by Connie Foss
“Well, gal, you seem to have a winner there,” a deep male voice says. “That was an impressive round you two executed. I took some other Clydesdale breeders with me to see if Bubba really can jump. He
at this show? You know, it’s not too late to enter the next class up, the
guy from The Hershey Farm. He’s a good-looking guy, tall and trim with sharp brown eyes that don’t miss a thing.The only thing wrong with him is that this time he doesn’t have that honey of a mare with him.Wish I knew her name.
“Thanks,Ted, I’m tickled with how Bubba did, but it was an easier
course than I expected. I just may take your suggestion and enter the Novice class. I noticed it isn’t until tomorrow night, so Bubba can rest a bit before then.You had some classes this afternoon, didn’t you?”
and got a blue.That’s the mare you saw when I stopped by earlier.Then I drove our stud, Hercules, in the Men’s Cart class and fortunately got a blue. Gotta keep up with the wife, you know. In the morning we’ll do the halter classes for the two of them, and tomorrow night we have the Team Hitch for a couple of our geldings.”
“Sounds as though you’re off to a good start. I plan to watch the halter classes. Since I don’t know anything about draft horse conformation, it’ll be an opportunity to learn. Thanks for stopping by, Ted. Good luck tomorrow.”
While she and Ted are talking, Meg is unsaddling me.When Ted saunters on down the aisle, she tosses a blanket over me, takes my lead, and we do a bit of walking around the grounds as I cool down. That gives me plenty of time to dream about Dulcie. Now that I know her name, my dreams will be much more fun.
When we come back, we meet Milt, Becky, and Annie coming back from their class. It seems blue is the only color ribbon our part of the barn gets.
“You did it, Becky! Super. That puts you in the championship class tomorrow night, right? I hope I’ll get to watch. I know I could learn a lot just by watching you and Annie.” Meg gives Annie a pat as Annie and I touch noses.What a soft, velvety nose she has. I think she likes me, and she knows I understand that she’s hurting.
“Time for me to button up things here before I head back to the motel, Bubba. I worry when I leave you alone like this. Don’t you worry, though. I’m doing enough of that for both of us. Milt will be right across the aisle, and you know he won’t let anything happen to you. Promise me you’ll not be noisy and keep him awake.”
Milt is sitting on one of his chairs in the aisle, when Meg says goodnight to him and again thanks him for being the watchman for this part of the barn.“I owe you, Milt. See you in the morning.”
After taking care of Annie and getting her ready for the night, Milt comes over to me, rubs my nose and says,“Goodnight, Bubba Boy. You sure made Meg one happy gal tonight. Just do as well tomorrow.” With that, Milt goes in his tack stall, and I hear him getting into his sleeping bag on the cot.
The people have gone. Most of the barn lights are off, and with no announcement booming out from the judges’ stand, it is so quiet I
so peace reigns.
Chapter 37
Annie and Another Day at the Show
For some reason I’m not all that sleepy. My head is full of all the things that happened today, most of them good. Getting to know Annie better, meeting Dulcie, and getting to jump twice in one day make for lots of good thoughts. Right along with them comes the bad thought…#27 pushing his mean way into my head.What’s his problem, anyway? I wonder if Meg is right, that he sees me as a threat to his getting girl friends. Ooh, do you suppose Annie and Dulcie like me?
“Annie,” I nicker softly,“are you asleep?”
“No,I’m just resting my sore leg so I can win for Becky tomorrow night, too. I really felt that front leg after each jump tonight, but I guess I hid it pretty well. No one said anything.”
After a bit, I say, “Annie, you know I like you. I want you not to hurt. Do you think if you’d let yourself limp just a bit in the morning, Milt would put some compresses on that leg and make it better?”
“Thanks, Bubba. I appreciate your worry. I like you, too, and I know you’re on my side. But you don’t know Milt. He takes such good care of me. If there’s the slightest thing wrong, he goes overboard with
Becky can’t qualify for the Olympics. If that dream is taken away from her, she might just drop out of college. She would be so devastated.” As I let that sink in, I realize what a tender soul Annie is. So
hurt emotionally. As the night progresses, Annie and I nicker back and forth across the aisle, cementing a growing friendship. #27 hasn’t a chance.
As dawn creeps over the show grounds, another perfect day looks promising. My tummy is just beginning to wake up when Meg, wearing a happy smile, bounces down the aisle greeting all. “Morning,
awake?”
Milt has just fed Annie and is carrying an empty bucket to the faucet. “It was so peaceful, I almost forgot to wake up. Beautiful day in
“Since I wasn’t the one sleeping in a sleeping bag on a cot, it was great,” Meg responds, as she dumps my grain ration in the feed tub and goes to get a slice of hay. “After I get Bubba fed and watered, I’m going to hop over to the café and get a bowl of hot oatmeal. Maybe even treat myself to a donut. Have you had breakfast?”
“No, I haven’t and am planning to do the same thing.While these two are having their breakfast, we can eat ours. Then it’ll be time to clean stalls.”
When Milt and Meg walk off to breakfast, I nicker to Annie, asking about her leg.
“It’s so much better this morning, Bubba. Your good thoughts must be helping. I was just thinking that since I don’t have any class until the evening jumping class, I could rest that leg all day, just like you suggested. Without a morning jump around, maybe it won’t even hurt when I land on it tonight.”
While Meg cleans my stall, she tells me about having talked to Bill. How happy he is that we already have a blue ribbon. She also found
Western Pleasure training. “Bill really likes to ride Western, so that will be his horse to train and show. I’d like to have him take over with Julie, too, but she is so dainty and Bill so tall, it wouldn’t look the best.”
After a restful but interesting day spent watching the comings and goings past my stall and talking off and on with Annie, it’s again time to get ready for my jumping class. “This will be a bit more challenging, Bubba. We may have some jumps that we haven’t done before. That should make it even more fun, don’t you think?” I could only nod my head in agreement.
Thinking about new jumps gets my curiosity up, so I ask Annie about the kind of jumps she had the night before.
not hard. Then…Oh, I can’t remember just when each happened, but somewhere along the course there was an oxer, then double and triple combinations, and a spread or two. The course design person at this show seems pretty good. Actually, it was a fun course, and I thought about you and your joy of soaring as I soared. Once my leg is well, I may like jumping after all.”
Annie had thought about me. Annie had thought about me! I
good.
Chapter 38
I Become a Novice Jumper
After Meg and I check in with the gateman for our Novice Jumping class, there’s time to look around to see if we recognize anyone. I’m warily looking for #27 but, thankfully, don’t see him. Meg’s talking with a lady who’s riding a Thoroughbred, a really tall Thoroughbred… must be 18 plus hands…a nice gelding. He seems much more friendly than #27, so we chat a bit. He’s a lot older than I am, but he loves jumping as much as I do. I asked him what Annie should do to get over that sore leg, and his answer was pretty much what Annie thought Milt would have her do...rest the leg. Disappointing. But there is no more time for chatting, for Meg has given me a squeeze with her legs. #10 is up.That’s us, and we’re off to have another good time.
The course has most of the jumps Annie mentioned.I particularly like the oxer, where there are two jumps right together, making me soar
though we co
mplete the course within the time frame, it isn’t a clear round. Apparently we did pretty well, though, for we have a jump off with the Thoroughbred I had visited with.Again my right hind hoof nicks a jump, and the Thoroughbred, with a clean performance, wins.
Meg reminds me as we leave the ring, “That winning horse is
Class A show.We’ve done well, and I am proud of us…and you should be, too!”
I am. As long as Meg is pleased, what more could I want? Well, come to think of it, I do have a couple of things in mind. I want to get better acquainted with Annie and even Dulcie. If one works at thinking good thoughts, good things happen, right? Yeah, that’s really right. I notice that in my jumping. Before I take off over a jump, if I see myself soaring over it, then I do. Okay. Now I will picture myself running and playing with Annie.Then it will really happen.
“Time to pack up and head home, Bubba,” Meg says as she comes in this morning.“Won’t it be good to be home?”
Aw, gee, I think to myself, now I won’t get to see Annie anymore, or Dulcie either. Just as I’m thinking that, Milt comes over and I hear him ask Meg if she has ever thought of starting a breeding program with me. Whoa! What a great thought! Maybe my good thoughts are going to pay off.Whoopee do!
“Yes, Milt, we are planning to stand Bubba at stud. Thanks for
order to earn his right to father foals. Our thought is that it might take a year or more yet.What’s your thought?”
I can tell Meg is excited. Some time in the past, I had heard Bill and Meg talk about having The Chocolate Farm be a breeding farm as well as a training farm,
producing lots of chocolate foals to match Julie and me.
“I’ve been watching Bubba…and you. It’s obvious that you represent a quality farm, where caring people create happy horses…a credit to the industry. In watching Bubba in particular, I see a happy, willing horse, with lots of athletic ability bursting out of a beautiful body.
Are you interested?”
“Oh, Milt, you don’t know how happy this makes me! Of course,
we are interested. I thought having done well at the show was exciting,
but your compliments will be the high point of this show. Thank you!
Being stalled near you and Annie was heaven sent. Here’s my card.We’ll
A show.” With that, Meg surprises Milt with a hug.
After Meg has everything packed in the trailer, and she’s getting me ready to load,Ted comes up.“Hey, Meg. Good show! Too bad Bubba nicked that jump, but he put on a real performance. He sure got a lot of my friends talking. Since you’ve kept him a stallion, I assume you will be standing him at stud.Am I right?”
“Yes, we will.Are you interested?”
“I think he’d add beauty and athletic ability to a foal of Dulcie’s. Is that a possibility?”
Chapter 39
Geoffrey
I hardly even notice the trip home, for my head is full of a wonderful dream, the dream of running and playing with Annie and Dulcie.
When the normal routine gets back in full swing, Julie and I are again out in the pasture where I share all that happened. I want her to experience everything, but I’m afraid I’m going on too long for she’s
When I look questioningly at her, she seems eager to talk. “Bubba, I’m so glad you had a good time and did well, but I knew you would. Now, do you want to hear what happened here while you were gone?”
I seldom see Julie excited, but she is now.After a quick breath, the words tumble out. “Bill took in a new horse, and I’m in love! His name is Geoffrey, and he’s training to be in Western Pleasure classes. He’s big, and he’s funny, and he’s nice, and he’s beautiful, and he’s…” After a short pause,“He’s just plain wonderful!”
This hits me like a ton of bricks. Julie is mine! She has always been mine. She’s like a part of me. How could she be in love and want to be with some stud?!
I don’t know what to say. Sure I’m disappointed Julie doesn’t say much about my success at the show, for that’s the real news. But more than that, I’m angry. I’m jealous. I’m…I’m…I’m mixed up. I don’t know what I’m feeling. I’d better go off by myself before I say something I may regret.
When it’s time for the evening feeding and Meg comes to the pasture gate and whistles, she notices I’m not with Julie but off by myself in the far corner. “What’s the problem, Bubba? Aren’t you glad to be home? Surely you’re not sick, are you?” Giving me a good neck rub, she leads me back to my stall where I prove to her that I’m not sick, diving into my grain as though there’s no tomorrow.
I don’t have much to say to Julie the following day,until we’re back in the pasture after our day’s work. It’s obvious she doesn’t understand why I’m so quiet.“Bubba, what did I say that made you mad? Is it what I said about Geoffrey? You met him today, didn’t you? Isn’t he wonderful?”
I’d been thinking about Julie and me and this Geoffrey guy. In fact I had thought about nothing else since yesterday. I guess I haven’t yet sorted it out.“Well, Julie, you’re my sister…my twin sister.You and I have been like one horse since the day we were born. Our mom wasn’t
if there’s room for Geoffrey.”
“Bubba, it’s not that Geoffrey is pushing you out of my life.That
could never happen for I love you. But sisterly love and what I feel for
Geoffrey are two different
It was then the light dawned. Julie and I are experiencing the
same thing.We are reaching out for something a brother or sister can’t
how that must be the same thing she feels about Geoffrey. I know there’s room for Annie and Julie in my life, so surely Geoffrey won’t push me out of Julie’s life.
With that digested, I begin to watch and listen, as Geoffrey becomes a part of The Chocolate Farm. Bill and Meg are getting their
now ready to perform in the Western Pleasure classes, the versatility of The Chocolate Farm is inescapable. That will bring only good to all of us. So, yes, having Geoffrey around is a good thing.
Chapter 40
Complications
“I think hitching Percy to a cart, I mean sulky, and racing him is
during any All-Breed shows, I can go with you and your forward seat horses, as long as there are Miniature classes.” It was obvious Bill likes that possibility.
“Since Percy’s owners want to drive him in the amateur classes, that’ll work out even better. I’ve been worrying about the cost of shows,” Meg says.“When we don’t have other peoples’ horses to show, we just can’t afford to go with only our horses. I’m shocked at how much money Bubba and I spent going to that last show. The more owners we represent at each show, the smaller the cost per owner. Next spring, Prince will be ready for the Hunter classes, so his owners will help with travel expenses, too. And by next spring, we may have even more customer horses ready to go.”
Bill and Meg are cleaning stalls as they talk. “I’m wondering, though, if we’re getting in too deep.” Bill is frowning as he tosses a scoop of manure into the wheelbarrow.
“What do you mean…getting in too deep? You mean moneywise?”
Miniatures, and jumping, the more we have to spread ourselves and our time. I don’t know how long we’ll be able to keep up such a demanding pace.” As I look at Bill, his concern is obvious.“I don’t like to think this way for it’s not a healthy way to think, but you and I are not teenagers, you know.”
Meg is slow to comment, but with carefully chosen words she says,“Bill,life changes,and sometimes things we thought were impossible happen. I agree with you that we are going in lots of directions, but that was our original thought: that The Chocolate Farm would be the answer for all breeds of horses in all disciplines. In order to do that, we need not only stall cleaners but another trainer. We’ve always known
help.” “What do you mean, ‘things that we thought were impossible
happen?’ We’ve never thought anything about The Chocolate Farm was
impossible.And what does ‘especially now’ mean?”
“Something else is happening,” Meg quietly says as she puts
down her pitchfork and walks toward Bill.“We’re going to have a baby.” What a bombshell! I’m tickled to be able to see what’s going
on. I nicker to Julie to be sure she’s in on this, too! The expression on
Bill’s face is beyond description. He is dumbfounded, surprised, amazed,
concerned, loving, but most of all excited.With a whoop that rattles the
eardrums, he grabs Meg, picks her up, and dances around the barn aisle. Then it hits him in another way. “Meg, you shouldn’t be out
here cleaning stalls. You need to take it easy. But how in the world will
I be able to keep all of these horses in training, let alone take them to
shows? Oh, Meg, what have we done!”
The despair in Bill’s voice is too heartbreaking to listen to, but
what Meg has to say puts a stop to such feelings. “Whoa, Bill. Things
facility. How about that! Can we afford to hire her? She’s just what we need: experienced, hardworking, honest, talented, and she loves horses.” “Given the need, the money will come.And obviously, we need help so we can have a baby…a baby!” Bill is still in shock.
Meg unveils her plans, how the baby will arrive in the spring and that might keep her out of the saddle for a couple of months and
do most of the riding during the winter, but I can probably do some.
Western classes and all of the halter work. Just think how excited Julie
a part of The Chocolate Farm. Okay?”
Chapter 41
Percy and Prince Learn the Ropes
just seems to tie our early days to the present time…like coming home.
us everyday, though there are some things she doesn’t do any more. She and Bill still do morning and evening feedings, though a neighbor
Geoffrey.
Along with Whisper, there are other horses and riders coming
