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Post by Grace on Mar 23, 2011 19:34:04 GMT -5
Angel was rather enjoying herself, this warm March day. It was 70 and sunny, nary a cloud in the sky. It was truly a perfect spring day. The only downer to this day was the large Friesian mare in labor. Due to this fact, Angel was in the breeding/foaling barn until the mare had her foal and successfully allowed him or her to nurse. The poor mare, the majestic animal was lathered in sweat, uncomfortably grunting on the woodchipped floor of her stall. Angel had taken the precautionary steps, wrapping the mare's tail, keeping a tote full of foaling supplies nearby, a foal blanket was just to her left, with warm, thick towels. And the vet was on speed-dial. Sasha had had a family affair to attend to, so it was only Angel and a few other hands around, but Angel had taken it upon herself to watch the young mare give birth. All of a sudden, the mare gave a great heave, and the foal began to appear, first hooves, then a nose, and finally its little head, soon followed by the rest of the foal. The mare was nearly immediately to her feet, nickering to the youngster. Angel smiled to herself as the mare talked to her baby. Such a wonderful embodiment of this time of year. [/center]
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Post by mustang5jk2 on Mar 28, 2011 19:59:17 GMT -5
Gerard has just finished working with Devil Demon, one of the jumpers he trained and exercised for Sasha. He passed one of the round pens that held a horse called "devilish by many others" Sol-Leks. The Angry One. He looked through the slats of the 6 foot round pen to see the bay turn to stare him straight in the face and paw at the sand with a snort. Gerard sighed The poor beast had been treated terribly at some time by someone. It would take a lot to get him on the road to recovery. He continued on his way until he rounded the corner of the breeding barn. As he expected, Angel was standing guard outside the stall of her newly acquired horse. She had bought the mare from an out of state farm a few months back from an owner who hadn't the means to care for the pregnant more or her pending foal. As he approached, he heard the labored grunts of Something Elegant, followed by a thump. "Hey Angel," he called down the aisle. "How's Elle doing?"
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Post by Grace on Mar 28, 2011 20:15:35 GMT -5
Angel heard footsteps rounding the corner of the large barn. She didn't look up, as by the light steps she was nearly certain it was her very favorite person. As the young, pitch black colt began to wobble on its front legs, she turned to Gerard, smiling at him. "She did wonderfully for just being a baby." Angel turned back in to the stall, unbolting the latch, and stepping just inside. She wanted badly to imprint the foal as soon as she could, but she didn't know Elle well enough to know how she would react. The darling mare was only three, truly just a baby in her own right. Angel knelt in clean chips, and looked gently at the newborn. From her angle, she could determine that the little foal was a little stud colt. She truly did not know of the colt's sire, so as he grew, she hoped it would become apparent, so that the little colt could be registered through his mother's registry. Again, Angel turned to Gerard. "It's a little stud colt." She said simply, smiling happily. She had secretly hoped for a colt, as she really didn't want to have another filly to put up with. "Isn't he darling?"
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Post by mustang5jk2 on Mar 28, 2011 23:09:22 GMT -5
"Good." Gerard said as he looked through the bars of the stall. He watched as Angel knelt to determine the foals' sex, almost warning her. He stopped himself, however. She knew to be careful around the unfamiliar mare, he was just so protective of her sometimes. Upon hearing the sex of the foal, he smiled. Gerard had known that Angel hoped for a colt. She now had two mares of her own, as well as those she trained in western pleasure for Sasha. Mares could be quite hormonal, and if she gelded this little one, she would be in for a nice relaxing treat. Now that he thought of it, he wasn't sure if Angel planned on gelding or using him as a stud. He voiced his question. "Do you think you're going to breed him or geld him?"
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Post by Grace on Mar 29, 2011 20:12:05 GMT -5
Angel grinned at the little one, still down on her knees, resting back on her heels. She finally became irritated enough with the unpleasantness of her boot heels digging in to her butt that she rose, leaning against the stall door. Angel quickly realized that Gerard had asked her a question nearly 30 seconds ago. "I'm sure I'll geld him, but probably not until he's at least two and a half." Angel had planned this out, allowing the colt enough growing time to bulk up more like a stallion, and then gelding him before he became too hormonal around mares. As Friesians were late maturing horses, it would also allow the little one's body to mature more before putting too much stress on him. Finally, the jet black colt rose to all four feet, wobbling on sea legs. He had gotten up rather quickly. Soon, Angel thought of the year, and the FPS registry's naming rules. 2011's names would begin with a J, K, or L. Although Elle's show name did not meet the requirements, her registered name did. Again, Angel turned to her best friend, lover, and confidant. "J, K, and L are this year's name letters for FPS...But we can think of a registered name later. This little man needs a barn name." [/center]
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Post by mustang5jk2 on Mar 29, 2011 20:27:00 GMT -5
Gerard nodded at Angel's answer. "That'll be a refresher for you." He watched as the newborn struggled to his feet, remembering that it was not so long ago that Kingwood's most recent foals, Zukra Leila, Raging Rapids, and Spanish Fire, had been born. "At least he'll have a few playmates. Sasha didn't breed as many this year on account of she's going to be getting all those horses from that barn that's going under." He considered Angel's last statement about naming the little colt. "You don't know the name of the sire, do you?"
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Post by Grace on Jun 6, 2011 16:31:17 GMT -5
"That's for sure." Angel turned to the little one. Watching the colt, it was hard to believe that someday, the still damp, brown-black, leggy colt would, someday, be an elegant, floating mass of coal black hair and wonderful attitude. Elle nudged the colt over, and he began to nurse. "His sire was named Adelaar van de'Hemel," pronouncing the Dutch nearly flawlessly, she continued "meaning "Eagle of the Sky." Angel watched the mare and colt for a moment longer, picked up the supplies, and walked out of the stall. Crossing, she set the supplies down on a shelf in the tack room. "What about Ade? Short for Adelaar?" Angel slid her arm around Gerard's waist, giving him a side-hug, and turned her eyes up to him. [/center]
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Post by mustang5jk2 on Jun 7, 2011 17:22:11 GMT -5
Gerard considered for a moment. Sure. He looked down on the dark little colt. Maybe something like Elle's Adelaar? I mean, if you want to keep the Eagle part, it might be something you could consider. Gerard pulled her in close to him. He was glad the foal had finally been born. The anticipation was finally over. Plus, he'd always loved working with the babies. Sasha usually tried to get him working with them as much as she could, especially since there were so many of them. He was currently helping with the training of the yearlings. I can't wait to see you work with the little ones for a change, he said, looking down to Angel. [/sub]
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Post by Grace on Jun 7, 2011 17:44:51 GMT -5
Angel wrapped both arms around Gerard, and looked back up at him. "I like that...I think I'll wait about a month, though, before I really decide; I want to see what his personality is like." Angel watched the little colt finish nursing, and then flop back into the straw, the big, black mare nickered at her baby, and once she realized the colt was asleep, she moved back to her hay, true to Elle's personality. "Always the little piggy," a smile spread over the girl's face, but her head turned back into Gerard's chest, grinning as he told her that he couldn't wait to see her work with the babies. "Lets go see the other foals, Ade and Elle will be okay for right now." [/center]
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Post by mustang5jk2 on Jun 7, 2011 17:55:27 GMT -5
Good decision. Gerard smiled as he watched the little colt. He laughed and looked down to Angel as she turned into his chest. All right, we can do that. You want to see the new ones, then? Or would you rather see the yearlings? I think they're still out in the yearling pasture. Gerard looked around to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything before taking Angel by the hand and leading her down the aisle. [/sub]
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Post by Grace on Jun 7, 2011 18:05:45 GMT -5
Angel squeezed Gerard's hand as they walked down the aisle of stalls, a few mares peeked their heads out, looking at the pair, begging eyes saying: "Oh, c'mon, a little more grain won't hurt." Grinning, she looked back up at him. "Let's go see your yearlings. I haven't spent time with them in a while." She began to walk in the direction of the pasture that is most frequently used for the yearlings and two year old colts and fillies. Even as far away as they were, you could see the mottled colors of all the yearlings. Blacks, bays, paints, greys, sorrels, they were all there. Angel hadn't worked with these yearlings, but she truly hoped that there might be one little yearling that would capture her heart. It had been so long since Angel had had a truly tight bond with a youngster, she was yearning for the one hopefully coming along with the newborn Friesian colt. "Y'know what, Gerard?" Angel grinned up at him. Before really letting the boy answer, she answered for him. "You're pretty great." [/center]
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Post by mustang5jk2 on Jun 7, 2011 18:16:26 GMT -5
Okay. Gerard went in the direction of the yearling pasture. He looked eagerly at the distant mass of colorful youngsters. Tomorrow, he only had a few jumpers to work with before getting to spend time with them. He looked down at Angel as she started to speak. What? He started to say, before Angel cut him off. He laughed. Well, thanks, you're pretty great yourself. He kissed the top of her head. Why exactly am I pretty great today?
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Post by Grace on Jun 7, 2011 19:11:37 GMT -5
Angel grinned up at Gerard, and leaned into him as he kissed her head. When the pair reached the yearling pasture, Angel leaned against the wooden fence. Crossing her arms, and leaning her chin on her forearms, she turned her head back to Gerard. "Oh, you're always pretty great," the girl smirked, making it clear that she was going to say something else. "But you're just stinking cute today" What Angel was saying was true. Gerard's typically rather clean-kept long black hair was wind mussed, giving him a boyish appeal. Angel raised on her toes and kissed Gerard lightly. [/center]
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Post by mustang5jk2 on Jun 8, 2011 20:21:38 GMT -5
Gerard joined her, resting his arms on the top rail of the fence. Well thank you very much, he said before kissing her back. He looked out on the grazing yearlings. A few looked up and, recognizing him, started making their way over. They probably think I have grain, he said. There's still a few out there that I have to coax when I take them out to work, and usually they get a handful. Two colts and a filly came to the fence, a bay, a paint, and a grey. The bay colt is Jazzy Boy, the paint is Illusion, and the filly is Lovely Skies, he informed Angel. Gerard pulled a few slices of carrot from his pocket. They're lucky I have carrots on me pretty much all the time, he grinned.
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Post by Grace on Jun 8, 2011 21:06:38 GMT -5
Grinning, Angel took a few sliced of carrot from Gearard's hand, holding them out towards the yearlings. Soon, the little paint, Illusion, was coaxed to her, and nibbled the bright orange carrot slices out of her hands. "I've always had a soft spot for paints..." the girl wasn't really paying attention to much, just stroking the velvety soft muzzle of the colt. "Yeah, they're pretty lucky, but I'm luckier," she turned her eyes back up to Gerard, who nearly towered over her 5'3" height. Angel looked back down on the colt, and stroked his neck, offering him another carrot slice from Gerard's hand. "He's my favorite," she murmured. For some reason, the little colt really appealed to her, climbing up on the fence, she swung her legs over. Yes, it would probably have been just as easy to open the gate, and walk through, but this was oh so much more fun.
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Post by mustang5jk2 on Jun 8, 2011 21:18:55 GMT -5
Gerard fed Jazzy and Lovely, rubbing between their eyes. A little ways away, a couple of particularly leggy colts kicked out at each other in a mock fight. He then looked down at Angel, shadowing her with his nearly 6' stature. She seemed to be enchanted with the colt. He watched her climb over the fence, and with a shrug, decided to follow. Several more yearlings began to crowd around the couple. Damn, should have come better prepared. Oh well, he stroked the necks of those closest to him. Maybe you could work with them too, sometimes. [/sub]
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Post by Grace on Jun 8, 2011 21:37:16 GMT -5
Continuing to stroke the neck of the little paint yearling, Angel turned to also pet the filly standing next to her, rubbing between her eyes, and scratching behind her ears. Grinning, she looked back over at her love. "Yeah, probably, but they like the attention just as well." Continuing to give the youngsters attention, moving from colt to filly, filly to colt, Angel finally got to one of the yearlings that Gerard was petting, and rather than continuing to give the yearlings attention, she threw her arms around Gerard's neck. For some reason, she just really wanted a big hug from him, she wasn't depressed or sad, she just loved this boy and wanted a true hug from him. [/center]
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Post by mustang5jk2 on Jun 8, 2011 21:42:41 GMT -5
Gerard emptied all the carrots out of his pocket as he moved from horse to horse. True, but you might find working with them fun, too. It'll certainly get you in shape for when your little one starts growing up, he laughed. Some of the youngsters gradually started moving off a ways to go graze or play. He looked down at Angel's glowing face as they petted the same colt. The colt started and trotted away a few yards when Angel threw her arms around him. Gerard laughed and held her tight. Maybe someday these could all be ours, he said with a grin. [/sub]
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Post by Grace on Jun 8, 2011 21:53:47 GMT -5
"I probably will. Maybe I'll have to take you up on that tomorrow," she smiled. Getting prepared for raising another baby, especially a colt, would be different than raising her little filly. Moon's little filly had has the perfect temperament of her dam, floating gaits of the Irish Sporthorse in her, and the size and beauty of the Percheron sire. But, although Elle usually had a lovely temperament, she was very marish, and Angel never knew the sire of Ade, she had just seen pictures. Angel turned her face into Gerard's chest, and listened to his heart beat. "You're so wonderful," murmuring, she smiled. She was fully aware that she had probably spooked most of the yearlings, but the warmth of Gerard's hug was marvelous. "I looooveee youuuu," she spoke in a slight baby-talk type voice, and drew out every word. [/center]
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Post by mustang5jk2 on Jun 8, 2011 22:01:15 GMT -5
Gerard thought back on his time working with his Friesian and Friesian cross foals. They'd all been fillies, and though they were generally good, they definitely had their days. There'd been a couple days they'd given him pure hell. There were several in this bunch that seemed to enjoy giving him trouble too. He kissed the top of her head once more before resting his head on hers. Gerard sighed contentedly. You're pretty wonderful yourself, he said softly. He smiled as she used a baby voice. I loooooove you tooo, he babied right back at her.
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