Sunday came cool for this time cool for this time of year, but Jake drove his battered old Ford pick-up, a '79 classic if you asked him, with the windows down. The two-horse trailer behind it, contrasting sharply in it's new paint and shiny chrome, he borrowed from the neighbor whose farm he worked while in High School. He'd so badly wanted to see, to touch a horse back then, dreaming and daydreaming 'til his mother called around to farms in the area. He had to walk ten miles back then, just to clean barns and learn to milk cows. The farmer had horses though, four of 'em, and he gladly let Jake learn to handle them in exchange for a few extra hours work cleaning their stalls and tack. Two were big bay draft geldings Jake remembered, muscled and with hooves the size of melons! He still bore a scar on his left foot where it had gotten in the way of one back then. The other pair were riding horses, a gelding of sandy brown color and as drab a disposition, and a palomino mare. He remembered bathing her, her spotted pussy giving him brief teen-aged excitement, and later in his time there learning to ride on her back. He lived closer to the farmer now, and drove to get there, but the man still taught him much when he shared a story and a drink. Jake had few friends like that.

Arriving at the Thoroughbred farm broke his reverie, and he drove past the painted front entrance to a dirt access road that led to the fields and back pastures. He'd come in this way on many days off to pick up Stormy and take her on trail rides in near, and not so near state parks and forests. Today was special though. Today, the first of a needed two week vacation, he was taking her to her new summer home! A home on his own land too! He'd saved every week, as he had when planning to buy a horse, and planned for two full years to buy this land beside his house, a full ten acres of rough, stony ground. Even before he'd ever seen Stormy he'd got the land, and a year and a half of work picking stones, seeding, and putting up a three board fence after buying her he had it ready. Another six months building a shelter and piping water to a costly concrete slab, and it was as ready as he could make it. For the harsh winter months he'd still board her at work, but this summer and the summers to come she'd be right beside him where she belonged. Some day, he thought as he pulled up beside her shelter, there'll be a full barn there, and maybe a companion for her too! Planning already! he chuckled to himself, stepping out and starting to load his buckets and tools in the truck.

Stormy nickered when he pulled up, and now neighed impatiently as she trotted close to the fence as he seemed to ignore her. "A minute Mi'lady", he called to her, "just give me a minute or two." With his voice she slowed to a walk, nickering back, but again got nervous as his minute got long. He finished loading, the few bales of straw left there being last. Not much, and no hay, but a full ton of hay and half that of straw waited in her new shelter for her. He stepped to the wire gate, dropping the bottom wire and stepping under the top, and called Stormy with a lead ready. He took her through the fence and loaded her, seeming to hurry now as his excitement grew at getting her home. As he shut the narrow side door at the trailers front, another, shiny and new pick-up pulled beside his. He called hello to the farms owner, a heavy-set Italian looking doctor, and killed power to the fence charger. The owner exchanged pleasantries and commented that Jake was doing a good job there. Jake thanked him on both and smiled a small bit, and reminded the man that he was taking his horse home for the first time. The owner chuckled, remarking that Jake looked proud and had a right to at the accomplishment and that he'd let the boy get to it then, saying he was just checking out the upper pasture for cutting, and drove off. Jake hopped in his truck and drove the way the owner had come. "More like seeing I didn't take anything that belonged to him" Jake thought, and quickly regretted the thought. The man had been good to him these past years.

Jake, backing expertly into his own driveway, shut off the old truck and jumped out. Stormy snorted at new smells, testing the air with a toss of her head as he brought her off the trailer. The near neighbor, opposite his house from the pasture, had a lone and lonely gelding, and Stormy whinnied an answer to his plaintive cry. Jake was happy she'd have some-one to talk to here, though she couldn't see him. It'd help til he could get her a companion to have the scent and voice of another horse around. He led her in the gate, loosing her lead after showing her the wire run 'round the top in-facing board. Boards on the outside'd look pretty, Jake thought, but those 'round the inside made more sense. Stormy ran off, whinnying, to test the limits of her new enclosure as Jake watched admiring.

Sun and muscle made rolling shadows on her copper coat, giving the appearance of fire across her skin as she galloped! "God, what a beautiful girl!" Jake whispered to himself. "She is," a voice came behind, startling Jake! He turned to see his neighbor, a woman a few years his senior with hair near as red as Stormy's coat, wearing a loose flannel shirt, tight over her heavy breasts, and faded jeans. A rather slim woman, attractive despite the beginning lines on her face Jake thought. The lonely gelding was her daughters 4H project, though she paid it more care. "She's a a nice little mare Jake," the woman spoke, "You're right to be proud." ​"Thanks,"Jake replied, running a brief eye down the woman's form before feeling embarrassed she might notice. "We should get them together for a ride," she said, smiling at his blush. "Yeah, some time we should. I want her to get used to being here first though." "Probably a good idea." she ran another smile at him, her eyes narrowing slightly, and felt disappointment when he seemed not to notice. She'd never known a man so ambivolous of her feelings as this one, and she'd not felt the way she did for him in a long time! She stood silent beside him, now looking out at the mare again. She watched his face, and wished silently he'd look at her as he did at the horse. "Well, Julie'll be home from school soon," She broke the silence and the thought, a little foolish for it,"I'd better get home." He never took his eyes off Stormy as she left, his muttered "Goodbye" the only sign he noticed her leaving. She teared a bit once her back was to him, then straightened her shoulders and thought "To hell with it, he's just excited about bringing her home!" She knew how hard he'd worked to get here, after all.

Jake, lost in the beauty of his mare, couldn't tell how long he stood there watching her. It wasn't till she stopped racing to check out the new shelter that he realized Ann had gone. "I hope I said goodbye," he thought. He stepped through the shelters side door and met Stormy inside. She was high with sweat, and he snapped the lead, still in his hand, to her and began walking her to cool off properly. He thought more about Ann now, and his feelings there confused him more than the ones he had for Stormy. The mare nickered to him, wondering why he didn't whisper back as normal, and finally pushed her nose to his back when she'd had enough. "Alright girl, I know." he spoke, soft as ever, and began stroking her chest and side as he lead her back to the shelter. As he began grooming her though, his thoughts returned to her as well. He thought especially of all the things he'd planned this vacation, trail rides and a couple small shows, and how nice it'd be having Stormy close. As he moved toward her rear, again her sex brought thoughts that he was briefly ashamed of, especially when he thought how exploring them would be in the privacy of his own yard and stall. He could do... what exactly? He was no stud after all, though he did realize he wanted to be with her. He touched her vulva lightly, and she snorted in return. Her tail clamped down and he removed his hand, embarrassed and again ashamed. He turned her loose to the pasture again, and left the shelter heading for his house. "It's lunch-time," he muttered to himself, trying to change the subject in his head, but still found himself thinking of the softness of her flesh and the shame in him it caused...

To be continued.