Post by virala on May 29, 2009 8:04:50 GMT -5
After Val had signed up for the trail ride she began to walk around the shop. She gawped at beautifuly polished saddles, rugs so new they were still in packaging, brushes that had never touched a horse's skin, bridles that had never been worn. She turned over a small price tag hanging from a small snaffle bridle and recoiled in shock. She had sold 4 of her best paintings to Mr Manders but there was still no way she could even afford a piece of the bridle. She would have to make do with a rope halter with some reins attched. Then she spotted a pile of dusty saddles in the corner and went to investigate. She picked up a small jumping saddle and placed it on a nearby chair to investigate. It was made of soft black leather and under all the grime and dust that had accumilated on it over time she saw how loved and well cared for it had been previously. It seemed just the right size for Yasmine's small, narrow back, only after she had filled out a bit more of course. Excitedly Val searched it for a price tag or label of some sort but found none. She brought it up to a small counter and spied an old lady reading a book behind it. "Ummm... hello." Val squeaked, she coughedand then continued "I was just wondering how much this saddle would cost?" The lady irritably lay the book dow on the table and removed her glasses to take a closer look. After what seemed like an eternity to Val she began "It's a pretty decent saddle that is." Val sighed. Decent meant expensive. "Very nice actually, whats it doing in that corner? That'd be $95 Val was disapointed. She thought it would have been cheap, afterall it was in the second hand corner and it was filthy! Just as the lady was about to return it to her a peice of leather fell from the cantle and dropped onto the desk. "Oh dear oh dear." the lady gasped. "That could have fetched a good price. Tell you what, know that we've obviously proven it isn't as great as first looked and you look like you don't have much in the way of spair cash" she said as she eyed Val's old jumper and worn out shoes "I'll give it to you for $45. That's a fantastic price and you'd be an idiot to ignore it. Are you still interested?" Val almost jumped with delight she had exactly $60. All her pocket money and money from working at the stables since January. "I'll take it but I need to buy a lunge rein and a bridle too..." That wasn't exactly true, Val had originaly decided to buy just a bridle, a lunnge rein so she could bring Yasmine back into work slowly and some brushes and shampoo to clean her with but the saddle was so good in Val's eyes and suuch a good price she couldn't resist and go and buy it syraight away. It didn't matter about the peice of leather that had come of and the fact it was so filthy. She could sort it out. Al that mattered was making Yasmine comfortable and happy again. "Ahh yes a lunging rein!" said the lady, breaking Val's little dream. "I've got one here actually. Emily didn't need it anymore. She's a lucky little girl with a wonderful horse like hers! She just left to go to Scotland and she's taking two of her horses there." "Wow" Val replied, she would loved to have met Emily with all her horses. "Umm.. yeah.I'll take the lunge rein how much is it?" "It's $7 dollars and I can throw in and old snaffle bridle from the second hand pile for $8 on top of it. You said you needed a bridle didn't you?" Before Val replied the lady stood up and hobbled towards the pile of old saddle and bridles. She returned with a small bridle and put it onto the desk. "It'll be $61 in total. "I have $60. Is that ok? I can bring the extra money later if you want." Val said nervously. "That's fine." Val handed over the crumpled notes and was given the saddle, bridle and white lunging rein in return. "Thank you!" Val said before leaving through the creaking door an dwalking out to the dark street beyond. She began the walk back to the yard.