# Ebony Princess



## FutureVetGirl (Aug 5, 2008)

I wrote this a LONG time ago... so it really isn't THAT good. I might re-write it at some point...

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A black weanling filly pranced eagerly under her owner’s gentle hand. She tried to rear up, but she was pulled back down. She felt a hand on her neck, and her muscles and skin rippled under his hand. She was being sold. But she had just been taken from her mother today; she wasn’t completely ready to be sold. But her owner was selling her anyways. Her registered name was Ebony Princess, but her barn name was Eb. “SHUSH! Eb, be quiet!” And after those harsh words, a hand smites her on her head. She jerked it up with surprise. He had never touched her any way except kindly before. She snorted, but continued to prance, this time in fear also, not only eagerness. She nickered and cried out to the horses in the field, and they answered her, running up to the fence. For that she received another slap. This time she just cowered, not understanding what she did. She shook her tiny mane, getting horse slobber all over her owner’s clean white shirt. He hit her again. She didn’t understand. Usually, if she was mean or something, she was nipped by her mom or something, but now; she had no idea what she did wrong. A truck pulled into the driveway, and a rough man jumped out and opened up the back of the trailer. Eb pranced in place, interested in this new monster coming at her. She was jerked sharply by her halter, and she walked forward. A lady walked out of the truck, and then ran her cold hands over Eb. Eb pranced around, and cried out. For that she received a slap, this time by the woman.

“She is good, just like the ad, but in the ad you had said that she was easy to handle, but it seems like you are having difficulty. It doesn’t matter, we’d break that, and she’ll be a champion in no time. Trakehner right? That’s her breed, am I correct?”

Eb’s owner responded, “Yes, she is a Trakehner. Coal black, just like her sire, the famous Windfall, Darren’s horse that he rode in the 2004 Olympics. Her mother was a champion show jumper, but she wasn’t well known. Eb here would make an excellent show jumper or pleasure horse.”

“Oh no! Not pleasure! Never pleasure! Only Show Jumping. That is all we do in our stable.” She called toward her stable hand. “Come get this nag into the trailer! And get to it!”

The man grabbed Eb’s lead rope, and led her into the trailer. As for the lady, she paid Eb’s owner a large sum of 12,000 dollars. He counted it, smiled and then walked off. The lady hopped in the truck, and they drove off toward their stable, Red Creek Show Jumping. Eb stood quietly in the trailer, waiting until they arrived at her new home. When they did stop, Eb kicked at the ramp, eager to be out. The man opened it, came in, and led her out. She pranced next to him, and she was led into a stall with no other horse anywhere near her. Scared and lonely, she nickered and cried out, but there was no answer. The man came up to her, and forced her to crossties. He brushed Eb’s coat roughly, and she pawed the ground in complaint. But he kept doing it. Finally, when he was done, he dragged her to the indoor riding arena, and beat her out into it. She ran; glad to be away from the forceful hands, she kicked up her long legs with pleasure. After an hour, the rough hands brought her in. She attempted to fight back, but it was no use.

This went on for months, the same routine. She learned to rear up, and be as difficult as possible. She would kick at the crossties, and when she is let loose, she would gallop toward the man, and try and kick him. When she was in her stall, she would crib, and chew everything up. It was a normal routine, but on one day, it all changed drastically. During this routine, something new happened. She was 2 years old already. The man brought with him a large round thing, and a leather halter with something shiny at the end. Her curious nature took over, and she cocked her head. But as he came near, she went with her routine; she kicked at him, and tried to rear up. But her efforts were useless. The man deftly brought the round thing down on her back, and pulled up the girth as soon as he could. She kicked and kicked, while the man sat down on a chair, and started smoking his minutely cigarette. The smoke infuriated Eb, and she kicked harder, and pulled back on the crosstie chains, and almost broke her jaw. At that, she stopped, and looked around frantically, wondering what had happened. At that time, the man jumped forward, and crushed his fiery cigarette on Eb. She reared up at the pain, but was yanked back down. The man stuffed the metal bar into her mouth, and tightened the straps until it was gripping her neck so hard that when she tried to bring her head in, it choked her. She just stood there shaking. He led her into the arena, and hopped on. That just infuriated her even more. He rode her out, jerking her head in, choking her, finally, one of the other riders in there gave him a glass bottle with a bit of water still in it. When Eb brought her head up, he crashed it down over her head. She felt the water running down, and with horror thought it was blood. She stood still, not moving. Just filled with fear and terror. The man kicked her on, and she walked, her brown eyes filled with fear, wide open. Her ears were laid flat against her head, but she obeyed the man. He kicked her into a gallop, she went into a gallop, and tried to run away from him, but all her efforts were in vain.






Two years later, Eb cantered around a show jumping course, her ears laid back. She had no choice. She could be a demon in the stables, but under saddle she had to obey, or she was hit over the head again with the blood bottle. That is what she called it. Her rider urged her faster, but when they reached the first jump, flashbacks came of her first one ever…

Eb was ridden into the arena, her ears back, she had never jumped before. Her rider turned her toward a large stone wall. Her ears lay even further back, and she started to pull up her head, but she saw her rider’s hand go up, and she saw the bottle in it. She grabbed the bit, lowered her head, and galloped. He jerked the reins from her, and whipped her constantly toward the wall. She jumped it at the last second. When she came down, she started bucking. Her rider fell off, but he held onto the reins. Her jowl was jerked hard, and it almost broke. When her rider got up, he took the crop, and beat her head and body constantly with it. She reared up, and then stopped, remembering the bottle. She stopped, her eyes filled with fear. She waited until he got up and rode her over it again. This time she jumped it, no trouble…

When she remembered that, she panicked, and galloped, she ran strait into the jump, knocking the poles down, cut her shoulder, and her it started bleeding profusely. She felt stinging pains on her rump; the jump bat that her rider always carried was hitting her repeatedly. She finally slowed down, and stood there, a quivering mass of blood and sweat. She was jerked out of the arena, and into a trailer. She stood in the trailer, the blood and sweat streaming down her trembling carcass. They had left all her tack on, and with the hair laid the wrong way, saddle sores grew worse on her corpse. Her owner shut the ramp and drove off, without taking off the saddle or halter. When they reached the barn, they didn’t take Eb out of the trailer. She stomped in the tiny trailer, impatient to get out and go to her stall. But they just ignored her. She was left for 4 weeks without food and just a little water. She became emaciated, and desiccated. She was now a walking skeleton. She could hardly stand up, but the lead rope tied to the trailer kept her up.

On the morning of the 29th day, the ramp went down, and Eb panicked, she thought it was her owners. She kicked out and struggled until she couldn’t anymore. She just stood there, filled with fear, yet too weak to fight back. A stranger led her out, and she followed, her head held low, her soft, yet wild brown eyes filled with fear, sunken into her gaunt skull. She was led into another trailer. At that, she started panicking again, she tried to rear up, but she was pulled down, and then someone reached his hand up to calm her, but she thought he was going to hurt her, her sunken eyes rolled white, and she jerked backwards. Finally, she was left alone for the moment, and the ramp was put up. She stood there, trying desperately to find water. She found water, but next to it was another horse. She squealed, and lunged at the mare with energy she knew not about before. A large crimson gash decorated the other horse’s shoulder. Eb gulped down the water vigorously. When she was done, she bared her teeth at the other horses and stared out the side. A young four year old, going to a new home. Where will it lead her? When the trailer pulled into the driveway, a sleepy Eb looked out, there were large fields, and many other horses. They trailer stopped. The ramp went down. All the other horses were led out first, and then two men came to get her out. Filled with hatred toward the merciless humans, she bared her teeth, and got ready, placing her weak feet down, pawing the ground nervously. The reached over, and untied her lead rope, she took off. She bolted down the driveway, but the gate was closed. She was much too afraid and tired to jump it. So she ran back, and she ran around the yard until she collapsed from exhaustion. Only then was the vet able to get near enough to treat her wounds. When they were all done, she was led into a stall. Feed and hay were put into her stall, but she always nipped the hands away before they could touch her. She ate with a will, and still filled with nervousness, she was chewing away the stall. The wood that used to be so smooth was now filled with hoof marks, teeth marks, and chewed up corners. No one dared get near her stall. If they came within her biting range, she would nip them. Whenever they did, they would shake their heads and converse in a language Eb didn’t understand…





Eb stayed this way for months. She wouldn’t let anyone near her except to give her food. She was placed with horses, but brought immediately back inside after an older mare received a large scarlet gash on her rump. But one day, everything changed…

“Yes, yes, I understand. Yes, I’ll be careful. I’ll read the directions before feeding, yes, yes, yes. Yes, I understand.” A girl, around 13 to 14 years of age stood in the hall, her compassionate voice echoing in Eb’s fearful mind. For once, her mind cleared, and her white fearful eyes turned normal. She leaned her head out goon-naturedly, and nickered at the girl. The man talking to her stopped, and turned, wondering whom that was, because Eb was the only horse in this barn, which they use for those in serious trouble, or are extremely dangerous. Eb was both. He gawped with surprise, and the girl just smiled. “I guess she likes me.” The teen started to walk up to Eb, her hand raised, then all of Eb’s fears came back, and she jerked up her head, squealing fearfully as she retreated into the stall.

“That was the closest anyone’s been to her without her biting or nipping us.” He just gawped.

“The poor thing, she must have been through quite a lot to have that much fear.”

“She has, her first home, she was treated kindly, but then she was sold to a woman who didn’t care about horses just so long as they brought her profit and fame. And her trainer was a rough man who believed that gentling a horse was killing it. So he treated her in the worst way possible. Then, at her first show, they had her do A circuit, and she ruined the course. Then as her punishment they had her tied up in the trailer, tack still plastered to her bloody and sweat lathered body for 6 days, no food or water, they were going to leave her in there for another day, but we got there. She has always been fearful and wary of us, but I can’t say I blame her.”

The girl turned toward Eb’s stall. “The poor thing.” She walked back toward the stall, Eb just stood there looking at her for a moment, and then she squealed and ran back into her stall again.

During the days that followed, Eb and the girl, whose name is Beth, grew closer. After two days of just talking to her, Beth was able to place her hand on Eb’s shoulder, but after she did, Eb reared up, and Beth had to jerk it back. Their bond grew closer, and after a couple weeks, Eb let Beth into her stall, and give her food that way. But Eb always stayed in the corner, glaring at Beth with those cold brown eyes.

One day when Beth came in, she lost herself, she forgot about Eb’s fierce nature, and she just walked up, “Hey girl, how are you doing?” And she just slapped her hand down on Eb’s shoulder. This startled the mare so much that she reared up and came down, breaking the door; she tore out of it, throwing Beth out of the way as if she was just a rag doll. She bolted away from the barn. Just at that moment, another rescue happened to be coming in, another mare just as mean-tempered as she. They both reared up and clashed against each other, their teeth bared. But Eb, having the advantage of weight and strength thrust her down. There was nothing anyone could do. By the end of the fight, there was only one left standing and alive. Eb. She screamed like a stallion, and reared up with defiance, coming down repeatedly on the other mare.

Everyone gasped, and backed off, they didn’t want to mess with that mare. Beth walked up, scared and not quite sure what was happening. The proud black mare just stood there, her boa arched in triumph. She whistled, and then reared up again, boxing the air with those lethal needles. Beth gasped at her beauty and savageness. Eb’s eyes rolled white, hard, cold, and stony. She came down, and stopped, glowering at them all in her savage beauty. She shook her long mane, and snorted, and it looked like smoke came out, her fire red eyes burned with fury and hate. Finally, she slowly walked toward Beth, and then stood there in front of her, her gaze directed in Beth’s eyes, they dug deep inside of her, and Beth felt the hurt, hatred, fear, and fury that Eb suffered through. Beth helped her relieve it. Eb just stood there, her spirit flowing into Beth. Then, she walked forward, and thrust her soft black muzzle into Beth’s weak and pale hand. Beth slid it up into Eb’s silky mane, and sighed, she was beautiful, and now hers. She slowly took a hold of the limp lead rope on Eb’s halter, and slowly led her back into the barn, the amazed eyes of the others glued onto them…



“Hey, girl, how are you doing?” Beth slid her hand carefully across Eb’s muscular neck. Today was the day Beth was going to try riding the savage mare. She had been working on gaining her trust for three months now, and today she was going to do it. She leaned down and grasped the tack box sitting next to Eb’s stall. The mare snorted, and nickered, she was ready to be groomed and taken out on the lunge rope for her exercise. Beth took out a rubber currycomb, and started working the dirt out of Eb’s coal black coat. She snorted, and closed her eyes in soothing comfort…

When Beth finished grooming her, she walked to the tack room, and instead of bringing out the tack and a lunge rope too, she brought out just the tack, with stirrups this time. Eb spooked a bit at the flashing metal, but she soon calmed down under Beth’s gentle hand. Beth tacked her up just like she had every day for four weeks now. She led her outside, and toward the mounting block. She snapped her helmet on real tight, and made sure the buckles on her safety vest were tight. She walked Eb right up to the mounting block, and walked on the side of her. She slowly slid into the saddle. Eb just stood there, wondering what was next, then felt extra weight on her back. Flashbacks of her last owner crowded into her mind, and she bolted, her eyes rolling white. She wouldn’t dare put her head up, for fear of the bottle. Beth held on for all she was worth. Finally, she started whispering in Eb’s ear, “Whoa girl, it is ok, I’m here, you’ll be all right, whoa, it’s ok…” and she just kept talking until Eb gradually brought herself to a canter, then a trot then a walk, and then shakily, to a stop. Eb just stood there; shaking with fear, while Beth just kept talking gently to her. Finally, she calmed down enough to be walked slowly around the yard. A few of the other volunteers came out to watch the horse that you couldn’t even get near be ridden around in a circle. To Beth’s amazement, one of the men came out, and started clapping, soon, everyone else took up his lead, and one and all were applauding. Beth cracked a smile as the coal black mare underneath her, the one that had gone through so much trauma and hardships, let her actually ride her without fear of injury. Eb whinnied at the clapping audience, and at Beth’s command, shifted into a smooth trot. Her gaits were perfect, she needed work, but she was great. A tear of joy rolled down Beth’s face as they all clapped and the mare that was always fearful, trusted her…


(Please review! I wanna know what you think!)


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

that was really good. I liked it alot. I thought it was great.


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