[PHASE TWO] - Learning To Live Again

Pepper’s progress at the estate was slow moving. After the incident at the pasture, the vet came by immediately the next day to survey the loshenka. 

“Aside from the self-inflicted injuries from her destructive habits, she seems to be completely fine.” He handed Ale a copy of Pepper’s check-up details and smiled. “She's completely healthy; her scratches should heal up quickly.” 

“Really? Not even a little hint at what is causing this behavior?” Ale asked, disappointed. 

“Nope, I’m really not sure. So sorry to disappoint you.” He packed up his tools and started off. Ale petted Pepper softly, sighing a little.

“What’re we going to do with you, girl?” Pepper stood kindly, oblivious to the trouble she had caused. Ale had been hoping to find some easy fix for Pepper, maybe something was bothering her health wise, but to her surprise, there was nothing at all. Now, Ale was stuck with piling vet bills, and the need to reconstruct some sections of the fence. She gave Pepper a sugary molasses treat and led her to her stall. There weren't many options for the moment, so Ale decided to leave her stall doors open to the small pasture on the side of the barn. That way, Pepper could decide between being in her stall or outside if that was more comfortable for her. 

Progress overall was tough to get started, and a few long days had passed where Pepper continued to destroy everything in her wake. The others at the estate started calling her “Red Death” as she continued to wreak havoc around the barn. Even though chaos ensued, Ale had started to make some progress of her own regarding Pepper’s treatment. A quick call to Sagebrush and some personal investigation into Pepper's past gave her some ideas. Pepper seemed to be okay in new locations for short amounts of time, almost like she decided to destroy after being there for a while. She was getting bored. Ale had gotten her hands on some documents from Pepper’s past. She had been partially abandoned, stuck inside her pasture indefinitely, with little to no interaction. Her past life had been incredibly miserable. But now, Ale would change that.

“Good morning, Pepper.” She smiled as the mare looked out at her through her stall window. There was hay and shavings clearly amiss in the background. 

“We’re going to be trying something fun today!” She fed Pepper her morning hay and grain, leaving momentarily to get her a surprise. Pepper ate peacefully, pleased with the new food. Ale came back with a small treat toy and placed it in her stall. It wasn't really much of an item, but for Ale and Pepper, this would make all the difference. Ale watched as Pepper finished her food and started investigating the toy, pushing it around with her nose. In the blink of an eye, Pepper went from calm and distant to an overjoyed, happy mare. She moved the toy around so fast it went into her connected pasture, rolling around quickly in the grass as Pepper followed it. Ale had the biggest sigh of relief; this small toy was bringing her so much comfort. She took a small bit of time to observe Pepper’s actions, watching her enjoy the outside space. Then she sprang into action to fix up her stall, removing any sharp bits of wood and cleaning up the discarded hay. Hopefully, this would be the last time Pepper’s stall was in such disarray. 

“Is that Pepper?” Mari called from down the hall. 

“Yeah, come quickly!!” The two girls watched in awe as Pepper played with the toy. 

“You finally found something that got to her, huh?” Mari chuckled as Pepper fished out more cookies from the toy. 

“I guess so,” Ale started. “Her previous life wasn't so lucky.” 

“Oh no, what was it like?” Mari frowned. 

“Apparently she was rescued from a neglect situation. She wasn’t properly fed or cared for and spent extended periods of time turned out completely alone.” Ale sighed. “It was really difficult putting my finger on the cause of her habits, but I think she's just extremely bored and depressed.” Mari nodded. 

“She seemed to like hanging out with the other girls for a little bit! Maybe she would benefit from daily interaction as well.” Mari added in. 

“I do agree, I think she just needs a stable and supportive environment. Sounds a little cliche, but she needs to learn to live again.” Ale turned back towards the chestnut mare, who was slowly running out of cookies in the toy. “I think we're going to have a little hobby montage. I’ll introduce her to some fun things and let her explore the island with me.” 

“I definitely think that will do both of you some good, you haven't been out of the main barn since you brought her home!! All locked up researching and weird stuff. Go have fun, I’ll take care of everything here for the day.” Mari smiled and started off. 

“You're a good friend, Mari, thank you.” She waved goodbye and grabbed Pepper’s halter. They had a lot of work to do to get her acclimated to her new space and on the right track for recovery. 

Ale decided to first introduce Pepper to the island environment. It was unusual for a stable, but it was what Ale and the others called home. She approached Pepper slowly, giving her a cold carrot before haltering up and leading her out of her stall. While Pepper was destructive and bored, she was otherwise very well-mannered. 

“We’re going somewhere fun this afternoon!” Ale smiled and patted the chestnut mare softly. A long walk through the main barn and down their runway led them to the boardwalk. The archipelago structure had a small island in the middle, where the main facilities were located, and a ring of islands surrounding it, connected by a long wooden boardwalk. Ale wasn't sure how Pepper would react, so she gently introduced her. 

“The wood may make some noise, but I believe in you. It's just the ground beneath us.” She started forward, one step at a time, as Pepper followed behind. The wooden walk below creaked slightly but held up perfectly as it should. Pepper’s ears swiveled slightly, but she remained calm, confirming Ale’s decision to bring her out. The two walked down for what seemed like forever. Small ocean waves sprayed their ankles, giving them cool relief in the hot summer sun. The water was crystal clear, with a soft teal tint. Tropical fish and dolphins could be spotted below, enjoying their underwater paradise. Once they made it to the other side, Ale stood in the water, trying to see what Pepper’s reaction would be. Pepper just watched, slowly examining the environment around them. It was fairly quiet; only the ocean waves and birds could be heard around them. That is, until Ale decided to break the silence, splashing a bit of water towards the mare. Pepper neighed in response, excited by the droplets of water. Ale quickly removed Pepper’s halter, and the two went into the ocean, splashing around. 

“I don't think I’ve ever seen you so happy!” Ale laughed as Pepper frolicked around her, kicking up big water splashes. For the first time, it seemed that Pepper’s true personality was showing. One walk to the ocean was Ale’s affirmation that Pepper was going to be okay. 

As days went by, Ale and Pepper went on many adventures throughout the island. She was given toys in her pasture space and her stall. Salt lickers, beach balls, dangling toys, and jolly balls engulfed her space. While chaotic at first glance, Pepper seemed to love it, spending a lot of time playing with each of her new toys. Her boredom was quickly solved by new things and building companionship with Ale. This wasn't the final solution, but a temporary fix to her immediate needs. The destruction of her stall and pasture ceased, and Pepper was moved back into the pasture with the other mares. She was making friends and getting along well. Ale knew, though, that Pepper needed a long-term goal. She had mainly been focused on getting her to a stable point where she could be trusted without “reorganizing” the entire space, but there was more to her progression than that. 

The decision to start training Pepper for riding disciplines was one thought out thoroughly. While some riding could be repetitive, and Pepper had not been under saddle, Ale thought it could also give her something to work on and look forward to. Something fulfilling, a purpose for all the playing. Pepper’s ground manners had so far been well; she would cooperate in uncomfortable situations, too, such as climbing over a ramp obstacle. At Mistveil, Ale trained and competed in multiple disciplines. Figuring out what was best for Pepper would be her next big step in recovery. Maybe, training her under saddle would be the final piece Pepper needed to recover from her traumatic past.