The ground rushed by in a blur under Trevor’s pounding hooves. He was only dimly aware of how far he’d already run or how heavily he was breathing. Instead, all he noticed was the fluid flow of air racing through his flared nostrils, the feeling of the crisp air sweeping through his dark red mane and tail, and doing his best to keep up with the dapple gray stallion next to him. Both of them were at full gallop.
“Good!” Jasper grunted to Trevor’s left. “Now, keep your head steady and focused straight ahead of you, and throw those forelegs out in front of you as far as you can with every step.”
As much as Trevor tried to let instinct guide him, he still struggled not to let human thoughts catch up to him and remind him he wasn’t supposed to be running on four legs like this. It’d happened a few times since Jasper started showing him how to properly run like a horse, and he’d nearly tripped on his own legs every time. Even though it hurt, it was never that big of a deal when he was just trotting or cantering. But, Trevor knew there was no way he could afford to slip up now. Not at full gallop.
Just as he felt like he was starting to get the hang of it, and tried to push off more with his powerful hindquarters, Jasper caught on and quickly pulled ahead with a burst of speed Trevor knew he didn’t have. There was no way he was going to beat this stallion in a race. At least, not without some more practice and training that Trevor wouldn’t have time for.
Letting out an agitated snort, Trevor pulled back and started to slow down to a trot before he transitioned into a walk. Jasper continued to race on ahead, but Trevor hardly cared anymore. As he finally stopped moving and stood still, Trevor’s ears flicked back and forth as he was assaulted by the heavy snorts of his own exhausted breathing. With his expanded field of vision, he could see his lathered flanks heaving in and out with each heavy breath too.
Still, in spite of it all, he felt entirely exhilarated. And, as he watched Jasper slow down about two hundred yards in front of him and start to wheel back around to Trevor, head and tail held high with pride, Trevor realized how proud he was that he was a horse like that, too. He could finally run like a horse!
Without thinking about it, Trevor suddenly reared up and let out an excited whinny as he pawed at the air with his hooves. He’d never have guessed that being a horse would feel this good.
“Well, I see that you enjoyed that,” Jasper said as soon as Trevor had finished with his excited rearing and neighing. “Though I’m not sure if you enjoyed galloping or losing to me.”
“Galloping,” Trevor snorted, pinning his ears back just long enough for Jasper to know he didn’t mean anything by it. Jasper responded by playfully nudging Trevor in the muzzle with his own muzzle.
“You are feeling okay, though, right?”
“Yeah, I guess so,” Trevor huffed. “Just a bit winded is all. And hungry, too.” He couldn’t deny that his mouth was already starting to water up just looking at all the green grass around them. Even though he probably would have wanted some water at the moment if he was still human, the horse he’d become just wanted to munch on the sweet, succulent grass right now.
“How far did we run, anyway?” he asked as a way to distract himself. He couldn’t explain it, but somehow it seemed like grazing without Jasper’s consent would be rude.
“A decent amount, especially for someone that’s never properly gone in full gallop before. I’d guess we covered about half of the second paddock. So you’re hungry?”
Trevor nodded and let out an affirmative nicker in the horse language he was starting to use more.
“Okay,” Jasper sighed. “We can eat here, if you want. Or there’s a lake not far from here where we can cool off and get some great tasting grass, too, if you want to do that.”
Trevor’s ears and head perked up instantly. They were near the lake he was trying to get to yesterday.
“Lead away,” he told Jasper.