Late afternoon sunlight poured through the open doors of the barn. Horses whinnied down the aisle as I walked past them, slipping them peppermints from my pockets or rubbing their faces. Outside I could hear the purr of an engine. That would be the trailers.

"Bailey?" I turned around and squinted through the bright sun and saw my mom approaching from behind me. I gave her a wave and she slung her arm across my shoulders. It practically wrapped all around me. I was small for a fifteen year old.

"Are all the trailers here?" I asked. She nodded and we continued our little walk down the aisle until we stopped in front of a door. I swung it open and entered the large tack room and began gathering up my things from where I had left them yesterday.

"Bailey?" I looked up and brushed a piece of dark black hair out of my eyes. She leaned against the door and I straightened up, smoothing my hunter green saddle cover in the process.

"Yeah?" A pause, and then she spoke.

"Are you positive about this? Is this what you really want to do?" I blinked, surprised when I heard this.

"Yes." I said it with such finality that even I believed it. I had to go. This was my path to success. Mom gave me a watery smile and helped me balance a trunk on a dolly to roll out.

Outside stood three gleaming seven- horse trailers. One of them was already full with horses so I walked to the second one. Two spots were left.

"Hey, Mom? Can you go grab Lavender?" I called. She nodded and ducked into the barn to grab one of her student's horses. Meanwhile, I loaded up the trailer's tack room with my stuff and hoisted the trunk off the dolly and slid it across the floor.

"Here you go." I took the purple lead rope and led the gray mare up and into the second spot. She balked a minute but I rubbed her neck until she calmed down, and then she followed me up. I tied her up in a slip knot and rubbed her again before walking down the ramp.

"I'm gonna go get Baelfire," I said as I passed Mom. Inside the barn, people who were leaving waved and I smiled back. I finally got to Fire's stall and peeked inside. A beautiful chestnut stood inside and he swiveled his head around to face me. Many people often mistook him for an Arabian because of his Roman profile, but he was actually a thoroughbred/Swedish warmblood.

"Hiya, Bubba," I said gently as I went into the stall. He reached down and nuzzled my arm and I hugged him. His flaxen mane was perfect and he gleamed everywhere the sun hit him. I clipped my black lead rope onto him and led him out of the stall and down the aisle. The hunter green blanket on him made his chestnut coat pop gorgeously. My name and his show name were embroidered on it with gold.

Bailey Deans

Baelfire's Lost Gold

"Hurry, Bailey. They want to get on the road." I snapped back to attention and led Fire up the ramp. He was used to trailers because of his show career and helped calm other horses down. I kissed his blaze and then helped Mom close the doors.