A hand felt through the black nothingness for the familiar switch that would light up the barn and awaken the residents. Soft murmurs filled the silence and sleepy heads began to bob over the stable doors, snorting and grunting already for food. It was early. Very early and fourteen-year-old Alice Brennan felt nothing but wide awake at 3:57 am. The frosty bite of the winter air had almost kept her in the guest house where her warm bed remained unmade and a pot of left over coffee sitting on the bench top to cool. Now, with the mug of coffee in one hand, she made her way down the aisle, boots clicking on the smooth surface, walking eagerly towards the young mare in the corner stall. Millie stuck her pretty head out the stall, blue eyes aware and drinking in the light and her approaching owner, whickering a friendly greeting. Alice smiled and set the coffee down on her bench by the stable and crooned flattery to the mare, stroking the white marking that ran thickly between her eyes and stopping midway down her face, a small snip accompanying it on her nose, resembling an exclamation mark. Stepping back, she slid the bolt across and let herself slide in to join the mare who was immediately suspicious. There was a carrot around and it was not to be left untouched. Alice giggled as the mare's whiskers frisked her, stopping around her hips to nose around and eventually lick where the carrot was.
"Okay, okay you win!" Alice laughed, tugging the carrot from out of her jackets pocket. Millie chewed on it happily and sniffed for more, "All out girl, you ate them yesterday." She smiled and reached for the lead rope, snapping it onto the leather headstall that she wore, delicately running her fingers over the brass nameplate briefly then opening the door wide enough for the two of them to step through. The clatter of shod hooves made the barn ripple with noise as the pair walked to the cross ties where Alice left Millie to make her breakfast, adding the supplements last and wetting it down with molasses and water. She hauled the heavy tub back to the big mare and smiled as she gratefully shoved her nose into the large feed, seeking the good parts of the hard feed and snorting when it began to tickle her nostrils. Cold fingers fumbled to unclip the blankets leg straps, finally succeeding and pulling the rug off to reveal a freshly clipped, muscled body. Even within the warmth of the barn she still huffed out a cloud of steam as she threw the rug over the rack where she hoisted herself upon to marvel the mare as she ate. Fingers traced the stitching on the saddle that sat beside her where it was left last night awaiting the mornings use as she watched the mare eat hungrily and allowed her mind to trail off and ponder, she could stay like this forever, sitting with her horse thinking. It was only when the scuffle of the bucket on the floor snapped her back to reality that she jumped off the rail and began to groom the mare, standing on the tips of her toes to reach the 17.2 hh mare's back, despite Alice's tall stature gained from both parents, slowly massaging the muscles that lined her skeletal structure and removing the dirt and dead fur which left minimal traces of dirt on the body brush yet she still cleaned it out nonetheless. A comb ran through her mane and tail, untangling any knots and freeing it of any bedding before tossing both the comb and body brush back into the grooming box and settling the saddle and saddle pad atop her back, tightening the girth. Alice rolled her eyes as Millie blew out, expanding her stomach and making it all the more difficult to buckle it, heaving she finally managed to get it to the right length and patted Millie on the shoulder, quickly putting the bridle on and heading out to the indoor arena, attached to the barn where a full arena was set up with jumps.
Showjumping was Alice's passion and what she excelled at aside school. She could never understand what made her so passionate about the sport but her friends called her an adrenaline junkie and she never denied it. After warming up her mare, she shortened her stirrups and began to work around the jumps and eventually over them, the low ones to start off with but progressing to higher heights, clearing them with ease and not a quaver in the mare's surefooted stride toward each fence. It was only after she decided to call it quits for the morning that she noticed her father, Special Agent Seeley Booth, sitting in the seats surrounding the arena beaming ear-to-ear, full of pride as he watched his daughter ride with precision around the courses she'd made up.
"Lookin' good hun! That horse of yours can sure fly but jeez she's big, are you sure you didn't want one of those ponies?" A sliver of concern creased his forehead as he examined the mare before looking back up to his daughter, "No, of course you didn't, you could never take the safer choice could you?" He laughed and jumped the wall landing beside where Alice had halted Millie who stood there patiently, now interrogating her dad for food.
Alice giggled, "Dad she knows you've got something and she won't give up until it's hers!" She rode Millie forward a few steps, encouraging her to hassle her father playfully.
"Now I thought horses were dumb!" Her father laughed, finally pulling out the sticks of liquorice he'd brought down for her and letting Millie lip them from his hands. "Now listen Alice, your mum and I have been called out to a case and I've got Michael in the car I'm gonna need you to watch him… carefully!"
"Ugh Dad really? You know he never listens to me and I don't want him around the horses!" Alice protested, "Besides I have my history assignment due this Monday."
"We have no options okay? Look, he'll stay in the guest house with you; I've left some food and drinks for you guys and he has his video games. You can get your history assignment done in no time if you set your mind to it." Her father's tone was uncompromising and that was that.
"Fine," She muttered, jumping off Millie and stroking her neck fondly before running up her stirrups and loosening her girth, "If he even goes near my stuff he's in trouble."
"Thanks honey you're the best, Parker will be over soon and he's got a surprise for the two of you!" He winked and grinned, briefly embracing her and kissing her on the cheek, "I love you, have a good day and we'll be back soon."
"Love you too Dad, be safe…" She called to his departing figure before turning back to her mare, leaning into the warmth of her neck, playing with the reins aimlessly. "C'mon girl, let's get you back in your stall."