every horse needs a home (Xantoxu/Forte/Belle)

[Phantom]

adam elton,

He needed to find a place to keep his horse. It seemed strange that a vet didn't have land to keep livestock, but then again he had never technically owned a horse before. Indeed, it was his first and possibly only horse he would ever have. He didn't quite know what possessed him to buy the horse but something in the spotted equine's eyes told him that he should consider buying him, then here he was with a truck and a trailer in tow, going across town to find a place where the horse could stay since he certaintly couldn't keep the horse at the animal clinic, that would have been absurd[/color]

He knew a great deal about horses so it wouldn't have been much trouble to actually keep a horse, though he still thought it strange. He had raised many orphan horses and rehomed them and such but they were never his horses they were his patients and they counted on him to keep them well and healthy. He had heard of the ranch he was driving too, and he hoped they would allow him to board his horse there, he didn't think he could keep a horse of this size in his backyard[/color]

He was satisfied that he had finally made it to the ranch. He wasn't keen on having to not be able to board his horse here then having to look for another place to board the horse. He knew that many places didn't take in stallions so it made things even harder. It wasn't easy hauling around a huge trailer and a huge stallion to match. He got out of the truck, he didn't like driving the darn thing for he didn't take a liking to trucks, but how else was he going to haul a trailer around? Pull it himself? That was even more absurd. He hoped the ranch owners were home today for he didn't have the time to give them a call or anything of the sort[/color]

He walked up the door and knocked and silently prayed that someone would answer[/color]

[Xantoxu]

Trailering had never been Xo's strong point, and that's saying something. He's been in horse cabs since he was a tiny little colt at his dam's side, and had been shipped via boat and plane. It didn't make sense for him to not be used to it by now, but horses were rather odd creatures. Xo seemed to change his horsey mind almost constantly, just to be a pain in the behind. Today was no exception. The horse was knocking his hooves experimentally on the walls and back ramp, tossing his head in order to jerk on the trailer tie, allowing himself to go off balance during turns, stops, and accelerations. He would be quiet and peaceful for around ten minutes before growing bored. Without hay to munch on, the stud was antsy. It didn't help that his massive form was just able to squeeze into the space provided. Perhaps he was a bit...thick around the edges after having such a lengthy break from ring work.


Xo was growing used to being switched from place to place because of recent events, though they always left his not-so-attentive-all-of-the-time brain in a stupor. He was at a loss as to why these strangers kept showing up, taking him away from the regular people, rushing him to a new place, and then the strangers multiply, but then become the regular people after awhile. Then repeat this process a few times. The stallion was quite intelligent where it counted, but not enough to process the complicated buying and selling process that left horses in a doozy. How would you like moving constantly? From country to country, state to state, town to town? It was almost as if Xo was a military brat that had to keep moving after their parent(s) kept getting restationed at different bases.


It almost caught the Knabstrup off guard when the trailer squeaked into a final stationary position, jerking him forward just the slightest bit. His attention was caught immediately: Ears went wild, eyes widened, nostrils flared, hooves pitter-pattering anxiously on the rubber matted floor. Hearing the telltale pops of the truck door opening and closing, a promise of being released from the scary-deadly-dark-creaky-moving-box-of-doom! Listening keenly to the steps of the human male that had put him in said contraption, the stud became frustrated that they were fading instead of coming closer. Stomping angrily, he strained his head as far as the trailer tie clipped to his halter would allow, looking through any available windows. Working himself up steadily, he sucked in a deep breath before releasing a piercing, baritone cry that vibrated his whole body and rustled up the trailer minorly.

[racingbelle]

I yawned and streched. I had slept late today because none of the horses needed to work. Today was a day of rest for everyone. I had decided to ride Lightning and pony Storm. It would be Storm's first time away from his mother since she got sick but I was sure with Lightning along the little foal would be fine. Soon it would be time to wean Storm and the less time he spent with Dancer, building their bond even stronger, the better. I smiled and tried to imagine how the ride would go. Lightning would behave for once and Storm would trot or walk along side of him like a gentlemen. That foal was slightly bigger than a normal foal because of Lightning's height. Lightning too was growing. He had hit another growth spurt and had grown an inch or two taller, bringing himself even closer to his full height of seventeen hands. I fixed breakfast ate my share quickly and left the rest for Chris. I was tugging on my boots when there was a knock on the door.

I let out a scream. There was another stallion here on MY ranch! I let out another cry and kicked the fence. Where was he?! I looked around and spotted the trailer. In there! Once again I let loose another scream while rearing and thundered around the pasture. Not another stallion! I had just put Blaze in his place and now ANOTHER one shows up and now I would have to teach him too! Storm copied me, letting out his own little cries and galloping around the pasture. I reared once more I reared pawing the ground before taking off again.

I fineshed putting on my boots quickly and opened the door. "Why hello there! I was just about to head outside. I'm Stevie Harper, the main owner of Last Hope Ranch. The other owner is Chris Wesson, my boyfriend. What can I do for you?" I said. Then I heard Lightning putting up a fuss. "Is that a stallion you got in there? I'm guessing because my stud over there is acting up." I guestured to the far pasture where you could hear his hooves. "It's quite ok. How about you bring your horse out to streach his legs? He doesn't seem to like it in there." I added. I smiled at the man and looked at the trailer.

[Phantom]

He took a small step back from the door, he had heard Xantoxu's own loud voice from the trailer but that wasn't what had caught his full on attention. It was the bickering of another horse running across one of the pastures. He didn't think hyper was the right word to describe the equine. He smiled when someone answered the door. "Hello Stevie Harper. I'm Adam Elton, and I'm guessing you can tell that I am wanting to board a horse here" He spoke then he continued speaking at her next question "Yes, he's a stallion and I believe I should take him out of the trailer, he's been in there for quite awhile"

He nodded, mostly to himself, before walking over to the trailer and opening the gate and lowering the ramp. Instantly assuming that the stallion was probably going to be a handful seeing that he had been in the trailer for quite awhile. He knew that the stallion had been in a trailer before he went to the sales, then he was back in a trailer the same day and on the road? Adam wouldn't be surprised if the stallion was slightly pissed, or entirely pissed. He started talking to the spotted equine as soon as he set foot into the trailer "Hey Xo, are you ready to get out of the trailer?" Duh! He exchanged the trailer tie on the stallion's halter for the lead rope. "Come on, lets get you out of your metal dungeon" He spoke again as he looked at the stallion.[/blockquote]

[Xantoxu]

In no way was Xantoxu II a dominant stallion. He'd always been described as a stallion with gelding qualities, and that the only way you knew he had a pair was when he was used to cover mares. Then he got a little bit...excited and pushy. He never had to deal with other stallions, just the other colts in the field, so he wasn't exactly experienced in the whole 'I'm alpha and will eat you!' kind of thing. So it's understandable that he more or less spazzed out when his ears picked up the blistering accusatory cry from a fellow male. Head shot up, halter tugging uncomfortably on the trailer tie as he began shifting forward and backward, uncomfortable with not being able to see the furious equine, but not particularly wanting to see him. As soon as he heard the ramp lower, he scrambled a few steps forward, pressed fully against the breast bar, pawing at the front of the trailer anxiously. Pushing his new human as he was put on a lead rope, he braced his legs, standing stock still.

There was no way he was going to get out of this scary-deadly-dark-creaky-moving-box-of-doom if there was something worse out there.

[Phantom]

Somehow he knew that the equine would come to a halt before leaving the trailer. He pulled slightly on the lead rope "Come on Xo, there's nothing bad outside. There is alot of good. There is fresh air" He spoke to the stallion, pulling on the lead once more. He wasn't going to fight with the stallion. Oh no. That was a terrible, you might get trampled, kind of idea. He would just wait and see if the stallion would come out on his own

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[racingbelle]

I rolled my eyes and struck the fence. There was a loud crack but it didn't break. I struck it again and another loud crack resided. Belle whinnied sharply at me to stop so I did. But I did let out one more loud challenging scream to the stallion before lowering my head to graze.

I watched as the horse inside wouldn't move. "I'm sorry my stallions a bit...over dominate, you might say. I think he's scaring him." I started to take a step toward Lightning's pasture before two loud cracks split the air before I heard Belle's sharp whinny and one last challenging scream from Lightning. "There. That's will be all from him." I said hoping that it was true. I smiled apoligetically and walked to the trailer peering inside. "He's a big boy. What's his name? Lightning's almost as big as him." I said, looking at the spotted stallion with interest. "Hey pretty boy. Don't you want to get out of there?" I crooned. "It's fine if you board him here, we have plenty of room!' I said, a little bit of seriousness coming back in my voice. I still kept my eyes on that stallion watching his every move.

[Xantoxu]

Xantoxu glared at the humans that were coaxing him to leave the scary-deadly-dark-creaky-moving-box-of-doom accusingly. Did they really expect him to risk his precious speckled hide just because they wanted him to? Certainly not...though it would be nice to get out of this death trap. A deep, breathy groan grumbled from deep inside his chest as he tensed up, scrambling backward as quickly as possible. Whipping around cautiously as soon as all four hooves were removed from the ramp, his skull jerked up as high as possible, muzzle pointing toward the sky, ears pricking before pinning securely to his poll, tail half-flagged. Eyes rolled before examining his surroundings, body instantly relaxing as he realized his attacker was far away behind a fence. Still pumped up from fear, Xo lowered his head, neck arced as he studied the two humans suspiciously. A female stranger now? What was going on? Too many new people have being handling him lately. Cheeky little humans, weren't they. Snorting pissily, he began prancing excitedly as he looked around curiously. The spiked treads on his shoes clicked on the ground irregularly, showing their abnormality compared to the usual shoes.

[Phantom]

A sigh escaped him when the stallion finally stepped out of the trailer. He watched the stallion for a few moments, a secure hold on the equine's lead. "His name is Xantoxu II" He said in response before momentarily turning his attention to the spotted equine "Good boy Xo" He had noticed the suspicous look on the stallion's face moments before, couldn't let your guard down with this one. He turned to Stevie this time "Its hard to find a place who boards stallion. Thank you for letting me board my horse here" He said before turning again and holding out a hand towards Xantoxu

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[racingbelle]

"Your welcome. It's no problem really." I said. "Now where do you want him? In a pasture or stall?" I asked. I looked at the overly cautious stallion. I chuckled. "Well he sure likes to know his surroundings. I watched as Adam held out his hand to the horse. I sure hoped Lightning didn't cause trouble but he always did. I smiled remembering my first new horse had been Dancer and she had been in heat. Lightning of course did what any stallion would do and now they had a healthy colt named Storm Dancer. My eyes danced with amusement just thinking about the little colt who was so much like his Daddy. I shook my head and continued to watch the pair in front of me.

[Xantoxu]

He extended his head to the offered hand, pink lips smacking noisily as they skimmed the palm, searching for treats. Coming up with none, Xo shoved the man gently, ears flickering as he sidestepped to stay farther away from the female human. The male human was more familiar to him then she was, so he found it suitable to look for him for comfort. Come on, that lady could be psycho and put a twitch on him or something? Upper lip wiggled at the uncomfortable thought, tail swishing as he already began to grow bored, head lowering and a sigh escaping his nostrils.

[Phantom]

He smiled at the spotted stallion before raising his hand to pet the horse on his forehead. "I believe it would be best for him to stay in a stall for now. Wouldn't want any horses running him over" He responded obviously remembering the horse making a racket earlier. Of course he didn't know who the horse was or what the horse was like, but he also didn't even know what Xo was like at least not now, since he had just gotten the horse. But he would know the horse well enough, all in good time.

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[racingbelle]

I laughed. "If you worried about Lightning then have no fear. He's smaller than this one here. But if you say so." I took a step toward the horse and then another. "Hey boy. You gonna be good now?" I asked the spotted horse. I smiled at the vet who looked as if he didn't exactly know what to think about his horse. "So what's this guy's story? He obviously doesn't like strangers." I said. I didn't want to scare the horse but it was almost feeding time so...''Excuse me one minuate and hold you horse tight. There's something I need to do..." I told them. I let out a sharp whistle telling the horses that I was here. Immediately I heard hooves thundering in the pasture, high pitch squeals from Storm, whinnies from the other horses. I smiled and my eyes lit up with joy. Where ever I was that sound would always mean home. "It's almost feeding time and I do that so they know I'm here." I explained. Some of the horses had already quieted but Lightning, Belle, and Storm were still going at it.

[Xantoxu]

Xantoxu skittered nervously at the sharp whistle, head tossing as he scrambled backward. Ears were pricked as he remained alert, snorting in obvious distain toward the human woman. What was that? Sure, he'd heard those two-legged things make that noise, but never that piercingly and it never did the threatening sound of hoofbeats follow. Xo was obviously a softie, and was not a big fan of other horses. The last time he'd been in a paddock near the riding arena at the previous equestrian center, he'd lunged at a passing horse and rider, as he saw them as a threat to his territory. Needless to say, the other horse had a small chunk of coat missing and the rider, taken by surprise, had taken a tumble. He was very territorial, in his own way. Xo shivered in obvious excitement, a blaring call shooting his chest, earthy and gravelly. He gave a testing tug on the lead, forehoof pawing at the ground. It was almost as if he was awakening from a tranquilizer of some sort, though he did not appear to be drugged.

[Phantom]

He watched as the owner of the ranch walked away then he focused his attention on Xo for a few moments. He could tell that the stallion was a bit surprised by the whistling. He pulled on the lead only slightly before taking a step toward the stallion, then he finally spoke again "Actually I just bought him this morning from the sales. His original owners had to sell him, and I just came by him on pure chance" He touched the stallion's nose with his hand, hoping the equine would calm down for only just a second.

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