof pick and disinfectant." I told Eli. "Rag as well?" He asked. "Yes." I told him. He handed the stuff to me. I dug around the wall before feeling around the bottom of his hoof. He squealed when I gently applied pressure to one area. His frog. Eli was quick to get the gelding away from stepping on me.

I let him calm down before I disinfected the area and cleaning it with Eli holding the horse still for me. "I'd say it's deep." I said. "Pocket knife?" I asked. He tossed me one. I dug around the tender area. He squealed again. Eli kept a firm hold on him. I got the area cut finding a hoof abscess.

"No wonder he was acting up and limping." I said. I cleaned it out and made sure the area around it was clean. One down, five more to go. "Load this one up and tie him in the front." I said after snapping a hoof cover onto his injured hoof to keep the insides clean. "Then we'll get the other five horses." I said. He nodded.

Once all of the horses were loaded, we went to grab a bite to eat before heading home. James and Kent helped us unload the six horses. James wanted to better examine the two mares. I got the geldings situated in their stalls, even having Eli and Kent clean the tack filled stalls out.