As Rita drove away, Sarah remembered Rita’s confession last summer. Rita had admitted she was jealous of Sarah, but not just because of Sarah’s spectacular horse. While Sarah’s mother had survived a terrible car accident, Rita’s mother had died when she was born. Rita was carrying a heavy burden of loss. No, Sarah wasn’t going to let Rita get under her skin. Rita was to be pitied. She puts on a pretty good act that she’s the happiest person on earth because of all the things her father’s money can buy, Sarah thought, but she’s not.
Sarah continued biking along the roadway. There were three young foals with their dams in the broodmares’ pastures to her left, all healthy and growing fast. The O’Briens’ bungalow came into view, and once she’d topped the rise, she coasted the rest of the way to the parking area. She hurried into the barn, planning to clean Prince’s stall while he was turned out, but she couldn’t resist swinging by the office to see the notice posted on the bulletin board.
The list was exactly as Rita had described, although there was one additional detail Sarah hadn’t considered. Each team would be allowed a coach, and of course Jack would be the coach for the Brookmeade Farm team. And as Sarah had known in advance, Kelly Hoffman was named the team’s stable manager.
Sarah headed for the shavings shed to pick up a wheelbarrow and manure fork. While she was working in the stall, Derek arrived back with Bismarck. He’d had his weekly lesson with Jack earlier in the afternoon and then taken his horse for a short hack. As soon as Bismarck was on the cross-ties, Derek came over to Prince’s stall.
“Hi,” Derek said. Sarah stopped what she was doing and came to the stall’s doorway. “I saw Kelly was named stable manager,” he said. He studied Sarah’s face for signs of disappointment, but instead she smiled.
“I’m not surprised, actually,” Sarah said. “Kelly has had her own horse longer than I have, and she probably knows a lot more about taking care of horses. The team deserves the most experienced person.”
“Are you okay with this? Everyone thought you’d get it.”
Sarah picked up the manure fork, and after tossing more soiled bedding into the wheelbarrow, she turned back to Derek. “I don’t have time to waste feeling jealous of Kelly Hoffman. Besides, going with the team to Wexford Hall would keep me away from Prince too long. I’m thinking about taking him to the Meadow Mist Farm show in Winchester in July. Kayla wants to show Fanny there, and she said her mother could truck Prince, too. We need to work hard to be ready.” She reached toward Prince’s water bucket to skim off some hay floating on top before turning back to Derek. “How was your lesson today?”
“The fences are getting pretty high, but Bismarck’s holding his own. I’m looking for some shows, too. I wonder if they have a jumper division at that Winchester show.”
“I’ll ask Kayla,” Sarah said, just as she remembered the trail ride on Saturday. It would be so much fun to have Derek come with them. “And by the way, Kayla and Paige asked me to come with them Saturday when they’re going to ride to the beach. Would that work for you?”
“This Saturday?” Derek asked. When Sarah nodded, he shook his head. “That sucks! My dad wants to take me to look at a few colleges on Saturday, and there’s no way I can get out of it. I’d love to go with you sometime.”
Just then Kelly burst around the corner, heading straight to Derek. “Guess what!” she exclaimed. “I’m going to be the Brookmeade Farm team’s stable manager at Wexford Hall. Isn’t that awesome?” Kelly turned and gave Sarah a smug smile, before turning back to Derek. “Jack must think I know more about taking care of horses than anyone else in this barn.” She looked at Sarah again, smirking.
“That’s great,” Sarah said, hoping she didn’t sound obviously insincere. Kelly must have gone totally bananas when she saw her name on the list, Sarah thought. I hope she feels she’s evened the score and will take me off her most-hated list.
“Congrats,” Derek said. “I’m glad you’re so happy. I hope it won’t be a lot of totally grungy work.”
But nothing was going to bring Kelly down from the cloud nine she was soaring on. She danced away to get Midnight Jet ready to ride.
* * * * *
The sun was barely up Saturday morning when Sarah’s clock radio came on, awakening her from a deep sleep. She lay there a few minutes until she remembered why she’d set the alarm so early. Today they were going to ride the horses to the beach! She needed to get to the barn extra early to make a dent in her barn chores before Kayla and Paige were ready to go. She gulped down a light breakfast before retrieving her lunch and several carrots from the refrigerator. She got on her bike and headed to Brookmeade Farm.
It was one of the few times Sarah had been the first person to arrive at the barn, beating out the early birds who liked to ride when the day was coolest. She first went to her horse and hugged his dark bay head before giving him his mandatory carrot. Prince had a coating of shavings on his left side where he’d lain down in the night.
Stepping out of the stall, Sarah noticed the sounds of horses anxious to receive their morning hay and grain. It was still early to feed, but the horses knew she was there. Many of them were circling their stalls, expressing their impatience with soft nickers and occasional deep throated neighs. But Gus would have to give his approval for her to change the feeding time, and she certainly didn’t want to cross him! Sarah hoped he had finally gotten over being mad that she’d lost the feed room key. It had never shown up, leading Sarah to believe the chain had broken when she was riding on the trail that afternoon. Its replacement was on a new, sturdier chain around her neck.
There was no sign of Gus when Sarah looked down the front aisle, and he wasn’t in the back of the barn either. It was hard to believe Gus wasn’t already filling water buckets. Sarah decided to start with her sweeping chores, but she had just begun with the push broom when Gus appeared, red baseball cap and all. He must have noticed her bicycle parked outside the doorway, because he showed no surprise when he saw her. Sarah leaned her broom against the wall and walked up to him. “Is it too early to feed the horses?” she asked.
Gus looked at his watch. “Won’t do any harm,” he said before turning abruptly to retrieve the long hose.
Great! Sarah thought. Prince will have plenty of time to polish off his hay before we leave. She went to the feed room to get the grain push cart. When she arrived at Prince’s stall, he stood near his feed tub tossing his head and then dove into the grain after she poured it into his tub. Bismarck nickered softly as she approached with his ration.
Later in the morning, after both aisles, the lounge, and the two tack rooms had been swept, Sarah went outside to see if Kayla had arrived. Mrs. Romano and Kayla were just pulling into the parking area in their pickup with the trailer in tow. Sarah waved to Kayla and went back into the barn, where Paige was grooming Quarry in the aisle. “Be ready in a few minutes!” Sarah called to her.
She couldn’t help being excited. She’d always dreamed of someday riding a horse on the beach, cantering along a huge expanse of packed sand close to the ocean waves. She could almost smell the salt air and hear the sound of the white-capped surf. And now it was going to happen. They’d soon be on their way!
Sarah hurried back to Prince’s stall and put him on the cross-ties. She had groomed him earlier, so it was just a matter of tacking up and getting herself ready. Once Prince was saddled and bridled, she put on her half chaps and helmet and led her horse to the courtyard. Paige was already outside on Quarry, and Kayla was approaching the barn riding Fanny. Sarah led Prince to the mounting block and moments later she was astride her horse.
“Hey, kid,” Kayla greeted her as she rode Fanny into the courtyard. Sarah could tell Kayla was keyed up too. “In all the time I’ve had a horse, I’ve never ridden on the beach before,” Kayla said.
“How about you, Paige?” Sarah asked, as Fanny and Crown Prince came alongside Quarry. “Didn’t you and Tim ride to the beach last year?”
For a brief moment, a p
ained look spread across Paige’s face at the mention of Tim. Then she recovered. “Yeah, but lots of summer people were still in the cottages, and horses weren’t allowed on the beach. So we just rode to the end of Dune Grass Lane. There’s a fantastic view of the beach from there. It was high tide, with big waves, and Quarry was totally turned on, prancing with his tail up! I don’t think he had ever seen the ocean before.” She reached down to stroke Quarry’s neck. “Well, today he’s going to gallop close to it and maybe walk in the waves!”
Sarah laughed. “The pulley rein may come in handy.”
“Fanny will leave your two Thoroughbreds in the dust,” Kayla said, “at least for the first quarter of a mile. That’s why they’re called Quarter Horses.”
The three girls rode their horses to the end of the farm road, crossed Ridge Road, and with Paige in the lead, started on the trail to the beach. Prince had gone on several group trail rides last fall, and now he was relaxed going out with other horses. They wove their way in back of the Quimby Farm, where gentle meadows flowed into a wooded countryside. This was a working farm that was home to a large dairy herd, and at one point the trail ran parallel to a pasture where cows were grazing. Prince snorted when two of the cows approached the fence to get a better look at the horses.
Paige looked back at Sarah and laughed. “If Prince is going to live in the country, he’d better learn not to be afraid of cows!”
It’s great to hear a joke from Paige, Sarah thought. She’s so darned serious these days.
“Do you think Rita would have wanted to ride with us today?” Kayla asked.
Paige twisted around in her saddle to answer. “After what happened to Taco last summer, Rita was easier to deal with and more civilized. But it didn’t last. Now she’s back to her old ways, and lately she’s been totally obnoxious. I, for one, am glad she’s not here.”
“Rita is funny,” Kayla said. “Sometimes she’s really nice, but if things don’t go her way, she can turn on you real fast.”
After they’d ridden past the farm, the trail broadened into what had been an old logging road. “Let’s trot,” Paige called back. The horses picked up the faster gait, and ten minutes later they arrived at a main road leading to Yardley village. Once it was clear of traffic, they crossed the road and turned onto Dune Grass Lane, heading directly to the beach. Paige swung Quarry to the right. “We’re supposed to always ride on the right side of the road, with traffic,” Paige said. “I guess that’s so horses won’t be frightened by cars coming directly at them.”
The cottages lining the road appeared to be unoccupied, but with Memorial Day right around the corner, this whole area would soon be bustling with activity. The sound of the ocean surf in the distance became increasingly louder as the horses walked briskly along the road. “It won’t be long now,” Sarah said. Prince was moving with his head high, looking ahead with his ears pricked.
As they approached the last cottage on the dead end road, two small children came running out of the yard to get a closer look at the horses. A woman on the cottage’s porch warned the kids to keep their distance. The family waved to the riders as they passed. “Your horses are beautiful!” the woman called out as they went by.
The girls waved back, and Paige asked, “Doesn’t the path to the beach start along here somewhere?”
“The opening is on the other side of that big maple tree,” the woman said, pointing. “Have a good ride!”
As Prince followed Quarry onto the sandy beach path, Sarah could feel him becoming increasingly anxious. His walk was animated and he continually chomped on the bit. When they came over the top of a large sand dune, a spectacular panorama of sand and ocean stretched before them. Prince stood like a statue, frozen in place, as he stared incredulously at the waves and the gulls swooping onto the sandy beach. Quarry and Fanny were equally transfixed. The ocean breeze whipped their manes in all directions as the horses took in the beach scene.
“These horses have been stuck on the farm too long,” Paige said. “I hope we can get them closer to the waves, where the sand is packed the hardest.” When she used her legs and tapped her crop on Quarry’s neck, the gray horse moved forward, at first tentatively. Prince slowly followed Quarry after Sarah kicked him forward and sharply said, “Walk!” Fanny was the least affected by the strange sights and smells of the ocean, and she willingly followed the other two horses. They all gradually relaxed as they walked on the beach sand, occasionally stepping through pools of water left by the tide. The long line of cottages at the beach’s edge were silent, all of them waiting for their families to return for the summer.
“Are we ready to trot?” Paige called out over the wind.
“Of course!” Kayla shouted. “Let’s go!”
The three horses began trotting smartly down the beach, making good traction on the hard-packed sand as they pulled on the reins to go faster. First one and then another broke into canter, until the three horses were running slowly abreast, heading toward the far end of the beach a few miles away. Sarah had a tight hold on Prince, who tried to grab the bit and was fighting for his head. He wanted to gallop, really gallop, but Sarah didn’t dare let him go faster. She wasn’t sure she could pull him up in this setting, even with a pulley rein. He was psyched, and it was all she could do to hold him.
Sarah looked over at Kayla. She was smiling broadly and her face was flushed with pleasure as she rode in a two-point position in the saddle to let Fanny canter faster. Fanny’s shorter legs were moving like pistons as she motored down the beach, easily keeping up with the larger horses.
Paige had a firm hold on Quarry. The former racehorse pulled hard on the bit, trying to level out and lengthen his stride. In his former life, he, too, had been trained to run fast over long distances on the track, but Paige’s intermittent use of the pulley rein kept him under control.
The horses cantered down the beach, their hoofs sending the beach sand flying behind them. As they approached a flock of seagulls spread over the sand, the gulls suddenly took flight with a great flapping of wings. The three horses slowed to trot, allowing their riders to shorten their reins and slow their pace even more.
“I think we’d better walk for a while,” Kayla shouted. “Fanny’s getting tired.”
“Good idea,” Sarah called back.
Soon all three horses were walking side by side, their nostrils flaring as they took quick breaths. They were exhilarated, moving with springy steps and loving the first run they’d had for a long time. Soon they neared the end of the beach, where large ledge outcroppings extended into the water.
“Look!” Paige said. “I think there’s a path beside the rocks. Let’s see where it goes.” With the others following, she steered Quarry away from the water and toward a worn opening that ran between the tall marsh grass and the ledge. Quarry stepped boldly onto the trail, followed by Kayla and Fanny, with Sarah and Crown Prince bringing up the rear.
“This trail’s getting narrow and overgrown,” Kayla said. “Do you think it actually goes anywhere?”
“Let’s see what’s around this bend,” Paige replied.
After she’d negotiated the turn, Paige called back to the others. “The trail ends here with someone’s compost pile. I guess it’s a dead end. Time to do a one-eighty.”
“Okay,” Kayla answered. “Back to the beach.”
They had nearly turned their horses around on the narrow path when Sarah and Kayla suddenly heard Paige scream. Looking back, they saw Quarry had stepped into the marshy area beside the path and quickly sunk to such a depth that his knees and hocks were out of sight! In a panicked attempt to get out of the quagmire, Quarry began to thrash wildly, but rather than free himself from the mucky bog, his crazed movement was making him sink deeper.
“Get off him Paige!” Kayla yelled. “He’s sinking!”
Paige made a tremendous lunge from the saddle toward the path, landing with her upper body on solid ground but with her legs trailing into the bog. She clawed the earth, craw
ling forward, until she was able to right herself on the path. Quarry continued his frenzied thrashing.
“I’m calling 911!” Sarah cried out, as she whipped out her cell. After she stabbed in the numbers, seconds seemed like hours as she waited. When nothing happened, she looked down at her phone. Her heart sank when she saw that it remained completely dark. She should have remembered. The high ridges in back of the village cut off any cell tower transmission! Quarry continued to flounder, struggling desperately to free himself. His eyes were glazed, and his frenzied fear sent white flecks of foam spewed from his mouth.
“I’m going for help!” Sarah cried. “But in the meantime, you’ve got to keep him from struggling. It’s just making him sink deeper. Can you get the reins?”
“I’ll try!” Paige said, choking back a sob. She got down on her knees and leaned out to grab Quarry’s reins. When she was able to pull them over his head, she made contact with his mouth to try to keep him still and calm him. “I’ve got him,” Paige called. “Go for help!”
Sarah swung Crown Prince sharply toward the open beach. Her mind locked onto the cottage they’d passed on Dune Grass Lane where the woman with the children would surely have a phone to call a rescue service! Sarah immediately leaned forward and extended her arms, giving Prince his head, as she kicked her heels hard against his sides. “Run, Prince,” she cried. “Run! Run!”
As if he understood the urgency of the situation, her horse bolted forward. In a matter of seconds, he was in a full gallop, his giant strides swallowing up the beach. Long and low he moved, going faster and faster. As his strides lengthened, his action was breathtakingly smooth and fast. He ran as he had been bred to run! The blood of generations of champion Thoroughbreds coursed through his veins, and now he displayed the same brilliant speed they had shown on the race course. But instead of running for glory and a pot of gold, Crown Prince ran to save Quarry’s life!
Crown Prince Challenged Page 21
