# Milady



## nicole25 (Jun 24, 2011)

This is great! I can picture it all in my head. SUJ you are really a fantastic writer.


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

I'll work on this some more later and I've got another paragraph of the other to come. Got to go work with horses.


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

To a horse change isn't something they learn to expect. Warranted she'd spent her life on the farm and things had been the same day in and day out. So she had no reason to expect it. But it was there. Looming in on her. As a foal she was expected to follow her mother. When a halter was put on she was expected to wear it. And besides for the fact that she thought the halter bothersome she'd learned to except it. Eventually had come a lead, at first just one to see if she'd walk forward. Stubborn as she sometimes could be and as young as she was it was no surprise she didn't take to it. So another lead was added, this one around her hind end, to teach her to move forward with the pressure on her pole. That lesson was won, however you looked at it, by patience and understanding. Although Milady did leave a few bruises when she decided she'd rather be investigating exactly what her dame was doing rather than tolerate the indignity of the lesson. None of that would compare the filly for what was to come now that she was older.

In the morning a crow talked his pleasure of the sun. Earning a few grunts from the humans and animals that did not think it so pleasurable. But as always Milady was up. Neighing her protest that it was taking too long for her caretakers to let her out. She pawed at the door as the people filed in. Earning her a sleepy "stop it". Milady nickered. She wanted out. The door was in her way and she needed a person to open it for her. Trust her, she'd tried on several occasions to open itself to no avail. When she noticed a few of the other yearlings going out she called out. She was to go out first. Didn't they know this? She tossed her head and went to the far side of her stall, hopping up to see what was going on. 

At first nothing happened. Nobody came for her. She stood frozen in place at the edge of her stall. Looking out the big sliding doors and out into the paddock where she normally went. One of the hands came back and took a lead off her stall. Still frozen for a moment she flicked a ear back at the sound of the clip on her stall being undone. Excited that she was finally going out, and nervous that she'd have to reestablish her dominance once she was outside Milady moved quickly to the doorway. But on the mans arm was not only the lead but another leather piece. She didn't pay it any mind. It wes unimportant. What was important was her turn out. She didn't want to wait for him to clip the lead on but she did, shivering slightly in anticipation. Once he lead her out of the stall she became more antsy, prancing beside him with her head tucked and tail up. Causing the horses that were still inside to snort and paw in their stalls. Instead of going toward the paddock though the handler was taking her in the opposite direction. Milady froze, her hooves making a scraping sound against the ground. The handler clucked her forward. Watching her wearily to see what she was going to do. With a low purring sound she moved tentatively forward. 


With a slight sigh of relief the hand led her to the cross ties. Turning her around and snapping the two leather break away ties to her halter. As soon as he stepped away the filly moved forward. Confused by this new pressure from both sides of her face. She tucked her back legs under her and started to come up but the handler was quick and pulled her back down. Making her back up back into the right spot. Flaring her nostrils and snorting loudly the filly moved her backside away from him. Keeping an eye and ear on him to see what he was doing.


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## FreeDestiny (Jul 3, 2011)

Amazing story!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

A large truck pulled into the yard. And out of it came a small man and a box of tools. He was never a fan of days like this. Dealing with horses that had barely been touched... So his mood was flat as he tried to remain calm. He'd been struck by many a hoof of a young colt with no installed manners. 

When he walked to the filly he looked her over, just a glance, studying the lines and structure. Going over her anatomy. Keeping in his memory her markings for future reference. Milady sized him up. She flicked her ears as he came up to her, moving her back end before becoming restless once more. But instead of making a clattering mess of herself she tossed her head and propped one leg. 

"This the one," the man would ask to the hand. In which he'd receive a nod. Swift and brief. That she was. 

Nodding the man picked up a tool from his box. Showing the filly it briefly before reaching for her front leg. Now the filly had had her hooves picked up before. But only by the spry handlers and never by a man who she could feel was tense... almost nervous. So her instincts told her that she shouldn't be standing on three legs, just in case. She planted her hoof firmly on the ground. Tilting her head to the side. Seeing this streak of stubbornness the man used the tool in his hand under her frog, while leaning against her shoulder. With a shuffle and a stomp she relented and let him have her hoof, although she was quite ready to flee if necessary. At the start it felt very similar to having her hoof picked, and so she lost her worry. Loafing on the cross ties. That was until he brought the big metal clippers out. He started to put her hoof between his legs and that was when she became concerned once more. And because she'd lounged a little the farrier had given her credit and lost some of his weariness. So that when she yanked her hoof away it took him slightly by surprise. Causing him to lean against her to regain his balance, which in turn caused her to brace herself against the cross ties. After a moment the man calmed, glad that it hadn't gotten worse. He took a breath and straightened the filly up before trying again. But Milady no longer wanted a part in what he was about to do. To her it felt like he was attacking her leg. So she sidled away again, and again, and again. And since the farrier had several other horses to do he lost his patience and the other leather strap came into play. Because attached to a wooden handle, as it was, it made a very effective twitch. So the velvet part of her nose was brought through the loop and the twitch was twisted until her nose being in it was more important than whatever the farrier was doing. So for that front hoof she was kept held like that. Once it was finished she was given the chance to realize that none if it was killing her so it'd just be in her best interest to stand there. So when he moved to her back leg she barely moved away from him at all. And only because horses think on one side at a time did she move from him slightly on the other side. Milady realized quickly that when this man came to visit the faster he was done the faster she got to go back to her normal routine. 


Having survived her first trim the stable hand led the filly out and turned her into the paddock. She bolted around, putting the other horses in check as she went, as if she was glad that the leg attacking man was no longer near her.


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