Ilari's reason

ps Ilari fav.me/d4n9dm2

Wisconsin had been having rain the past few weeks, with only a few dry days between the soaking rain. Paths well traveled between the house, barns and pastures of Powa Shell were pretty much mud holes. All the staff wore knee high water proof boots, though it didn't matter, they'd come back in with soaked socks and wet feet by the end of the day.

Most of the horses were either kept in the farther, larger pastures where there was less traffic and rotated around those to prevent them from tearing the turf up, or kept inside their stalls and indoor riding arena on the worst of the rainy days.

Candy had just cleaned Ilari up from their "work out". It can hardly be called a work out, it was just slogging through the stream of a trail. Ilari bobbed his head at the distant sound of thunder, ears swiveling in excitement. It was a quieter day, with only a few sprinkles throughout the day. Looking between him and his stall, Candy gave a sigh. "Fine, I'll take you out." He had been getting antsy the past few weeks, keeping him cooped up in the stalls just wasn't what he wanted. 

Candy took him to one of the smaller pastures, since he was their most prized stallion, and had the olympics coming up, they couldn't risk any injury to him from a play fight from one of their geldings or stallions. He gave a shrill neigh as he caught sight of his neighbors though, Robin and Jafar in the pasture next to his. 

Bolting away from Candy as his halter came off, he went and greeted them.

*****

I better go check on him. Candy thought as she sipped the last of her coffee. The weather channel said that tonight was going to have a bad storm, high speed winds and heavy rain. I'll bring him in. 

After pulling on her water boots, she headed out the door. She breathed in the clean air. Rain always seemed to have that cleaning affect, Candy mused as she passed the barns and went down the slick path toward the pasture Ilari was in.

"ILARI!" she called out, expecting him to do his usual of trotting up to her at the gate. Leaning on the gate she watched him, a bored expression turning to concern to fear as she watched him almost hop to her, limping and favoring his right fore leg. His ears were back, an expression he usually never wears as weight was gingerly put on the injured leg. Oh no, what happened? Candy jumped the gate, and rushed over to Ilari.

Mud splattered all over her coat, it caked onto her fingers and hands as she ran them down Ilari's mud caked leg. It felt warm at his knee, and progressively felt hotter the lower she went. Standing back up, she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "Geez boy, we'll get you comfortable soon." she said as she slipped his halter on and slowly led him to the barn to get him cleaned up and call the vet.

****

"He has a bruised sole. It seems to be from a large stone from the pasture he was in. He should be fine, but no work or undue stress for a couple of weeks, maybe a few months." The vet said as he finished checking over Ilari.

"But sir, the Olympics are in 2 months, will he be ready for them?" Candy asked.

"Probably not. With stall and small pasture rest, he'll have lost some of his musculature and fitness, and you don't want to compete him at that high a level so soon after an injury, even a small one like this." He sighed, and added "I know we all at the vet clinic were hoping to cheer for his win at them, but I'd rather see him rest up and not go than see him get injured worse or disqualified. Better to pull him out now. There is always next year." He smiled a sad smile, patted Ilari and offered a sugar cube to the stallion, who took it greedily, and left.

Candy and Jack stood at the stall door, both lost in their thoughts about the events of that day.