The Horse Race

 

Midge and Booker-T ran through the gate into Jake's front yard and found Jake napping on the front porch swing.

“Hey Jake!” called Midge. “Jake! Wake up!”

Jake blinked his eyes and saw Midge and Booker-T standing at the porch.

“What are you guys doing?” asked Jake.

“We came to get you so we can go to the farm,” said Midge.

“Did you forget?” asked Booker-T.

“Forget what?” asked Jake.

“He forgot, Midge,” sighed Booker-T.

“No I didn't,” said Jake.

“Okay,” said Midge., “What were we going to do this morning?”

“Well,” said Jake.

“You forgot!” said Booker-T.

“I'm thinking,” smiled Jake. “Let me see now. We were at the farm yesterday with Lucy and the horses.”

“Okay,” said Midge. “What else?”

“Did we go somewhere else?” asked Jake.

“No,” said Midge shaking her head. “We just came home when we left the farm.”

“Hmmm,” said Jake. “Are we going to the zoo building?”

“No, Jake,” said Booker-T. “Did you go to sleep and forget what we are going to do?”

“I was dreaming about the water slide across from your house, Midge,” said Jake. “Are we going to sneak in there and play on the big slide?”

“Jake,” said Midge. “Is your memory that short?”

“No,” laughed Jake. “I remember.”

“Remember what?” asked Booker-T.

“We are going to the farm to ride the horses,” smiled Jake. “I was only kidding you.”

“Very funny Jake,” said Midge. “Lets go! I want to ride the horses.”

The three walked out the gate at Jake's house and hurried along the sidewalk to the farm. They entered the gate and ran to the house and found Lucy sitting on the back porch waiting for them.

“I was waiting for you guys,” said Lucy. “What happened to you?”

“Jake was being funny,” said Booker-T.

“What were you doing?” asked Lucy.

“I was pretending I didn't know what we were going to do,” laughed Jake. “They were trying to get me to remember. We made it though.”

“Come on,” said Lucy. “Lets go down to the riding pasture. The horses are waiting for us to come ride.”

The four of them ran down to the pasture where they found the horses waiting.

“Hi there Lucy,” said Stormy. “Are you guys ready for a ride?”

“Lets go!” said Midge jumping up and down. “I'm ready. I can't wait.”

“Get on the platform,” said Midnight. “We will get close to it and you can climb on.”

“When you get on, sit down and hold on to our manes.”

“Okay,” said Jake as they all climbed onto the platform.

One by one, they each climbed on top of one of the horses. When they were all sitting on top of a horse, the horses lined up side by side.

“How about a race?” said Lightning.

“A race?” asked Booker-T. “You will be running fast?”

“Sure,” smiled Stormy. “Do you all want to race?”

“Lets go!” said Jake. “It might be fun.”

“Hold on tight!” said Midnight.

They each had a tight hold of the horse's manes and the horses began to slowly walk around the pasture. Side by side they trotted slowly.

“This is fun!” said Midge. “We can do it.”

“Wow,” said Lucy. “This is easy.”

“Hang on tight,” said Lightning.

Midge glanced over at Jake just as Stormy took off running fast with the other horses running along with him. Midge's ears were blowing in the wind as they started to race around the pasture. Booker-T held on tight with his claws and had the mane in his teeth. Lucy was laying her head on the horse's back as it galloped fast around the pasture. “Jake was laughing as he bounced on the horse's back..

“Oh no!” shouted Booker-T. “I'm hanging on tight but I'm sliding off the back!”

“Are you okay up there?” asked Midnight.

“I think I'm going to hit the ground,” sighed Booker-T.

Midnight slowed down and Booker-T slide off the horse's back and hit the ground.

“Are you okay?” asked Midge.

“I'm good,” said Booker-T. “I was having fun til he started to run faster and I slid off his back and I was just hanging there and when he slowed down a little I let go and hit the ground.”

The others jumped off the horses and landed on the ground.

“That was fun,” said Lucy. “I didn't know it was a bumpy ride on the horses.”

“It's hard to hold on when we are bouncing up and down on the horse's back,” said Midge. “It's fun, but my head was bouncing up and down with the horse.”

“Mine too,” laughed Jake. “

“Who won the race?” asked Booker-T.

“I don't think anyone did,” said Jake. “But it was fun. I like riding the horse.”

“Me too,” said Lucy. “We can do it again sometime.”

“I would like to ride again,” said Midge. “Maybe it would be easier to ride them if we were on the saddles.”

“Maybe,” said Lucy. “But we can't put the saddles on them.”

“And we can't ask your owner to do it,” said Jake. “He don't understand us.”

“So we will just ride without the saddles,” said Midge. “Maybe next time, they can walk slower.”

“Lets go to the zoo building and see who is there today,” suggested Jake.

“Okay,” said Midge as they ran through the gate and started walking along the sidewalk.