The first of two short stories on my own creation: Lowedon Hollow Stables. For horse lovers and - uh... other peoples. Ehehe. ^^' Enjoy ! ^^

The sun shone on the yards and barns of Lowedon Hollow Stables. The main stables were filled with the gentle sounds of sleeping horses. One stable at the end of the row had a little pony in the straw snoring contently. As the welcoming sun warmed his back, he gave a yawn and stretched his legs. He woke to see a big, dark yet familiar figure looming over him. "Hi, Percy," it said gently. The colt smiled.

"Hi Caitlyn," he nickered sleepily.

Percy was a flaxen chestnut Welsh Section A gelding. His coat was the colour of a ripe orange and his mane was the colour of the straw, complete with bright blue eyes, a thick blaze down his face and four white socks. He was the smallest horse at Lowedon Hollow. And Caitlyn was his best friend – Caitlyn was a 16.2 hh blue roan Boer Cape Horse mare. She had green eyes and an ermine mark on her near-hind leg. She was the strongest, gentlest and most loyal horse at Lowedon Hollow.

"You've got a big day ahead of you, Percy", Caitlyn reminded the little colt. Percy's heart flipped with excitement and anxiety. It was a pretty big day for him. Today was the day he had to learn to stand again. When he'd first arrived at Lowedon Hollow, he'd had a bad accident and had to be strung up in a sling until it was thought his legs would hold him again. And today was the day.

'Can I do this?' he thought worriedly. 'What if I can't?' Caitlyn read his mind.

"You can do this, Percy. You've had your head in the clouds long enough. Time to come back down to Earth, eh?"

Percy chuckled. "Yeah, OK." He loved the way Caitlyn used funny expressions.

Soon, everyone in the stable was wide awake and gathered round to watch little Percy get back on his feet. But, to Percy, that was easier said than done. He felt that he'd let everyone down if he couldn't do this.

Caitlyn interrupted him. "Hey, Percy, your legs feel okay?"

Percy looked at his spindly legs. What he wanted to say was 'No, they feel sort of... well, my back legs are fine, but it feels like I don't even have front legs!' but what Percy really said was "Um, I think so."

Caitlyn could tell by her friend's voice that he felt different. Percy could tell that Caitlyn was telepathically saying to tell the truth. So, he said what he'd thought. "I don't think I can even remember how to stand," he added, blushing.

Elm laughed. "'Can't remember how to stand!' What an idiot you can be, Percy!"

Whenever Percy was teased, it was either Elm or Conifer which were the usual culprits.

Percy sighed crossly. "Shut up, Elm! You wouldn't be laughing if you were me!" he snapped defensively.

Whenever Percy's voice became defensive, it squeaked – even though he was a colt at three years old.

"Yeah, but I'm not you, that's the point", Elm retorted. Elm thought he had an interesting sense of humour. But it was no better than a horsefly's - and they weren't exactly kings of comedy.

Still, Caitlyn defended the helpless colt. "Elm, shut up now or you'll find yourself down the hospital with a rather severe nosebleed." Elm knew that was the queue for him to keep quiet – he jumped at the chance.

Percy thought he'd try to get up with his front legs first, and then he could use his stronger back legs to push him up. So, he carefully unfolded his front legs so that they laid out flat in front of him. Slowly, Percy hoisted himself up until he was nearly sitting. His legs felt very wobbly. They were actually shaking like towers of jelly. Percy feared that if he moved his body again, his legs would collapse. But he had to if he wanted to use his hind legs to push his body up and get him standing. Percy had only shifted his weight a little when his fore legs shook violently and crumbled beneath him. Percy tumbled back into the straw, feeling flushed and very stupid.

"Percy, you okay?" Caitlyn gasped.

"Yeah, I'm fine", a small voice replied back. The flaxen raised his head from the straw, unhurt.

'Okay, that's never going to work', he thought. 'What if I started with my back legs first? After all, they are stronger than my front legs.' So, Percy decided to have another try – but this time, he'd stand on his hind legs and use his fore legs to push him up. Risky yet more ideal.

So, he wriggled his back legs until they were under him and he pushed up. Elm had to have another giggle.

"Percy, you realize how stupid you look? You look like a stepping-stone or a mountain summit or something along the lines of that anyway".

"Elm, what's this?" Caitlyn stared hard at the bright bay gelding. Elm knew the answer. He said nothing. Percy concentrated hard – he really didn't want to fall down and look silly again. But as Percy pushed up on his fore legs, they couldn't take his weight and collapsed again. The impact of Percy's chest on the floor of the stable shook his back legs off balance and they couldn't hold him either. Percy felt silly, but he wasn't put off. He was determined to keep trying to stand up – however long it took him.

After several more attempts, Percy sighed. He'd tried all sorts of tricks, but he still lay in the straw. His legs ached and his heart sank. Would he ever get up on his own four hooves again? Poor Percy felt like he'd let everyone down. "It's no good," he sighed unhappily. "I'll never be able to stand again."

Caitlyn was quick to criticize. "Percy, don't give me that. I know you're stronger than this – you will stand – you can do this. I believe in you."

But Percy was still doubtful. "I don't know. Maybe I am just a weak horse, a pygmy pony. I'll never stand again. Face it, guys. Never again will I be able to toss up my head and take off across the field, power along a cross-country course or thunder down the track at Couldon Racecourse."

Caitlyn couldn't believe it. Percy was going to give up, just like that? What was he thinking? She needed to talk some sense into him. "Percy, I can't believe you're going to give up as easy as that? You think I gave up with Perry or Scar gave up with Madeera, or Hazel with Thowra?"

"No."

"So, neither should you. Okay, so giving birth to a foal is harder than learning to stand up again, but hey? Same principle. Come on Percy, you must do this. You must. "

But Percy still felt that he couldn't do it.

"And if you don't, who knows what could happen to you," put in Baxter. Percy knew that Baxter was right – if he couldn't stand up, his future at Lowedon Hollow and in general would look very bleak.

Percy forced his tired back legs up once more and stood trembling. He ignored the pain and fatigue in his front legs to heave himself up onto his knees. The determination in his heart felt stronger than the stiffness in his spindly legs. Percy stood hopping on his back legs, trying to keep his balance.

'I can do this, I can do this,' he thought to himself. Percy felt now that he could do it. He was nearly there. Nearly standing on all fours. At last, with one last huge effort, Percy lifted himself up onto his front legs. The jelly-like movements in his fore legs was worse than ever.

'Oh no, I'm going to fall down!' he thought. His heart was thumping hard with dread against his chest. The little colt shut his eyes tight and waited for the impact. It was hard and hurtful. He squealed in pain. Poor Percy felt disheartened. He had to stand again. But, this time, he really believed that he couldn't.

But after another few firm and encouraging words from Caitlyn, Percy once again regained his bravery to try again. One last time. The colt shut his eyes and concentrated. His heart drummed steadily as it channelled blood to his legs. As he opened his eyes, Caitlyn cheered him.

"C'mon, Percy! Percy! Percy! Percy!"

Soon, the stable was filled with horses cheering the little chestnut colt – even Elm, who isn't exactly Percy's biggest fan. A determined look spread across Percy's face. He pushed up with his hind legs, wobbled a little and then stood perfectly still.

'Here we go,' thought Percy. His fore legs were getting stronger by the minute. Blood thundered through the vessels as if they were rapids in a river. The hope in his heart grew stronger and stronger. He unfolded his fore legs carefully – they felt numb because Percy had been kneeling on them for so long. His miniature hooves rustled the straw as Percy prepared to push up. He counted down in his head and, then, with one huge effort, the colt gingerly raised himself up off the floor of the box onto the bare keratin that made up his outer hoof structure. He was up. Or was he? Yes, he was. He was up on his feet after six months in the air.

At first, Percy didn't know what to think. He didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or gasp. Instead, he felt euphoric for while. He'd actually done it. He just stood there, not saying a word. But if Percy wanted to say anything he couldn't because the stable was bombarded by happy cheers and neighs that echoed all across the yards. All you could see was joyful horses and flying manes.

Caitlyn nuzzled gleefully against her friend. Percy was more than happy to return it. Both were overjoyed. Now, Percy could finally speak.

"I did it, Caitlyn! I did it, I did it!" Caitlyn stepped back. Percy was standing proudly, though his legs were splayed out to keep him up and his eyes were shining happily. Caitlyn had never seen him as happy as he was then.

Now, bear in mind, I wrote these BEFORE I had a FanFiction account. So, my writing ability wasn't as good as it is now. I still hope you liked it though. Look out for the other one! ^^