Claim Attempt

Previously, me and my uncle were trying to get closer to a buckskin mare, only for her to get spooked by the very bell we were supposed to braid through her hair. Now, as the chill of winter gets colder and more nerver biting, we were more than set to get going. Already situated in the truck with the heater blasting. I was ready for an hour drive of stunned silence and reflection, but what we saw on the drive home made us change course completely. A relaxing night next to the fire and cozied up in a chair would have to wait, as we both saw an injured horse just at the side of the road.

It was a small Teddy Cob, with roaning that grayed out his body but spared his head and legs to take on the distinctly dark brown shade of Bay. Patches of white also were splattered across his body, like snow on a roof. But, me admiring his appearance will have to wait for another day, as his hoof seemed to have a rock lodged into it.

My uncle hummed concerningly as we both took in the situation. We had no trailer to take him to a vet nor did we have the supplies to properly help him. Both of us were still shaken by our wild horse encounter earlier, so none of us were exactly eager to go up to a horse who was injured, much less touch him. Pain and fear makes anyone prone to hostility after all. We still kept a safe distance as we murmured to ourselves, being careful not to be to loud as to spook the horse. Although, for an allegedly wild horse, the horse was seemingly calm around us humans. Not that Teddy Cobs weren't already innately friendly, or at the very least curious, about humans, but there was definitely always apprehension from them. I did not see any from the stallion laying before us, ears not pinned flat against his head, just the occasional whinny of discomfort: probably from the injury.

Judging at how the horse seemed amiable towards humans, my uncle (not me, he was the one with more experience after all!) crouched down next to the stallion, just to test his boundaries. The stallion merely sniffed my uncle, craning his neck to even get a whiff of his hair, before shifting back into his original laying position. The horse moved his leg, the one with the injured hoof, closer to my uncle, as if prompting him to do something about it. 

My uncle muttered to himself about how such a trusting horse could not survive in the wild, but still combed through his long mane and scratched him affectionately behind his ears. My uncle looked back at me, gesturing me to come closer. The situation seemed safe enough for the both of us, but it never hurt to be on guard. Horses were often unpredictable. 

I kneeled down next to my uncle, who was touching the hoof to see how the stallion would react to pain. But, after only eliciting a few grunts of further discomfort, the horse would remain still. He did not even look like he could hurt a fly. Me and my uncle shared a look of deliberation, before deciding he should just pull it out in one go. And, as I scratched the horse's flank and behind his withers to distract him, my uncle did it.

The stallion let out a whinny of pain, jolting at the sensation, but being careful as to not let any of his flailing limbs hit either of us. Thankfully, the wound wasn't horribly deep,  but definitely one that would hurt to walk with for at least a few days. With his tender hoof in mind, the horse tried getting up, slowly and carefully as to test the limits of his newfound free hoof. My uncle and I merely watched, letting the stallion do his own thing and standing nearby in case he needed any help. But, the horse was able to clamber up on his 4 feet, and looked at us. He whinnyed, as if in thanks, and rested his mighty head on my uncle's shoulders, like he was hugging him. My uncle hugged his neck back, scratching him behind the ears as the stallion looked like he would melt into his embrace. That's my uncle, I thought to myself, always the horse charmer. 

The stallion didn't forget about me however, as while he was in my uncle's hug, he moved his body towards me. He was asking for more scratches! I sigh, but was laughing under my breath about how greedy this stallion was for human attention. Surely, this could not have been a wild born horse, I thought to myself as I scratched his withers. Even Bear, after several meetings, would not let me touch him so easily.

After a long scratch session, it was time for me and my uncle to take our leave. As we clambered back into the truck, the horse followed, as if asking us to take him back with us. We only laughed and waved him goodbye as we drove off.