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| Subject: Big Surprise! | |
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Author: Susan |
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Date Posted: 17:55:56 06/17/02 Mon I KNOW THIS IS A LONG MESSAGE, LOL, BUT PLEASE READ ALL OF IT! Susan walked outside into the early morning sunshine and looked at Alli and Jess. They were throwing frisbees for the six dogs the Riley family owned. “Hey Alli.Your uncle, Alan, called and said that you and Jon could each bring a friend and come over to ride today, and then spend three days and two nights with him.” Susan said, knowing that Alli would be excited. “Awesome! Can Jess come? Please?” Alli shrieked happily. “If Helen says it’s alright, then Jess can come. Let the dogs in and you girls can call Helen.” Susan replied, “I have to go get some stuff before I take you, Jon, and hopefully Jess over. Oh yeah, and Jon is inviting Cassidy to come ride.” Susan walked out to the truck and drove out of the driveway. Alli and Jess opened the door and the dogs dashed in. They followed Alli and Jess upstairs and into Alli’s room. “Uncle Alan, is so nice. He owns 28 gaited horses. He only does saddleseat riding, so Jon is going to have problems!” Alli remarked. The two girls laughed at the thought of Jon riding saddleseat. Then Jess picked up the phone and dialed her home phone number. “Hello?” Her dad’s voice said through the phone. “Hi Dad! It’s me, Jess. Alli invited me to come with her to her Uncle’s house, can I go?” Jess called. “Jess, you’re not making any sense. Let me talk to Susan or Mike.” Eric, Jess’s dad, replied. Jess yelled downstairs, “Mike? My dad wants to talk to you.” Mike picked up the phone and Alli and Jess listened from upstairs. “Hi Eric… Yes, Susan’s brother… Just 10 miles out of FC…Green River Farm… Uhh huh… Uhh huh… Great… Yes… Bye!” Mike hung up and said, “Jess, you can go. Eric says to be careful, have fun, and that you can spend the night there tonight and tomorrow with Alli.” Jess and Alli cheered and got their stuff ready. Jess had planned on spending the night at Alli’s house already, but now she got to go to Green River Farm. Jon burst into the room, without knocking. “Cassidy can’t come this time, so I’m not going. Dad said that it is okay for me to stay with him and Mom.” Jon said, walking out after announcing his news. Alli grinned at Jess, “Now its just us going! We’ll have all the fun. I can’t wait til we leave for Green River Farm!” She said happily. “Excellent!” Jess cried happily. Alli heard her mom’s truck pull in and she and Jess raced downstairs. Susan walked inside and smiled mysteriously at Alli and Jess. “Well, can you come, Jess?” She asked. Jess nodded. “Good, because… I bought you each a Hermes saddlebag, filled with stuff you will want for the trip!” Susan said with a smile. “COOL!” The girls shrieked together. Hermes products were expensive! Susan handed them each a large saddlebag and they began to open them. They unpacked small bags of peppermints, sugar cubes, and some instant hot bran mix. Each of them got a cap sleeve tee shirt that said ‘Born to Ride’ in silver glitter. Alli’s shirt was sky blue and Jess’s was purple. Alli pulled out a novel she had never read called, ‘Pony Girl’. Jess got another book in the Heartland series. They each pulled out two new bars of glycerin soap for cleaning tack. Finally they pulled out Bath & Body Works products for taking showers and baths after riding. Alli got the complete line of ‘Electric Apple’ scented products and Jess got the whole ‘Melon Mania’ collection. “Thanks, Mom!” Alli said happily. “This stuff is great! Thanks Susan!” Jess said, she hadn’t been expecting a present! Then Susan smiled at them and said, “Are you chicks ready to go?” “You bet!” They responded cheerfully and they ran out to the SUV with their duffel bags. Susan started the engine and they headed out of FC towards Green River Farm. They arrived soon and Susan parked in the driveway. Rolling paddocks stretched out everywhere. “Hey Susan!” A man called as he strode across the stableyard. He caught Susan and spun her around in his arms. “Hi Alan.” She said, grinning at her “little” brother. He was 2 years younger and just over six feet tall. Alli and Jess jumped out of the car. “Who are these lovely young ladies?” Alan asked jokingly. “I’m Allicia Riley, and this is my friend, Jessica Manatova.” Alli said airily, playing along. “C’mere Alli!” Alan said and Alli leapt into his arms for a hug. “Nice to meet you, Jessica.” He continued. “Call me Jess, Mr. Riley.” Jess said, looking at her surroundings. “Call me Alan.” He said kindly. Then Susan and Alan talked for a while before Susan had to leave. Alli and Jess got their stuff. “Bye girls. Have fun!” Susan called as she pulled away. “So, are you ready to take your stuff inside?” Alan asked. The girls nodded and picked up their duffel bags. They walked up to the two story brick house with a white front porch. Alan opened the door and showed them to their room upstairs. They put their stuff in the closet and got set up. Then they walked back downstairs. “Alright, I’ll show you around before we go for a ride.” Alan said. “Great.” Jess and Alli replied. They all walked outside and went to a large building beside the barn. Alan smiled at them and opened the door. Alli was expecting what she saw, but Jess wasn’t. She gasped in surprise. It was a kennel, a huge kennel! Alan bred collies, rough and border collies. Inside this kennel building, there was an agility course, practice show ring, and large kennels. Training schedules were posted on the walls. Teenagers and adults walked through the place, walking dogs. “What do you think, Jess?” Alan asked. “Whoa.” Was Jess’s reply. “All this isn’t really mine. It’s my wife, Stacey’s, kennel. She doesn’t like horse as much as she likes dogs so she owns this, one of the largest collie breeding facilities in the state.” Alan said, laughing at Jess’s response. They all walked out of the kennel and headed into the barn where three grooms were introduced to them. Then Alan told them what horses they would ride. Jess would be riding an 8 y/o bay hackney mare named Prancin’ Lady. Alli would be riding a 9 y/o palomino saddlebred mare named Golden Affection, who was called Honey around the barn. Alan would be riding a 3 y/o black Missouri Fox Trotter gelding named Thunder Bolt. They walked out to the paddock and got their horses. Lady and Honey raced around their paddock wildly, evading being caught. Then Jess and Alli looked at each other and had an idea. They dropped their lead ropes and stood by the gate holding out their hands. The mares trotted over and Jess got Lady. Alli patted Honey and followed Jess towards the barn. Alan was already saddling Thunder when they got into the barn. Alli and Jess tacked up as quickly as possible before strapping on their helmets and following Alan out of the barn. They all mounted and Alli settled into the sloping saddleseat saddle comfortably. Jess did the same. They walked up the trail adjsuting to their new horses. Honey was fast and smooth, with a definite idea of how things should be done. Lady was elegant and steady with a quiet gentle disposition, very unlike Jess’s horse back home! They rode until they came to a fork in the trail and then Alan said, “We have two options. We can take this turn and go to the barn or we can take this trail and go to the meadow.” Alli and Jess looked at each other. “The meadow.” They said. Alan nodded and they took the fork to the right. After a few minutes more of riding, the meadow came into view. “Girls, we could take off our saddles and ride bareback around this meadow. Do you want to?” Alan asked. “Absolutely.” The girls responded cheerfully… HELEN CONTINUE! [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |