Pregnant Ladies

Ember’s ears flicked and she lifted her head from grazing. She looked towards the sound of footsteps shuffling along. Stacy, her rider, and the stable owner waddled towards the paddock fence. Ember let out a soft nicker and started towards the woman. She ambled over to the fence and leaned her head over the top.

Stacy smiled, reaching out a hand to scratch the mare’s chin. “How’re you holding up girl? Your little one isn’t causing you any problems, are they?”

Letting out a snort, Ember flicked her tail. Foals, unborn or not, they were almost always trouble.

Stacy laughed. “I guess I’ll take that as a yes. Don’t worry, not long now until we’ll both be letting go of our burdens. Of course they’ll be running around then and I’m not sure that’s any less stressful.” The woman rested a hand over her own swollen belly. “But they pay their way in joy.”

Ember wasn’t so sure of that, this not being her first foal, but her third. They were a lot of work and particularly troublesome. Her last one was particularly frisky. Worst of all though, Stacy couldn’t go out riding with her while she was pregnant. Not that the woman was doing any riding at all with her own little one on the way. Unlike herself, this was the woman’s first child and Ember knew she was nervous about it. She wished she could be there for her more and reassure her that it would be alright. The dogs were lucky that they got to curl up with the woman and keep an eye on the growing little one.

Pressing her nose into Stacy’s shoulder, Ember let out a short snort, a small prayer for the unborn child. Once it entered the world, she would care for it as her own. Human babies were more fragile than foals and needed a lot of looking after.

Leaning on the fence, Stacy reached up to scratch behind Ember’s ears. The mare hummed in content. It always felt so good when she scratched there.

“It won’t be long before we can go riding again,” Stacy murmured. “We’ll race through the fields, soar over jumps and beat all the boys in the competitions.”

Ember snorted. Yeah they would. And the looks on their faces would be worth it.

The woman pulled the mare’s face to hers, resting her forehead against Ember’s muzzle with a smile. “Enjoy the quiet, girl, we’ll soon be up to our ears in trouble. And be loving every moment of it.”

Snuffling, Ember nibbled at the woman’s shirt. She looked forward to when they could spend more time together, when the woman could stand for longer and her feet could fit back in her boots. She looked forward to when her foal could run by her side and she didn’t have to feel their heavy weight in her belly. She wouldn’t admit it, but she enjoyed it most when she could play with her foals.

She hoped she would be able to meet Stacy’s little one soon too. Human children were funny little things, more fragile than foals. Though, she doubted that she would be able to play with it, human young being ridiculously helpless at first. How they survived, she would never know.

Stacy groaned, resting a hand against her back. “I think it’s time for me to move along. Take care, Ember.” She gave the mare a final scratch. “You let me know if the others aren’t treating you with all the love you deserve, I’ll straighten them right out.”

Ember nickered warmly, knowing the woman’s words were in jest. Stacy’s husband and the other stable hands were giving her the best care.

“Bye, girl,” Stacy called as she shuffled off.

The red dun mare watched her go, giving a parting whinny before turning and slowly wandering back into the paddock. Being pregnant was temporary, but the Swirl Side ladies would always have each other.