The Girl Who Loves Horses (Pegasus Equestrian Center Series)

by Diana Vincent

  Tess arrived and began the lesson, calling out instructions through the microphone. Morris at least never seemed to get upset about anything Tess would ask Sierra to do. He tolerated a short, tight rein without protest, but it did seem as if she needed to push him much more than she ever had when she rode him in a lesson with River. She hadn’t even carried a whip then, but now she needed to tap the little bay with it to get any kind of forward movement or upward transition.

  After the usual forty-five minutes Tess announced, “We’ll end there.” Sierra gave Morris a loose rein and walked him over to the platform for the debriefing. “Any questions?” Tess asked.

  What Sierra really wanted to ask was if River could take over her lessons, but she held back. What if River doesn’t want to teach me anymore? “No,” she answered.

  “Fine,” Tess responded. Then she added, “I believe I mentioned to you before that I don’t appreciate you going to River when you have a complaint rather than coming to me. If you can’t handle Moose, you should have talked to me yourself.”

  Sierra’s eyes widened in surprise. River must have said something to her about Moose. “I didn’t complain to River,” she started to explain, “I was going to…”

  Tess interrupted. “You will not ride him anymore.” With that flat statement, she strode away.

  It was a relief, but at the same time, Sierra did not like being falsely accused; again.

  *****

  It is so great to have River back! With the two of them working together, chores were completed in half the time; especially now that Sierra was much more skilled. They rode trails together, and then Sierra watched River working horses in flat work and over jumps. He rode Magic four days a week; getting him ready for the upcoming competition. Magic seemed more settled with River taking care of him. The only upset in the gelding’s life now happened on the two days a week when Crystal rode him for her lessons with Tess.

  Sierra longed for River to take over her lessons, yet she hesitated to ask him. A small part of her was afraid he might refuse. But mostly it was because she was afraid of how Tess would react. Not because Tess relished giving Sierra lessons herself; but somehow Sierra feared Tess would think she was complaining to River again. And instinctively she knew that Tess would not tolerate anyone preferring River’s style over hers. So she continued to take her two lessons a week from Tess. But sometimes she noticed River watching from the shadows.

  *****

  15 Horse Trial

  When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk. He trots the air, the earth sings when he touches it. – William Shakespeare.

  *****

  During River’s absence, Tess had taken over training Magic. She tended to leave him till last on her schedule of horses to ride, so many times Sierra arrived at the stable after school in time to watch. Even to Sierra’s inexperienced eyes, it was obvious that Tess did not get along with the big chestnut. She fought him constantly; Magic snorting, grinding his teeth, and jerking suddenly with his head. Tess responded with jerks of the reins, hard jabs with her spurs and frequent whacks with her whip.

  Once, he reared straight up. Sierra gasped in fear, thinking he would go over backwards, but Tess yelled out at him, and with a combination of her spurs and the whip she pushed Magic forward and then kept him at a hard gallop, lashing him repeatedly with her whip until he was lathered and his sides heaving before she allowed him to slow down. After that, Tess rode him with draw reins on the flat, and over jumps she used a more severe bit and a running martingale.

  With River back, Tess reverted to having him take over most of Magic’s training sessions. Interesting, Sierra observed. She hadn’t really noticed the changes in Magic until by contrast, with River again attending to the young horse, those changes disappeared. Magic had been depressed! He had been off his feed, rarely cleaning up his hay. When turned out, he stood in a corner with his head lowered, apparently sleeping all the time. He did not run away from people, but stood with his ears back and looking away when anyone approached with a halter, even to bring him in at night. Sierra visited him frequently to give him attention and treats, which he took half-heartedly when she practically thrust a carrot against his muzzle; whereas the other horses were poking their noses out begging for treats.

  Magic perked back to life with River’s return. He cleaned up his feed and when turned out, wandered his paddock, searching for something to nibble on; normal behavior for a healthy horse. When River rode Magic, it was as if he were a totally different horse than the one under Tess. Rather than tense, resistive, and frightened; he floated, he flew, he danced. With River on his back it was easy to recognize the inherent talent of the lovely gelding with a rider who could bring out the best of him. Not bad for a backyard rider!

  Sierra was very curious to know how River had learned to ride. From his mother, the jockey? From his father maybe? And how was it a mere kid could ride Magic so beautifully, whereas Tess, an experienced adult with an impressive professional background, could not? Did it just come naturally to him? Was he one of those horse whisperer type people? She had asked him a few times how he had learned to ride. He just shrugged and said he’d been riding all his life. It was hard to get answers from him.

  *****

  With the horse trial coming up soon, the training programs for each of the four horses entered had been vamped up. Magic and Silver were assigned to River and Sierra to trail ride for conditioning four days a week, with bouts of trotting and galloping over hilly terrain. Katrina and Ann rode their own horses two to three days a week on trails, with River and Sierra picking up the days when their owners were unable to ride. In addition, the horses were schooled on the flat three days a week and over jumps at least once and sometimes twice a week. Each horse had one day off a week with no work.

  Sierra’s Thursday lessons were usually over low jumps now, and one week she rode Silver and the next Lucy. Sierra knew that Tess was incorporating exercises to prepare these two horses for the trial into her lessons, but it was good for Sierra also. At least the lessons over jumps were never as stressful as the dressage lessons, so Sierra always looked forward to her Thursday lesson almost as much as she dreaded her Tuesday lesson on the flat.

  “Saddle Fala and warm her up in the back field,” Tess told Sierra on Thursday.

  “This is a surprise,” Sierra chatted to Fala as she groomed the mare. She had been jumping small courses in the outdoor arena and starting to feel secure over low heights. This would be her first time jumping in the open field.

  Once mounted, Sierra walked Fala down the low slope and then trotted around the perimeter of the field to warm up. The trotting and canter work she rode on the trails had definitely improved her seat and legs, and she felt relaxed and confident as she signaled Fala for an easy hand gallop. Even riding the hilly terrain she felt secure.

  “Are you warmed up?” Tess arrived and called out through the megaphone she used in the open.

  Sierra circled Fala over to Tess and replied, “Yes, we’re ready.”

  “Let’s start right out with an easy course then.” Tess pointed out the obstacles she wanted Sierra to take; the railroad ties, the round log, a ditch, a low stone wall, a cross-rail fence, and a log pile.

  Fala sensed her rider’s excitement as Sierra started her out at a trot to make a big circle before approaching the railroad ties. This is going to be fun! The mare volunteered the canter and Sierra let her go, pushing her weight down through her heels and her posture slightly forward over the mare’s withers, in two-point. Fala pricked her ears as Sierra guided her to face the jump and she moved forward into a gallop.

  “Hold her in,” Tess called, “stay in control.”

  “Easy, girl,” Sierra assured the black mare as she shifted her weight slightly back and squeezed the reins, to half halt the rushed pace. Fala flicked her ears back but responded with a shortening of her stride. Then they were within a few feet of the obstacle. Sierra merely shifted forward into two-point and let Fala have her h
ead. They sailed over the railroad ties, and from that point on, Sierra let her go at her own pace and merely steered her towards each obstacle. Sierra was in heaven! Fala needed no urging and seemed as enthusiastic as her rider as they galloped the course, clearing each jump. Sierra exhilarated in the feel of Fala’s back arching up underneath as she jumped, and she allowed the movement to push her forward over Fala’s neck. Then she settled back lightly in the saddle as the mare landed, moving her hands forward with the motion of Fala’s head so as not to jab her in the mouth. Wind whistled in Sierra’s ears and an escaped lock of hair partially obscured her vision, but she had Fala’s eyes and ears as well as her own to keep them on course. They completed the round and returned to where Tess stood, evaluating her student.

  “Well done,” Tess said.

  Did I hear her correctly? Sierra couldn’t recall ever receiving a compliment from Tess.

  “How did that feel?”

  “Awesome!” Sierra beamed, still a little out of breath.

  “How would you like to ride Fala in beginner novice this weekend? One of our team, Ann McGoverney, had to scratch. The entry fee is already paid and they allow substitutions.”

  Sierra could hardly believe what she had just heard. Her dream to ride in a horse trial could happen this weekend, not sometime in the obscure future! Strangely, sudden terror at the prospect almost overwhelmed her. Am I ready? “This Saturday?” Sierra asked feebly.

  “I know it’s last minute, but if you think you can, I need to know very soon so I can inform the show secretary of the change.”

  “Um, yes, I want to.” Tess frowned at the slight hesitation. “Do you think I’m ready?” Sierra asked quickly.

  “You would be entered in maiden beginner novice. There are only seven cross country fences and they will be two-foot-six or less. The entries are either riders or horses who have never competed before. The course will be very similar to what you just rode. I think you are ready.”

  Sierra finished the lesson in a state of happy distraction as Tess had her school over specific obstacles. Once she even called out, “Sierra, are you listening to me?”

  After the lesson Tess handed Sierra a copy of the dressage test she would need to memorize. She asked in a somewhat spiteful tone, “I don’t suppose you have a hunt coat?”

  Of course Sierra didn’t. “No,” she replied apprehensively, worried that the lack thereof would prevent her from being allowed to compete.

  With a deep sigh Tess continued, “I suppose I can scrounge one up from the hand-me-downs. You’re just so small. What about leather boots?”

  Again Sierra had to answer no.

  “Well, see if you can’t sometime in the near future manage to purchase a pair of leather boots and get a hunt coat, both in black.” She almost sniffed in disapproval eyeing Sierra’s rubber boots. “This is a schooling show so you can get away with those for now, but they’re so unprofessional.”

  “I’ll try,” Sierra answered. She wanted to add, you know, I work for lessons, not money, but bit her lip to hold the words back. It wasn’t that she expected to get paid; but Sierra had no idea there would be these expenses involved to compete. She knew what hunt coats and leather boots cost, as well as other show clothes such as tailored riding shirts and breeches, stock ties, gloves, and velvet hunt caps. A catalogue had come with the purchase of her rubber boots, and she spent many an evening pouring dreamily over its contents. Nothing was cheap. Sierra wondered what the entry fees normally cost for the horse trial, and was grateful she was not expected to reimburse Ann.

  *****

  After the lesson, Sierra with Silver and River with Moose walked their assigned mounts to the mounting block outside. Moose was already starting to prance and look around excitedly. Sierra felt the utmost relief that River was riding the ex-racehorse; not her.

  She waited for River to mount first, and marveled at his patience as he over and over waited for Moose to stand politely next to the mounting block before attempting to mount. Moose either swung his hips to the side or stepped forward and River merely brought him back into line and spoke quietly to him. Sierra had given up on getting Moose to stand, even though she knew it reinforced his bad habit. Finally, Moose stood, shifting from one foreleg to the other but at least remained parallel to the block and River mounted. He gathered his reins and stepped Moose away while Sierra mounted Silver.

  River looked over at Sierra and smiled one of his rare smiles as they headed toward the trail. “I’m supposed to gallop him today. Wish me luck.”

  “Are you afraid?” Sierra asked, astonished.

  “Of course; he’s unschooled and unruly and very strong. I could get killed.”

  Sierra thought he was kidding, but she noticed a tightness around his mouth that was just a hint of possibly…fear? But there was also a gleam of anticipation in River’s eye.

  “Let me lead,” River said. “He already thinks he’s in a race.”

  “Sure,” Sierra agreed.

  They walked the horses for a few minutes, and Sierra wondered how River managed to get Moose to actually walk rather than jig. Then River called over his shoulder, “Ready to trot?” She nodded. River and Moose moved off in what looked like a relaxed, forward moving, and controlled trot. Silver readily trotted off after them. Sierra appreciated that Silver was such a cooperative, well-trained fellow, and she had no trouble keeping him two lengths behind Moose so as not to crowd him.

  They trotted a while and River brought Moose back to a walk. He turned his head slightly to state, “I’m going to walk a few minutes and then pick up a trot and right into a gallop. Are you okay with that?”

  “Fine with me.” From her position behind, she could not tell if River was having a hard time with Moose or not.

  A few minutes later Moose started to trot and River called out, “Here we go!” Moose exploded into a gallop and took off like a shot. Silver lunged after him, much faster than Sierra had ever galloped before, and the first few moments she froze on his back in a panic. But then she told herself, This is Silver, not Moose. You’ve galloped him several times on the trail and he obeys. You can trust him. She sucked in a deep breath, sat deeper in the saddle and shortened her reins. The obedient gelding immediately responded by slowing his pace. “Good boy,” she praised him. Okay then, I can slow him down and I can stop him if I need to. Her confidence restored, she loosened her hold and let Silver surge forward again into the fast gallop. It was the fastest she had ever ridden before but feeling in control of her horse, she tuned into her muscles and the feel of her mount, and enjoyed every exhilarating moment.

  They sailed around the trail! River glanced over his shoulder only once to make sure Sierra was okay, without slowing the pace. Sierra thrilled at how confident she felt even galloping downhill and around bends in the trail. Silver seemed to be enjoying the pace as much as his rider and easily kept a two-length distance behind Moose.

  The trail ran mostly through woods but there was one open area through a field. In this open space a side trail to a large log had been created so that brave riders could deviate from the main trail and take a jump if they wanted. The riders approached that area now, and Sierra was amazed when she saw Moose veer off the main trail toward the jump. Is that his idea or River’s? She had a split second to decide whether to follow or take the main trail as they usually did. Sierra had never jumped the log before; but it was only about two feet in height and maybe a foot wide; really nothing to challenge either Silver or her. She had jumped higher obstacles last week during her lesson and it was similar to the jumps she had taken today in the field. With her heart speeding up in anticipation, she guided Silver to follow Moose.

  Moose and River sailed over the log and galloped on. Sierra moved up into two-point but slowed Silver back to a canter. He collected himself willingly and took the log easily in stride. River glanced back and grinned, and Sierra whooped in glee.

  They didn’t slow down until they were in sight of the field and then brought the
horses to a walk. As they left the trail, Sierra moved Silver up alongside of Moose, both horses blowing and snorting and content to settle down to a walk.

  “That was so awesome!” Sierra beamed at River.

  He grinned back, his face reflecting his joy, and Sierra suddenly noticed how handsome he was; with his wild black hair sticking out from his helmet, his brown cheeks flushed with excitement and his dark eyes shining.

  “He’s starting to listen to me,” River sounded very pleased as he reached forward to stroke the giant horse’s neck.

  “I have never ridden so fast in my life!” Sierra exclaimed, her face still split in a wide grin.

  “Were you afraid?” River’s features shifted to a look of concern.

  “A little at first until I knew I could slow Silver if I needed to. Then I just let him go.” She laughed. “Did you see us take the log?”

  “Yeah! Did you see us? This guy really enjoys jumping!”

  “Was it your idea to go so fast?” Sierra asked.

  “No way! But he seemed so comfortable and balanced in his stride so I just let him go. I think my stomach muscles are going to be sore tomorrow.”

  Sierra looked at him in amazement. River burst out into the most natural laugh she had ever heard from him. This was River’s element and he looked truly happy.

  *****

  16 Show Day

  A horse takes on the mood of the trainer. Therefore, it is important to make an effort to be as calm as possible. – Richard Hinrichs

  *****

  Saturday arrived, blowing and drizzling with spring rain; but the weather could not dampen Sierra’s spirits. Her first thought on awakening that morning had been, don’t cancel the show. Then she remembered that horse trials, like soccer games, are rarely canceled due to weather. Now she pedaled happily to the stable with her clothes for the show folded into plastic bags and stowed in her backpack, all protected by a rain poncho.