Aloura and the Horses - a horse story

by Izzy
(New York, USA)

Chapter 1: How it happened

I pounded my hooves, neighing loudly. "She's a wild one, boys. Hold 'er," the gangly rustler said. "Grr, I'll show him who's wild."

With a swift turn, I threw out my legs with a well-aimed kick. "AGHH!" He yelled as my hooves brushed his cheek, leaving a small cut. He will be fine in a day or two.

Heyo! My name is Aloura. I am 12 years old. Let me tell you a bit about myself. From the age of 4, I was animal-crazy. You name an animal, I'm ready to be its best friend. That was normal enough.

As any animal-crazy person, I found myself wishing to own a pet. But we lived in an apartment and the only animal they allowed was fish. At 6, I wanted a dog. Bad. But we couldn't get one. So, I kept wishing and wishing.

At 7 years old, something extraordinary happens. My best friend, Bess, and I decided to play a game where we were animals. I wanted to be a cat, and Bess pretended to be a bird. She had 2 budgies at her house and adored them.

I felt a sharp pain like a pinch and then nothing. "Ouch, Bess. Why did you pinch me?" I looked around. I felt like I was standing up, but saw the grass. I walked over to the grass to get a closer look. It was huge, almost as tall as me. "Bess?" I wondered if I was dreaming. I found her feet. "AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

As I screamed at the top of my lungs, I tilted back my head farther and farther. Bess turned white when she saw my furry face and fainted. In 5 minutes, she came to be. Bess was always the science expert, no doubt. I was a history girl. But not science nor history could explain this.

At 12 years old, I still don't know how it works. But I do know that the longer you are in an animal type, the harder and longer it is to turn back.

Once I was in dog form, and I slept in a home belonging to a nice older lady. The next morning it was difficult to change back. I did of course, but it was late when I got back so I got in trouble. I was very careful after that but this one time, I was not.

It was a long day of school and I needed a good gallop. Thinking quickly about what horse breed I would like, I decided on a mustang I had seen today.

It was wonderful having wild mustangs roaming around. It was like having an endless mustang TV! I galloped down the abandoned dirt path. Then something amazing happened; there was a herd of wild mustangs!

Startled by the reckless gallop, they lifted their heads, ready and alerted. The lead stallion, a beautiful blue roan, snorted a greeting. I was a buckskin mare, and he probably thought I needed a herd.

He trotted over with a curious expression on his face, snorted again, his finely pricked ears waving this way and that. His neck bobbed up and down, as if asking if I needed a herd. I was so mesmerized that I was unprepared when he lunged around, going from stock still to a gallop, turning and herding me around.

He then trotted, showing his flashy dotted blue gray legs. Without any warning, he sprang forward until he was ahead of me and then turned his head and grinned, daring me to try and catch up. I couldn't stand a dare, so I started to gallop. I was a good runner, so my stride was long and even. The stallion gave a little sneeze, asking as clear as day that he was surprised but pleased. He lengthened his stride as well, herding me into a lush and green paradise.

I stopped, blowing heavily. It was beautiful, with dots of horses grazing below. I ambled down the hill, but was surprised at the sure footedness of my new mustang hooves, despite the steep hill.

As we came closer I could count at least 15 horses. The herd heads jerked up, at first in alarm, but then in curiosity the blue roan stallion joyfully whined his return to the herd. The herd let out little whinnies of their own. Some trotted closer to meet the new addition, me. Some shyly stayed behind the others.

A few snorted their distaste and chomped their teeth. The stallion rolled his eyes and chomped his teeth at them. The foals of the herd came up, their little tails flopping.

I had secretly named the stallion ‘Azure’, meaning Blue in Spanish. I thought it was a great name for the handsome blue roan. Some horses that I would like to meet as well were a palomino mare, a dappled gray, and a dun quarter horse. I can’t wait to meet the herd.