I
t was a cool autumn morning, in Maryland right next to the Gunpowder State
Park, just after the morning feed. The birds chirped, singing their glorious,
merry songs, serenading the horses. The wind was slow, whipping the
already fallen leaves around the pastures, and luring the leaves on the oak trees
to fall and join in the dance. Squirrels and chipmunks were searching for food,
nuts, berries, anything they could find, storing up for upcoming winter, to come in
just a few weeks. The sun was in the side of the sky, it had just risen about an
hour ago; it gave off beautiful yellow, orange, peach colored light. The dog
chased the woodland creatures out looking for food; the squirrels hiding in the
grass, and white mountain laurel flowers to stay away from the dogs. The cats
were out taunting the birds and playing with dancing leaves, thinking they were
alive as well.
The barn was silent, peaceful, a haven for horseback riders and horse
lovers. The farmer was in her house, just a few yards away, so it was just the
horses, free to be themselves, now that their watchful guardian, with eyes like a
hawk, always there, always watching, was gone. All five horses were in their own
stalls, devouring hay and grain, and slurping up water. The horses were itching to
get out and roam free in the pasture, to graze freshly cut grass, to roll around in
the soft, soothing, tempting sand and to be with the other horses, together, next
to each other, with out the hard undefeatable, guard of the wall separating them.
But all the horses knew that the reassurance of their warm, homey stall was
much safer. It was just a normal day on the farm.
Lydia, a mare, a Morgan horse about two years old, was in her stall, next
to her mother’s who is also a Morgan horse. She, like most Morgan horses, is a
variation of bay and medium brown, depending on the light, her mane was dark
brown and so was her long wavy silky tail that touched the floor; she was built
like any other Morgan horse: short, slender but strong. She was dreaming about
days to come later in her life, about being the next Chief Leader of the barn. But
for now she was just the youngest horse, nothing special, nothing great or
extraordinary, just Lydia. “And besides, Alpha is the Chief Leader now. But what
happens when he’s gone….. could I become the next Chief Leader? No I will not
think that way…” Lydia thought to herself. Her biggest dream in life is to be the
Chief Leader, over every other dream: to find a buck to settle down with, or, to
have a mare or buck of her own.
Lydia’s stall was on the end, the stall next to her was her mother, Izzy
whose buck died last year, and then it was Blueboy an Appaloosa the farmer
found, he’s two and a half, then its Blackjack, a black stallion, and lastly the first
stall in the barn Alpha, a twenty-seven year old Morgan horse. Everyone obeyed
Alpha without question; if he is so much as walk into a different pasture than the
others while grazing then, scared to loose him, they all follow, unless they are
told otherwise. Alpha was the most important horse in the barn, and everyone
knew it.
Finally at ten o’clock sharp, right on schedule just as the farmer wanted to
keep it, she led everyone into the pasture to graze. The daily graze was what all
the horses looked forward to everyday, but it was cut a little short today due a
sudden rain shower. The horses were disappointed, of course but they knew that
the farmer would give them extra time tomorrow.
After the nightly feed of alfalfa, and grain, the farmer went to her house as
usual. Since Lydia raced Blueboy in the pasture three times, and winning of
course, then she rolled in the sand victoriously, she was exhausted so she went
to sleep in her stall.
The next day Lydia woke to the earth-shatteringly loud sound of the doors
opening. “Sheesh the farmer could be a little quieter, doesn’t she know that its
morning and some of us are still asleep!” But Lydia was happy the farmer was
there because she was getting really hungry, it was twenty minutes after when
they normally eat! She heard Blackjack a few stalls over, “FOOD! I am starving
bring it on!” although all the farmer could hear was “neigh, neigh!” They were
taken out to pasture to graze after they were done eating.
Everything was going great, just as usual, until Blackjack say something of
interest in the woods, and cantered after it. Alpha, wanting to get Blackjack back
before anyone even noticed they were gone, charged in the woods after him. But
of course since two horses cantering at full speed after one another into the
woods, can be quiet, all the horses noticed.
Any of the horses would follow Alpha anywhere, so it was instinct for them
to race into the woods after their leader. Izzy, followed by Lydia and Blueboy
came across a meadow, 50 yards into the woods, where Alpha had caught up to
Blackjack and talked some sense into him. The meadow was gorgeous,Lydia
thought. There was all kinds of flowers: blue, yellow and white violets, trout lilly, u
mountain laurel, and wild geraniums. The sunlight hit the dew on the grass,
making it sparkle. The birds sung merrily in the trees. Lydia loved this place, she
wanted to stay. But Alpha wanted to get everyone back, before their
disappearance caused a scene.
“Alright everyone, let’s get back to the barn, before the farmer notices.
Now, we are sure this won’t happen again, right Blackjack?” announced
Alpha.
“Uh, yes. I mean uh yes, sir.” stuttered Blackjack.
“Good, very well then, let’s go. Blueboy, lead the way back” said Alpha.
“But Alpha, there’s no trail, how am I supposed to know, the way?” worried
Blueboy.
“Don’t worry Blueboy, it’ll all be ok, I’ll lead the way if it makes you feel
better.” comforted Alpha.
With that last remark, Alpha trotted off, with Lydia close behind and the
others following. When they first went into the woods, Lydia noticed that it only
took about two minutes but, now it’s already been five and they were going at the
same pace. But she told herself not to worry.
She started to worry when it had been ten minutes. She told Alpha to call
halt for a break, and everyone ceased. She told Alpha what she had been
thinking about, and why she was worried and he replied, “Lydia, I think you’re
right, I noticed the same thing. I think we are lost.”
This scared Lydia greatly, she had never heard Alpha, admit to being
wrong, come to think of it, Alpha has never even been wrong before. She had a
feeling that Alpha, was getting too old to be Chief Leader, and he hasn’t been
himself lately. Maybe her dream of becoming the barns’ next Chief Leader could
come true, since Alpha couldn’t handle it lately.
“Lydia I want you to help me on this, um, adventure. I need your help.”
Alpha said, to Lydia’s utter surprise.
This was Lydia’s opportunity to prove herself to Alpha and the others, she
had to take it, and she knew it too.
“Of course I’ll help you, you can count on me” Lydia replied.
“Thank you Lydia, now do you remember how we got here.”
“Well I remember how it looked when we ran into the woods and what it
smelled like too.” She then described the glorious sights and smells of her
surroundings as she had run into the woods.
“Wonderful, you remember more than I do, you will lead us back to the
barn.”
Lydia was proud, scared and amazed all at the same time. Proud because,
her idol the person she looked up to was asking for her help, but, this was scary
because, he normally doesn’t need help. The fact that their skilled Chief Leader
of the barn was looking down to her, just a mare two years old, amazed her. But
as proud as she felt she was the most nervous she had ever been in her life,
“What if I fail them? Will we ever get back to the barn then? Will any of my friends
get hurt?” she thought.
But if Alpha was seeking her help, she just couldn’t say no, she’d have to
be brave. “Alright”, she said, “I’m up for the challenge. Let’s go!”
Alpha explained to the group how Lydia would be “taking over this mission
and I’ll be her assistant” he put it.
Lydia remembered that the “path” they took as they ran into the woods
smelled of violets, and how the barn smelled of alfalfa and hay. So she smelled
all around the woods, searching for the familiar scents.
When she at first had almost lost hope of her plan, she picked up a distant
trail of violets. She led the group east, towards the scent, but, they were all very
tired so they just walked. She had found the trail and followed it a little way
before the sun set and everyone officially wanted to stop.
“Well”, Lydia thought, “there goes one whole day and the idea to get back
before the farmer notices, she’s probably already noticed.”
Everyone had munched on the grass and the flowers of all sorts, and both
tasted really good, they all agreed. The problem was water though. There wasn’t
a pond or stream nearby and it wasn’t going to rain any time soon, so, the only
water the horses got was the water in the plants they ate. The truth was they
were all thirsty and homesick; they really wanted the comfort of their warm
relaxing stalls to sleep in that night. But instead they had to sleep on the ground,
they were used to this too though.
Everyone had fallen asleep, except for Lydia and Alpha, who both had too
many things on their minds to sleep soundly.
“You’re doing a fantastic job so far, Lydia, I’m truly proud.” Alpha
complimented.
“Thank you. You don’t know how much it means to me to hear that.” Lydia
replied.
Alpha had smiled, well as much as any horse can actually smile, anyway.
“As you can probably tell, I don’t know how much longer I’m up to being the Chief
leader of the barn.” he admitted. Lydia had no idea how to respond, but, she was
speechless anyway, and she didn’t say a word.
“I know it’s a bit shocking to hear that. But the truth is if I’m not going to be
the Chief Leader anymore, than someone has too.” He said. Lydia could not
believe where this conversation was going and once again she was speechless.
“That’s why I picked you to lead this, because I see great potential in you, Lydia,
and I think you’d make a great Leader.”
Lydia was so ecstatic; she simply could not believe this. She managed to
say, “T-thank you so much Alpha sir.”
“You’re welcome, Lydia, but, like I said it’s true and I only speak the truth.
You’re a very special horse; I’ve never seen one quite like you. I hope that you’ll
be the next Chief Leader.”
“Thank you sir.” was all Lydia managed to get out. After that they both fell
asleep.
Izzy was the first to wake, and she woke everyone else. They were all
ready to get going and get home, so, they trotted off right away. They soon
passed the meadow they had been in just the day before and Lydia knew they
were on the right track and just a few minutes from home.
She was exactly right they were back home in a few minutes. She had
done it. She led the group back to barn. She felt amazing, ecstatic, just as she
had the night before when Alpha told her he wanted her to be the next Chief
Leader.
She wasn’t the only happy one, everyone started neighing happily, and
thankfully. Blackjack and Blueboy started playfully chasing each other around the
pasture.
“You did it Lydia I’m so proud of you! It’s great to be back!” Izzy said.
“Thanks mom, I’m happy to be home too. I think I like and appreciate the
farm even more now.” Lydia replied.
“Me too, Lydia, I think we all do.”
Lydia was happy to hear that her mom was so proud, but, the one
person’s opinion she wanted to hear most was Alpha’s.
“I knew you could do it!” Alpha said to Lydia.
“Thank you sir, I really appreciate it.”
“Don’t thank me, I’m not the one who led us all back here safely, without
any help. We all really appreciate what you’ve done; we might not have gotten
back, or at least not yet, to the farm. I talked around and everyone agrees, you
should be the next Chief Leader.”
The farmer had noticed them now, and was so thrilled they were back, she
had apparently been extremely worried, and missed them terribly. They were all
back in their safe, cozy stalls. Lydia had noticed that everyone was treating her
differently, with more respect, the same respect Alpha got. She was very happy
that her dream of becoming the next Chief Leader seemed like it was going to
come true after all.
In the next few months, Alpha sorrowfully and to everyone’s surprised,
passed of old age. Everyone nominated Lydia to be Chief Leader and she
accepted. She was the new Alpha, the new leader.
Works Cited
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Milwaukee, WI: 1998. Print.
Edwards, Elwyn Hartley. “Morgan Horse” The Ultimate Horse Book. Weeks, Jo. .
New York, NY: 1991. Print.
H. “The Horse’s Digestive System” The Horse.com Your Guide to Equine Health .
Care. Succeed. n.d. Web. 19 Nov, 2010.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources. “Gunpowder Falls State Park” .
Department of Natural Resources. Maryland. n.d. Web. 19 Nov, 2010.
M. “Morgan Horse” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition. n.d Web. 17.
Nov, 2010.
Price, Steven D. “Morgan, Justin” World Book: Student. World Book: 2010. Web. .
17 Nov, 2010.
United States Department of Agriculture. New Jersey Pasture Management .
Guide for Horse Owners. USDA. Web. 18 Nov, 2010.