Christmas

​December 22
The mail hadn't come yet, and it was getting late. Grace had ordered Skye's Christmas gift in October, but it had been put in the wrong box at the post office. There was nothing she could do but order again, and wait. If it didn't come...well, there was this guy. Charles. An adorable beagle. This time it was the boss who brought a new dog home. He was a mature male, not very big, and Grace wasn't sure about his back legs...but Skye would love him just the same.

And then there was this package from Michelle Sepiol. Maybe she could hand it to Skye on December 25. the beagle was going to be harder to keep under wraps.

Grace sat on the edge of the pallet stack. Charles jumped up. The leap surprised her. Maybe his legs were okay. That was a pretty big jump for a pretty small...and rather clingy...beagle.

And then at last, it came. The box was light, but big and awkward.

The women's saddle tree was on top. Grace was struck by the narrow seat it afforded. Fortunately, Skye was thin. And flexible.

The men's saddle tree was next. Grace thought this would likely be the one Skye used the most.

The stirrups were way at the bottom.

There were more than two sets of stirrups. She didn't know what the larger ones were called but she knew they went with the women's saddle. At least, that's what she'd seen in pictures.

Then Grace found the stirrups she'd ordered.  Then she noticed there was still something in the box.

Another set of stirrups. Maedb Esposito had taken exceptionally good care of them with the saddle trees and stirrup molds.

All at once Charles let out a big, hound-like bark.
'Whoa there little guy. Don't worry. Skye will love you just as much no matter what else she gets for Christmas."

December 25

Skye made it down to the tack room without Grace noticing. she'd have to hurry to get Grace's gift wrapped. The dogs milled about, smelling everything. Skye wondered what it was that caught their interest.

Ribbon. She needed ribbon. There was rope on the floor. That would work.  But the shiny garland from the fence...that would be even better.

"Come on you guys, let's get out of here."

Grace made her way to the tack room without Skye noticing. She had barely finished wrapping Skye's gifts when she returned.

The red fabric caught Skye's attention immediately.
"Oh that's pretty."
Grace responded, apologetically. "That's yours, except I made a royal disaster out of it. I wanted to make you a poncho like the one you gave to Elecktra, but it's just a hot mess."

Grace went on apologizing about the bad cuts along the edges and the head hole that was big enough for a pony.
"It's so soft" Skye said in a fabric-muffled voice.

She pulled her head through.  "I love it. It's perfect."  She held out one arm.  And then the other.  And then she danced, twirling the home-made poncho like a fancy shawl.

The other cloth item was lovely too.
"This?"

"This is just a blanket."
"It's gorgeous."
"It seems to be stuck. Skye, give me a hand pulling it back."

The blanket was stuck on something with two round prominences.  At last they freed it.  Skye was, for a moment, speechless. She knew what she was looking at.  A saddle tree.  Resin, fabricated, yes.  Not the wood one she wanted to gather and shape and bind from scratch.  But a lovely women's saddle tree.

Finally she spoke.
"Wow."
"Yeah. Guess you're going to learn how to make a saddle."
So many thoughts were going through Skye's head.

"Come on" Grace said, "I made a second poncho after I butchered the one you're wearing."

Skye could see the second saddle tree beneath the poncho. It was surreal. She was excited, but also numb.

"They came with stirrups too" Grace explained. "You have a lot of stirrup options."
Skye looked at the saddle tree, then at Grace.
"Wow. Wow." 

The head hole on the second poncho was still big enough for a pony. Skye didn't care.  This one didn't have quite as much flow for dancing.  She loved it just the same.

"Let's go turn out some horses."
"But I have a present for you too!"
"We'll come back for it in a little bit."

And so they did.  Grace studied her gift. It was heavy, gorgeous, unlike any piece of art they owned. 
"The boss found it. She thought it looked like Petrichor and said you should have it."
It did look like Petrichor. Her wild stallion heart horse.  Grace studied her gift. It was heavy, beautiful, made with precise lines, very stylized. 
"The boss found it. She thought it looked like Petrichor and said you should have it."
It did look like Petrichor. Her wild stallion heart horse.

"Thank you so much Skye. it's amazing. I've never seen anything quite like it." She paused for a moment.
"You know, if the horses ever get rounded up, i'm going to say Petrichor is mine, an escapee from the ranch."
"Do you think the horses will ever get rounded up?"
"I don't know. But i'm not going to leave Petrichor in the hands of the government, or anyone else. Not if I can help it." 

December 26
The boss had also done some Christmas shopping.  Skye tried to guess his breed.
"Moroccan barb" she decided after some careful observation.  

"Excellent guess" Grace responded. "And closer to the truth than my best guess."
"What did you guess?"
"Something something Spanish. Or part Spanish."
"So...what is he?"

"An Amazigh. An African breed, ancient, fairly rare, but influential in the creation of many European horse breeds. Until recently the breed would have been referred to as a Berber. Or possibly Moroccan Barb, I'm not entirely sure. So your guess - Moroccan Barb...it would not surprise me if we found out that there's a relationship there."
Skye watched Grace interacting with the rather fabulous stallion.
​"Careful now. You'll have another favorite stallion soon..."
12.26.22