The Big Bad Mouse

[Deleted]

The boy sat back in the saddle and pulled back a little on reins as the Thoroughbred slowed. ”Good boy.” Chase leaned down and patted Brody on the neck. The gelding wasn’t breathing too heavily but steam was still rolling off of him and so Chase clucked and kept him moving. Around the arena a few times, Chase was glad that he was able to work with Brody as much as he did. Once the gelding’s breathing regulated again the boy swung out of the saddle and loosened the girth. The large animal let out a deep breath as if to tell Chase that he felt much better without the girth, ”Of course you do”, the boy laughed.

Leading the Thoroughbred out of the arena and back into the barn, Chase left him in the wash stall before heading off to the tack room to replace Brody’s tack and collect the grooming kit. Walking back Chase broke into a run as he heard his horse’s distressed sounds. Knowing Brody, Chase figured it was a big deal, but the time he didn’t run would be the time it would be. Sliding to a stop at the wash stall the boy doubled over in laughter as he saw what was causing the Thoroughbred act out.

A Mouse.

There on the cabinet sat the small grey creature with what looked like a piece of grain in its greedy little hands. ”Really you’re afraid of mice?!” Chase asked rhetorically and between chuckles. ”What are you an elephant?” Approaching with caution because the last thing he needed was to be kicked by his pansy of a horse. ”It’s alright silly. It can’t hurt you; maybe just eat your food.” He reached out to comfort Brody with his hand.

WORDS :: 293
TAGS :: open
OUTFIT :: here

[Serenity Oliver]

Serenity had been doing some work with Plot in the round pen, mostly work on improving their communication, and there had been something about how the mare was moving that was puzzling the girl so she decided that it would be best to bring her into the barn so that she could have a good look at the Selle Français' leg and foot, and she would go from there to see as to whom would need to look at the mare (and she was hoping that there was nothing wrong at all as she didn't want to have to stall the mare).

With a smile and a pat for the mare, she clipped the lead rope on to her rope halter and led her toward the barn. "Easy, baby." She soothed as she felt the mare tense through the lead rope. "We're only going in for a look-see. You're all good about going to the grooming stalls." She spoke in a calm, reassuring voice as she walked. "They are big and open with no horrible door to close you in." She grinned as the mare relaxed, a little, and walked along. Things were going great until the distressed call from another horse sounded and Plot was suddenly almost sitting down in her hurry to stop. "Easy baby." Reni soothed as she placed her hand on the mare's nose, sharing her calming energy with the mare and then walked on again as the mare calmed down.

They got to the grooming stalls in time to hear a boy jokingly lambaste his horse for an obvious fear of mice. "Muriphobia is quite common is most large animals, humans included. There is a chance he may not have been able to see the mouse, though he would have been able to hear him, and our equine friends like things that got bump in the night as much as we do." She said softly, watching the small creature run off. She placed a hand on Plot's nose as the mare raised her head and gave the gelding a loud greeting.