Horsin' About: (Day 4 - Morning)

Old Tom was up early. Feedin’ us. Waterin’ us. I do like to eat, but it weren’t light outside yet. Had a right nice piss, though. They’s got a bunch of us out the paddock. Old Tom an’ Billy out strappin’ down saddles. Buck ain’t too pleased. He’n Fred are snortin’ an’ stampin their feet. Jenny…she don’t never slow down…rarin’ to go. Star’s still woozy, an’ Kate’s stickin’ with her. Flyer…he was an “away” horse…tribals traded him for crop seed. Don’t much like saddles…they rode him bareback.

Billy adds feed an’ water to each saddlebag, while Old Tom slips bang makers into sheaths. I catch Jenny’s eye. She knows we’re goin’ where the wolfs are. Wait… I smell Doc!

There he is…and he brought two whoa-mans. Thought little one was a child but her mate scent is prime age. She an’ Flyer…I never did see that horse take tah a whoa-man before.

Second whoa-man got a mate scent, but she ain’t mated. Kinda nervous, but she’s lovin’ on lots of noses and flanks. Stickin’ to Jenny…I’da picked Star for her, but they ain’t asked me. Jenny’s feelin’ her gallop this morning…might make it tough for the quiet whoa-man.

Here’s Doc. Brought me a carrot, an’ a good scratch on the jaw. His scent is easy. ‘course, t’other whoa-man, one he wants for mate…she ain’t here. That always makes it easy. I lift my head, snort howdy, an’ hold still while he climbs on.

Little whoa-man swings right up on Flyer so fast he don’t have a chance to rear. She got her hemp work down, too…had both leads for Kate an’ Star tied off to her horn afore Billy could offer. Doc’s doin’ the same…I’ll be leadin’ Buck an’ Fred aways. Fred’s alright, but Buck an’ me…well, sometimes we don’t eat the same feed, if you get my meanin’.

Old Tom ain’t particular happy. Heard ‘im say “Sheriff” couple times. I know Sheriff. We used to ride with him, til Old Tom dropped off me once. I weren’t doin’ nothin’, neither…just standin’ alongside Sheriff’s horse Jumper. Doc’s not riled…seems right comfortable. Old Tom an’ Billy watch us as we head out.

Soon, we’re canterin’. Jenny, stop that! You know Quiet Whoa-man ain’t at her ease! I look to Flyer…see how he’s treatin’ Little Whoa-man. Lookahere! His head’s up, mane’s winded…eyes all alight…lookit him lift them legs! He’s happy…Little Whoa-man showin’ teeth like she’s happy,.too.

Big barn in the clearing. One of them real noisy ones what flies. They’s folks waitin. Old fella with a game leg. He’s from here…smells like trees. Young fella with a mane like Fred’s! Durn near same color an’ everhthing. He got a very little whoa-man. She’s hoppin’ an’ bobbin’ all around him…don’t seem she’s settin’ right. Tall whoa-man..lookin’ us up an’ down. She an’ Little Whoa-man palaver, before she takes Kate.

An there’s Doc’s whoa-man. She ain’t stopped lookin’ at him once. For all the mate scent between ‘em, what they doin’ out here with us? Go get it done…that’s what I say. She an’ Doc talk, then whisper. She walks away, leadin’ Buck to the old fella. Doc shifts in his saddle. Mans and whoa-mans…I done give up figgerin’ ‘em out.

They team us up. Doc’s with Quiet Whoa-man…good. I can keep Jenny in harness. Doc’s Whoa-man took Old Fella and’ Tall Whoa-man. She mounts Star, an’ they set off, leadin’ us all at a trot.

Little Whoa-man and Young Fella are paired off…and they ain’t happy a bit. Not much difference ‘tween mate scent an’ fight scent, usually cuz one leads t’other. Way they sizin’ each other up, I sure hope they choose matin’…cuz if it goes fight, one ‘em ain’t comin’ back. Like I said, Fred’s okay…and mebbe Flyer will put some distance ‘twixt ‘em.

We split up just outside town. Old Fella, Doc’s Whoa-man, and Tall Whoa-man cut across a field, while Doc an’ Quiet Whoa-Man head out left. Little Whoa-Man an’ Young Fella go right.

We’s trottin, but Jenny keeps pushin’ to gallop, makin’ Quiet Whoa-man hang on for fear of fallin’. You stop yer devilry, I warn Jenny. She just look back, mischief in her eye.

Gonna be one of them "cracked hoof" kinda days.