Leonard. You can call me Leo. Welcome to the ranch!"

 " I've never seen a horse like you, what breed are you? I'm an Arabian."

" I'm a Shetland pony. I've heard of Arabians, but I've never seen one till now. You sure are far from home Rose." Leo said.  

     Master stopped working and looked over at me and Leo. He came over to me and whistled for mum to come. She trotted in and looked (rather rudely) at Leo. She never did like me playing with other foals. "Meet Leo, Beauties. Hmmm, I'll have to give you proper names after a good nights rest." He ushered us into the freshly made stall and turned the bolt. Mum gave a contented sigh and let her head droop, beginning to doze off. I did the same, forgetting my dreams of escape, happy with my new Master.

         "Rise and shine sleepin' beauties. I think I know the perfect names for you two. Bluebell for you, the first flower I ever planted here. Now the first Arabian here! Hehe. And now for you little darlin'. As pretty as a rose you are... Rose! Perfect and beautiful like a white rose. The perfect name." Mother looked extremely pleased. " He got your name right!" I was very happy. My birth name would be my forever name too!

       The next few months were rather uneventful. I became good friends with Leo, and mum did too. There was an apple tree in the field, and we feasted on overripe apples when they fell from the tree. The clover that grew in the ample shade of our tree was perfect. I guess you could have called it heaven on earth! But master seemed lonely... He had no mate, no foals, to keep him company. He loved us, but he needed company of his own species. One night, just after sunset, he strolled down the lane and didn't come back until very late. He was very happy, he must have made a new friend! As usual, we led boring but happy lives. A few weeks later, in a cold, cold, day, Master came in and with him was a pretty human mare! She had a long black-brown mane, and tanned skin. She came over to my stall and said, "So this must be little Rosie!" I perked my ears and trotted to my door. She gently rubbed my forehead. "Absolutely gorgeous, Eugene! I can't belive that man only asked for fifty. She will be great in dressage competitions." She added. Dressage? What's that? "In a few weeks I'll have to get Rose used to the saddle and bit. Bluebell will probably be just a companion mare. Too old to work, and I doubt she'd let anyone ride her." Said Master. The human mare said, "She could still be a brooding mare. I have a few thoroughbreds she might like."  "We'll see..."

          True to his word Master went to market and bought a bridle, various bits, saddles, and rugs. He started with the "Eggbit Snaffle" as he called it. It was cold, and the taste of metal in my mouth was appalling. He put a lunge rein on it and had me run in wide circles around him. At first is was almost unbearable, but as time passed it became more comfortable. The next day he introduced me to the saddle. It was leather, and very suspicious looking. Master came out of the shed with a thin layer of oats in a huge bucket. I stuck my head in and ate. I felt a weight on my back, and a tightening under my stomach. I whipped my head up and looked on my back. It was the saddle! I was terrified, and screamed and bucked and rolled. Exhausted, and panting, I realized it was no use. "If master put it on it must be good.." I thought. I calmly trotted over to the bucket, and resumed eating. Master got me sme water, and let me rest awhile. He then put on my halter and lunge, and made me trot until the saddle was rather comfortable on my back.

        We continued with this training until I was quite comfortable with all the tack. I came to learn that master's mare was called Liana. She began to take me on short rides, ans one day she took me to her home. It was huge! I met many mares, stallions, and foals. They weren't exactly friendly though. They thought that I was a snob because I was a foreign breed. I met a young stallion  that seemed nice. He was grey, with a black lightning mark on his flank. I caught him staring at me twice! But after I saw him, he blushed and looked away. The next day I went home. That day was when my world went upside-down.

     Master was dead. When we arrived home there where big flashy cars parked around, wailing a loud, scary, sound. Liana gasped, and started to cry. We galloped to the stable and locked me in with mother. It was the longest night of my (up until now) happy life.

       The next day we were moved to Liana's ranch. The lead stallion, Boss, bared his teeth at us, and two identical twin fillies glared at me. But the strange grey colt peered curiously from behind boss. "Don't mind them Rose, they are jealous of our uncut, luxurious manes, and slender legs." Mum said. "I doubt it." I murmured moodily. After an hour, Leo trotted up with another little mare. "I have found my mate Bathilda!!!" He exclaimed. "How wonderful!" I said half heartedly. "Now Rose, I know you miss Master but, try and make some friends! Sulking will not bring him back."  I felt very bad... "I'm sorry Leo... I just can't make friends. I never could in Arabia. And here... I doubt it can be better here..." I said sadly. "It can't hurt to try" replied Leo cheerily. Then he nuzzled his mare and trotted off.

     I trotted over to a group of fillies, and one of the twins stepped forward. " Well, well, well. Lookee here Mil, the desert rat decided to say hello." Mel said, in a false crooning voice. Mil shot me a kind, sorrowful look, but as soon as Mel looked back, she snickered at the jeer.  I felt my face burning scarlet with embarrassment and anger. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I embarrass you, Little Sandbrain." Sneered Mel. Mil's expression stayed nice, but she laughed convincingly behind her sisters back. "Mil must be afraid of Mel!" I had thought. Every family had a bad egg in the bloodlines, and I guess Mel was it. I was so angry that when Mel turned to sashay away to her friends, I reared up and kicked her. Hard. My untrimmed hooves made a long gash on her flank. She screamed, and I heard Liana drop something in the barn and she ran to see what was going on. Before she could see what I had done, I leapt sideways and ran with all my might. Every horse I passed tried to kick or bite me for hurting Mel, but I was too quick, their teeth biting the air with a loud and angry click. I heard Liana emerge from the barn, and could sense her eyes following me. The big red clay colored horse, Boss, began to chase me, but even his thoroughbred genes couldn't help him catch me! There was a dead end. But I wouldn't stop. Never! The fence was almost as tall as my forelock, but I used a burst of strength, gathered my legs beneath me, and I was soaring over the fence with room to spare! Boss couldn't stop in time! He banged his head and fell down in a haze. Liana rushed over to me, put on a rope and put me in a small stall. I was in MAJOR trouble for sure.

              The next day was great! I had thought I would be punished, but it turned out that Liana never suspected me for Mel's injury! She put on my tack after feeding me a sweet mash, and trotted me to an indoor arena. There were many jumping obstacles. "Wow!" I thought. Who knew being bad was so good! LightningRod was waiting at the starting line, with a small man on his back. "You shoulda seen Rose jump that fence yesterday Joe! It was amazing! She never even had lessons in her life!" Gushed Liana to joe. "We'll see, Llama." Said Joe. In a mock-angry voice Liana said "You call me Llama one more time, and I'll trap a mustang and leave you both in small room!" They both laughed merrily. I shifted my wait from hoof to hoof, signaling that I was becoming impatient. Liana apparently understood, because she said, " Come on Joe, lets race. Rosie may be a bit unbalanced at first, but just wait, Joe! She's the best." Liana crouched down to my neck and clapped her heels on my sides. I ran to the first jump. I leapt, but Liana's weight on my back made it more difficult. I knocked down two bars. Same on the next three... I was exhausted. Jumping with a rider was so hard! How did LightningRod do it??? Joe and Liana led me and LightningRod to a water trough. They took our saddles, and left us to rest. "Good job." Said LightningRod. "No, it was a horrible job and-" he cut me off. " I meant what happened with Mel, Rose." I was shocked. He was happy the most popular, stunning (but secretly cruel) mare was hurt, by me?! He remembered my name?!?! "Mean fillies have it coming, sooner or later."  I calmly replied. "But with Boss there!  He woulda killed you if you couldn't jump."  " Yea, I guess so" I replied. 

         From that day in jumping lesson, me and LightningRod's friendship grew. He would visit me at night under the apple tree in secret, without any snooping fillies there to drag him away. We did it every night for 2 months. We then became more than friends.... One day, LightningRod did the forbidden. After the Mel incident, everyone shunned me. That day LightningRod looked up from the grass with a determined glint in his eye. He started walking straight toward me, directly through the herd. Every head turned his way,