Stand Again

1,131 words

         A rider fights the mud which clings to her boots and which forces her to sink into the soft earth. Her eyes remain on her destination, a small muddy paddock with a lone gelding standing peacefully with his head down. He munches softly on his hay and doesn't raise his head to meet her eyes, though she knows by experience that he can hear her approaching. She arrives at the gate after freeing her feet of the quick sand-like ground and undoes the chain of the gate with a soft clang. With Arms Wide Open the rider smiles at her horse and prays that he wasn't up to his old antics of having her chase him.

         "Come on boy, Stand Here With Me and don't give me a hard time. I got these new boots all dirty just for you and all which I'm asking is for you not to play a game of 'chase.'" She pleads to her horse as she takes one step towards him and then stops. Her eyes constantly search his brown depths for any glimmer of mischief. With clear thought the old gelding steps forward and wearily walks to his rider. He patiently stands waiting for her to snap the halter on his head, and willingly follows her through the mud. They both slip and slide together as the unstable ground grabs their feet and then gives them no traction whatsoever.

         "We're getting a little Weathered, aren't we boy? Can't even find our footing and in your day you were the most sure-footed horse of them all!" She exclaims with a loving tone as she gives the horse a fond pat on his neck. They enter the stable side-by-side and she listens as his footsteps echo on the pale concrete. With quick hands she cross-ties the gelding and grabs a hoofpick from her back pocket. She presses her body against the gelding's shoulder and then waits for him to lift his foot. Several seconds pass and the gelding stands in the aisle way and doesn't even attempt to lift his leg.

         "Come on Jack, don't give me a hard time, just lift up your leg boy and we can get on with riding. Before us Young Grow Old." She stated to her horse in an agitated voice as she pressed her weight against the gelding again. This time to his rider's relief he picked up his leg and she quickly grabbed it with one hand. Suddenly, she felt his weight being thrown to one side and he was steadily falling sideways. His legs were slowly buckling beneath him and he was loosing his balance. With a sharp gasp she releases his leg but it was too late, the gelding falls to his knees and lays there with his neck stretched to it's limit by the cross ties which Bound and Tied him.

         "Oh, Linda! Someone, please, help!" She cries out as her hand grabs for the cold metal and she unlatches the cross-ties from Jack's halter. The gelding lays in a crunched position as his head hangs low and the rider cries again for help.

         "Lisa, is that you? What's wrong?" She breathes a sigh of relief as a familiar voice echoes towards her and she realizes it is the barn owner. Lisa rushes to the woman as she takes a deep breath to steady herself so that she could speak clearly.

         "I'm so happy to see you Linda! Jack has gone down, as you can see,
and I don't know what to do! He's always been so dependable, never been sick one day in his long life. What can I do? How can I help him?" Lisa asked in a pleading voice as she stares down at her horse and watches as he attempts to stand. Unfortunately, to add to her growing fear every attempt he made was unsuccessful and his body fell down to the cement floor with the sound of scraping metal.

         "I'm sorry to tell you Lisa but I don't think there is anything we can do,
except stay out of the way. Jack will have to get on his own two feet by himself, would you like me to stand here with you?" The owner asks as she places a comforting hand on Lisa's shoulder. Lisa shakes her head in response, feeling a loss for words. She stands over her horse and listens as Linda's footsteps disappear and all which she hears is Jack's labored breathing.

         "Is This The End, Jack? Please don't tell me it is. What's This Life For if I can't live it with you, you big goof? We've been through so much together, please don't leave me." Lisa whispers to the gelding as she rubs his neck and looks at his aged body. The years were finally catching up with the twenty year old horse and his once brilliantly shining coat now lost most of it's luster. His eyes still told her that he wasn't going to give up yet, they shined with the luster his coat once had. She wished that she could Wash Away Those Years and make him a young colt again.

         "Oh, Jack, please don't die. Never Die boy, never!" Lisa says as
she kneels next to her horse and lays her head on the gelding's crest. She was aware of her tears soaking his mane and neck, but she didn't care. She sobs harder as she feels her horse's muzzle on her neck and his whiskers tickling the nape of her neck.

         "You're going the Wrong Way boy, you aren't supposed to leave me first. If you can't get up, then I'm going to ... to..." She stutters her last words as she didn't even want to say what she would have to do. Lisa feels Jack's body tensing and she stands to move away from the gelding's body. She only hoped that he could look for the strength that's Inside Us All and find his strength to stand again.

         Please, God, let him stand. Don't make me make a decision which I will always regret. I don't want to put my first horse down, please give him the strength to stand. Lisa desperately thought as she watches him gather his legs beneath himself and give a mighty push with his hindquarters. For a few seconds she holds her breath in apprehension and watches as the gelding sways from one side to another. As his body steadies he raises his head Higher and looks deep into her eyes. Thank you, she could see his gratitude and wraps her arms around his long neck.

         "No need to thank me, big guy. I love you, and I'm so happy that you
can stand. I don't know what I would do without you..."

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