Prompt #3 - Giddy Up, Jingle Horse

A dumb idea. Dumb and…odd.

Leviathan looked around, slightly annoyed at the harness he was decked in. An old set clearly too worn to truly be useful, but if it held together then it seemed it might work anyways. But the stallion figured he’d be better, more useful, doing other tasks than pulling a rickety old sleigh.

Watching as Milton secured the last few clasps and reins, he turned his ear back to better hear the exchange between his handler and his best friend; still trying to get a sense of what was being asked.

Feeling no command via the reins or a vocal queue, Athens started to mess around with the harness, taking his muzzle and trying to feel the different rings, and leatherwork adroning him. Surely if the set was given a good oil down, it might actually look good on him. 

A gentle flick of the reins, however, brought him out of his curiosity, and it was like something…snapped. Suddenly Athens knew exactly what to do, starting to walk forward and not minding the bells jingling with each step as he pulled the antique, barely holding sleigh together, behind him. Hearing something about “wow it works!” and not bothering to look behind. 

The resting of the sleigh harness felt..comforting suddenly. Like a gentle hug that occasionally tapped on his shoulder, turning him along the snow covered trails around the property. 

With the rudeness of something ignited within him, it was no hesitation to get into a trot when asked for it. Surprising his handler and passenger behind. The bells sung a song as they traveled along and towards the city outskirts, gently announcing the presence of a beautiful, well-behaved Loshenka stallion decked in antique breed-exclusive harness and custom sleigh. 

Leviathan was a true sight to behold, naturally keeping his head high, and expression calm, the flowy trot of the breed created distinct, but soft, waves in his tail. His graceful demeanor beckoned the eyes of passerbyers on their own horses and sleighs, those on the sidewalks, and those in the windows of streetside shops alike. There was just something different and striking with a huge 18 hh stallion looking right out of a dream. Moving with each little command and queue, as If he’d been previously trained before. 

Suddenly, the age and wear of the tack was nothing to him. The confidence in his steps, and gawking from strangers was enough for Athens to wear the worn down leather like it was gold, proudly showing it off and tossing his head to flaunt his beauty.

Milton laughed in the background, muttering about how his horse is “most certainly a character”, and “thank the stars I met him”. 

And deep down, Leviathan was thankful too. 

The sleigh felt like a paperweight to the stocky stallion, and by the time they had circled around the outskirts of the town, he was still more than ready to keep trotting. Upholding the pace with ease that subtly demonstrated his stamina. 

Snow plowed beneath his hooves as he made his way back to the trails, guiding his handler and passenger through the snowy, droplet frozen willow trees and around the solid lakes surrounding them. A true sight to behold, and a pang of nostalgia for his home stud rang through Leviathan’s heart.

He missed his original home, with his mom, his best friend, and the familiar hands of the couple that owned the stud; but all that subtle longing dissipated when he heard Milton’s pride and praise to Darius, the passenger. 

Milton understood this horse to a T, to the point that Leviathan thought that no matter what, with how good Milton was to him, he’d be happy to pull the sleigh any day, through any weather. Just to keep more time with him.