A Horse's Tale, Chapter 8, All Hallows Eve. or Just another occasion for horses to dress up.
Around 1:30, Rob gets back from his job, steps in the house, "I got the two boxes of cereal you wanted." Steph looks up, "Thanks for remembering." Of course she asked for those yesterday. Rob says "Let me clean up and we can head over to check out Emma and Mikey."
Both Rob and Steph head out the house, "Dogs, watch the place." They head to the Expedition and set off.
About an hour and a half later, they pull up to the house. They head to the house, Steph says for about the 100rd teenth time, "Weren't they so cute." Rob nods. "Yes, I am sure they are enjoying all of the excitement."
As they get to the door, the little dogs run up from the outside, the older dogs run out of the doggy door. "Hi guys and gals is everything ok?" Tails wagging, so she figures everything is ok.
"Rob, I am going to feed the gang a bit early this evening, that way we can eat early, and have more time to ourselves this evening.", Rob replies, "That would be great."
Steph gets her gloves, and starts out the door, Rob says, "I will take care of the parlour, and the football field." "Thanks Dear, very kind of you." Steph smiles thinking to herself, "I think I will keep him."
Steph starts on the back row, checking the horses, dropping each a flake of hay, checking the water. She works her way down the line, several horses are excited for the hay, or to see Steph, probably the hay. By the time she finishes all are happy and eating.
Remembering, what 'B' asked, she set out a water barrel between the round pens, and started filling it up, she walks back to the house. She steps inside, Rob says "You done?", Steph says "No, not yet, a few things to do.".
She grabs some apples off the counter, and a paper bag, and heads back outside. She gets back to the water barrel just as it gets filled to the top. She goes over and turns off the hose and walks back and places the paper bag with the apples next to the water barrel.
As she starts back to the houses, she decides to ask 'B' if there was anything else she needed. As she got close, "'B', is there anything else you need?" 'B' looks around, and says "No, I think we have everything covered. Oh, remember to stay in the house, until 8, then we will come by to get treats."
Steph nods, "We will."
Steph smiles, turns and walks back to the house, she stops and turns toward Ruby's and Sampson's Pen, "The wagon is gone." Steph turns back to 'B.' "Where is the Wagon?" 'B' looks up, with a mouth full of hay, "Ahh, they sent it out, to get painted and loaded." Steph nods. "Makes sense."
Steph, returns to the house, "Rob, what do you want for dinner?" Rob thinks for a while, "What do we have?" Steph smiles, "We have some pasta and I can make a nice sauce, can't have steak, have to grill it outside, can't go outside. That's about it." Rob thinks, "ahhh how about some pasta and good sauce."
Steph smiles, "Great". Steph starts the sauce, puts on water, looks in the fridge, "Hmmm, oh, I can make a fresh salad. Rob do you want a Salad?" Rob looks up, "Not really." Steph smiles, she knew what the answer was going to be.
With time to hit the rain closet, Steph heads off, "This will feel so good.", Rob chirps in, "I did leave you some hot water." "Thank you dear, you are too kind." Steph thinks to herself, "You better have, you....."
Steph comes back into the living room, "Rob, there was plenty of hot water left." Rob nods. Steph drops the pasta in the pot, stirs, the sauce, gets the salad fixings out, "Rob we are almost ready to eat."
As Steph and Rob finish dinner, and settle into their respective spots, Rob in the chair, and Steph on the couch, the dogs come up for some loving.
Steph looks at the clock, nearly 7:30, "Hmmm." Rob looks over, "What?", Steph says, "Oh, nothing just thinking what is on the TV." "Well don't hurt yourself...." Steph tosses a pillow in his direction, and four dogs follow...
Steph gets up, and clears the table, and cleans up the pots, and put the dishes in the dish washer, thinking "How am I going to get Rob to come sit outside.....I could be firm. Nay. I could be loving." Steph smiles to herself, "Yeah right."
Steph turns, "Rob let's sit outside for awhile, I can make some hot chocolate." Rob looks up from the TV, "There are reruns of Best of Ice Road Truckers, and older reruns of the best dressed Dancing with the Stars. Actually your idea sounds great."
Steph grabs two cups, and makes some hot chocolate, glancing up at the clock, five til eight. Steph grabs the cups, and turns to Rob, "can you grab a couple blankies..." "Sure."
Steph puts the cups on the table and turns the chairs to look to the south, to look towards the Round Pens. Rob drapes a blankey over Steph and sits down. Steph turns to the door, each of the dogs come out, not in their normal panic, but each in line and each first sits down then lays down at the edge of the patio. Rob seems to not notice, but Steph is sure he did.
Steph says, "Isn't it beautiful?" Rob starts to answer, then leans forward, "Did you see some shadows moving back there?" Steph replies "I didn't see anything. Just some horses moving around."... Rob leans back, sips some hot chocolate.
Rob leans forward again, "I am seeing a shadow moving about out there." Steph reaches over, and grabs Rob's arm, "I am sure everything is fine, do you hear anything?" Rob says, "No I don't hear anything."
Steph says "All is fine, just watch." Rob turns to her, "Stephanie, is something going on?" Steph turns to Rob, "Just wait. Everything will be ok."
Rob, starts to say something, then stops mid syllable. Dublin walks up from the right, Rob starts to get up, Steph "Sit down." Rob Sits down. Dublin walks up, and stands directly in front of the dogs and Steph and Rob. Steph sees Wal-Mart bags in his mouth, using a skill that most horses aren't known for places a bag in front of each dog. Then looks up to Steph and Rob.
Dublin still has one Wal-Mart bag in his mouth, with a deft move of his upper lip, the bag opens up. "OH, I forgot the treats.", Steph jumps up and heads inside the house, she carries out a box, from the moms, aunties and supporters who bought treats for the horses, she sets the box down in front of her chair and opens it up.
Steph reaches in and gabs a treat, a big and I mean big, pumpkin cookie, and drops it in the bag that Dublin is holding. Dublin nods, and turns and walks to the back. Rob turns to Steph, "Did he have a big mustache on?" Steph "I guess he is dressed up as Tom Selleck." Rob looks over, "What???" "Sure what else would he be dressed as?" Rob Starts to stand up again. "Sit Down, its not over yet."
Jerri walks up in her very proud way and stands before Steph and Rob. The dogs notice first and look down. Rob says "She is wearing Clown shoes", Steph says "Well she doesn't like hats or masks." Steph drops a treat in her bag, Jeri turns and plods toward the back of the ranch with her clown shoes on....
The parade continues, Baby in a diaper, Blondie, dressed as Marilyn Monroe in a flowing dress from "Some Like it Hot", Brassy, dressed as Lady Gaga, with her mane, in spikes, and a simulated meat dress on.
Bright Eyes, steps up, Steph and Rob looked at each other "Sophie Tucker?", Steph thinks out loud, "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas." Rob nods.
Cosmo, walks up, steps past the dogs and holds his bag in front of Steph, Rob says, "Topper, Black tie and Tails". DJ walks up, with a black mask on , and a sword hanging around his neck. Rob thinks a bit, "Zorro"
Emmett, walks up, with a red ball stuck on his nose, and a pointy hat on the top of his head. Rob and Steph say in unison "A clown."
Spirit escorts General up to Steph and Rob. Spirit has his Frank Sinatra hat on cocked over one ear, Rob Says, "Frank Sinatra." Spirit nudges General into a position in front of Steph and Rob, Steph Says, "Thank you Spirit." General looks up and smiles, a sash around his neck has dozens of medals. Steph drops a treat in each of their bags.
'B' walks up with Sophie at her side, 'B' has her Tiara on, and a long red and silver cape on, Sophie is dressed as Saint Eligius, in red vestments, neither Steph or Rob recognize the costume, but both understand that it's something special.
Rob jumps up, I need to get some treats, he heads to the house and grabs the second box of cookies.
Ginger, walks up in a long flowing dress, with dancing shoes over her hoofs, Rob smiles, and drops a treat in her bag.
Half Moon walks up, both Steph and Rob looks her over, she has a scar applied to the side of her face, and what looks like a meat cleaver hanging around her neck, Rob turns to Steph, "Hmmm, Charles Manson?" Steph says, "that is crazy, why would she.... ahh never mind."
Honey walks up, with yellow and brown rings around her neck.. Rob is the first to react, "Bee hive."
Violette walks up, with a knee sock on her nose, hanging nearly to the ground and large floppy ears..... "An Elephant...I wondered about what she had hidden in the pen?"
Glory follows up, with Bright Orange wig on, and a red dress. Rob and Steph say, "Little Orphan Annie"
There is a break between horses, Rob leans over, "Did you know about this?" Steph: "Yes, well parts of it. I will tell you tomorrow." Rob nods.
Jocori walks up, in what can only be described as a sofa cushion on his back and one strapped to the belly, and some yellow cloth over his side. Rob looks at Steph, "I don't know." Steph says "he is a Oscar Meyer Weiner"
Rosie has red horns, and a cute little dress, Steph Says, "A desirable Devil"... Rob smiles and drops a treat in her bag.
Jonah walks up, with what appear to be wings on his back and a propeller in his mouth, (along with his Wal-Mart bag).
Again another break between horses, Rob points toward the pens, "There is a goat out there.", Steph answers "Of course there is." "WHAT!!!!" "Well the horses have kind of adopted him as the herd goat. And he can open the gates." "He can WHAT????" "Yes, I guess goats can do that."
Fred walks up to Electra's Pen, opens the gate and Electra runs out, turns and runs toward Steph and Rob, she stops short, turns and runs back into her pen. She digs around in the dirt, picks up her Wal-Mart bag and heads back out of the pen, turns sharply, and heads for Steph and Rob.
This being her First Halloween is not really sure what to do, but stands as she was told to do. Rob reaches down and picks up a cookie and drops it in her bag, Electra whinnies, and turns to run to the back, stops and carefully repositions her little feather witches hat back on to her head.
There is a clatter from the right, and both Steph and Rob turn to look, coming into view are Sampson and Ruby, looking closely you can see they are dressed as Clydesdales, white socks, and plodding forward, pulling a bright red wagon the size of a truck.
Steph looks it over, "OH MY LORD, they have a beer wagon.", Stacked on the wagon are 25-30 cases of Budweiser. "I think we are in trouble."
Rob looks over "What do you mean?" "They may have stolen the beer." Rob thinks about it a bit, "What about the wagon we don't own a wagon?" Steph replies "Oh, I think they bought the wagon." Rob continues, "ahhh, and what about the costumes? Steph you need to tell me about this someday. Probably not today. But someday?"
As the rest of the horses come by Steph and Rob, 'Trick or Treating', both Rob and Steph are amazed at what is going on. Finally Justice comes up to Steph and Rob. Justice is dressed in his bowtie and a pair of sunglasses, (must have picked them up at Wal-Mart). Rob and Steph smile and both drop a cookie in his bag.
Before Justice turns to go to the back where all the horses are gathered, he Says, "We would be pleased if you joined us to watch the games." Steph turns to Rob, "Did you hear that?" "Yes."
Both Steph and Rob say, "We would be pleased to join you." Justice turns, and walks to the back. As Steph throws her blankey to the side, and stands up, she tells the dogs, "You guys and gals go inside, it's late." Steph and Rob head back to the round pens. Steph glances over her back, and sees the dogs jump up and grab their bags and head into the house, except for Truffles and Moo, who forgot their bags and had to come back to get them.
Steph and Rob get to the back of the ranch, between the Round Pens, each of the horses are standing in a circle around the water barrel watching several horses bobbing for apples, over to the right are several horses watching Jonah, trying to pin a tail on a big poster of a zebra hanging on a panel.
If you listen closely you can hear horses laughing and some booing, as the activities are going on. Sampson now out of his wagon harness, pushes his way through the crowd towards the water barrel. He takes a deep breath and plunges his head into the water., he is up to his ears, might be an advantage to be a mule in such a contest....
After a few minutes, Ruby who followed Sampson up to the water barrel full of apples, nods her head several times and pokes Sampson in the side, Sampson raises his head, and has..... Two apples in his mouth..., Cheers arise from the horses standing around.
Ruby, excited at what Sampson had managed in his competition with the horses, bumps him on the side, and he drops the apples back into the barrel. "DAMN" The horses look about, and Rob turns to Steph, "Did you hear that?" "Yes I did." Sampson plunges his head back under the water.
Never mess with a mule on a mission. After three minutes, Sampson surfaces, this time with three apples... This time he steps back from the barrel.. 'B' Yells out, "And the winner is Sampson." Cheers come from the thirty plus horses standing around.
'B' Walks up to Steph and Rob, and offers two Wal-Mart bags she has in her mouth. Steph and Rob reach forward and take the bags. 'B' Says "Thank You" Both turn and walk back to the house, about half way back, there is a cheer from the horses, appears someone managed to pin the tail on the Zebra....
Steph and Rob enter the house, the dogs are all asleep, with a small Wal-Mart bag between their feet. Steph smiles. "Rob do you want to look in the bags now or tomorrow?" Rob smiles, "I think we can wait until tomorrow, when you explain all of this." Steph looks around, "Seems all is quiet here at the ranch, I think tomorrow would be fine to look in the bag."
"OMG, What am I going to tell Rob?"
Both head for the bedroom, tired, but neither will be able to fall asleep easily this night. Rob, "Who is the goat?"
To be continued....
If a horse was not mentioned tell us about what costume they would be wearing... Join the fun at ABR
Author: Samm
MHR PMU horses
