Midnight
Chapter Two
The next day, Sam and Lizzie took the first steps at attempting to rehabilitate Midnight. Sam had a lariat in his hand as he stepped over the gated door of Midnight's paddock and cautiously approached her. "Whoa, girl. Calm down," said Sam. "Easy girl. I'm not gonna hurt you,"
Midnight whinnied, and began running away from Sam, to avoid the rope in his hand. Sam tried lassoing the rope into Midnight's neck, but each time he tried, Midnight would run in the opposite direction. Then all of a sudden she charged at Sam, forcing him to retreat.
"You can't be done already!" Lizzie cried. "Liz," said Sam, putting his hand on Lizzie's shoulder. "If this is gonna work, it's gonna take time and patience. That's enough for today. We'll try again tomorrow."
Lizzie sighed, sounding disappointed. Sam began to walk back towards the Bunker, but walked back to Lizzie and put his hand on hers. "Don't worry, Lizzie," he said. "We're gonna give it our best shot," Lizzie nodded but she still looked disappointed.
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Later Midnight was still circling the paddock then walked over to her empty water bucket and pawed at as Lizzie walked up to the door of the paddock. "Hang on girl, I've got it," said Lizzie as she reached inside the paddock and took the water bucket. "You must be thirsty," said Lizzie as Midnight nodded her head. Lizzie smiled as she went to where there was a water spigot near the paddock as she turned the tap and filled Midnight's water bucket before setting it back in the paddock. "There you go!" said Lizzie. "Nice fresh water!"
Midnight stepped forward a few paces, then nervously stepped back. "Tell you what," said Lizzie. "I'll stand back here, how's that?" Midnight stood there, then cautiously walked up to her water bucket and took a drink. Lizzie smiled, then reached inside her pocket and pulled some carrots that had been cut up into smaller pieces, as the threw one inside the paddock. Midnight walked up to the carrot stub on the ground and ate it. Lizzie smiled. "Ah, you like those!" she said. Midnight nodded her head as Lizzie tossed another carrot into the paddock where it landed further away from her.
Midnight walked up to it and ate it too. "I know you're worried," said Lizzie. "It's okay!" she said as she tossed the remained of the carrots into the paddock. "Don't worry, Midnight, there's no hurry. I'll see you later, okay?" she said as she walked away.
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A few days later, Lizzie came back again, this time with whole carrots. She was hoping that she could get Midnight to take it out of her hand.
"Good morning, Midnight!" said Lizzie. "I brought you something!" she showed Midnight the carrots in her hand. "Carrots!"
Midnight didn't move. "You know you want it!" said Lizzie, reaching out her hand. Midnight began to walk over to Lizzie, then stopped in the middle of the paddock. "Come on!" said Lizzie. "You love carrots!"
Midnight walked up to it and brushed her lips against the carrot then circled the paddock and came back to Lizzie. She did this a couple of times before she finally let Lizzie feed her the carrot. Lizzie was so excited.
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Later, Lizzie and Sam came back to Midnight's paddock and Sam had the lariat in his hand again as he climbed over the gaited door and tried to lasso the rope around Midnight's neck, but like before, Midnight would go in the opposite direction to avoid the rope. "It's okay girl," said Sam. "I'm not going to hurt you," said Sam. Finally he looked at Lizzie who was watching apprehensively outside the paddock. "We're gonna try something a bit different," he said as he motioned for Lizzie to come inside the paddock. She did as she walked up to Sam who handed her the lariat. "You work with her," he said. Lizzie hesitantly took the lariat from Sam. "I'll be right here," Sam assured her as he took a few steps back.
Lizzie hesitantly and cautiously began to walk up to Midnight with the rope in her hand. Suddenly, Midight whinnied and Lizzie gasped and fell to the ground. Midnight reared and whinnied as Lizzie moved out of the way so Midnight wouldn't trample her.
"Stay exactly where you are," Sam instructed. "You're doing great Lizzie. Now, slowly, stand up and walk backward towards me,"
Lizzie slowly got up, but instead of doing what Sam said, Lizzie cautiously walked up to Midnight and slowly put the lariat over her head, and this time, Midnight didn't react. Lizzie reached out with her other hand and petted Midnight's face. "Hello, Midnight," she said as Sam sighed, looking happy.
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Sam and Lizzie continued to work with Midnight, Lizzie holding onto the rope at Midnight trotted around the paddock. "Okay, Lizzie. Now see if you can get her to change her gait. Remember, it's all about timing. As you ask for the transition, step toward her hind end and push her forward,"
Lizzie obeyed and asked Midnight to canter, which she did. "Good girl! You're doing it!" said Lizzie excitedly. "Perfect Lizzie," said Sam, grinning. "Now I'm going to introduce the whip – It's not going to hurt her. She needs to know that," Sam pulled out a riding crop and put in in Midnight's view, cautiously stepping toward her. Suddenly Midnight whinnied and reared as Lizzie dropped the lariat and dived out of the paddock and Sam clambered onto the paddock fend to avoid Midnight as she bucked and reared, whinnying in a frightened way.
She then walked over to where Sam had dropped the whip, and stepped on it, snapping it in two.
As soon as Midnight had calmed down, Sam told Lizzie that he had second thoughts about training Midnight. "Please, Sam!" said Lizzie. "She didn't mean it! You just scared her that's all," "I scared her?" asked Sam. "It was a mistake!" said Lizzie. "No, Lizzie. A mistake would be picking up the wrong canter lead. Not trying to ram me into a fence! That horse is clearly unpredictable and dangerous! I of all people should have known. I don't know what I was thinking when I agreed to do this,"
"You were thinking that we could help her!" said Lizzie. "Well I was wrong!" said Sam. "There are some horses that you can't help no matter how much you'd like to!" "But you don't know that, Sam!" said Lizzie. "Yes, I do!" said Sam. "I'm sorry, Lizzie but Midnight just doesn't belong here!"
"But if you take her back to the shelter, they'll put her down!" said Lizzie. "I wish there could be some other way," said Sam. Lizzie had begun to cry. "Sam, please," she begged. "Don't do this!"
"I'll be returning Midnight first thing tomorrow," said Sam. "Until then for your own safety you are not to go near that horse! Is that understood?" Lizzie said nothing. "I have to go tell Dean," said Sam as he turned and walked away.