Bucephalus
The big Shire gelding dozed quietly in his small corral, bottom lip hanging. His hind foot was cocked, and he was sound asleep. A former pulling champ, he now ended up here,where he could go to anyone, cruel or kind.
When Bucephalus awoke, he stretched and walked over to his water trough. He lowered his great roman nosed head to the water, and took great big draughts. when he raised his head again, water dribbled from his lips. Then he walked the perimeter of the pen, dapple gray coat shining in the sun.
A fly landed on his rump, and he tried to swish it off with his docked tail, but the stubby thing couldn't reach. It was kind of sad to see him have to reach around with his big head and brush the fly off. But at seven years old and have had that docked tail for six, he didn't really think much about it. Bored and lazy, Boosey stould at his gate, waiting for attention.
Hateya
The zebra X horse hybrid mare raised her head when she smelled another horse. She was still Doyle's captive. She approached the fence and neighed to him. "Run! Run! This is where the evil lives!" She screamed.
Bucephalus
The big gray lifted his head at the sound of the zorse's desperate cry. He lazly asked,"What are you talking about? This is just another auction ring, or show ground." He snorted lightly, confused.
Hateya
Bucephalus
Boosey was now alarmed. The mare was obviously terrified, and her fear was catching. He snorted and began pacing about his pen, pawing the dust. He turned back to her nervously. "What can I do to escape, and will you come with me?"
Hateya
Hateya stepped closer to the fence and stretched her neck out. "I have not found a way to escape. However, a mare who also lives here told me that we have to play along with our masters. We have to act like we like them and then bolt at just the right moment. We have to gain their trust." She explained. "I would come with you, but only if my friend manages to escape as well."
Bucephalus
Boosey nodded and said,"But I have no master, which is why I am here. My owners went and did something called "bankrupt" but I don't know what that means. Plus I am not a saddle horse, I am a championship drafter." He said proudly, raising his head. Getting back to business, he said,"The only way I can get out is to break free, or wait until I have a new master. And that could be a while." he added sadly.
Hateya
"Championship drafter or not," The mare began, "the humans here are bad. Look at all the abused horses around here! You won't be a show horse - no, this place is for fighting stallions." Sure enough, there were many starved, abused, neglected horses in stalls or tied to rails.
Bucephalus
Bucephalus looked at her with a shocked and worried look in his eyes. He was only 4 years old, so he didn't have a lot of experience with cruelty. He had always had grooms to take care of him. Now, things weren't looking so great.
He sighed and paced his pen nervously, and let out a piercing neigh of frustration.
"What can I do?" He asked desperatly.
Hateya
Hateya shook her head. "That, I do not yet know. Try to get on the humans' good side. Make them trust you. When their guard is down, you can slip out unseen." She replied in a whisper.
Bucephalus
"No! I don't have time to wait around for somone to notice me. I'm goging to break myself out!" Bucephalus trotted over to his pen's gate, and leaned on it, testing its strength. It groaned and creaked, but only moved a little. He stood up straight and then kicked it, and it rattled loudly.
Bucephalus
Boosey trotted around the pen, neighing loudly and angrily. The usually docile and quiet gelding was now crazed with fear and anger.
Bucephalus suddenly whirled and charged his gate. The 2,000 pound body slammed into the bars with such force that they gave out almost immediately. Seeing that he was free, boosey leapt over the gate on the dusty ground and cantered smoothly and gracefully around the facility, searching for a way out. The afternoon sun caught on his dappled gray coat as he rounded the Corral again.
Bucephalus
The big gray horse thundered around the corrals one last time before heading toward the exit. He saw that there was a rickety gate leaning across the road, but he was unconcerned. It was low, so he gather himself a stride away from it and heaved his big body over it in a smooth leap. He landed with a thud on the other side, and then cantered down the road, gravel flying up behind him.