Disclaimer- I do not own Hidalgo or any other character in the Hidalgo Dream Works production. However I do own Gem, Honey, and Zeke ECT.

I look forward to my morning feeding today. I look anxiously out of my stall. I hear a faint whistling in the distance and it grows louder and louder until I see a thin man come into the barn lugging a heavy bale of hay. I whinny in delight to the sight of fresh alfalfa hay. A few whinnies then followed mine. The man's name was David; he then set the bale down in the corner of the barn. He slowly raised himself rubbing his back and wiping the glistening sweat off his balding head. David then cut the strings off the green bale of hay, and pulls them from the bale. David pulls a flake of hay off the bale and opens my stall door. He greets me with a soft gentle pet on my muzzle. I swiveled my head around his body and reached for the hay, but he moves the hay out of my reach. David raises his hand and clucks for me to move. I back up and he sets the hay in my feeder. Out of the corner of my eye I watch him feed the rest of the horses. After I finish my hay I look around. The mare in the next stall, a beautiful strawberry roan, greets me with a soft gentle nicker. I nicker back replying to her greeting. I hear footsteps and poke my head out of my stall and look to see David, here to give me my work out.

David is the owner of the River Ranch Stables known for their champion jumping horses. David comes to me and grabs my blue halter off the hook on my big box stall. I whinnied in excitement because I was ready for a good long jumping coarse.

"Whoa Gem, I can tell you're excited for your morning workout."

Although my full name is Zones Golden Gem everyone called me Gem for short.

David gently pulled the nose of the halter around my face and brought up the detached piece of the halter and brought it around the back of my ears. He latched the two pieces together on the hole that fit most comfortable. David led me out of my stall and into the crossties. David then latched the right crosstie and then walked behind me to latch the other side. He opened the box, which held curies, small brushes, big brushes, face brushes, soft brushes and stiff brushes. David grabbed a curry and started swiftly brushing me. I love David; he is the best owner any horse could ask for! He didn't let the grooming staff brush me unless he had to let the grooming staff brush me. I was his personal horse. He always talks to me as he brushes my dapple-gray coat, or he would whistle to me. As he finished currying one side of my sleek coat he moves to the other side and he started again whistling to whatever was in his mind. "Hey Gem, we have a new jump." "I think you are ready for it, it is a bit taller then you are used to." Davis said soothingly. As he finished with the curry he grabbed a brush and ran it quickly across my coat. He the grabbed a hoof pick and loudly clucked for me to pick up my front left hoof. He quickly picked the rest of my hooves then he pulled out of his coat pocket a few baby carrots. He held his hand out just so I couldn't reach. Then he brought his hand closer and laughed, as he likes to tease me. I crunched on the carrots. Then he set a purple pad upon my back. David grabbed a black jumping saddle out of a wooden box made special to protect this beautiful saddle. He then set the saddle on top of the purple pad on my back. He unhooked me from the crossties and led me to the arena that was set up with jumps. I jigged along side him very exited to jump! David brought me to a mounting block. He stepped up until I felt his weight on my back. David urged me to go. I went to a steady walk. He urged me to a trot. I trotted proudly around the rail of the well-lit arena. Then the gate to the arena opened which caught my attention. A bright Reddish brown and white paint stepped into the arena with Christy Alice, a girl who trains in our barn, by the paint stallion's side. The stallion was very mild mannered until he saw me. He perked up and let out a loud whinny that echoed through the barn.

"What's your name? I replied Zones Golden Gem. You can call me Gem."

He replied, "You can call me Zeke."

"Okay" I replied trying not to sound to anxious.

My rider got my attention back when he clucked and urged me into the canter. I had a smooth steady gait. He directed me to a jump, which I executed perfectly. I could not get my mind off the new stallion. He was gorgeous! He seemed nice. I wanted to get to know him better. I snapped out of my daydream and got ready for another jump. I jumped it and landed gasping for air. My rider then pulled me down to a walk for the cool down.

I walked for about 10 minutes and then David dismounted and rubbed me on the nose and said "Good work Gem."

He led me to the crossties once again and un-tacked me and brushed my sweaty coat until it shined. He gave me a few carrots a prt on the nose and guided me to my stall. By now everyone was up and about from now on you will hear hoof beats, dropping of brushes, rustling of hay, and all noise you could think of that would happen in a barn. I was still thinking of the new horse. I didn't see him. I wondered if he was going to stay here or not. They day grew longer until the orange-golden sunset outside shown through the stalls. One of the stable hands walked through for one last checkup before nightfall. He scratched me on the nose and left the barn. The night air was cold and damp, for it started to rain. I awoke to a distressed neigh from one of the stalls. I looked to see Honey an old brood mare. She was one of the finest jumpers we had. But she was 19 and had hock problems from jumping. I didn't see anything wrong, but I sensed she was in pain. It was dawn and the stable hand was not here yet to clean stalls. I was worried because I knew something was wrong. I neighed to her "what is wrong Honey?" She only answered in a painful neigh and then she sighed…

Hi this is my first time on fan fic and this is my first story. I know it doesn't have anything to do with Hidalgo yet but I am going to work it in there. I am only 11 so sorry for spelling errors ect. Thank you for reading my fan fic! I dedicate this story to my horses Mickey and Jake the best horses ever!