All I need is that horse

chapter seven

We finally reached the auction. The parking places were all filled up except for one, which my aunt spun around and pulled into one.

"First one of the year and it's busy as ever" my aunt said as she started to walk to the auction house.

Following her lead we walked into the auction house, the smell made my nose turn up. The smell reminded me of an old dairy farm that had too many cows for a decent smelling barn. The auction house's structure on the other hand seemed to fall apart. As we walked up to the viewing part the steps seemed to moan as my feet stepped on them. And the wall's boards looked ready to fall apart at a strong wind force.

"Over here children" my aunt called to me and Newt.

I looked over to were her voice had came from. My aunt had found a spot right smack dab in the front row. A place with a great view of the horses coming though. My aunt stood by a man who seemed rough around the edges. He had gray eyes that seemed to read the soul and jet black hair that was cut military style. He seemed to stand 5'11 and seemed to be around Newt's age.

"This is Jack. He sometimes comes by and helps me around the ranch. Sametimes with his farther"my aunt said introducing us to him.

"Jack this is my niece Eliza and her friend Newt"

"How do you do?" Jack said as he shock my hand.

"Fine how about yourself?"

"Fine if a few good horses come though" he answered.

I shock my head yes in response. Newt seemed to come a little closer to my side. I looked over at him but his eyes were set on Jack. Both the men stared at each other with cold eyes.

"Come be for we lose our seats" my aunt said as she realized the boys weren't gonna talk.

Jack sat on my aunt's left while I sat on her right. And of course Newt sat next to me on my right. The auctioneer started the auction. A big old halffliger came out with a slight limp on it's right hind. I cringed as I knew who would pay for him. The meat market. A man raised his hand as the auctioneer pointed to the man. The man stood a few rows behind us. He seemed about in his fifties with gray hairs coming though on his little beard.

"That's one of the men from the meat market" my aunt whispered to me as she realized were I was looking.

I just shocked my head yes as I turned back around to the pen. The halffliger was sold to the meat market. I sighed as I watched that horse walk out to its death pen. More horses came and went. My aunt bidding on none and me not finding the horse I was hoping for. Then the auctioneer called out a name I should have known.

"Daughter of chicks dash easy, pure breed quarter horse mare age 5. Who will give me a hundred dollars ?" the auctioneer called out.

I looked down in the pen. The mare was a gorgeous snow white with four black socks and blackened main and tail. And the best part being her four black hooves and her black muzzle. I looked down at her as she walked around the pen. No limp, she walked just fine. When she turned for her second time around the pen her eyes locked with mine. For a moment the world seemed to stopped spinning and time stopped in its place. I held my breath in till she was forced to keep walking. I had to get her.

"Going once for 800, going twice for 800..."

"One thousand dollars" I called as I hoped out of my seat. The auctioneer turned to me.

"Anyone for a thousand and one hundred dollars?"

"Going once, going twice, sold to the women in the black t-shirt" the auctioneer called out.

I let out a breath of relief. I had gotten the mare I've been looking for.

"Good job. They'll put her in a holding pen for us. We will get her at the end" my aunt said as she placed a hand on my shoulder telling me to sit back down.

I let out another breath.

"Why her?" Newt whispered as he leaned in to me.

"I don't really know. I just had a gut feeling" I replied.

He smile and gave me a high five. The rest of the auction went by in a blur of horses. Aunt bidded on two geldings. One pasafino who was already 10 years of age. The other being a black gelding who had a wound on its shoulder that would need some care. But he also was the age of 10 years. Both being broke to ride western riding. We walked down the viewing area towards the holding pens. My aunt showed the slips of buying to the men. Three men grabbed my mare and my aunt's two geldings. My aunt reach for the halters and ran her hands down their legs checking for a problem.

"Any pedigree for that one?" I asked as I pointed to my new found mare.

"Oh yes" one of the men said as he raced to a box full of papers.

He's hands went over every paper looking for the key name.

"Here! Here's her papers" the man said as he handed me them.

Dam: Brandy chocolate fudge.

Sire: Chicks dash easy

registered name: Dashing winter

Breeder: Rick Durbay

I read from the papers. I took hold of the mare. Once my finger tips touched the rope she reared up in excitement.

"Hey! Easy Dashing Winter" I called to her.

She landed on her hooves with a thud. Her ears flicking back and forth as her eyes locked with mine again.

"See its not so bad" I gently said.

I reached my hand up to her nose. Gently stroking her nose as I lend in and whispered sweet words on her nose. I smiled to my self as I smelled her horsey smell. Her ears flicked forward and stayed forward as I whispered gentle words to her. I heard a click of a camera. I turned around to see my aunt with her hand on her phone and Newt with the camera. I rolled my eyes as I lead the mare out of the house of auction. I lead her over to our truck and trailer. My aunt loaded up her two horses first followed by me leading my horse in next. As I shut the door behind the horses I walked up to the truck. Newt opened the door and allowing me to get in first.

"See you in a few days Jack" my aunt called as she jumped in the truck with us.

We pulled out of the parking lot of the action yard. On our way back to the ranch that would offer a new home to the three different horses.