The grooms were ready as the big horse trailer pulled in from the long haul, the sun was
going down but there would still be much work for everyone at the ranch.
"Get them put
up in their stalls as quickly as possible, they’ll need as much time as they can before they
begin workouts tommorow." The head groom shouted over the truck’s nosiy engine.
Two
stable-hands went to the back of the trailer to drop down the extra large gate, as Becky went
to talk to the hauler.
“How’d they do traveling?” she asked James, "Very well, they’re
your best bunch so far" he smiled, James consistenly hauled horses for Rainbow Ranch to and
from the track. "thanks, it looks like this year was a good one, got some young horses to
look forward to". “Good luck with them” he shook his hand after finishing the signing of
papers.
Grooms already had one of the fillies out, and was ready to send the
flea-bitten filly to her stall. “Lemme check her legs before you put her up…” Becky ran her
hands over the filly’s’ legs, “Looks very good, go ahead and put her up” she gave Smoke
‘n’ Mirrors a pet as the groom walked away.
"Hey Maggie, check Sunset over, then
put him in the box stall next to Ghost Your Good" Maggie nodded her head as she looked over
the handsome chestnut colt.
"Who’s this? I don’t remeber you looking at her when we
checked out the other horses" Peter asked, the assitant trainer looked suspicously at the
awkward looking filly, the 15 horse was rather high in her backend. "She’ll need to grow a
bit more, but I liked her look. She’ll likely mature to 15.2. She’s by Go for Dash, so
she’s got the potential. I’d like to give her a start in October, then wait until the first
of the year to start her again." Becky replied to his look "Sounds good, you spot 'em better
than I do. She’s really got a Calm disposition and a kind eye. She goes next to Hearts
Awhirl right?" “Yep”
The next horse down the ramp was a tall colt by the name of
High Chances, Becky led him down the ramp, the young two-year-old paused for a moment before
annoucing his presence with a loud whinny, which was followed by several nickers from the
other horses at the barn. "Good boy. Mag, take this one and but him in between Mystery and
Fox" “This is one of Laird’s foals right?” “Yeah, one of few. So I thought I’d grab him”
the young bay colt trotted in place as he was awaiting his new home.
The next two
horses that came from the trailer where Usedtobeaferrari and Branded Untouchable, "they
across from each other on the end of the aisle." Both grooms nodded as they led the
racehorses off to their stalls.
"I’ll take her out, make sure that the end stall is
ready in the Stallion barn." Becky led the shy weanling out of the dark trailer, Highland
Freedom slowly stepped out onto the ramp. She snorted as she was led twords the broodmare and
foal barn. When she arrived she was greeted by Bitter Sweet whom she was placed next to. "I
really like her looks, she’s quite a nice looking filly, good soild hocks, great feet for a
foal." Becky turned as Peter walked up and leaned against the mare motel’s rails. "We’ll we
didn’t have a Highland Wizard foal so I thought I’d spend the money" "Aren’t you sending
Native Dreams to him" “Yeah, so I can have two babies from the same sire if I want” she said
teasingly, “well I gotta go get Turn n’Burn” She walked back to the trailer.
The
big chestnut stallion came out of the trailer snorting and dancing around, only after a few
bumps of the stud chain did he settle down. He was placed in his large stall where, after
careful consideration,he decided to roll in his endless shavings.
Becky found a nice
spot to sit on a bag of grain, where she was soon accompained by many of her workers. "Phew,
guess what guys, we get to do this tommorrow!" She flashed a big smile, "but I doubt I’ll be
bringing home as many. I gotta go send our haulers back to the auction, where I’ll be as
well. Peter, I’ll call tommorrow to let you know the coun’t I’ll be bringing home. See you
guys tommorrow afternoon."
Becky waved bye, as she started her silver truck, the trailer
pulled out and the crickets began chirping. The days work was done.