-A few days later-

In Barbaro's eyes from this chapter on. You'll see why in the end!

"Ahh, home sweet home!" I said to myself as I ran around my big, green, lush paddock. Roy came and gave me a brushing today before turn out, and I feel so nice and clean!

Hey, where did she come from? I trotted over and tried to grab her attention.

"Hey, what's your name?"

She looked up from a patch of grass she was eating. "Hi there…I'm Stroke of Luck. But everyone calls me Taylor or my favorite, Tay. What's your name?"

"I'm Barbaro. My nickname is Bob. I'm a racehorse! I just one this huge race called the Kentucky Derby!"

Why she seemed so scared of that, I don't know. She just stuttered and ran off after that. Fillies these days! Anyway, by then it was almost time to go back to my stall. There's always tomorrow for me and Tay.

Where is she? I trotted around my paddock waiting for Tay to come. I had it all played out in my head on how to get her. If Showing Up could talk to a filly, so could I! Finally she came out. A small girl walked her in and as soon as she was free, I nickered over to her. She looked confused. I nickered again and she came over.

"I am so sorry if I intimidated you yesterday. I didn't mean it. I want us to be…friends! Yeah, friends. I'm lonely in my paddock all day long."

"Sorry, I was nervous yesterday. You see, that little girl who brought me out is my little girl. She is my owner. Her name is Gisele."

Wow, that's not an everyday name. Sounds exotic, and pretty like Tay.

"Anyway," She continued. "I'm a jumping horse. I could jump this fence if I wanted!"

I laughed lightheartedly. She put her head over to my side of the fence and swished her tail. "We are going to Devon next week. Do you know what that is?" Tay asked.

I tried to sound intelligent. What the heck was Devon though? Was it a planet like the moon? A new boarding facility?

"Devon is one of the top jumping competitions." She said. Tay seemed very intelligent. She had beauty and brains to match! So cute!

"Oh, so you won't be here?" I said sadly. My heart dropped.

"Bob, it's only for three days! My goodness. Don't be so sad! Anyway, Gisele is pushing me to my limit on the jumping thing, so if I seem upset, you'll know why." She nodded her head. I wish I knew a special trick I could show her, all I knew was how to run and run faster.

Today was the day that Tay was leaving for her Devon showy. I wasn't expecting it to be so early! Her little girl, Gisele, came while it was still dark out and before the birds that lived in the little space above my stall were up!

"Good Luck, see you in a few days!" I called to Tay. She turned around and smiled. Gisele looked to be a small girl with light colored hair and…I'm not sure what color her eyes were. I'll ask Tay and get back to you on that one. For now, I'm going back to sleep!