Disconcerting: Day 14

Word Count: 84,018

Summary of Events:

Macaulay decided to give money to the Aberdeenshire Rescuers and within days was called by them to purchase the horse on their behalf because Mr. Douglass-Milligan wouldn't let them buy her themselves. Jada's parents came to PCÉE to try and threaten legal action against Arrière-Oncle Guy, who proved his lack of liability. Macaulay went to Mr. Douglass-Milligan's to look at the horse on the behalf of the Aberdeenshire Rescuers and found a genuinely unharmed horse whom he put through her paces . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

Macaulay took the lead from Mr. Douglass-Milligan and centred himself in the courtyard before asking the mare to move out. She moved nicely at both a walk and a trot, and responded to subtle cues. Macaulay even got her to canter, which sent Mr. Douglass-Milligan into one of the unused stalls to watch warily.

After putting her through her paces both ways Macaulay could tell that the mare was out of shape because she looked rather weary and even somewhat sweaty after what would've seemed like hardly any work to a regularly exercised horse.

"She's a bit out of shape," Macaulay commented. "How does she ride?"

"I don't know," Mr. Douglass-Milligan replied. "Like I said, horses were Lorna's passion, I did nothing with them. I've only finally gotten up the courage to part with her."

Considering that claim, Macaulay thought Mr. Douglass-Milligan was disturbingly unemotional — as in, he wasn't choking up or looking like he might shed a couple tears — but Macaulay went over to the makeshift tack room of a stall and found two jumping saddles and one saddle that was more of a general pleasure-type.

The pleasure saddle looked the cleanest, so Macaulay put it on. The mare didn't fuss at all about being tacked up and took the basic snaffle bit well. Macaulay found a pair of spurs that he managed to fix to his shoes before double-checking that everything was secured to the mare properly and swinging up into the saddle.

He took a moment to adjust the stirrups before riding the mare around the courtyard at walk, trot, and canter in both directions as well as testing her ability to turn tightly, stop, reverse, and side-pass.

In truth, she was an immensely ridable horse and Macaulay was quite surprised. Even if there was no jump to test her abilities over on that front — which should be alright as Irish Warmbloods were often used as jumping horses — Macaulay would consider her a good buy; in fact, he would even contend that a child who knew the basics of riding should be able to have success with her.

Macaulay dismounted, checked the mare's legs and hooves for soundness, as well as her teeth and other places before nodding.

"She's a fine horse," Macaulay said. "Well trained."

"Yes, Lorna loved her very much," Mr. Douglas-Milligan said.

Macaulay untacked the mare — making sure also to remove the spurs — before walking the mare around in two clockwise circles and two anticlockwise circles and putting her back in her stall.

"I'll take her," Macaulay said.

"Oh, of course," Mr. Douglass-Milligan said. "Come up to the house and I'll write up a bill of sale."