I trotted Jojo on the longe line, he crow hopped ancily . "Come on goof get your butt in gear I haven't got very long," I lauhed he snorted as if he were laughing. I popped the longe whip and clicked for him to canter which he did with eagerness. "I see how it is," i laughed. After i'd worked him on the line. I lead him back to the cross ties and brushed him. I buzzed his bridle path and whiskers and then his legs. i smiled satisfide with the job. I combed his forelock and then pulled his mane. I heard mom's mild footstepps approaching. "okay we got everything?" i asked. "Oh shipping boots," I said I scurried intot he tack room and grabbed them from my purple box. i put them around his legs and then fed him a carrot. he nosed me. "Trust me, this will be a fun show!" i said kissing his nose. He nickered and shoved me with his nose.
I sat in the back seat of the subruban Simon stared out the window. "I can believe i have to come,' he muttered. "Why do yo have to come?' I asked. "i'm grounded and mom and dad don't trust me," he said raising his voice. "Simon," my dad said warningly. He stuck his jaw out and threw a "manly" temper tantrum. I looked out the window of the back seat. "I hope he's okay," I said to myself. Mom smiled. "He's fine Sam," she winked from the rear view mirror, "He's fine Sam,' simon mocked imitatiing a girls voice. "Simon Andrew...I'm warning you, one more stunt and ou're out of baseball for the season,' she hissed. Simon cringed and sat back in the seat and griped to himself about how stupid thiswas,
The Show Grounds were still alive when we arrived around midnight. I stretched m legs and stepped out of the car. Simon followed me and helped opene dthe trailor Jojo snorted and kicked some poop at me. "Hey!" i giggled. He turned and whinnied. I unlatched the guard and made my way inside he nudged me gently and then wickered as i unclipped the bungee tie. I backed him out and then mom and Simon scooped the poop out and put shaving on his pee. I sound our stall and got him settled in. i looked into the stall next to us. "Oh jojo look," i crooned at the mare and her little black foal sleepng close together. He seemed very unintrested and niblled at the hay I had put in and then slapped some water around and cntentedly laid himself down for the night. Simon leaned up against the wall watching me wipe down the tack trunk nand oragnaining everything and poloshing the lock and so on. "it's so dumb, in sports nobdoy cares," he laughed. "simon this is a sport, and maybe later you'll discover the wonders of it," I yawned. he rolledhis ees with a doubtful smile he looked in at the mare and her foal. the mare was quietl preparing to stand up and eat. butahen she was all the way up he bab who seemed about he same age as Geoge wok uup and furiously beated out for her. I watched unsure of why it was so terrified of being alone. the mare tiredly walked over and nosed her baby. 'what's wrong?" Simon asked. "i'm not sure,"I whispered. the mre stood wach over her baby watcing simon and I the entire time. "poor girl," i crooned. Mom came over, as the mare stepped quietly away and lowered her head and softly nibbled gass. I saw the black foal eyes flutter open. he searched for his mother and then wailed again. The mare exhausted turned her head watching the baby. "You can't be serious," she seemed to be saying. "mom why does it do that, it can't be much older than George," i siad. "It's not, it's about Georges age,' My mom let herself in, she sneseed something was wrong. she examined the mother and then the baby listening to the heart. surprsingly the mother accepted mom inside. simon and i watched our mom as she stroked the baby so the mare could eat "Mom what's wrong with it?" Simon asked. "It's sick. You know how you get when you're sick, you want me there all the time. That's this baby's problem.' mom whispred. "Tell your father to bring my medicine bag,"
after mom prepaed the needle she stroked the baby's neck giving it some antibodics to help it rest eaiser. the mare sniffed mo and then whickered. "thanks," she smiled. I could see it in her eyes. she looked relieved. mom scrtched the mare and the we went to the hotel.
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