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A Visit to Silver Stone Stables

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Nine o’clock at night, Caroline leaped up from the chair in the little office and hurried down the hall to the living room. When she entered the room, she quickly spotted her husband, Zachary, who was reading a barrel racing magazine. He looked up as she entered.

“You’ve got to come see this horse,” Caroline told him.

“What horse?” Zachary asked.

“Come and I’ll show you!” Caroline quickly led Zachary back to the office and tipped the computer screen upwards. On the screen was a photograph of a powerful, well-muscled gypsy vanner stallion. He was a stunning sooty buckskin with a huge, long mane and tail.

“Just look at that horse,” Caroline breathed. “Isn’t he fantastic?”

“He is a very nice horse,” Zachary admitted. “Look at those muscles on him…”

“Isn’t he beautiful?” Caroline went on. “He’s trained in dressage, too. He’s still quite young, only seven years old, and apparently he’s really sweet.”

“And why exactly are you telling me this?” Zachary looked suspicious. “Just get to the point.”

“Well…” Caroline paused. “He’s for sale. Can’t we please just look at him? He’s just gorgeous!”

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Next day, Zachary, Caroline, and their eight year old boy, Diggory, were heading up to Silver Stone Stables to see the gypsy vanner stallion. The night before, Caroline had called the owner of the stable and arranged their visit, and now they were on their way there. Finally they arrived and drove up the long, main entrance of the farm.

“Are we here?” Diggory asked excitedly, craning his neck to see out the window. Everything was coated in a fresh layer of snow. On either side of the driveway were two large pastures with a few trees and a horse shelter in each. Zachary parked the car and they all got out. Diggory leapt into the fresh snow and, making sure his mother wasn’t looking, quickly tasted some. It tasted good, so this must be a nice place. It certainly looked nice, and the snow tasted nice. Diggory suddenly grew very shy as he saw a young woman approaching them. He quickly went and stood behind Caroline, hoping nobody would notice him there.

“Hello, I’m Hathien,” she said. She was tall and slender with long black hair and pretty, blue-grey eyes.

“I’m Caroline, and this is my husband, Zachary, and my son, Diggory,” Caroline introduced her family. “Nice to meet you!” Caroline and Zachary shook hands with Hathien.

“Well, then, let me show you to the horses,” Hathien said. “You said you were particularly interested in Almanzo?”

“What kind of a name is Almanzo?” Diggory whispered to Caroline, but the others heard it as well. All the grown-ups laughed. Despite the cold weather, Diggory felt his face grow hot.

Hathien led the way to the stallion barn. The whole farm was very well kept and well organized. Everything was clean and in good order. Instead of going into the barn, however, Hathien lead them around it where there were several paddocks attached right to the barn.

“Almanzo is probably out in one of the turnouts, right now,” Hathien explained. She walked passed a few of the paddocks and then stopped. “There he is!”

There in the turnout stood the large, sooty buckskin. His head was down and he was snuffling in the snow. At the sounds of their voices he pricked his ears and raised is head. Almanzo’s huge, dark mane cascaded over his neck in shining ripples and almost reached his knees. His long, black tail hung down thick and healthy, the tips of it white with fresh snow. He was perfectly groomed with a silky, shining coat and glossy featherings on his hooves. They all looked at the beautiful stallion for a moment before he slowly began to approach them. Soon he was standing by the fence, looking at them with bright, quiet eyes. Diggory couldn’t help but reach a hand through the fence to pet him. Almanzo kindly lowered his head so that Diggory’s hand could reach his velvety pink nose. Diggory stroked his face for a short time before gently reaching out and feeling a piece of the stallion’s thick, wavy mane. The grown-ups talked about Almanzo for a short time while Diggory petted his soft muzzle and patted his thick, muscly neck.

Caroline smiled as she watched the stallion and her son together. He was a beautiful horse, with a thick, arching neck. If it was possible, he was much nicer in real life than he had been in the photograph. His right eye was a soft blue, and his left a deep brown. He was a nicely shaped horse. At that moment, she knew they had to try to buy him. They just had to.

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:new: I got Almanzo! I'm so happy! :w00t:

I decided to put the story first, this time. :)

Like Caroline, when I saw Almanzo I knew I had to try to get him. He’s such a wonderful horse! I will be so happy if I am able to adopt him from *Hathien603! When I saw that she was selling him, I started drawing him almost right away. :D I hope the story is okay, Hathien! :heart:

If I get Almanzo I’ll definitely be entering him in some dressage and halter shows. He’s such a lovely horse, I’ll probably put him up for stud as well so he can pass down his amazing-ness. :) He would probably be Caroline’s special horse, because she actually doesn’t have one yet! Even though I didn’t draw some of them yet, Zachary has Snap and Gauze, and Diggory has Blink, and Maria has Monty. (And by special horse, I mean that they are basically the only one who rides the horse and trains with it.)

I had such a good time drawing this picture and writing the story! Almanzo’s rare colour was a real challenge for me, but it was fun. This is only the second horse I drew with my new tablet and photoshop elements 8, and the first horse with shading, so I still am getting a little used to that. (Although I have drawn with a tablet and a different version of photoshop elements.)

Art, Caroline, Zachary, Diggory, and story © to me, :iconskyarrow:
Almanzo, Hathien, and Silver Stone Stables © to :iconhathien603:
Reference: [link] © :iconpilgrimsoul:
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© 2012 - 2024 SkyArrow
Comments15
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CopperdragonArt's avatar
Ooh, he is a such a big change from the horses we have been drawing lately, but I love him! He looks so magical in the snow, with that beautifully shaded mane and feathering. :D Your shading brings out his wonderful colouring really well. I really hope you get him! It was a lot of fun to read about Diggory in the story too. :lol: Diggory always says such funny things.