A Horse to Love

 by Emma Klein (ages 6-9)

   Andi Carter woke up and she was so excited that it was Sunday!  Finally she got a day off to ride Taffy!  She rushed downstairs to eat breakfast as fast as she could.  Chad, her brother, was already sitting at the table. 

He said, "Slow down with your breakfast, Andi!  Why are you so rushed?" 

 "Oh, sorry!  I am just really excited to ride Taffy."  "Mother, may I please be excused now?" 

 "No, honey, you need to finish your breakfast first, and then you can go out to ride Taffy." 

 "OK Mother."  Andy finished her breakfast, slowly this time, because Chad didn't like it when she was in a rush.  "Now may I be excused, Mother?" 

"Yes, you may."

     Andi rushed outside to ride her favorite horse.  When she got Taffy's saddle on, she mounted on her and then she began to trot outside of the barn.  It was a beautiful, sunny day. 

Andi decided to go into the woods with Taffy.  Maybe she would find her friend, Riley, to play with.  But she didn't.  However, she did hear a wild horse "neigh" deep into the woods.  

I wonder what that could be, wondered Andi.  They both trotted towards the noise.  They could tell that they were getting closer, because the "neighing" sound got closer and closer.  Then Andi stopped.  Taffy was startled. 

There, in a net, lay a white, beautiful horse!!  Andi couldn't believe it!!  She was speechless.  They both stared at the beautiful white horse for a couple of minutes.  Then Andi got off Taffy.  "Poor thing," she said, "who would do this to a poor, innocent horse?  I better go get Chad and the vet!!"  

     Andi rushed back to Taffy and then galloped home.  She told Chad all about the noises and the horse.  Soon, Chad, Andi, and the vet ended up where Andi was with the wild horse. 

She asked Chad, "Who would set a trap for this horse?" 

Chad stood there for a couple of seconds, and then he replied, "The news was going out that a wild stallion had been spotted.  Maybe they wanted to catch it.  Of course I admit whoever trapped this horse did it in a wrong way, but I don't blame them.  She is a beauty and may be a rare breed." 

 "Can I keep her," asked Andi, "please, please, please, please??"  She was jumping up and down with excitement. 

Chad said, "Calm yourself, Andi!  This horse might not live, remember?  But yes, we can take it home until it gets better, and then I will think about letting you keep her." 

"Oh, yay, yay, YAY!!"  Andi said, jumping up and down again.  

     Andi named the horse Firefly, because she had a white twinkle in her eye.  For some reason, that reminded her of fireflies.  She spent the rest of the day with Firefly. 

Taffy was beginning to feel jealous, because Andi wouldn't spend any time with her.  She was too focused on the new horse.  People came over to see the horse, because it was so pretty and rare. 

As Andi began every day to play with Firefly, Taffy began acting more and more jealous.  Finally, Taffy thought that Andi didn't need her anymore, so she began to kick out of her stable.  She kicked so hard that the boards broke.  Then Taffy galloped out of her stall, and ran away.  She didn't want to leave, but she thought it might be better if Andi was with her "new" horse.  

     The next morning, Andi woke up to feed Taffy and Firefly.  When she walked up to Taffy's stall, she saw the broken boards and realized that Taffy was gone!!  Andi ran inside to tell Chad.  When she got in, she started sobbing, and told Chad all about what happened.  "I've been spending so much time with Firefly, I didn't even pay attention to Taffy at all!!  She was so jealous she must have ran away!!" 

Chad said, "Don't worry, honey, I'll let you ride one of our other horses.  We'll find Taffy!!  Don't worry." 

Andi threw her arms around Chad.  She cried, "Thank you, Chad!!" 

"Well we best get going.  Those woods are huge.  She could be anywhere in those woods.  If we want to find her by dark, we better be going."

     Andi and Chad looked until noon and they couldn't find her.  Then they heard Taffy's familiar neighing sound.  They followed the noise and they saw Taffy laying in the exact same net that Firefly was in!! 

 "Taffy, is that you?" she cried.  She got off the back of Chad's horse and ran towards Taffy.  "It is you!!  Are you OK?"  She was all tangled up in the net. 

Chad said, "I better go get the vet.  You stay here and comfort her.  She might be injured."  After some time passed, Chad and the vet came riding on their horses.  The vet said that Taffy would be fine.  She only had a sprained ankle and needed some water.  But Andi couldn't ride Taffy for a little while.  

     From then on, Andi made sure to always spend time with Taffy and remember to make her feel loved.