The Foal On The Run!

• Caitlin Anderson, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2012

On a summer’s night, there was a tired mare waiting to be in foal. She had lain down on the grassy hay of the stable. A young girl named Lilly, leaned on the door of the stable, watching closely for any sudden movements of the mare.
Half an hour had passed when suddenly the mare neighed in pain. Lilly quickly called out for help and ran into the stable. She calmed the mare while the others were getting ready. There was a blanket underneath the back legs of the mare. Lilly went up to the house where she waited.
Later it started to rain.
Lilly heard her Dad yell out, “Lilly come and have a look at this!” So Lilly ran up to the stables. She opened the sliding door and she saw a black male foal lying on its side. She slowly bent down and touched the foal. She felt the short hair in between her fingers. Suddenly, the foal decided to try and get up. Lilly moved out of the way and watched the foal, he stood up. The mare just laid there. The foal started his life’s adventure. Everyone left the foal and the mare so they could get some sleep. Lilly was the last out and didn’t close the door right.
The next morning, Lilly woke up early to check on the foal. As she opened the stable gate she discovered the foal had disappeared but the mare was still lying down. He was nowhere to be seen. Lilly ran to tell her Mum that she was going to search for the foal. Lilly ran to the tack room and grabbed her gear, grabbed her horse (Cody) and tacked up. Lilly mounted the gelding and galloped off.
As they galloped over the hill, Lilly spotted a horse in the distance. She decided she would go over and have a look. As she approached it, it turned out to be the black foal. She dismounted Cody and grabbed the foals halter and lead rope. She approached the foal and placed the halter on the foal. The foal didn’t react to the halter which was a good sign. She held onto the lead as she mounted Cody to head back home.
Finally they arrived home. As Lilly dismounted, in the corner of her eye she saw her father approaching her. As he approached the foal, he mentioned he was proud of Lilly but angry as well for leaving the door open. Lilly added that it would never happen again. He said he understood but left Lilly with a message which was to always shut the door of the stables properly. Lilly agreed.
Lilly went to untack Cody while her father took the foal to get a feed. Once Lilly was finished untacking Cody, she put his rug on and put him away. Lilly quickly ran inside to have her lunch and said that she was glad this goal came into this world. Everybody agreed.