Crown Prince Challenged
Page 14
“Oh, wow,” Derek said, immediately excited. “That would be awesome. I usually hack on Saturdays, when I have plenty of time. I’ve been hoping someone could show me those trails.” He turned to look at her, and Sarah was reminded how intensely blue his eyes were. “Thanks for asking me.”
* * * * *
On Saturday, Sarah pedaled her bike fast through the crisp fall air to be at the barn before seven. Once the horses had been fed, she grabbed a push broom and headed for the lounge to begin her sweeping chores. As she worked, she thought about how much fun the ride would be. She and Kayla had wanted to do this from the first day Crown Prince had come to Brookmeade, and finally it was going to happen. Tim and Paige were riding with them, and best of all, so was Derek.
After sweeping the lounge, feed room, and both tack rooms, she decided the two aisles would have to wait. She hurried back to Prince’s stall. He had finished eating his hay and was watching Derek groom Bismarck.
“Hi, Sarah,” he said. “Is Kayla here yet?”
“Not the last time I checked,” Sarah said, going up to Bismarck and stroking his head. She loved his narrow blaze, and the horse enjoyed her attention. He pulled against the cross-ties to sniff her pockets. “I don’t dare give you the carrot you smell,” Sarah said to the horse. “Prince would call his lawyer.”
“Don’t feel sorry for Bismarck,” Derek said, running a dandy brush over the horse’s hindquarters. “He got his share of apples already.”
It was only then that Sarah noticed Nicole Jordan leaning on Bismarck’s stall on the other side of the horse. She decided it was a good time to head for the tack room to retrieve her grooming caddy and tack. When she returned, Nicole was gone. Sarah brought Prince out into the aisle and got busy with a curry comb.
When Derek had Bismarck tacked up, he said, “I’m going to school in the outside ring until everyone is ready.” He started leading his horse away, but stopped after taking a few steps and looked back at her. His face sobered. “I’m not sure, but Nicole and Kelly might follow us. I didn’t actually invite them—Nicole asked what I was doing today and then hightailed it out of here. Sorry,” he said. He could see that Sarah wasn’t thrilled.
After Sarah had finished grooming Prince, she went to a window to see if Kayla had arrived. Kayla was holding Fanny while her mother unhooked the trailer from their pickup. Sarah saw Paige down the aisle with Quarry on cross-ties, getting him ready, and guessed Tim was doing the same thing. Sarah rushed back to her horse and began to tack up. I really hope I don’t have to deal with Kelly and Nicole on this ride, she thought.
When Sarah led Prince out to the courtyard to use the mounting block, Kayla was already on Fanny and talking to Derek. Paige led Quarry out of the barn, followed by Tim and Rhodes Scholar. Everyone was ready to go! Sarah was relieved that Prince seemed laid back and totally unfazed by the other horses milling around. After his weekly group lessons, this was no big deal.
Sarah rode Prince toward Kayla, giving her a thumbs-up. “How come your mother is leaving your trailer here?” she asked.
“Mom wants to do some errands without pulling the trailer around, and this way I can tie Fanny to it when we’re through riding,” Kayla said. She reached down and gave the mare a hearty pat on her neck. “We’ve been doing an awful lot of ringwork lately. Fanny is going to love getting out on the trails, especially some she’s never been on before.”
Tim and Paige joined them. “We’ll follow the entry road to get to Ridge Road,” Tim said. He turned Rhodes in that direction, with the others following. They had started walking up the hill away from the barn when Sarah turned in her saddle to speak to Kayla. Out of the corner of her eye she saw two other horses just starting up the roadway. She recognized them at once—Jubilee and Midnight Jet.
“Guess who’s bringing up the rear,” she said to Kayla, as she gestured over her shoulder with her thumb. Kayla looked around to see the two trailing horses and started laughing. “It looks like we’re going to have a real big ride, almost like a foxhunt!”
Paige heard what Kayla said, and she looked back. “All we need now are the hounds!” she quipped. Derek and Tim were riding side by side in the lead, and hearing the laughter, they also turned to see what was up. Derek gave Sarah a knowing look. Those girls were totally predictable!
CHAPTER 14
Rock Walls
FROM THE SPRING IN HIS STEP, Sarah sensed Prince was happy going out with the other horses. He took the bit eagerly, and despite the distractions, he listened to her constant communications through the reins and her leg aids. Sarah reached down to pat his neck, thankful to have such a super horse. A cool breeze made her wish she’d worn a vest over her sweater, but she knew she wouldn’t be chilly for long. The sun on this crisp, cloudless morning was taking the edge off the coolness and lighting up the fall foliage like a neon sign. This is incredible! Sarah thought. I’ll remember this day for the rest of my life.
When the riders neared the O’Briens’ bungalow, Kathleen was coming out of the carriage shed. Her auburn hair blended with the blazing backdrop of maple trees as she hurried out the driveway to wave to them. “’Tis a grand day!” she called.” Have a wonderful ride.”
Soon they had reached the foot of the small hill beyond the bungalow. “Let’s trot!” Tim called to everyone. Rhodes and Bismarck picked up a lively trot. Sarah and Kayla rode side-by-side, their two horses trotting as a pair behind Paige. Because Prince’s stride was longer than Fanny’s, Sarah found herself frequently using half-halts to check his pace, and Kayla had to ask Fanny to extend her trot.
The group trotted along the gravel road and over the bridge, the horses’ hooves drumming loudly on the planks. The turned-out broodmares, whose foals had by now been weaned and sent away, raised their heads from grazing in the fields to watch them go by. After a long trot, the riders got closer to Ridge Road and could see the trailhead directly across the way. Tim raised his right arm to signal a downward transition. After coming back to walk and halting to make sure there was no traffic coming, they walked their horses across the asphalt.
Sarah looked behind to see if the other two horses were still following, but there was no sign of them. “I guess Kelly and Nicole decided to go a different way,” she said to Kayla.
Kayla also looked behind. “They could be hidden by that bend in the road, or they might have gone on the meadow trail. That would be just as well, don’t you think?” Sarah raised an eyebrow as she nodded.
The trail began on what appeared to be an old farm lane, where a thick bed of crisp, fallen leaves rustled under the horses’ feet, sending up their own pungent aroma. The narrow road eventually opened into a large field with a worn path around the perimeter. “There are a few trails that go off from this field,” Tim said. “Do you want the one that climbs Sutters Hill? It’s pretty steep in places, and can be rough and rocky. Good view from the top, though.”
Paige offered a suggestion. “How about the rock wall trail? There’s a great stretch where you can jump the stone walls or go around them. I think there are at least four walls not too far apart. It’s good galloping ground, too. Tim and I use the trail to get our horses ready for events.”
“Sounds awesome!” Kayla cried out.
Derek agreed with Kayla. “Cool. Maybe Bismarck will decide he wants to become an event horse.”
Sarah nodded her head, too. She couldn’t help being excited, even though she clearly remembered the first time she and Prince had jumped in a group, when Prince had plowed into Chancellor. She’d have to keep a tight hold on him today!
“Why don’t Quarry and Rhodes go first?” Paige asked. “Our horses have done this before. What do you think, Sarah?”
“As long as I don’t go last, I don’t care. Remember the old orchard trail ride?” Sarah replied.
“Fanny won’t mind being left behind for a little while,” Kayla said. “I’ll go last.”
Derek was thoughtful. Finally he said, “I’ll follow you, Sarah.”
Tim had just gotten out of sight when Kayla spotted movement in the field behind them. Turning in her saddle, she saw Kelly and Nicole riding toward them. “Oh, boy,” she said. “Look who is coming.” The riders watched Kelly and Nicole pick up trot to close the gap between them. When they reached the group, both Midnight Jet and Jubilee were breathing heavily.
“Why didn’t you guys wait for us?” Nicole said. “We’ve been trying to catch up with you from the beginning. It seemed like you trotted forever, and we couldn’t keep up.”
Kayla wasn’t sympathetic. “We had no idea you were coming with us. Did you tell anyone?”
“Look, it’s time for me to go,” Paige said. “You guys figure out who’s going when.” With that she cantered Quarry in a circle in the field and then disappeared onto the rock wall trail.
Derek walked Bismarck toward Kelly and Nicole, clearly concerned with their presence. “We’re going to do some serious jumping on this trail. Are you sure you girls are up to it?”
After scanning the riders in the group, Nicole spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. “If Sarah Wagner can do it on her green horse, than we can do it,” she said. “Don’t worry about us, Derek.”
Derek caught Sarah’s eye for a moment before turning back to Kelly and Nicole. “Are you really sure your horses are fit enough to canter for some distance, as well as jump four rock walls?
Both Kelly and Nicole nodded their heads resolutely.
“Well, if you’re going to insist on doing this, I’ll go last and follow you,” Derek said with obvious frustration.
Prince stood like a statue with his head raised and his ears pricked forward, listening for the horses that had gone before him. Sarah reached down to run her hand along his arched neck. They’d be going next. She wouldn’t mind putting some distance between herself and those girls. Maybe Kelly and Nicole had dropped the kick issue, but they had by no means buried the hatchet.
“Okay, guys. See you later,” she said as she gathered her reins and asked Prince to move off the track and into the field. He willingly picked up trot and then canter on a circle, but he seemed a little unsure when Sarah guided him onto the rock wall trail. He didn’t like leaving the other horses behind, but once he got into a cantering rhythm, she sensed he was focusing on the trail ahead. She had never ridden here, and was glad the path was wide with good footing.
After they’d cantered around a slight bend in the trail, Sarah saw the first rock wall ahead of them. It was good-sized. The trail went around the wall, so it was possible to skirt it. For a fleeting moment, she considered that option. Prince had never been on this trail before, and his only jumping experience going cross-country was the big log on the old orchard trail. No, she thought. We’re going to jump this! Coming closer to the wall, she sat deeply and closed her legs to tell her horse they were committed. Prince responded with a surge of energy, and a few strides later they were in the air, soaring over the wall.
Prince landed smoothly and ran on, but now he increased his pace from a canter to a hand gallop. His fleet hooves seemed to eat up the ground, and soon a second rock wall loomed ahead of them. This time there was no hesitation, as he attacked the jump, leaped over it, and galloped on. That was a little quick, Sarah thought. I can’t let him rush the next one. The trail wound around an old cabin before abruptly leaving the woods and entering a field. The worn path clearly went straight across the field to a third rock wall on the other side. This one had a telephone pole on top of it. As soon as Prince saw the wall, his ears pricked forward. Now he knew what this was all about, and he pressed forward, anxious to get to the jump. Sarah sat back and with the reins, played the bit in his mouth, asking him to stay soft in the bridle and not rush. Prince responded and kept a steady pace to the base of the wall before jumping it smoothly. He really loves this! she thought. And so do I!
They were back in the woods now, the trail made darker by thick evergreen trees on both sides. It seemed like they galloped on for a long time, with Sarah frequently checking her horse to keep his pace from getting too quick. Finally she saw a rock wall ahead. This would be the last one, and she could vaguely make out the images of Tim and Paige in the field beyond it. This time Prince approached the wall with a lot of confidence, and without increasing his speed, they sailed over it.
Tim and Paige were waiting in the middle of the meadow, and they both pumped a fist in the air and whooped when Sarah and Prince came cantering toward them. Sarah slowed her horse before reaching Rhodes and Quarry, and then circled around them. Prince had found the jumping exciting, and he pranced with his glossy black tail held high. Sarah was catching her breath, but laughing. “He loved it! That was so much fun.”
Tim was walking Rhodes in a small circle. “If you liked jumping those walls, you’re going to love eventing. How did Crown Prince do?”
“He started to get a little quick, so I had to keep half-halting to slow the pace,” Sarah said. “But other than that, he was great—and I’m totally addicted to cross-country!”
“Listen!” Paige said, looking back toward the wall. “I think I hear hoofbeats.”Sure enough, a few minutes later Fanny’s bright chestnut face with the perfect diamond came into view as she and Kayla approached the last rock wall.
“Fanny’s really booking!” Tim said. “I’ve never seen her move out like that.”
Fanny’s small ears were pricked forward as she and Kayla came over the wall in good form, and her audience cheered loudly. “Good ride, Kayla!” Tim called.
Kayla was also out of breath, but beaming, and her face was almost as red as her hair. She enthusiastically slapped Fanny’s neck. “I can’t wait to do it again!” she said.
Paige looked back to the rock wall. “So now we’re waiting for Derek and those two girls,” she said.
“Yeah,” Kayla said, still breathing fast. “Derek tried to talk Kelly and Nicole out of jumping the walls, but they insisted that they could do anything Sarah’s green horse could do.” She rolled her eyes as she paused to take a deep breath before continuing. “Both Midnight Jet and Jubilee were pretty winded when they caught up with us, and I think Derek doubts they’re fit enough to do this. He said he’d go last, probably to make sure they get through okay.”
Tim frowned. “I don’t like the sound of this. If they don’t come along pretty soon, maybe we should start back.”
A few minutes later there was still no sign of either Kelly or Nicole. “I think we should see what’s going on,” Paige said.
The riders walked around the rock wall and then began trotting on the path in single file. Except for a bird’s call of alarm at their presence, the woods were quiet. When they approached the next wall with the telephone pole, Prince began to pull on the reins. He wanted to jump it, and Sarah had to use a strong hand to keep him to the path that went beside it. The riders came to the next wall, with still no sign of anyone.
“I’m getting worried,” Tim said. He pressed Rhodes forward into a faster trot, and the others followed. The horses moved along the woods trail until the first rock wall came into view. Kelly was standing in the clearing on the other side of the wall holding both Midnight Jet and Jubilee.
“Something must be wrong!” Paige cried. They guided their horses around the jump, coming to walk as they approached Kelly. She stood in the middle of the trail holding a horse’s reins in each hand while tears streamed down her face. Then they saw Nicole! The girl was lying on her back next to the rock wall, with one arm over her forehead.
“Oh, my God!” Kayla said. Tim and Paige immediately jumped off their horses, and Tim took Quarry’s reins while Paige rushed to Nicole’s side.
“Derek called 911,” Kelly said betwee
n sobs. “He’s gone to meet them and show them the way. He told Nicole not to try to get up until someone comes.”
Nicole was moaning incoherently when Paige reached her. “Help’s coming, Nicole,” Paige said. “Try to remain still. Are you in a lot of pain?” Nicole mumbled a response Sarah couldn’t understand.
Kelly seemed to regain her composure, somewhat, and began to tell them what had happened. “Nicole went first, and Derek and I were talking while I waited to follow her. All of a sudden Jubilee came running back without Nicole! She came right up to Jet, so I jumped off and grabbed her. Derek took off on Bismarck, and he found Nicole like this. He called 911 right away. Then he came back and told me to walk the horses to Nicole and stay with her while he rode to meet the rescue people. He gunned it out of here on Bismarck.”
The faint strains of an emergency vehicle could now be heard in the distance. “It won’t be long now,” Tim said. “Thank goodness the trail is wide enough for a vehicle.”
“Let’s hope Derek is at the trailhead so he can show them the way,” Kayla said.
They heard the siren coming closer, and then a flashing blue light was visible. Moments later a white rescue vehicle, led by Derek trotting on Bismarck, came slowly along the path. It was a tight fit, with little clearance from the trees on each side and overhead. The riders made way for them, and the rescue unit pulled up near where Nicole lay at the base of the rock wall. Two emergency technicians leaped out and rushed to her. From where the riders held their horses at the edge of the clearing, they could see Nicole and the men examining her. Kelly stood closer to Nicole, still holding Midnight Jet and Jubilee.
After one ET asked Kelly a few questions, he returned to the vehicle, pulled both back doors open, and removed a backboard, which he placed on the ground beside Nicole. She moaned in pain as the two men carefully lifted her onto it and then carried her to the back of the vehicle.