Chapter 5

I hurried through my shower and got dressed quickly. A pair of Wrangler Booty Up jeans and a simple purple tank top and I rushed down the stairs pulling my hair back in a french braid as I went. I reached the bottom steps to fit Kit texting away on his phone. Funny how it didn't bother me as much as Roper doing it. I grabbed the cold remains of my coffee and upended the mug, before punching Kit on the shoulder and heading towards the front door. I grabbed my boots from the front door, and walked out on the porch sitting on the steps to put them on, Kit not far behind me.

"Quinn's gone to pull you together some weanlings and yearlings to look over, should be ready in about 20 minutes. Wanna go take a quick look at the two barrel horses he's got for sale in the barn?" his cowboy drawl lilted as he leaned against the railing.

I pulled my other boot on and stood up, brushing the dust off my ass and hopping down the steps. "Whatcha waiting for Cowboy, let's go" I threw over my shoulder, walking off towards the barn. Kit's long legs caught me quickly and he threw an arm over my shoulder, laughing as he angled me towards one of the other barns.

He talked to me a little bit about what he knew of the two horses that were being brokered through 3 Ponies. Both geldings around 15 hands tall. Came from the same farm in the same brood year. They were both 5 years old this year and had only minimal exposure to the road. They came to 3 Ponies to be sold so that they could have additional training and more time on the road with Melanie's other horses. Their bloodline was similar, nothing fancy but good solid horses. By the time we reached the barn I had already decided that these would not be the one. I wanted something special, and neither of these geldings sounded like it. As we walked to their stalls I was right, confirmation was ok, but not the build of a champion. They didn't greet us at the doors, instead choosing to sit in the back corners next to each other, and comfort each other through the fence.

I turned to Kit shaking my head, he just nodded knowingly and spoke "Yeah, I told Quinn I wasn't sure this was what you would be looking for. He agreed with me, even shook his head and asked why he took these 2 on in the first place." Kit looked back at the 2 sullen horses before taking off down the aisle way towards another barn, closer to the round pens. "Quinn should have the kiddos ready to go by now. If not I'm sure we can help." I had to double time it to keep up with Kit's long stride as he effortlessly covered ground. I guess being 6'3'' had it's advantages, like being able to leave lil ole me in the dust. The Rangeman guys were able to do it easier than Kit was even.

As we approached the round pens I could see about 10 yearlings and 5 two year olds tied to the rails. I walked to the two year olds first because they would be the first into full training next year. I walked down the line up looking at ears and facial expressions, they were all alert and curious but all a bit cautious. Slightly worry some for me considering I knew they should all be in some light desensitizing training. I did a few quick jumps and threw my arms, only one stood her ground, The cute filly in the middle, she had drawn my attention with her flashy color. A palomino with a wide blaze and a silver mane and tail. A Fire and Ice palomino Quinn called her. I pulled her out and told Quinn to take all the 2 year olds but the other dark bay filly back to the barn. I took Sasha as they had been calling her, to the round pen to play with her for a while. I quickly noted how easily she picked up my commands and completed everyone but did nothing more or nothing less than what was expected. I could set her on a trot around the pen that she would carry on no matter what I was doing, until I gave her a different command. Very nice, but not what I wanted. I wanted a horse that would test me and push me. A horse that could stay with me and sharpen me.

I called for Kit to bring Brownie, and to take Sasha back to the barn. Quinn hopped up on the small ledge that surrounded the round pen. "Why not Sasha, she's one of our best?"

I put my hands on my hips, staring at the ground to gather myself "Quinn she is a gorgeous and smart horse. Very willing and quick to respond and carry out what you ask of her. But that's all, she doesn't challenge you or ask what's next. I'm not sure if that's how your trainers are handling them or if it's just how she is. Sell her as a kids horse or high school barrel horse. You should know by now, I need a horse with some fire!"

Quinn nodded his head and told Kit to take Brownie back as well. He held up his finger for me, I leaned against the railing of the round pen and drank from the water Kit had tossed my way. When I finally heard Quinn on his way back I turned towards the barn. On a stud chain was Gator the handsome grey I had been admiring in the aisle yesterday.

"Quinn are you out of your ever loving mind! I can't even control that beast." Kit was flabbergasted.

"Kit we will be right here, and I just wanna see what she can do with him, Mel said they got along pretty well in the aisle the other day" With that Quinn let him in the round pen and handed me the lead rope. I unclasped it from the halter and tossed it over the rail, choosing instead to pick up a stick and string. Driving him around the outside of the pen, in a classic training method shown to me by Melanie's father, I worked him first one way and then the other. Establishing dominance and gaining his respect by forcing him to move his feet in the direction of my choosing, only allowing him to relax when i got the results I was looking for. I could vaguely hear the guys whispering to each other, but took no real notice of it.

I couldn't believe how easy it was to fall back into the movements I repeated so often in high school. Watching for the signs that told me a horse was ready, or not ready for us to move to the next step.

I liked this stallion when we started, I was in love with him now. After an hour of working on his ground manners, and the respect issue I knew he had, I felt confident that the people who worked with him, and let him get to be a 5 year old green broke stallion with no manners, just didn't know what they were doing.

"Quinn, not that I haven't enjoyed this, but why did you bring me Gator? You know i'm looking for a horse to buy." I absently patted Gator on his sweaty neck, while waiting for a response from Quinn.

Mel happened to wander up at that moment and answered for him, "Because I told him last night about the way he responded to you in the aisle way yesterday. I have never seen him like that with anyone, normally he is defensive and has a major attitude towards anything and anyone. Quinn told me that his owners were thinking of selling him, especially since we are the 4th barn to not resign a stallion contract with them. I thought that maybe if you bonded with him the way i thought you would, then we could keep him here. His pedigree speaks for itself, and I knew you still enjoy a challenge."

"Mel, I really really like him, but I wanted something I could start riding on right away, not something I needed to train." Gator was still standing sedately at my side, head hanging, back leg cocked almost falling asleep.

"Steph, you are more than welcome to ride any of the 3 Ponies horses, including Quinn's Ropers and my barrel racers. We will start you on one of them, and can always move you to something later, I just, couldn't help myself when I saw the way you looked at him, and I knew, ever though you hadn't touched a horse in 10 years that you could be the change he needed." Melanie was rambling and her hands were waving around as she talked, Quinn finally reached down and grabbed her arms holding them to her side.

"Alright woman, we get it. Kit and I thought the same thing."

My jaw dropped "You did?!"

"I'm convinced after watching you work him, and seeing him now, that he just needed someone who understood him, and didn't just see him as a lost cause. Steph, we will all help you train him, and like Mel said, until then I have plenty of damn good horses that need ridden."

Turning back to Gator and rubbing his forehead "Well big guy, guess we will be seeing a lot more of each other then." I started leading him back to the barn, stopping to hose him down, before putting him in his designated turnout. I stood against his fence, watching him graze and felt more at peace than I ever had. I was so lost in thought, that I didn't hear the person walking up behind me. So when the hand fell on my shoulder instead of screaming like a normal Jersey girl. I grabbed the hand and in a complicated, but automated move, jerked the hand behind the person and pulled upwards, making it so that any move on their part could dislocate their shoulder. My heart was pumping wildly and forcing adrenaline throughout my system. It took me a minute to realize the man on the ground was screaming at me, and that the man on the ground was Kit.

"Stephanie, it's Kit. It's me Kit, it's ok calm down. I'm sorry I didn't mean to startle you." His loud rambling was getting through my adrenaline haze. I slowly released his hand, letting him stand, as he did he was rubbing his shoulder.

"Oh my god, Kit. I'm so sorry, so fucking sorry." Before I realized it I collapsed in his arms and he was comforting me as I cried. I vaguely realised we were moving before he set me down on a couch. We were in the tack room, he sat down and pulled me into his lap, tucked my head into his shoulder and just let me cry. Kit rubbed my back and whispered sweet nothings in my ear until I calmed down. I was about to apologize when I felt him motion someone away, before speaking to me. "Stephanie, I don't know what you're feeling, or how your service to this country has affected you. But you have done this country a great service, a service that no one can repay or even begin to understand. But you listen to me Steph, and you listen to me good. Never, ever feel bad about crying on me, or to me. I also understand you just recently got back from a deployment and you are coming out of contract for the government. It's going to take some time to release the adrenaline reactions."

"Thank you Kit, not many people understand, so thank you." While Kit had been comforting me we had gathered a small audience, I smiled at him and walked out to Melanie to give her and Quinn both a hug. I grabbed their arms "Thank you so much you two. For being great friends, for understanding me. I only hope I can be as good of a friend as you've been to me. Quinn, sorry for almost dislocating your twins arm. I'm sure he'll be ok." I smiled at him and he just gawked at me and laughed.

"Steph, you've done me a favor, and knocked him down a peg or two, maybe his head will fit through the door now!, Hey, why don't you and Melanie run to the Co-op and do some shopping, I think Quinn has some grain that needs to be picked up anyways."

I looked to Melanie and she nodded before turning to Quinn with her hand out. "Awww man you're gonna ask to take my new baby aren't you?" Melanie just nodded and Quinn whined as he dropped a set of keys in her hand. She grabbed my arm and we headed to Quinns' new Chevy Pickup. Hopping in the passenger seat, we stopped by the house to grab our purses before heading down the drive to the farm store. I stared out the window, Melanie understanding my need for some quiet process time.

Arriving at the farm store, I forgot how much I felt like a kid in a candy store! There were so many fun things, I didn't bother picking up too much training stuff as Melanie had already told me I could use hers until I was set on a color for Gator. However I couldn't help but run my hand fondly over some very pretty breast collar and headstall sets. Very blingy and great color combinations. I'm sure I would be back to pick a few out.

Melanie was letting me borrow one of her barrel saddles until I could get one custom made to fit me. But I apparently still couldn't ignore the pull of the leather smell and soon found myself in the saddle aisle. Not finding anything I was head over heels for, I moved on to boots. Not like I needed another new pair, but girls can never have too many shoes. I soon found a pair that I knew I would not be leaving without. These would be my rodeo boots. Square toe black leather with a swirly white design on the side, the top of the boot had the same swirly design with the words "Can't Stop Me!" mixed into the design, the bottom had the same saying underneath a clear plastic coating. I grabbed a set in my size, as well as a pair of Romeo's (slip on ankle high boot like shoes) for around the barn. I moved to the next aisle and found Melanie looking at Rock Revival Jeans. I sidled up next to her and began to look, picking out several pairs to take home! The clerk told us that our grain was loaded and we were ready to go. I quickly grabbed a Carhartt vest and some long sleeved shirts as well before moving to the register and handing over my black AmEx card. I hauled everything out to the truck and hopped in the passenger seat while Melanie fired the big diesel truck up and we headed for 3 Ponies.

When we got back to the ranch, I moved my purchases over to my truck. Slipping my Romeo's on I almost moaned, I forgot how comfortable they were and I instantly patted myself on the back for picking up a pair. I slipped the long sleeved shirt over my head as the wind was starting to whip around the buildings and the sun was hiding behind the clouds. I found Kit playing with a rope, trick roping as I remember it. It was amazing to watch how he could control the rope, no doubt it was what made him so successful on the Pro circuit. I leaned against the fence and just watched him move, he was graceful, totally out of proportion with his massive stance. Kit was easily 6'4" with wide shoulders and narrow hips, he was buff. Easily fitting in with what I now called the "Ranger Standard'. When he turned and noticed me he took a step backwards, obviously having not heard my approach.

"You scared me Steph, who knew you were so stealthy. I remember you used to be so clumsy in Jr. High and grade school." I didn't dignify him with an answer and continued to stare. He broke the silence by continuing to swirl the rope around and talk."So Quinn pulled out one of his Heading horses, I pulled out one of my Healers and Mel grabbed both a breakaway and a barrel horse for you to ride tonight. It sounds like we are all gonna ride, and do some practicing."

"I didn't know you had horses here Kit, I thought you had a ranch back in Arizona?" I quirked my head at him in question.

"Yeah, I do and most of the horses live there on a regular basis, but I've moved the better ones out here with me. I've been, uh, thinking about moving back onto 3 Ponies for awhile now. Something about the place just fits with me." He rubbed the back of his neck as his boot kicked the ground.

"I bet Quinn wouldn't mind putting you to work."

"Naw I s'pose not. Now that you're back you guys ready to go ride?" I turned quickly on my heel, walking back towards the 3 Ponies barn. As I was walking away I felt a rope settle around my waist as Kit tightened up on me, obviously trying to get me to wait. I stood for him while he hopped the fence and flicked the rope off over my head, playfully glaring all the while.