Prompt #2 - Baby, It’s Cold Outside: Inner Warmth for Outer Warmth

Inner Warmth for Outer Warmth

The horses had all willingly come into the barn as the afternoon drew near. Sensing the overnight winter storm, they knew better than to just try and ‘weather it out’. Leviathan, however, knew he’d be spoiled rotten the moment the winter chill came through the structures. 

As he was munching on his warmed up grain and mash, the stall door opened, letting the harsh chill draft through the open concept barn. Normally, the stallion would march up and demand a treat for the sudden harsh temperature, but since it was Milton, or it seems to be under all of the gear he was holding, Attie let it slide. 

Curious, but not unwelcoming to his handler, Leviathan followed Milton around like a shadow, pinning his ears at near every other stallion that decided they too, would like to know what was going on. 

With a thud and soft jingle of iron buckles and straps, Attie stood nicely as Milton started to dress his horse in various blankets. Nice ones too. Fleece lined at first, wool trims, weatherproof, electrically heated; you’d almost think this horse won its breed Anniversary Halter Class…

Milton hummed some songs stuck in his head as he tried to ration and reason as to how to best make his stallion comfortable. He very much understood that the Loshenka were built for winter, but, he couldn’t help but project that he might just get too cold.

To his riders mistake, Leviathan followed his handler through the open main gate into the alleyway of the barn, and once Milton noticed, he just shook his head and let him tag along. And the seal bay stallion was thankful for it. Relishing the heated barn with every step, Attie almost seemed to get too comfortable and started to fall asleep as he waited for Milton to finish looking through his collection of ice horseshoes, equine safe sidewalk salt, and write up chores on the board to do as the impending storm drew closer. 

Leviathan was more than happy to wait in the wash stall, laying down on the rubber mat as he soaked up the warmth and ate the treats off the floor that Milton would occasionally toss down at him as he paced around. 

Living like a king…Attie felt the chill draft flow through the barn, a harsh reminder of the setting he’d be bound to return to. Sure he could handle it, he was bred to, but knowing he could pout and get what he wanted, he decided to nudge Milton to the fleece lined blanket on the rack. One he overlooked for fear it wasn't enough, but Athens made his point clear when he picked up the blanket with his muzzle and tossed it around until Milton eventually got the hint; which was just Leviathan draping the blanket onto his handler. 

Patiently, the horse waited as Milton talked to himself about the day while he blanketed his loyal companion. Milton went on, something about water pipes and shoveling snow off of the trailer, and the roofs. The anxiety was more than felt by the Loshenka before him, and once the final clasp on Athens’ chest was secured, the horse pressed his head against his handler's chest, trying to calm him down. 

Instinctively, Milton wrapped his arm around the horse's head and hugged him tightly. For the mere fact the animal could bring himself back to reality so quickly, he promised Athens he’d bring him more often into the heated barn for as many scratches and grooming sessions as he wanted.

And that was a darn good deal for Leviathan.