Cowgirls Don't Cry....

[Roxie Jane Hart]

Small hands held onto the oiled leather saddle as it was being carried to a bay roan that was standing in the stall isle. The saddle was light enough for her to carry, but alittle heavy to place on the 15.2 hh quarter horse gelding. Her father was busy working Monte so she was alone. She walked over and put the saddle down and went to find a mounting block and scoot it closer to Shotgun. She already had the purple saddle pad on his back and was now ready for the barrel saddle. She picked it up and began to climb the mouting block. It only took her four tries before she had it thrown over the bay roan. Roxie grinned and patted the bay roan before jumping off the mounting block to start cinching up the gelding.

Her father Devon, had taught her everything on how to saddle her own horse which was good beacause she could go ride anytime she wanted aslong as it was okay with her father. She grabbed the latigo and ran it through the cinch and began to cinch him up nice and tight like. She had to run over her shoulder to make sure she got it tight enough that it wouldn't slip. She then buckled his back cinch and after that she put his breast collar on.

Once she had his saddled up she grabbed the bridle and with a little help from Shotgun they got his bit into his mouth. She uncliped one side of the roping reins and began walking the gelding toward the outdoor arena. She had already set up the barrels on the side had the eight poles set up once she got Shotgun warmed up she would be practing on her new love. Roxie opened the gate and closed it right behind her. She used the fence to get on the horse and smiled as she ran the roping reins in her hands as Shotgun threw up his head and began to prance sideways.Easy Shotgun, she said quitly and nudged the gelding slightly with her small spur rowls and off the went into a trot around the arena.

[Raine Douglas McGuire]

The used, but somewhat decent looking car poured smoke from the hood just as it was about to enter the grounds of the elite equestrian center. "You've gotta be freakin' kidding me," a man muttered as the car stalled, sputtered, and died. His hazel orbs looked just ahead at the gated entry way a mere ten feet in front of him. He sighed gruffly and climbed out, wearing a a v-neck t-shirt that smelled somewhat of smoke, loose jeans, and rather worn dark brown, leather lace boots. A small golden chain hung rather tightly around his neck. The car door slammed hard, as a choice word was muttered under the man's breath. He stood for a second, with his large hands propped on his waist and jutted his jaw. Shaking his head, he turned and started walking to the winding drive that would eventually lead to the barn, which would be the most logical place to look for a job. Not that the man wanted anything to do with horses per-say, but he definitely didn't want anything to do with people. So he had to pick the lesser of the two evils. Another sigh escaped the man's lips and a hand instinctively reached for a back pocket, that turned out to be empty, "What the.." his voice trailed as he realized he forgot the half-used pack of cigarettes. That was just great! His eyes trailed back, to the car that was now a ways away. But, it wasn't worth going to walk all the way back and get them. He could just grumble about it later.

His boots fell casually on the gravel with every step, as he neared the main parts of the equestrian center. On his left, was an arena, and he noticed a small blonde child riding a horse. His orbs also recognized the patterns set up for barrels and poles, even though he didn't ride western, well, he didn't ride at all now anyway... It looked like the horse she was on was a little antsy. The man swallowed and kept his cool. He was tough, he didn't have time to care about anyone else. He didn't want to open his heart to that again, it just wasn't worth it. Who was he kidding? The man felt his heart speed up a bit uncontrollably, and his eyes remained on the girl, watching her and the horse. He was still walking along the path to the barns that were now in view, but his footsteps were slower, and shorter, not covering as much ground as they had been.

He had never had a daughter, or child of any sort. It hadn't ever been anything he was interested in. Hell, he probably couldn't do any better than his mother had. And his father, well, he had practically disowned him too. He hadn't spoken to them in ages. At least, what, five years now? And, Papa and Memaw had since both passed.

[Roxie Jane Hart]

Shotgun blew through his rollers as Roxie kept the reins lose as she posted to his trot. She rode with one hand just like her father as her right hand held onto the reins her left hand was close to her chest as she went around the arena. She was wearing a black cowboy hat with a long chicken feather poking out the back. Roxie was a spittin image of her father and ofcourse she tried her hardest to be just like him.

Roxie kept the gelding in a trot until she sat down and asked for the right lead lope around the arena. She wanted to get the gelding warmed up before she actual went full speed around the barrels. She knew what she was doing even if she was ten, but she was firce compeitor just at her age now. Roxie loved to win and when she didn't she'd get very upset and pout about it, but it didn't take very long for her to get over that as he father would take her around the horse trailer and whoop her butt for acting like a baby. Roxie felt the reins start jingling in her hand and blue eyes looked between the bay roan's ears and picked them up as the gelding was starting to toss his head up around which Roxie fixed in a quick second.


Small tan hands brought the gelding between the poles and barrels to switch his leads and go the left lead lope around the arena. Blue eyes caught sight of a man walking toward the barn. He looked quite differenet and alittle bit scary looking to be working at a very elite Equestrian Center, but whatever float the manager's boat right? After loping around Roxie brought the gelding to the middle of the gate which the gelding felt the tense as she took ahold of the reins with both of her hands. Roxie looked toward the first barrel on the right and the red roan spun around and off they went toward the first barrel.

Roxie held the gelding back as she didn't want him to be going to so fast around the barrels right now. She wanted to warm him up before they did go full speed. She pulled with all her might to get the gelding to slow down, but he kept on trucking. Roxie put her hand on the saddle horn as they went around the first barrel, but after the first barrel she used her left hand and pulled the rein to her hip and it almost looked like the gelding was going to flip over as his head went right to her hip, but he was still going.Whoa! ShottyShe yelled calmy toward the gelding as she blew through his rollers and tossed his head. He hated being bossed around, but knew if he didn't he would probley get a schooling lesson by Devon. Shotty came to a slow lope and Roxe let him finish the barrel pattern and even let him streach out after the thirt barrel going home.

[Raine Douglas McGuire]

The man swallowed lightly as the girl guided her horse around the pattern. His brows rose slightly, seeing how far she had the horse's neck turned around. He was never a western rider so perhaps he couldn't criticize her actions. And she was a child. So, of course he would keep his mouth shut. His hazel orbs turned back to look ahead, he was assuming he needed to go to the barns, and one of them would have a manager or an owner, or someone he could talk too.

A slight glint on the ground caught his eye, and the man looked down. To his surprise, there was a quarter, and a twenty dollar bill on the ground. The man bent down and picked them up, immediately shoving the quarter in his pocket. But, he studied the bill in his hand, and his eyes trailed back to the arena and the girl. If no one was around, hell, of course he would pick it up and keep it for himself. But, there was just something about being in the presence of a sweet little girl... The man sighed at himself. Why couldn't he just pick it up and walk away with it? Had it been anyone else... but, what kind of cold hearted jerk stole money from a kid? If it was even her's. Sure, Bearr might not seem like the nicest guy on the block, but he wasn't exactly the meanest either.

With money now rolled in his right hand, the man started to make his way over to the arena, the sun brightly glinting in his eyes. A sunny day, who didn't love it? Bearr cleared his throat awkwardly as he approached the railing. He had never been around or dealt with kids. He watched her go around the ring, and waited until she was closer to him, "Uh, hey," he called out to her, "Did you drop some money?" he asked, now revealing more of the bill in his hand. He swallowed and sucked in his lips, waiting for a response. He wondered if she was out here riding alone, as he hadn't seen anyone else in sight since he got here.