InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Tweak, smiling politely."

Eli Donovan (edonovan) wrote in oldwest_rpg,
@ 2008-05-07 13:40:00

Entry tags:

eli donovan, robert mackenzie

Equine check-ups
Who: Eli Donovan & Robert MacKenzie
Where: the Donovan stableyard
When: May 7th, afternoon (~2pm)
Status: Complete
Summary: Eli's got a mare that needs special attention just now...

---

The large double doors on either end of the stables were thrown wide to let in the slightest breeze. Eli had kept the stables mostly closed up the day before, and the stalls could use airing out -- and the breeze was definitely welcome as he brushed down the horses.

Trixie was monopolizing most of his attention this afternoon. She'd been irritable all morning, and Eli couldn't help but pamper her a bit. It would be a relief when she finally foaled, and they could all concentrate on the new arrival, Trixie especially. Eleven months was more than enough anticipation for any mare, and the sooner they could get everything back to business as usual, the better.

Until then, though, Eli made sure Trixie got fresh oats in her feedbag, a brushing at least once a day to keep her happy, and fresh air and a walk around the paddock when she looked up to it. Her uncharacteristic temper this afternoon had prompted him to pull out a currycomb and attack her coat cheerfully, whistling as he brushed her down. It seemed to calm her quite a bit, between the rhythmic brush of the comb and the aimless tune he kept up, so Eli had deemed it well worth the effort.

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robertmackenzie
2008-05-07 03:09 pm UTC (link)

Robert tilted his hat up as he walked into the Donovan stables. No matter how long he lived here, he would never get used to the increasingly bright sun and months of sunny days in a row. Back home in Edinburgh sunny days were shaded with clouds and rain would at least mist in the afternoons. But no, here in New Shelby, it was sun, dry, and more sun for weeks on end.

He missed home, but he couldn't go back. Not yet.

"Afternoon, Eli," he called out, setting his bag down outside Trixie's stall. "How's she doing?"

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edonovan
2008-05-07 03:29 pm UTC (link)

Eli broke off his tune and turned a smile on the new arrival. Robert had already proven to be a huge asset to his business, and he counted himself lucky that New Shelby had managed to lure in a good animal doctor, instead of the every-man-for-himself arrangement most horse breeders were faced with.

"Afternoon, doc," he drawled cheerfully. "She's been a bit dragged out this morning, but she's perking up some now." He set down the currycomb and crossed over to join Robert at the entrance to the mare's stall, pausing to rub Trixie affectionately along the muzzle. "I think she's getting a mite tired of all this, and just wants to get it over and done with. Can't say as I really blame her for it, myself."

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robertmackenzie
2008-05-07 03:46 pm UTC (link)

"Aye, I'd be exhausted of the whole bloody process myself," Robert chuckled. He pulled a carrot out of his black bag and offered it to Trixie. As she munched on the treat happily, he placed a light hand on her neck, inspecting her eyes and her movements. "She's gotten big, eyes are clear, doesn't look uncomfortable -- well, more uncomfortable than she should be."

He circled around her, his hand dragging lightly across her side. "She's gotten big," he murmured. "Very big, right on schedule. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary? How's she feeding?" he asked.

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edonovan
2008-05-07 04:22 pm UTC (link)

"She eats like a horse, if you'll pardon the pun," Eli chuckled. "I've upped her feed a bit the last month, like usual, and she hasn't turned her nose up at any of it." He grinned slightly at the other man. "Between you bringing her carrots and me giving her apples, she's getting a bit spoiled, I'd wager," he said dryly.

Eli tilted his head slightly to watch Robert examine the mare with a practiced eye. It never ceased to amaze him that the Scot had actually gone to school for this sort of thing, and had the papers to prove it. Eli had never once considered schooling beyond what he'd deemed necessary, himself, but he'd argue with any man who thought Doc MacKenzie wasn't a handy sort to have around.

"Been letting her out in the paddock a little each day for some exercise," Eli commented. "She does pretty well with a circuit or two, even if she tires fast. The lads and I are taking turns on foal watch next week, so someone'll be able to come get me when the time comes, if I'm not on."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	robertmackenzie 2008-05-07 04:53 pm UTC (link)
	Robert nodded, mentally calculating the last few days before replying, "She's probably got eight, maybe nine more days. I would go ahead and get the foaling stall prepared, but you have a wee bit more than a week left. And after that, I don't seen any reason why she won't have a healthy foal." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

edonovan
2008-05-07 08:19 pm UTC (link)

"That's good to hear," Eli said, and caught Trixie's head affectionately. "You hear that, my girl? Give it a fortnight and you'll be a mum, no more of this aggravation. You're in the final stretch."

He gave the mare a final encouraging pat before turning his attention back to Robert. "I'd figured on setting her up in the back, away from the rest of the horses -- stall's already cleared for her, I've just got to finish the set up this week." He grinned slightly, lifting an eyebrow as he leaned against the wall of the stall. "So how 'bout it, doc? Got any more mysterious Scottish wisdom to share with us poor backwoods layabouts? Have I missed anything, you reckon?"

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robertmackenzie
2008-05-08 08:29 pm UTC (link)

"Nope," Robert replied crisply. "You're unfortunately quite well prepared and leave me with very little to do or suggest. Acclimate her to the stall in the next couple of days so she knows where she's going for her foal, give her a good week of pamper, and start picking out names for a wee baby foal." He leaned against the opposite wall and grinned suddenly. "Wipe her down every evening with a towel soaked in rose water. It'll help calm her."

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edonovan
2008-05-08 10:02 pm UTC (link)

"Rose water, y'say?" Eli echoed, and his own smile was lazy. "You wouldn't be pulling my chain there, would you, doc?"

He straightened, and retrieved the comb to resume Trixie's brushing. "I think the names'll be taken care of before too long," he told Robert idly. "One of the schoolteachers was out here with her class earlier this week -- the young'uns are supposed to come up with names for me," he chuckled.

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	robertmackenzie 2008-05-08 10:07 pm UTC (link)
	"Bloody hell, you're leavin' the namin' up to a mess of wee ones?" Robert laughed. "I'm afraid to ask what they've come up with." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

edonovan
2008-05-08 10:22 pm UTC (link)

Eli laughed as well, fully cognizant of the humor in the situation. "Well, the suggestions I heard called out the other day included Shadow, Fluffy, and Freedom," he told Robert with a grin. "I haven't heard what the final result is yet, though, so I reckon we'll see what they come up with before too long. I figured they'd get a kick out of it, and whatever they choose will have a good story behind it, at the very least."

He shifted the comb to his other hand as he reached the mare's rump. "What about you, doc? You got any suggestions for what I should name the new one?"

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	robertmackenzie 2008-05-08 10:58 pm UTC (link)
	Robert just smiled, his mind racing for proper horse names that didn't include anything along the lines of Shadow, Fluffy or Freedom. "Llamrei," he answered. "That's a quality name for a mare." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

edonovan
2008-05-08 10:59 pm UTC (link)

Eli's lips twitched in amusement as he cast the other man a sidelong look. The thick Scottish burr of his voice was pleasant enough, but it always reminded him just a bit of his own parents' warm Irish brogues. He had little Irish in his speech, himself -- just a touch now and then with certain words -- but the cadence of Robert's words was similar enough to his own father's to make Eli smile.

"Llamrei?" Eli echoed, with an admirable attempt to imitate the lilt Robert gave the name instinctively. "I reckon that's got a story behind it, too?" he prompted.

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	robertmackenzie 2008-05-08 11:07 pm UTC (link)
	"Llamrei was King Arthur's favorite mare," Robert explained. "A fine horse, just as I'm sure that Trixie's wee thing is going to be. Far more regal than 'Fluffy'," he laughed. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

edonovan
2008-05-08 11:27 pm UTC (link)

"Ah, but Fluffy is much easier to spell for us uneducated folk," Eli told him solemnly. The twinkle in his eye showed he was teasing, poking a bit of good-natured fun at himself and Robert's comparative literacy. "I'll keep that one in mind, though. Wouldn't mind having another mare or two eventually, and perhaps another stallion." He glanced over his shoulder at the Appaloosa he'd acquired a few weeks back -- at a fraction of full value, too, because of the temper the beast had. "Leastwise one that doesn't try to pin me to the wall any time I go near him," he said wryly.

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robertmackenzie
2008-05-09 08:54 am UTC (link)

"Bit of a beast, that one," Robert agreed. Eli had called him in to inspect the Appaloosa not long after its purchase, but the stallion had found him no more palatable than he found Eli. "Haven't feared that I was going to be gutted by an animal in a long time, but that one rekindles the hesitation," he chuckled. "Bloody vicious beast, but if he can be broken he'll be a powerful ride."

He sighed, shaking his head and turning his attention back to Eli. "It's a bloody sad Celt that isn't well versed on our once and future king," he added brightly, his amusement as evident as Eli's. It was a bit removed, but Robert could tell Eli had a bit of Celt in him -- vowels. Couldn't mistake the vowels on certain words. But he just assumed, never asked too many questions. It was a courtesy thankfully reciprocated.

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edonovan
2008-05-09 09:26 am UTC (link)

Eli pulled he attention away from the stallion with a shake of his head. It was a beautiful horse, but not much good for stud if he couldn't get the blamed thing to calm down a bit. At least he hadn't lost an arm and a leg -- literally or figuratively -- if the gamble didn't pay off.

"Well, now, it's been a few years and a bit since my mum's bedtime stories of old. And those were mostly 'faeries and wee folk'," Eli admitted with a lazy chuckle, slipping into a fair imitation of his mother's lilting accent. "I've got two sisters, after all, and they ganged up on me when it came time to ask for stories."

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	robertmackenzie 2008-05-09 09:56 am UTC (link)
	"Ah, but what good are sisters if they don't do as such?" Robert laughed. "Fairer sex, my arse. They have a certain way of getting everything they want and making you happy to give it to them." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

edonovan
2008-05-09 10:08 am UTC (link)

Eli laughed heartily at that as he put away the comb and started to fill a feedbag for Trixie. "Well, now, it sounds like you've got a sister or three yourself there, doc," he grinned. "My younger sister's the best at that sort of getting what she wants, but the elder's more in the way of thinking she's my mum, as well," he said with a chuckle. "Haven't seen either of 'em in years, though, and Annie with two little girls now."

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	robertmackenzie 2008-05-09 10:49 pm UTC (link)
	Robert grinned. "My wee baby sister Lizzie certainly doesn't have any wee ones of her own yet. Not that I know of," he chuckled. "Last I heard from her, she was planning to enter a nunnery outside of Glasgow." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

edonovan
2008-05-09 11:51 pm UTC (link)

"A nunnery, eh?" Eli finished loading the feed bag and slipped the harness over Trixie's head with a deft hand. "That would definitely get in the way of nieces and nephews for you, I have to agree." He leaned against the wall of the stall again, lifting a curious eyebrow at Robert. "Only the one sister, then? Surely she's not that much of a handful, to have you saying such things about the fairer sex," he chuckled.

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	robertmackenzie 2008-05-10 12:12 am UTC (link)
	"You haven't met my sister," Robert retorted. "She's a Highland wind all on her own. A force of nature, that one." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

edonovan
2008-05-10 12:21 am UTC (link)

"And I suppose that sort of thing doesn't run in the family then, eh, doc?" Eli laughed. "I'll have to take your word for it, though -- don't think I'm likely to ever find myself in Scotland, much less anywhere near your sister's nunnery near Glasgow." He grinned broadly. "One more thing we've got in common, though -- both of our baby sisters are spitfires," he chuckled.

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	robertmackenzie 2008-05-10 04:01 pm UTC (link)
	"Two good reasons to run away out west," Robert laughed. "Shame though, about Lizzie not coming out. If anyone could get that horse to behave, it'd be her. She always had a way with them. Not much use for that in the nunnery. Not much use for much things in the nunnery. But that's not my choice," he tagged on absently. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	edonovan 2008-05-10 11:42 pm UTC (link)
	"Can't rightly say, as I'm not much of an expert on Scottish nunneries," Eli said with a wry little chuckle. "Horses I know, though, and I reckon I'll figure this one out before too long. And if I don't, well, you can send him to your sister as a present, and see what she can make of him, how's that?" he suggested with a grin. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	robertmackenzie 2008-05-11 10:53 am UTC (link)
	"Sounds good," Robert chuckled. "And don't forget what I said about the rosewater. It'll work wonders. But I have to go," he added, picking up his black bag and tipping his had. "Mrs. Smithson is having a wee bit of a problem with one of her cows -- think it might be a bit of a fungus." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	edonovan 2008-05-11 03:48 pm UTC (link)
	"Well thank you kindly for stopping by, at least," Eli said amiably. "I don't know where I'm likely to find rosewater, but I'll see what I can do," he added with a chuckle. "And I'll be sure to send word when we've got a new foal for you to take a look at, too." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	robertmackenzie 2008-05-11 04:10 pm UTC (link)
	"I usually keep a bottle or two of it at the home," Robert replied. "I was planning on distilling a batch anyway. If you have trouble finding it, come by in a few days and I'll set you up a bottle. Let me know when the foal arrives," he tagged on with a tip of his hat as he exited the stables. (Reply to this) (Parent)