The horse that cries wolf - story.

[Niccolai Murphy <niccolai_m@yahoo.com>]

Hi my name is Elektra, chief  and only mare at my place, I let the
boys think that they are in charge. I'm a five year old TWH and have
been trying to figure out this saddle business for a couple of years
now. Been allowed out on the trail lately too. For a carrot I'll tell
you about the time I saw a wolf on the trail.....

Several months ago I had my human feed me some carrots and stick that
saddle on for an evening ride. I don't mind telling you that it's a
scary world outside these rails. Interesting too, all sorts of stuff
to look at, sniff and eat, except the danged reins keep getting in the
way of a good look-see-sniff-gobble. It started off as a normal trail
ride, we passed the llama down the road, always make sure you maintain
at least 30 feet seperation from those critters. I have it on good
authority that 30 feet is their maximum spitting range. We continued
out into the outback after neighing goodbye to the peahens sitting on
the roofs and the last pack of dogs yapping by their fences.

We started up the meandering trail on the hill-side, the sun in our
eyes and breeze against our backs, when it happened. 'Ahhhh
W,W,WOOOLLLFF run for your stinking lives!' With a bit of quick
thinking I yanked the reins around and took a bouncing leap, that a
gazelle would have been proud of, off the trail into the shoulder high
brush. That ought to throw the wolf off, didn't look like those
circular legs are much good for bush-whacking. I jumped across the
gullys to rejoin the trail further back and headed for the safety of
home, my head buzzing with adrenaline. Handled that one pretty well,
don't you think?

A mile or so down the trail I noticed a bunch of guys hanging out in
their corrals and gave them a jaunty 'Hello.' They invited me over for
a bit of nosh, so being the polite mare that I am, I obliged. Besides
I'd just noticed that my human had wandered off, so this was as good a
place to wait for him as any. One of the geldings left his herd and
asked me what that gizmo that was hanging around my belly.

Didn't I tell you? That darn saddle came loose again. Slid, around to
my belly it did. Couldn't get it set right no matter how hard I kicked
it. Took the skin off the inside of my legs, it did. I was walking
funny for a day or two after that. Well at least my human will tighten
it properly from now on. The reins broke too. Funny that, can't
remember it, even though it must have tugged some. Haven't the
faintest idea how the stirrup leathers parted company either. Heavens
only, knows where my human's phone and wallet went. I figured, 'Never
mind, he's a resourceful chap, he'll figure it out.'

All of five minutes later my human came panting and pelting down the
trail straight past us, looked to be in an awful hurry and that wolf
was still chasing him. I fugured that he wasn't in much danger since
the wolf already had one human strapped to it's back and couldn't have
been all that hungry. I gather humans calm down as they get older, I'm
so looking forward to that. I figured he'll be back, meanwhile there
was that lawn to work on.

A couple of hours later, when it was getting dark, my little neighbor
girl came looking for me, didn't have any carrots though. She got rid
of that silly saddle and took me down to the road where my human was
goofing off talking to the girl's mother. Looked like we'd have to
clean him off, get him some new clothes and a new helmet. I had my
human saddle me up and I took him out for a quick run around the trail
to make sure he realized that he couldn't get out of riding by just
hopping off every time we saw a wolf. 

My human was a little sore for a couple of months but it was only a
hand full of broken ribs and it didn't slow him down much. He made the
cutest groaning noises when I nuzzled him in just the right spot. The
wolve? Well you see them around out there but they seem well fed, I'm
not against killing humans for meat. Just not my human. Oops, here
comes Hal, think I'll wander off and get a drink, see ya later.




==
Nicco Murphy - Poway, San Diego, CA


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