Cowgirl Adventures

 by Miley H.

Photo Prompt #11 Bend in the Road

         Andi Carter was fifteen, almost 16, years old and lived on the Circle C Ranch with her horse Dawn.  On the ranch were 5 chickens, 100 cows, 7 horses, 3 goats, and 2 dogs.  Andi trained the dogs to herd cows.

One day, Andi looked up at the sky and saw big gray clouds coming in her direction.  She got Dawn out of her stall and hopped on her.  Dawn was a white horse with silver mane and tail.  Andi brought her dogs with her to help her make sure the animals were in.  The goats and chickens were all fine, but to Andi’s surprise all the cows and horses were out.  She had to do something, so she set off on Dawn to find them. 

Andi hadn’t gone far when she saw her Dad’s horses Diego and Vapor.  Diego had his halter on and had gotten it stuck to the end of a tree limb.  Vapor was upset and was running in circles around Diego.  Andi hopped off Dawn and slowly approached Diego.  As soon as he was free, Diego and Vapor bolted back to the farm.

Andi and Dawn were still wandering around the woods when they came to the Bend in the Road trail.  Andi was enjoying the yellow and white flowers when suddenly their feet went out from under them, as they slid down the canyon switchbacks.  When they finally got to the bottom of the canyon, they couldn’t believe their eyes!  They saw their horses Hardy and Dixie stuck at the bottom.

Andi looked around for a way out but all she saw were the switchbacks they had slid down.  She would have to lead them back up the steep slippery switchbacks.  A plump wet rain drop fell on Andi’s nose.  She would have to hurry.

Andi got off Dawn and connected her lead rope to Hardy and Hardy’s lead rope to Dixie.  She got back on Dawn and started up the switchbacks.  By the time they made it up, it was raining pretty hard.  The group continued their journey to find Honey, Dakota, and the cows. 

They continued down the Bend in the Road trail for hours until they came to a meadow speckled with wildflowers.  Standing there were the cows and horses.  Andi was overjoyed to see them.  She untied Dixie and Hardy and with the help of her dogs, herded the troops back to the ranch.

They got back to the ranch just in time.  Just as Andi closed the gate, she saw the first strike of lightening hit the meadow in the distance.  “I’m glad I’m not there,” she said to herself.  She put Dawn in her stall and went in for a delicious dinner of corn on the cob, meatloaf, and baked potatoes, yum!  Andi told her family what she had done, and they were very proud of her.  She went to bed happy and exhausted from her eventful day.  Little did she know she had another surprise waiting for her.

Andi woke up and went to eat breakfast.  Surely Andi didn’t forget that it was her sixteenth birthday, did she?  Guess again, she did, and her family and friends had a huge surprise for her!  Andi was out doing her chores when her mother came by wearing her best purple skirt and white blouse. 

“Andi dear, will you come to the house to help me with something,” she asked? 

“Sure Ma, I mean Mother,” Andi answered.

Andi was following her mother to the house when all her friends jumped out and screamed “Surprise!” Andi suddenly remembered it was her birthday and was so excited.  They rode horses and had a cake that was shaped like a cowgirl hat.  They all had so much fun! 

Then it was time for presents.  Andi received a new saddle and bridle, a dress, and a painting set.  Her last present was from her family.  Inside a light brown package, decorated with does and fawns, Andi found a snow globe of Dawn and a rodeo entry ticket.

“Yahoo,” Andi was so excited.  She shook the snow globe and watched the snowflakes sprinkle over the clay model of her horse.  “Thank you, thank you,” she told everyone!  She put on her new dress; it was beautiful.  The dress had a pink skirt and was blue with a pink heart on her chest.  It also had a white coat to go with it.

Andi woke up the next morning and remembered the rodeo.  She went out to the stable and put her new tack on Dawn.  It was made of rich brown leather that had been oiled recently.  It looked marvelous.  Andi brushed and groomed Dawn.  Dawn looked great too.  She loaded her in the trailer and jumped in the pickup truck. 

At the fair, there was cotton candy machines, popcorn, and hotdog stands.  The arena was huge, and the stadium could seat at least ten thousand people.  Andi had only been in a rodeo once.  She was going to compete in breakaway roping because she did that a lot at the ranch.

Finally, she heard the judge say “And now for breakaway roping.  First up is Andi Carter and her horse Dawn.”  With that, she came bursting out right behind the calf.  She twirled her lasso and threw it.  She held her breath and closed her eyes for a brief moment.  The next thing she knew the crowd was roaring.  She had done it!  “How fast,” she wondered?  “Four seconds,” the announcer yelled.  Andi waited while six other girls competed.  Then the announcer said, “The winner is Abby Brown.”  Andi was a little sad but happy for Abby.  Just as Andi was leaving the announcer said, “Sorry folks, the judges accidently mixed up the times.  Andi, Andi Carter, if you are still here, you won a gold trophy.”  “I’m here, I’m here,” shouted Andi! The announcer gave Andi the golden trophy. 

Andi was so excited.  At home she polished the trophy and then went to see Dawn.  Andi gave her a treat and hopped on her bare back.  They watched the sunset on the edge of a cliff.  It was a lovely mix of pink, yellow, red, orange, and gold.  Andi looked up at the big navy-blue sky as it faded into night.  She thought of all the things that had happened and her heart was content.  She rode back to the house and gave Dawn a big hug before putting her away. 

As she walked by the towering evergreens back to her house she thought of her big adventure.  She couldn’t help but wonder what would happen next?