Prompt 3 - Giddy Up, Jingle Horse

Adrian regarded the sleigh in front of him with an annoyed sigh. It was loaded heavily with presents for the children and people who lived in the villages under Silver Fist’s protection. He did this every year, bringing gifts to the people who did so much for him, but this year the horse he usually used had been pressed into service elsewhere and the other draft horses were busy with their usual rounds and tasks. He didn’t want to delay bringing the gifts. They were already expecting him. But at this point he figured he’d have to wait until one of the horses was rested and available. 

He was just about to leave the stables when one of the Loshenka caught the gold trimmed sleeve of his blue tunic. Adrian reached out and gently disengaged the horse, scratching their black nose. “Yes, Ferrari, it’ll be breakfast soon.” 

Ferrari snorted at this and snagged Adrian’s sleeve yet again, the mare tossing her head in the direction of the cart impatiently. 

Adrian looked at the Loshenka and then at the heavily ladened sleigh. He knew the horses were strong enough for pulling carts and sleighs, but he’d never used them for that before. Thus far he preferred them as riding horses and a few for more serious business such as patrolling his holdings and the like. 

Ferrari huffed, their warm breath creating a puff of smoke in the cold air. This time they nibbled at Adrian’s long, white hair, trying to get their point across as they stamped their one white marked leg. 

“Okay! Okay! I get it. I just don’t know that I have the right harness for you. No offense, you’re a bit smaller than the drafts I usually use.” Adrian carefully pulled his hair away from the tall mare. She was nearly the right height, but  wasn’t nearly as broad as his usual sleigh horses. 

Ferrari swished her black tail, the white markings on it flashing in the bright morning light reflecting off the newly fallen snow, her dark eyes watching Adrian with barely concealed impatience. 

Adrian chuckled and headed for the tack room at the stables. It took him a bit, most of the stable staff being busy feeding the horses, but he finally found an older harness that looked to still be well maintained. It was a bright red color and had bells on it. Why, he didn’t know, but at the moment it would have to do. 

He brought out the harness and on seeing it, the rabicano marked mare gave a delighted whinny as she tossed her head and danced in her stall. Clearly she was ready to go.  

Adrian walked her over to the sleigh and after a moment of getting the old buckles undone, managed to get her harnessed and set up to pull the sleigh. Ferrari seemed to take delight in making the bells on the harness jingle as she stomped her hooves every chance she got, tossing her head and prancing happily every time they rang. 

Adrian made sure the harness was secured to the sleigh and that it hadn’t sunk too far into the snow before giving Ferrari’s black neck a pat. “Well, you ready, Ferrari?” 

The mare danced as much as the harness would allow, their single white marked leg blending into the snow for a moment as the bells on the harness jingled. 

“I’ll take that as a yes.” Adrian laughed and flicked the reins, ready to get the toys and other goods to the people in the villages. It was one of his favorite times of the year, for all it never seemed like he did enough for the people around him. 

The mare pulled against the harness, their strong muscles quickly setting the sleigh in motion through the snow. The bells on her harness jingled, the red of the leather a stunning compliment to the black of her coat and even showing wonderfully against the white markings on her belly. 

“At least they’ll hear us coming.” Adrian smiled as the sleigh crossed into the open fields near the keep. It wasn’t far to the first village, the ground around them blanketed in snow and the roofs of the town already visible, the smoke curling from chimneys in a way that promised warmth to any who came. 

Ferrari seemed to agree, the horse pulling hard enough it seemed she wanted to race to the village as fast as she could. Only Adrian’s firm had on the reins kept them to a pace that would prove sustainable for the entirety of the loop they needed to do. 

As they approached the village, the excited chatter of the children could be heard along with the equally excited admonitions of the parents to wait until the sleigh and presents got into town and were ready for everyone. It was all good natured, though Adrian slowed the Ferrari down significantly in anticipation of at least one or two children escaping their parents and running for them. Kids were fast on a good day, and there were a lot of them about right now. 

Sure enough, as soon as he guided Ferrari around the last bend into town, a little boy managed to break free of his parents and come racing towards the wagon. Ferrari didn’t seem to mind, the black coated mare simply tossing her head to make the bells jingle louder, her breath causing ripples of steam in the air. 

The little boy laughed as Adrian scooped him up as they passed by and settled him so there was no risk of falling out of the now very slowly moving sleigh and waving at the parents reassuringly. 

The town fell in behind the sleigh as they made for the center of the town where a large tree had been decorated. It was a tradition he wasn’t quite sure how it got started, but it had been going on for so long it had been filed under the category of things that simply were. 

He pulled the sleigh to a stop, Ferrari immediately surrounded by laughing children and getting all the pets and attention. Fortunately the mare didn’t seem to mind and instead soaked up all the affection with a positively delighted wiggle of excitement. 

It was fortunate he didn’t have to try to rein her in as the parents seemed to have their hands full reining in the children who were now all calling for Adrian’s attention and wanting to talk and see what presents there were. 

By the time he’d gotten them all handed off and turned the sleigh back onto the road for the next village, Ferrari was practically glowing with excitement and her step was higher than when they’d started. 

“So I take it, you'll want to do this again next year?” Adrian asked as they once again headed out into the open, snow covered fields around Silver Fist. 

Ferrari stomped her feet, nodding her head as the bells on her red harness rang and the sleigh seemed to go just that much faster.