Chapter 1

The Capture

The sound of hoof beats could be heard across the Oklahoma terrain. Wild mustangs were galloping away from something, feeling scared. They had to get away from them. They had to get away from the men. The men were on strange machines that had two black round things, which moved in circles. It looked kind of like what some kids rode, only it made sounds, big sounds that where horrible to the ears of a horse.

I witnessed the whole thing, and got captured too. I was running along side my mother, my caring mother. She was black with a star on her forehead. My dark chocolate brown coat was shining in the sunlight. My ears were pinned to my head. I didn't know what was going on. All I knew was that we had to get out of here. The leader of our herd, a silver stallion at the age of eight, suddenly stopped, and we all stopped too.

We were all trapped, yes, they trapped us! Those horrible men! They stopped the machines that they were riding on. They each held some rope, yes I recognized the rope. Each of the ropes were tied into a circle. The other horses around me quivered with fear. Suddenly, the leader galloped to the front.

He signaled us to go, and we went but the leader of the men told three of the group to "round us up," whatever that means. So the three men got back on their machines, and followed us. I slowed down a bit though, because I was getting tired, very tired. My mother gave me a little gentle push from her muzzle, saying, "Come on darling! You could keep up." Encouraged by her words, I sped up again, still staying beside her. The three men though, were shouting something at us. I didn't know what they were shouting exactly, but it sounded like they were somewhat happy.

Then, I saw what they were happy about. There was a horse, a buckskin mare eating something. The herd saw the buckskin, and decided it was safe to go to that horse. So, they went towards the buckskin, not noticing the metal bars that would be surrounding us. The buckskin looked up, and saw us coming. She neighed something a warning to us though, but the others still didn't listen. They headed straight towards the mare, and were soon, well, now trapped.

The three men got off their machines and closed the gate, quickly. There were smirks on their faces. I was scared, and didn't know what they would do to us, where they would send us off too. I looked at my mother with my chocolate eyes. She just nuzzled me and said, "Don't worry. Whatever happens, I'll protect you. I promise." Then, she looked at the men and pinned her ears back to her head. She pawed at the ground too.

The other horses neighed and some pawed at the ground nervously. They didn't know what was going to happen. Some were angry though. One, a sorrel yearling half reared and kicked the metal bars. The evil men just laughed and ignored the behavior. "Well, we got 'em now," one of them said. I knew there was no way out.

We were captured. We fell for the men's trap. We waited, scared of what was about to come next. One of the men got some device out from his pocket. He was communicating in it. He replied with a smirk, "Jeff, we finally caught them! Did you catch that silver stallion?"

The other man, which was called Jeff, replied back, saying, "Yeah, I finally caught the little rat! He'll be in for good use." He was laughing.

"Well, good. Come over here. We need to load these mustangs in the trailer." Then, the man with the device put the device in his pocket. "He's coming, boys."

I wondered what was a trailer. I shook my head and pawed at the ground. Then, I looked at all of the other horses. Now, there were about ten horses here. There were seven mares, two yearlings, and one foal. I was that one foal. I was only about 2 months then.

After an hour of waiting, the man had finally come with the leader of our herd, the silver stallion. He didn't look too happy. His ears were pinned and he was pawing at the ground. He did a half rear two, wanting to get out, but the man took out this thin rope thing and slapped it against the silver stallion's neck. Our leader stopped, but kept his ear pinned to his head. "Come on, boys. Lead this stallion in the corral with the others horses." The three men nodded, and grabbed the rope.

They led our leader into the corral with us, but closed the gate quickly. "Now are you going to bring the trailer?"

"Yes. Yes, I am now." Jeff went on his machine again and rode off, perhaps to go get the trailer. I wondered where we were going. I hope it was some where nice. They were probably just relocating us. Yes, that's it! They were relocating us!

I looked at my mother again and nuzzled her. Another hour passed and Jeff finally came with what was called, a trailer. Now the trailer looked kind of big. It could probably fit five or six horses. The other horses looked at the trailer, and were nervous. They were shifting their wight. Some where neighing. Others were pawing at the ground.

They didn't know what was going to happen to them, but I heard Jeff say, "Okay Rob, open the gate and lasso...six horses, with the help of the other two guys, of course.Well, go ahead, go on!" Little did they know, that some would be escaping from their grasps. Right when they opened the gate, a few horses did escape . About three horses escaped. The three horses that did escaped were the two yearlings and the lead stallion. He reared, thrashing his hooves. Rob closed the gate quickly, and yelled for the other two men to try to capture the lead again.

They didn't really care about the yearlings. So the two men went to try to catch the silver stallion, but failed. He was too fast for them. "Eh, we'll get 'im later," said Jeff. "Just rope the ones that are left." There were six mares, and me left in what they called, a corral. The two men came back and opened the gate, but closed it quickly so that no more could escape.

I thought this would be easy for them to catch me and my mother. It wasn't. Rob came near us and tried to catch my mother, but she reared, thrashing her hooves like the lead stallion. She was a brave one, my mother. Rob moved back quickly and said some word under his breath. It sounded like he was mad, real mad. He tried yet, again, but this time, my mother half reared.

She tried to land on Rob, but failed. Rob moved away again. He again said something under his breath. This time, he look straight at me with a smirk. I nickered nervously and moved back. My mother snorted and looked straight at Rob with a mad look. She pawed at the ground.

"It's okay girl, I won't hurt you." He walked up to my mother slowly and gently. My mother took the bait and walked towards him. Suddenly, when Rob was near enough, he quickly put the rope over my mom! My mother reared and neighed with madness. I stayed back and nickered to her. I was scared.

Rob led my mother towards the gate, and I followed. What can I do? I needed my mother. Plus, she told me too. She said, "Everything will be okay, just stand by me." Rob waited with my mother for the other two men to catch the other five horses.

They did, with some luck. So Rob opened the gate and led us to the trailer. It looked quite cozy in there, and thought it would be a good trip. As we were all led into the trailer, Jeff said something. He said, "We'll need to train these horses before we even send them to auction. The mother and foal will have to stay together for sometime. We could separate them when the foal's a weanling." Separate my mother and I and what was a weanling? I thought that this was a bad thing about to come when I am a...weanling, whatever that was.

When we were all loaded in the trailer, the men closed the door behind us It was dark, real dark. Then, suddenly, it started to...move! The trailer was moving! The horses around my mother and I were nervous. One horse, a paint mare, said, "Where are we going? We are going to die here!"

My mother shook her head. "No, no we are not going to die! We are probably just going to be relocated. You'll see."

"Yes we are. What do you know, old mare?" That mare knew she had gone to far. My mother wasn't old. She was only about six years old. So, my mother nipped her and snorted. I shook my head and just looked at the other horses. I could see some had fear in their eyes.

I decided to talk, but to my mother. "Mommy, where are we going?" I waited for her answer.

"I am not sure dear, but everything is going to be okay, don't worry." She nuzzled me and ruffled my short mane. I believed her. She has not failed me anyway. She does protect me. She is a good mother, yes. About four hours passed and we finally came to a stop.

The other horses didn't know where we stopped to. Some looked out the little tiny openings and saw some white fences. It could be a farm, possibly. I wondered what was are fate. Suddenly, the door opened and the four men came. They let us out, one by one. First, they led my mother and I off the trailer.

The ground beneath us was soft. It was a dirt path. I looked around and saw green pastures and...horses! Wow, there were horses out here, grazing peacefully on the grass. Well, it looked nice here. Rob led my mother and I towards a brown colored stable. I wondered what the horses were like here.

I hope they were kind. I looked around in the stables and saw horses looking out with some curiosity. They nickered to us in greeting. The ground here was well, hard. I heard the clip clopping of our hooves as Rob led us into an empty stall. I looked around my new surroundings. There was hay on the floor and a food and water bucket.

It was warm and cozy in here. I looked up at my mother. "Mommy, I think it is nice here, but I wish I was back in the wild."

"Yes, me too dear, but we would have to make life living here." She went towards the food bucket and sniffed the feed. It smelt good. She tried it. It tasted good too. She then went towards the water bucket, and tried the water. It was fresh and good too.

Then, I heard some more clip clopping on the hard floor. My mother looked out and saw the mares from the trailer. She nickered a greeting and said, "Don't worry, everything is fine. The food is great and the water is fresh." There mares looked at her for a minute, and snorted. They probably didn't believe her. Soon, I was board. I yawned and laid down on the hay.

It was probably now the afternoon. I would say around five o' clock. I looked up at my mother and nuzzled her. "I'm going for a nap. Goodnight, mommy." I smiled, then laid my head on the hay covered floor. My eyes slowly began to close. I felt my mother's warm muzzle.

"Goodnight, my son," she said gently to me. Soon, I was fast asleep. Soon, I awakened from my nap. I was guessing it was now nine o' clock, night. I yawned and got up. I took a drink of milk from my mother. She looked like she was about to fall asleep.

"Mommy?" I tilted my head slightly in a questioning way.

"What dear, what it is?" My mother looked at me with her soft eyes. A soft smile was on her face.

"I...I was wondering. What would tomorrow be like?"

"I don't know dear. We will have to wait. Now, you must go back to sleep, come on." She nudged me, but I didn't lay down. I just looked up at my mother. "I'm not tired though. Can I go to sleep when I feel sleepy?"

"Sure dear." She yawned and shifted her weight under her hooves. Then, she fell to sleep. I looked around boardly, wondering if any other horses were awake. I sure did hear some mares talk. It was probably the wild mustang mares from our herd, because one of them said, "I don't think I trust that other mare."

"What do you mean?" one of the mares asked. She was a dun.

"What do I mean? WHAT DO I MEAN!" I heard a hoof stamp on the ground. "Look, she said 'don't worry, everything's going to be fine here. The food is great, blah, blah, blah!' What do you think of that? I'll tell you what I think! I think that that black mare likes it here!"

"Well, we are going to have to, you know, live here. I mean, I well, kind of agree with the black one. I mean, she is right. The food and water are great!"

"Eh, forget you!" The conversation ended. I wondered if they always talked behind my mother's back. I looked at my sleeping mother and nuzzled her. I know that well, one mare hates her, but I don't. Soon, I yawned and began to lay down again. I was going to fall asleep again.

My eyes closed slowly.