Post by MELODY LIRIT on Nov 14, 2012 2:49:25 GMT -8
It was no secret that Sirius didn't think much of his new stall. The first night he'd stayed there after coming to the college, even when Melody had put his horse blanket that smelled of her and his mum on him and put her ipod in a safe nook on repeat for a soft violin piece she often played to calm him down, he'd made a right fuss. He had whined and shrieked all night until Mel had be called out of bed at 1 am to calm him down. She'd ended up sleeping with him, curled up in the straw, and had barely woken up in time to get to class. Now he was much better, and despite a couple of late nights were he'd been wussy, Mel was confident that she wasn't making the foal dependant on her. It was one of the first things her dad had warned her about when she'd taken on the care of Si after his mother died. "You've got to take very good care of him," her father had said firmly. "In fact I'll be annoyed if that foal doesn't grow up perfect. But don't baby him. Don't give in to his every whim, don't be at his beck and call. Give him love but don't spoil him. It's a tough balance, but if you can pull it off with a foal then you'll be all set for when you have your own kids someday."
Mel had written down those words (or what she could remember) and kept it in the box of Si's things, as a reminder to her should she get too attached to him. She had been scared at first that Boo would get jealous, but her older horse had been almost maternal to her little half-brother. She protected him out in the paddock, played with him and showed him all the things Firefly should have, if she had lived to raise him. Mel was still sad over Firefly's death, but she knew it wasn't sensible to dwell too much on dead horses. Not when there were lively foals to enjoy.
"Hey Si-boy," she said as she unlatched the stall door. Si rubbed his head into her chest in greeting and she nuzzled his mane as she clipped the small halter around his head. Sirius had been trained from an early age with the halter, and was now completely used to it. Mel was still very careful with the lead rope but Si seemed perfectly happy to follow her anywhere even if she wasn't leading him on a rope so it wasn't actually much of a problem.
Mel didn't like the idea of little Sirius sleeping in the paddock, and now it was starting to get cold she brought Boo in at night as well (she slept in the stall next to Si's), but she recognised the importance of him being out during the day. When Boo was out there too, as she was now, Melody didn't feel so bad for leaving the colt alone while she was in class. "Hiya, Boo Boo," she said, gently shooing her horse away from the gate as she lead Si through. She unclipped the lead rope (she kept Si's halter on him when he was in the paddock so he'd be easier to catch) and gave him a pat on the rump to tell him he was free before turning her love on Boo. "Who's a good girl? Are you going to look after him for me today? We'll do some jumping training this afternoon, just you and me." Boo gave her hair a playful tug of approval before trotting off to join Sirius where he was playing with some butterflies.
Melody sat up on the railings to watch the two.
Mel had written down those words (or what she could remember) and kept it in the box of Si's things, as a reminder to her should she get too attached to him. She had been scared at first that Boo would get jealous, but her older horse had been almost maternal to her little half-brother. She protected him out in the paddock, played with him and showed him all the things Firefly should have, if she had lived to raise him. Mel was still sad over Firefly's death, but she knew it wasn't sensible to dwell too much on dead horses. Not when there were lively foals to enjoy.
"Hey Si-boy," she said as she unlatched the stall door. Si rubbed his head into her chest in greeting and she nuzzled his mane as she clipped the small halter around his head. Sirius had been trained from an early age with the halter, and was now completely used to it. Mel was still very careful with the lead rope but Si seemed perfectly happy to follow her anywhere even if she wasn't leading him on a rope so it wasn't actually much of a problem.
Mel didn't like the idea of little Sirius sleeping in the paddock, and now it was starting to get cold she brought Boo in at night as well (she slept in the stall next to Si's), but she recognised the importance of him being out during the day. When Boo was out there too, as she was now, Melody didn't feel so bad for leaving the colt alone while she was in class. "Hiya, Boo Boo," she said, gently shooing her horse away from the gate as she lead Si through. She unclipped the lead rope (she kept Si's halter on him when he was in the paddock so he'd be easier to catch) and gave him a pat on the rump to tell him he was free before turning her love on Boo. "Who's a good girl? Are you going to look after him for me today? We'll do some jumping training this afternoon, just you and me." Boo gave her hair a playful tug of approval before trotting off to join Sirius where he was playing with some butterflies.
Melody sat up on the railings to watch the two.
