Life on the ranch for the children and Buck, Bear and Bella was an adventure. From one day to the next there was always something new to discover. There were two horses…. Silverjack was a beautiful tall quarter horse. He had a white star on his forehead. Jacob and Samantha adored Silverjack the most. The big horse would lean down and nuzzle the children’s faces. Both children loved riding Silverjack. Easy was also a quarter horse, and was brown with two white socks on his back feet. But Jacob and Samantha knew that Easy could be grumpy sometimes. The two horses usually followed the playful group closely around the fields, hoping that a couple of shiny red apples might fall from the children’s backpack.
Buck and Bear had become the best of friends with Bella. The dogs could be seem romping about the fields together, while Bella was satisfied watching the playful pooches from a fence post.
Of course, Jacob and Samantha always kept an eye on all of the animals. Especially Bella, since she was new to the ranch, EXCEPT for one Saturday afternoon when the children were inside the ranch house cleaning up after their adventure.
Bella was sitting on the post near the barn, contentedly grooming herself very carefully. She licked her paws and ran them over her whiskers, ears and face, all the while purring loudly. Then Bella would lick her coat and finish by licking her long beautiful shiny black tail. Bella was so busy she did not at all notice the crouching gray shadow coming around the corner of the barn towards her.
Ever so quietly, sneaking up on Bella, was a coyote. She did not see the wild creature, mouth slightly open, showing very large white teeth, until it was almost too late. A twig snapped behind Bella, and she became instantly alert. Bella, slightly annoyed at what interrupted her concentration, turned to see a coyote! Bella did not waste a minute. She jumped down off of the post and ran for her life, with the coyote in close pursuit. Bella ran as fast as she could across the barnyard, through the fence, and into the pasture through the tall grass. The coyote was gaining so quickly on her. Bella realized far too late that she did not have a place to hide, as the grasses and willows had not yet grown tall enough to slow down the coyote. Bella, totally out of breath with the coyote so close behind her, finally saw her chance to get away from the wild creature. With all of the energy she had left, she jumped as high as she could to reach the top of the roof covering the water shed. Bella sunk her claws deep into the wood, but her claws barely held her on the steeply angled roof. She felt herself slowly slipping. Scrambling on the wood roof, Bella was trying desperately to get her footing, but her claws continued to slip. The swiftly moving coyote had caught up with her and was jumping up and down, circling the shed. Bella’s tail hung dangerously off of the edge of the shed, and the coyote needed just a bit of her tail in his mouth to pull her off of the roof. The coyote was so close that Bella could see his wild, cold gray eyes, and could smell his hot breath. Bella was terrified!
Silverjack and Easy grazed peacefully in the upper pasture. The horses loved the upper pasture where the field grew extra green and lush. Silverjack had become distracted at hearing an odd rustling noise, which seemed to come from the direction of the ranch house. He decided to mosey on down towards the house. He ambled slowly through the large aspen trees, which separated the upper pasture from the lower pasture. Once across the stream, he instantly stopped. He immediately saw the source of the rustling sound.
Silverjack’s ears perked up, his nostrils flared and his tail swished rapidly from side to side. The beautiful black mane on Silverjack’s back bristled at what he saw. Oh no, Silverjack thought, it was a large coyote! He was afraid of coyotes. But Silverjack could see that Bella, looking very tired, was in grave danger. Bella had almost lost her battle with the coyote. She continued to lose her grip with her claws on the shed’s slippery roof.
With a loud neigh, Silverjack raced down the pasture towards the shed. The coyote, surprised, turned and saw the rapidly approaching horse. The coyote flattened his ears back and howled loudly, then curled his lips up over his long white teeth. The coyote crouched as if he was going to leap at Silverjack. The beautiful horse pawed the ground angrily with his hoof and neighed loudly back at the coyote. The coyote then turned his attention entirely away from Bella and fully towards Silverjack. At that point, the coyote began circling the beloved horse. Silverjack reared up and down, while pawing the ground with his hooves and whinnying. Suddenly, the coyote leaped at Silverjack, his mouth wide open with snapping teeth! With nostrils flaring, Silverjack whirled around and swiftly kicked at the coyote with his hind legs, and with one blow from his hooves, knocked the vicious animal. The coyote was stunned for a minute, just long enough for the horse to back up once again to the coyote, and deliver another swift kick with his powerful back legs. The fight was over. The coyote turned and ran back towards the trees and upper pasture, on into the forest.
Silverjack turned towards the water shed, seeing Bella hanging on in the same position that he first saw her. Silverjack nodded to Bella, as if to say, “It is safe now.” Bella let go of the roof and slid down to the ground. The magnificent horse lowered his head to her, and she rubbed against his muzzle and purred lovingly and gratefully…..