Contessa Star

The announcer's booming voice echoed throughout the Black Magic Arena as Contessa Star entered the show ring at a slow steady canter. The rider gave the slightest cue of her foot and Contessa slowed to a collected trot. The judge gave a small nod at the smooth transition and watched as the other competitors entered the ring, but as soon as the other horses got into the ring everybody knew who would be winning that day. Contessa had won this show the past 2 years she had entered, it was hard to compare to Contessa when it came to the show ring. This was soon proven correct 13 minutes later as Contessa flashed a bright shining blue ribbon sported on her neck. Her rider gave a friendly wave to the crowd as the cheers rose and fell with their claps. After finishing the ceremony Contessa was taken to her trailer and taken back to her cozy stall at her barn.

The second she arrived in her stall she was un-tacked and groomed. Her rider groomed her with such care that her pearl white coat gleamed as shiny as a sea pearl itself. After Contessa was groomed thoroughly and fed they put on her blue winners blanket, her trainer closed the stall door and left the stable. Satisfied with how she had done today Contessa fell into an easy sleep and when she awoke people were rushing into the stable, suddenly everybody was talking loudly and flashing cameras. They all seemed to be following one flashy looking person who walked up to her stall and said "Hello Contessa Star, they weren't lying when they said you were a stunning image of an angel" the person patted her nose with a rough stroke and with a snort Contessa backed up in her stal, she felt something bad from this person and she didn't like her at all. The rider furrowed her brow and said "Alright Contessa, I will be riding you in the big show today. I am your new rider; your old rider had to visit her sick father. She is now moving to England to stay with him." The rider said with a cold sneer and walked off as she talked to the reporters, leaving Contessa frightened and angry. Two hours later Contessa was taken into her trailer and driven back to the Black Magic Arena where she would compete in the highest ranking show in the world, the Cloud Dancing. Contessa was tacked up quickly but the very moment the new rider sat in the saddle she felt an uneasy heavy weight on her, this rider was obviously unsure of herself, which made Contessa uneasy as well. They entered the ring at her usual canter then slowed to a trot; the judge did his usual nod and watched the other horses enter the ring.

The show went along smoothly but when the judge asked for an extended canter the rider did nothing and kept her at a trot. Contessa snorted, confused, wasn't she supposed to be cantering like the others? She tried to break into a canter but the rider pulled her back sharply, Contessa felt angry and confused, was the rider afraid? But before Contessa could do anything more about it the rider gave a sudden jerk of the rains and turned her sharply, Contessa reared and fell to the ground. The turn had been too tight, too sudden. The shocked crowd broke into panic; the rider screamed at Contessa angrily and wiped her neck over and over, yelling that Contessa had failed her by falling, she should have known better then to rear at a turn. Seven people came running over with a large white stretcher; they put Contessa on it suddenly and quickly got her into a bright white van with flashing lights and sirens. Then it all went dark.

When she awoke everything was fuzzy, there was lots of noise and confusion. She tossed up her head with a confused whinny and tried to get up. Contessa was immediately laid back down and calmed by three people waiting beside her. Panic rippled through her and she neighed, the people helped her up, even as she struggled and tossed her head they got her out and put her tall white and gray barn then in a small white stall. They put her on some sort of stretcher and soon Contessa was lifted in the stretcher in the stall. She looked down at the humans with confusion; she looked at the ground and saw her hooves weren't touching it. She neighed and tossed her head, but soon calmed when they fed her a mixture of oats, hay, and some sort of strange smelling medicine. After a relaxing sleep Contessa awoke to find herself still in the raised stretcher in the small white stall, she snorted and neighed for any sign of life out there. There were three answering neighs but they sounded way farther down the stable then where she was. Contessa scented something sweet from a bucket nearby, she stretched her neck as far as it would go and retrived the source of the good smell. Sugar! She ate it up fast, wondering if it would go away and a voice chuckled "You still have your spirit Contessa Star, showing or not you don't like to give up" She soon saw a young boy of the age of 10 walk to the front of her stall and he stroked her nose. Her first reaction was to toss her head, but something about this boy seemed nice and she allowed him to stroke her.

This boy began talking again and Contessa found his soft pleasing voice soothed her "I'm Cody, I've heard of your big wins before Contessa and I was really impressed. I was shocked when I heard your new rider made her mistakes about not having you canter and that sharp turn that was too sudden for you. My mom is a vet here and she let me visit you." She tuned out after this but still enjoyed the stroking and the comforting words Cody gave. She wished she could live with this forever but soon Cody had to leave, and as if Cody had been the only source of heat, a cold empty feeling took over her stall. She flattened her ears and sighed deeply, a slow icy feeling slowly overcoming her.

Contessa found that she had fallen asleep and awoke to find a young couple standing in front of her stall. She twitched her ears and snorted, they petted her nose but with a fierce stroking motion. She tossed her head up but the couple just smiled and gave a cold looking man some money, before she knew it she was being taken to a trailer with too many items inside and it wasn't very clean. She didn't make much of a fuss but she didn't feel comfortable with all this, she was moved to roughly and she had the feeling these people were new horse owners and hadn't done much research to find out how to care for one. Arriving at her stable was too much excitement for her; she neighed and tossed her head. She saw no other horses and felt a pang of fear inside, she struggled but she couldn't do much because of her legs. Contessa was so used to having tons of horses around, her herd instinct said to find the others but she could not, she was restrained. She felt too many pangs and kinks inside them that she stumbled quite often. But after two hours the couple got her in a pasture that was too small and there wasn't a lot of grass, mostly dirt and some decaying leaves. Was this supposed to be her new home?

Ten months had passed since Contessa had arrived at this new farm and nothing had much changed at all. This place was still cold and scary, this new couple knew nothing about horses, her food rations varied too much or too little, they never cleaned the pasture, and she had no contact with other horses. Contessa hated to be alone; she would spend hours limping around neighing for other horses. The couple would pet her sometimes but were always off doing something else, she rarely got attention. But all that changed when she heard a loud bugle call of a stallion, her first reaction was nothing; she stood lifeless against the fence expecting it had been her mind calling to her. All the spirit had been slowly drifting away since she had arrived and now she had nothing. Her coat was dulled and mattered and her eyes pale and glassy as if nothing but a ghost of what she used to be were inside them. Contessa only glanced up when she scented the stallion as he was released into the small brown pasture, he gave a fast gallop around the pasture for five minutes straight until he settled down to graze. She snorted and put her forehead to the fence; the stallion lifted his head and walked over. The stallion said with a strong confident voice "I'm Hunter." Contessa lifted her head and looked over, she said in a wistful longing voice "I'm Contessa… nice to meet you Hunter" Hunter gave a cheerful neigh and said "Why don't we run around the pasture a little, you look like you could use some cheering up." Contessa looked at him and said sadly "I can't run well… I was in a bad accident about ten months ago… I don't think I would have the energy anyway." She lowered her head with a sad snort. Hunter pricked his ears and said "Well lets walk then, you look like you could use the company." He smiled and she gave a small smile back, this horse seemed nice and she was relieved to have somebody to talk to besides herself. They walked for ten minutes before resting, they talked and talked until night fell and they fell asleep next to each other. Both happy to have a friend.

When both awoke the next morning they walked around before enjoying a patch of grass they found in a corner. The two talked and talked and Contessa found she enjoyed Hunter's company greatly. He was always ready for action and was good natured. The cold harsh farm soon regained a warm glow; she felt she could stand this place that now seemed so wonderful. Contessa found she didn't mind as many of the harsh elements here, because she had somebody to endure them with her. Sometimes she and Hunter would fantasize would a great farm this could be, they both imagined rolling green hills, fresh food and water every day, people who visited them often. They both agreed it would be much better then where they were. Contessa found that this life could last forever, and she would never stop it from doing this. She looked at Hunter and nuzzled his neck; he smiled and rested his head near hers. Contessa had found her reason to live, and she hoped it would never go away.

The End for Now