Sequel to iAm at Home on the Range.
Chapter Six: Riding Echo and Soapy Showers.
Disclaimer; I don't own iCarly. I own my own characters/animals and of corse this plot and this story since it's all my own writing.. Duh.. But yeah, sadly, I don't own iCarly.
There is a little bit of horse talk in this.. That might confuse none horsey people…
Sam trotted Apollo through the farm gate, right beside Carly. Both girls were slightly behind Freddie who was riding Minstrel up to the barn. He dismounted and lead the brown and white horse through to his stable. Sam and Carly came through minutes later, giggling and joking as they dismounted from their horses. Sam swiftly untied one end of the girth, letting the metal buckles hit the concrete of the barn floor. She slipped off his saddle and flipped one side of the girth up and over so it lay carefully across. Placing it on the door, she lead him into his stable and took off his bridle. He seemed please to have the bit out of his mouth, which made her smile. The large stallion shook himself the snorted, stomping his foot against the shavings. She rolled her eyes and placed the bridle over the top of the saddle and slipped his head collar over his nose, clipping the lead rope onto the ring and pushing open the door again. She couldn't see Carly or Freddie, but both Minstrel and America were stood without tack on.. So she assumed they were in the tack room. She lead Apollo out of the stable and through the barn, hearing the sounds of his shoes against the concrete. She took him up and around the back of the barn to the fields where the stallions and gelding paddocks were. Sam walked him up to the gate, placing a kiss on his temple. Pushing the gate open, she let him walk through behind her. With her foot, she pushed the gate closed and reached up to the buckle on the head collar. She pulled it undone and watched him run into the field, his head held up and his tail high in his dock. She smiled, shutting the gate and turned away onto to bump into Freddie who was apparently right behind her.
"Sorry." He laughed.
"It's okay.. You put Minstrel out?"
"Yep." He nodded. "Carly has gone up to the house for a shower…"
"Okay, Well.. I should probably get Echo out."
"Want some help?"
"Sure." She smiled and lifted herself onto her toes so she could reach him. Placing a single soft kiss against her lips, she felt him smiling. His arm wrapped slowly around her waist, pulling her closer to him. She giggled as she pulled away. "Easy there Freddo." He chuckled.
"Come on." He kissed her one last time before he took her hand and they walked down to the gelding paddock. Sam twirled Apollo's head collar in her hands, knowing it would fit Echo too. She decided, instead of walking all the way back to the barn, she'd just use Apollo's head collar and lead rope. Climbing on to the gate, she sat there staring out at the geldings grazing. Directly in the middle, the large piebald gelding stood, head down as he hoovered up the grass.
"Echo!" She yelled, her voice travelling. His black and whit ears pricked and his head shot up to stare at her. Once
he spotted her, he trotted over to the gate with a spring in his step. Sam grinned once he reached her and she heard him nicker ever so softly. "Hey there." She jumped from the gate and her boots made a dusk cloud as she hit the ground. Putting on Apollo's head collar, Sam watched Freddie swing open the gate so she could walk Echo out. Echo followed her without trouble as she lead him down the dusty pathway and towards the barn. She tied him to the tie ring outside and watched inside the barn and into the tack room. Her eyes scanned the room, looking for any sign of Echo's name. All tack looked pretty much the same, except for the bit's. A bit was used purely to keep control of the horse while ridden, and some horses needed stronger bit's than others. For example, Angel's bit was a regular snaffle bit… a soft bit. Apollo however, wore a Wilkie Snaffle… a bit that was pretty much the same as a regular snaffle bit except it helped with the strength a little. It wasn't a severe bit like a Pelham, Gag or Kimblewick, but had enough pull to steady a forward going horse. Sam searched around looking through the tack until she spotted the word 'Echo' embedded into the golden coloured plaque above a bridle hanger. She smiled and picked up the bridle from the peg. Then, she grabbed the very expensive looking black leather saddle. It was a top notch English leather jumping saddle… that had clearly cost around $700.… Sam knew Katy Baxter well enough to know she was the biggest snob going… and with Daddy being as rich as he was.. She knew Katy would have demanded the best tack ever… to go with the best horse money could by… it just proved what abuse did to horses… Sam growled thinking of that day as she watched Katy fall from the horses back straight into the water…The way she slammed the whip down hard on his black stopped rump. She remembered racing down the course, at top speed to get to them, to stop her from hurting him.. And she sure as hell did. She laughed to herself. Lifting up the saddle, she carried the tack through the barn and outside to where Freddie was stood with Echo, who was dancing around on the stop. Freddie grinned when he saw her.
"You want me to go and put up a jump?"
"Sure thing… only a small one to start with though… I've never ridden him before."
"No problem." Then, he was gone.. Headed for the arena around the front near the house. Sam lifted the pristine saddle up onto the horse's placing it gently there with the saddle pad. She left the girth loose and moved to his head, fixing up the leather bridle. She eased the bit slowly into his mouth, who he took and let Sam tuck his ears through the gap. She fastened the throat-lash and the nose band and flipped the reins over his head. She then moved back to the girth, pulling the other end that wasn't already attached to the saddle. She fastened it up, pulling it tight. Slipping her hand in between Echo's stomach and the girth, pulling away and seeing how tight it was. When she was satisfied it was tight enough, she adjusted the hat that was still on her head and pulled the stirrups down the stirrup leathers. She stuck her foot in the stirrup and swung herself gently up onto the flighty piebald's back, carefully. Sam gathered her reins up and slowly back him up to spin him around in the direction of the arena. Straight away, he did what she asked but burst into a slightly jog giving Sam a shock.
"Hey… easy there." She ran a hand down his neck, knowing he'd be at least a little scared. She knew her aunt wouldn't have done much work with him.. Sure, she'll have lunged him and free lunged him to keep his energy level's down… but she knew she wouldn't have done much riding with him.. Same with Apollo. Sam tried to get the feel of Echo as she walked him up towards the arena. She could see Freddie up ahead, placing a final pole on the jumping wings. Sam smiled and shifted her weight in the saddle.. Making sure he knew she was up there. Echo snorted, understanding. "Good boy." She pushed him on and was shocked to see Amanda opening the gate for her. "Hey!"
"You look good on him, Sammy." She smiled up.
"Thanks… what are you doing here? I thought you were fixing the fence?"
"It's done.. The fence I've just put up would hold a deer in… there is no way that little monster is getting out of there now." Amanda grinned.
"Cool."
"So, what you gonna' do with him?" Her aunt asked her and Sam shrugged.
"I dunno… maybe some flatwork and then pop a few jumps?"
"Perfect." Amanda nodded as Sam pulled Echo up beside her.
"How'd Apollo go?"
"He was good actually… which is surprising since he hasn't be worked for a while… I was expecting him to throw me. But! He was great… took him for a gallop to the lake and that got a lot of his fizz out."
"Good… can't have you falling off him." Amanda said. "Now go on, Echo is getting restless." Sam nodded and gave Echo's sides a squeeze sending him a straight line walking forwards. She heard the gate shut behind her and saw Freddie climbing over the fence.
"Is that low enough for you Sam?" He shouted and she nodded.
"Yep! That's perfect!" He grinned over to her. Sam let out a breath, giving Echo a pat. "Well then." She said to him softly. "Let's see what your made of." Sitting up straight, she walked him around the arena in complete circles. After a few laps, she began weaving him up and across in a figure of eight. He was going good… which pleased Sam. So, she kicked him into a slow but energetic trot.. She didn't want him running away with her too soon.. Not until she'd gotten used to riding him. Rising up and down in rhythm, she felt him pick up his pace and she smiled, releasing the reins slightly. She trotted along the stretch of the arena and as she sat to her rising trot, she stayed down, squeezing one leg carefully behind the girth, the other on the girth and pushed. Within Seconds of her actions, Echo moved into a rocking horse canter… easy, soft and slow. Sam immediately knew what type of horse this was by the slow canter… he was trained in dressage. 'Guess daddy messed that one up…' She thought, trying not to laugh. She circled the arena a few times in canter before she began to slow him down by the gate. She breathed out as Echo did as she stopped beside Freddie and Amanda.
"Wow… he's great." Sam smiled, patting him. "Don't understand why Katy had him though.."
"Why?" Freddie asked her.
"Because… his canter.. It's a dressage canter, it's not like Apollo's or Charcoal's.. so I don't know why her dad bought him for her…"
"A mistake.. You know Duncan Baxter has no idea about horses… he's just the man with the large wallet. He's probably been offered Echo.. Thought he looked like a good horse, bought him for his darling daughter for her cross country events…" Amanda said.
"Yeah, good point.. Hey! Speaking of Charcoal… where is he?"
"On the outer edge… he'll be coming back in, in a few days… gonna' put some of the mares up there next."
"Ah. Thought the barn seemed a little empty without him." Amanda smiled at that.
"Yeah.. Anyway.. You gonna' pop him over a couple jumps or what?"
"Yep.." Sam nodded and slowly turned Echo around and walked him to the jump, showing him it… giving him a good look to know that there was nothing scary about it. Happy that he'd seen enough, Sam span him around again and pushed him into a steady trot down the middle of the arena and around. She trotted up the left side and at the corner, she broke into a canter. Sam immediately felt Echo chomping at the bit, excited to jump. She held him back as she came down the middle of the arena, her fingers cramping against the leather reins. She steadied him, pulling him up slightly just as she reached the jump. She concentrated, clamping her legs around his stomach just as Echo lifted himself off the ground. Sam rose out of the saddle, leaning forwards lightly, relieving any pressure from his back as he landed on the floor. She smiled and let go of the reins with one hand giving him a slappy pat. She could see him sweating up. "A few more, then that's it for today?" She asked the horse, knowing she wouldn't get an answer. She took him around again, pushing him into a canter much earlier this time. Coming around the top left hand corner, she jerked on the reins softly which made him turn sharply to canter down the arena towards the jump. Sam sat deep in the saddle, looking at the barely 1m jump ahead of her. It was nothing compared to the stuff she'd jumped… but jumping a new horse was always rather scary.. For any rider, champion or novice. She gave him a squeeze and his head suddenly shot up, making him realize that he had to jump that. His hooves thundered against the sandy ground as she counted in her head… 3... 2.…1.. On the one, she felt Echo jump, all four feet off the ground. Leaning forwards, her hand high up his neck, pushing him on, she was quite surprised at what a good jumper he was.. Sure, she'd seen him be jumped at Bridgemont.. But it was nothing like riding the horse yourself… she had a feeling Echo could go far in the show jumping world… as well as the dressage world. Feeling him land on the ground without a fault, she pulled him to a stop. "Good boy." She patted him and then walked him slowly around to cool off his muscles. "You did good today boy, I'm proud of you." She looked up into the bright blue sky, which was cloudless and sighed. The sun was really shining. And she knew what that meant…. A few days of blinding sunshine, meant rain… lots of it. She felt Echo come to a stop by the gate and she laughed.
"He did good today." Amanda smiled, pulling open the gate. Sam dismounted and lead him out.
"Yeah, he did. I'm proud of him."
"Well, you should both probably get him back to the barn… it's pretty warm and he's sweating.. You might wanna' run a hose over him." Sam nodded.
"Sure thing Aunt Amanda." She saw her aunt look down at her watch.
"Snap…I'm late."
"For?"
"I was meant to be picking up Jade and the dogs ten minutes ago… be back soon!" Then she was gone, running to her land-rover. Sam smiled and rolled her eyes. Her aunt was just like her, always loosing track of time… always late. "Oh and Sam! The Hunter's are coming over for dinner tonight…" Sam froze at that.
"You have got to be kidding me!"
"What?"
"You know I don't get along with them!"
"Sam, I'm sorry you don't get along with Lee and Addie… but Lauren has been my friend for years… and I haven't seen her for a while, since they were on vacation in the Canary Islands… so I invited them over… please be nice." Amanda said, before looking back at her watch. "I really have to go! Jade will be wondering where I am!" Sam saw her jump into the car and take off down the drive. She turned back to Freddie.
"Who are the Hunter's?" Freddie asked her and Sam span around.
"You met Lee…." That's when Freddie understood.
"Him?"
"Yeah.."
"Oh, right." Freddie sighed. Sam turned around, seeing her aunt's car disappear from view.
"Great…"
"Hey, it won't be that bad… it's only one night." He smiled, kissing her forehead.
"I guess…"
"Now come on, we better get a hose on him before he passing out from this heat." Sam nodded and followed Freddie down to the hose pipe with Echo. She sighed, and tied him up to the ring, taking the green hose pipe in her hand. She turned on the tape and immediately, water come spurting out. She looked at the bucket down beside the tap, realizing her aunt must have used it earlier… She sprayed some water in it and the soap bubbled, the smell of horse shampoo filling the air… her aunt must have gave a horse a bath this morning. Shrugged her shoulders, she kept the hose positioned down into the bucket and once it was full, she placed the power hose head against Echo's sweaty stomach, making the large horse jump slightly in shock. Sam smiled, holding back a laugh. She soaked his body and in the mean time… managed to soak Freddie who was stood on the opposite side of Echo. "Ah nice!" He groaned, his t-shirt soaked through.
"Sorry!" Sam giggled. He raised an eyebrow and smirked at her, walking around the back of Echo.
"Oh… you did not just do that."
"Uhmm… I think I did." Sam smirked and pressed the trigger on the hose, soaking him even more. His mouth dropped and suddenly, he ran at her, grabbing the hose from her and holding her tightly. She squealed as he soaked her with the hose and she wrestled with him, trying to get him off of her. She laughed as the cold water hit her skin when suddenly, she had an idea. Pulling herself away from him, she dived for the bright yellow bucket and threw it slightly, covering him with soap suds. His face dropped as he stared down at himself.
"I'm a little wet." She laughed even harder at that.
"No kidding…" He laughed with her and placing a single, passionate kiss against her lips. His arm wrapped around her waist as her hand made it's made up to his shoulder. When he pulled away, she smiled up at him.
"I should probably go put on some dry clothes." She looked down at herself.
"Okay.. I'll put Echo in his stable and stick a rug on him while he dries… I'll meet you up at the house?" Sam nodded and kissed him softly.
"Okay.. Thanks." He smiled at her and untied Echo, walking him towards the barn. Sam smiled softly to herself before running up to the house to dry off.
New Chapter :')
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