A Horse for the Summer

by Michelle Bates

  Tom raised the treble. Was it asking too much? Taking a deep breath, he faced Chancey at the spread.

  It was a difficult combination, with only one horse stride between each of the jumps, but Chancey didn’t hesitate as he approached the first. Sitting back on his hocks, he rocked backwards and released himself through the air like a coil. Springing over the jumps, he cleared them one by one with at least a foot to spare. Tom couldn’t remember ever feeling so exhilarated.

  “Wait till Nick next trains us,” he whispered, slapping Chancey’s neck so hard that it echoed like thunder around the school. “He’ll be so pleased.” And then Tom stopped and sighed. How long would it be before Nick could train them again? Certainly it wouldn’t be that day. Nick had already told Tom that he was going to be busy taking lessons.

  Tom knew that he shouldn’t grumble. In the summer months there were so many holiday makers around...business was booming. It was exactly what Nick and Sarah needed and at least it made Tom feel less guilty that Chancey wasn’t bringing in any money.

  Tom was miles away when he felt conscious that they weren’t alone. Someone was watching them. A solitary figure stood leaning against the railings. Tom’s heart skipped a beat. He knew immediately who it was. They had been rumbled. What could he say? Tentatively, Tom walked Chancey over to the gate and took a deep breath.

  “Hello Tom,” said Nick. There was a strained silence between them.

  “How long has this been going on then?” he continued calmly. There was no inflexion in Nick’s voice for Tom to decide how to play things.

  That was Nick all over, no words of reproach, just a composed question. It would have been easier if there had been angry words. Tom could have handled that. But Nick’s restraint made it even worse. Tom tried to summon up courage.

  “Nearly three weeks now. I didn’t want to go behind your back, Nick. I had to.” Tom swallowed hard. “We just weren’t going to be ready for Benbridge otherwise. Chancey’s going so well. Wait until you see him. You can’t be angry then,” he said nervously.

  “There will be no seeing him,” replied Nick in a quiet rage. “What do you think you’re playing at? I can’t have you setting this sort of example to the others. You could have been hurt. Who would get the blame then?” Tom had never seen Nick this angry before.

  “I was only trying to help. I didn’t mean any harm,” Tom gasped, tears welling in his eyes. He rubbed them away with his sleeve, annoyed that he hadn’t been able to stop himself.

  “Please look at him, Nick. He’s brilliant. I only wanted to get him started. We just weren’t getting anywhere. I know that you’ve been busy but...but...”

  There was an uncomfortable pause. Nick knew it was true. He had been too tied up with other things to help Tom and Chancey and he had said that he would. He did feel a little guilty, but a promise was a promise. Tom had overstepped the mark this time. Nick looked long and hard. Should he let them show him what they could do?

  “I shouldn’t, Tom. But I’ll give you one last chance,” he said quickly, softening a little. “Eleven o’clock this morning. I’ll see you after the class of little ones. We’ll take it from there.” He turned on his heels.

  Tom was left clutching Chancey’s reins, his riding hat sliding down over his eyes. Trudging off to Chancey’s stable, there was a faint glimmer of hope.

  “We’ll show them. We’ll show them all.” Tom gritted his teeth. He untacked Chancey and put some food in the corner. When Chancey had finished eating, Tom began to groom him, starting with the legs and working up.

  It didn’t take long before the others knew what had happened. News spread quickly at Sandy Lane. They all felt sorry for Tom, but at the same time couldn’t quite believe what he had done. None of them would have been as daring themselves.

  “I’d never have guessed,” said Jess, turning her back to Rosie as she gave a little girl a leg-up onto Blackjack.

  “Poor Tom,” said Rosie.

  “I half suspected something was up,” said Alex. “He’s been really strange...so secretive.”

  The others all nodded in agreement.

  “We normally do so much together,” Alex went on in a hurt voice. “And we just haven’t lately.”

  “I wonder what Chancey will be like this time,” said Jess. “Tom must be pretty confident if he’s prepared to show Nick.”

  Tom did feel confident. Only that morning, Chancey had jumped the treble with ease. Nick would be so impressed, he simply couldn’t be angry. He would let Tom enter the local show on Chancey; they would be able to use Chancey for lessons; things would all be all right.

  Tom busied himself around the yard, desperately trying to keep out of Nick’s way until the allotted time. At ten to eleven, he went to get ready. Chancey was on his toes as Tom tacked him up.

  “Come on, my boy. Calm down,” Tom soothed.

  “Where do you want to try him, Tom?” Nick asked, peering over the door.

  “Oh, anywhere really,” said Tom.

  “We’ll try him in the school then,” Nick said.

  Tom led Chancey out of his stable and sprang confidently into the saddle. As they headed down the drive, Chancey pirouetted, snorting as Tom gathered up the reins.

  As Nick opened the gate, they entered the outdoor school. Tom felt uneasy. Nick frowned. There was a sense of foreboding in the air. Suddenly Tom didn’t feel quite so confident.

  Tom didn’t even have a chance to show Nick what they could do. As the engine of a car roared in the distance, Chancey’s ears flashed back and he started bucking like a maniac. Tom hadn’t seen it coming. Before he knew it, he was flung to the ground and Chancey was tearing towards the gate. He looked as though he was going to cannon straight into it. But without hesitating, he launched himself over it and charged down the road at a cracking pace.

  “Did you see that?” Alex cried excitedly. “Never mind him being mad. That was a five-barred gate he cleared and with miles to spare. I can’t believe it.”

  Tom had landed heavily but the sand in the outdoor school had acted as a cushion. He sat rooted to the spot. His head was in his hands, his face was ashen, white with shock. Panic rose in his throat.

  “What if he falls? He’ll break his knees and then he’ll be ruined. He’ll have to be put down, and it will be all my fault. We’ve got to catch him,” he said, struggling to his feet.

  “We’ll take the Land Rover, Tom,” Nick said angrily. “I knew something like this would happen. He’ll be miles away by now. This was the very reason I didn’t want you riding him.”

  “He’s been going so well for me though,” said Tom. “I don’t know what’s got into him. Maybe the noise of the cars on the road startled him.”

  “Maybe he just wasn’t ready to be handled by a novice.”

  Nick’s heated words stung Tom to the core as he realized the enormity of what had happened.

  “Come on. Let’s go,” said Nick. “We have to try and catch him. If he’s actually on the road, who knows what could happen. If he causes an accident, Sandy Lane could lose its licence.”

  “Grab a head collar, Tom. I’ll go and tell Sarah,” he said, hurrying off towards the cottage.

  Moments later he reappeared. Climbing into the Land Rover, they rattled off down the drive and out of the yard.

  “Keep your eyes peeled, Tom,” said Nick. “I’ll drive slowly past Bucknell Wood and you look in.”

  Tom couldn’t see any movement in the thicket of pines. Chancey was nowhere to be seen. Nick drove on and on...past miles and miles of hedgerow, but although there were plenty of horses in the surrounding fields, Chancey was not among them. Tom’s heart missed a beat as he saw a chestnut horse, but his hopes sank as the horse’s white face turned to look at him.

  Two hours of solid driving, down every road and through every field that Nick could think of, and still they hadn’t found him. Tom was almost in despair.

  “Where can he be? We’ve tried practically everywhere,” he wailed, his voice ri
sing into hysteria.

  “Calm down, Tom. He’ll have to stop somewhere. Let’s go back to the stables and see if there’s any news, do some phoning around. Someone may have rung in to the police by now,” Nick said despondently.

  As they rounded the corner to Sandy Lane, Rosie came rushing out to meet them.

  “It’s all right, Chancey’s been found. He’s safe. Alex managed to catch him. He was grazing in the fields behind the stables. He must have found his own way home.”

  Tom rushed forward to Chancey’s stable to see for himself. Sure enough, there was Chancey, peacefully munching from a haynet as if nothing had happened. He looked up as Tom approached and whinnied softly. His eyes were bright and clear as his head cradled forward and his lips nuzzled Tom for a titbit.

  “Not today, Chancey. You’re not having a reward today,” Tom said furiously. “You’ve done it this time.” The others crowded anxiously around Tom.

  “Tom, Tom, he was amazing,” said Alex breathlessly, his eyes glinting with excitement. “I can’t believe how he cleared that gate. He was born to jump. You were right, he has got it in him.”

  A hush fell over the group as Nick approached. No one dared breathe as they waited to hear what he had to say.

  “Well Tom,” said Nick. “There’s nothing more for it. I forbade you to ride him before and I am forbidding you again. He’s dangerous. If you go against my word this time, then you’ll not only be forbidden to ride Chancey, you’ll be out of Sandy Lane...for good.”

  9

  THE LOCAL SHOW

  Tom was at a loose end in the days following the warning. It was so unfair. Chancey had been going so well for him in secret. It must have been the noise of the car that had startled him. What bad luck for it to happen in front of Nick. And now, how could Tom ever prove that Chancey wasn’t the crazed animal everyone thought he was, if he wasn’t even allowed to ride him? In the end, it was Alex who came up with the solution...the perfect solution.

  They were sitting in the dark in the tack room. It was late in the day and dusk had just started to set in. Nick was out with a class and the others had all gone home, leaving only Tom and Alex to clean the tack. Tom was polishing Chancey’s saddle so hard that he could almost see his reflection in it.

  “Look I’m sorry Alex,” said Tom. “I know I should have told you what I was up to. It’s just that I felt bad enough having to go behind Nick’s back. I didn’t want you to have to do it as well.”

  “I could have helped you though,” said Alex in a hurt voice. “We could have done things together. I could have covered for you until you were one hundred percent ready to show Chancey to Nick.”

  “That’s the trouble,” said Tom gloomily. “I thought we were one hundred percent ready. I’ve been training him for weeks now and he’s been getting better and better. It’s the first spot of trouble I’ve had...typical that it had to be then of all times.” Tom sighed. “What can I do?”

  “There’s only one thing to do Tom,” said Alex. “You’ve got to prove to Nick that all your training was worth it, that he is the horse you know he is.”

  “How am I going to be able to do that now?” asked Tom.

  “Well.” Alex took a deep breath. “Ride him at the local show.”

  “That’s impossible,” Tom spluttered. “I’ve been forbidden to go near him. You heard what Nick said – I’d be out of Sandy Lane.”

  “Yes, but if Chancey matters that much, and you know you’re right...you’re down to ride Napoleon at the moment aren’t you?”

  “Yes,” said Tom.

  “So why not switch mounts and ride Chancey instead? By the time Nick realizes what’s happened, it’ll be too late for him to stop you. And when you’ve won, you’ll have proved your point and he won’t be angry any more.”

  “What if he is still angry?” said Tom. “And suppose Chancey and I can’t do it? What if he plays up again? It’s risking everything.”

  “It’s all you can do though. It’s a gamble I know. But it’s a gamble you have to take. I’ll help you,” Alex continued encouragingly. “I’m not riding in the open jumping which will give me the perfect opportunity to go and switch Napoleon’s name for Chancey’s at the show secretary’s tent.”

  “Would you do that for me?” asked Tom.

  “Yes, but we must keep it a secret. If anyone finds out, our plan will be ruined.”

  “OK,” said Tom.

  Tom was hesitant at first. But as the days passed, he started to feel more and more sure that Alex was right, that it was the only way.

  The day of the local show dawned cool and clear. The yard seethed with excitement as the horses were washed, groomed and plaited. Tom groomed Chancey in secret and doubled back to collect him once everyone had left Sandy Lane. The show was only two miles away, so it didn’t take Tom long to hack him over there.

  There was no going back now. The open jumping class had started an hour ago and there were only ten minutes until Tom was due in the ring. Nervously, he paced up and down in the woods. No doubt the others would be running around looking for him, panicking as Napoleon stood tied to the horse box, unattended and riderless. Tom felt a stab of guilt. Napoleon was a good horse and loved these shows, but Tom told himself he had to do it, for Chancey’s sake.

  Meanwhile, all he could do was wait. The hubbub of the crowd filled the showground and the smell of hot dogs hung in the air. Tom felt sick to the bottom of his stomach as he thought of what lay ahead of him. He had gone over the course again and again in his mind. It was fairly straightforward, Chancey should be able to walk it. But as they hadn’t had time to practise since Nick’s warning, Tom had little niggles of doubt. What if he was the one to muck up and let them down?

  Tom’s shoulders felt stiff and wooden, his hands clammy, as he mounted and started to loosen Chancey up in the woods away from the showground. He mustn’t let Chancey sense he was nervous. He had to stay calm and collected if they were to stand a chance. Tom buttoned up his jacket and secured his chin strap. And then he heard his name being called.

  “Number sixty-five...Tom Buchanan on Horton Chancellor,” the voice called over the tannoy.

  On the other side of the ring, Nick raised his head in astonishment at the announcement.

  Tom cantered over to the ring and acknowledged the judges. He rode a circle, waiting for the bell.

  R-r-ring. Tom was off. Nothing else was important. Nobody else mattered. His mind was focused on one thing, and one thing only – to jump clear. Chancey looked magnificent as he headed for the first jump in a collected canter. His nostrils flared and his eyes flashed amber as he gathered his pace.

  “Go on, Tom, you can do it,” Alex muttered as Tom pushed Chancey forward.

  Tom couldn’t hear him though. His mind was fixed on the course ahead. Concentration flickered across his face as the crowd became a blur of faces for him.

  They were over the first and on to the gate. Tom felt Chancey speed up and tried to steady him. Soaring over the gate, they approached the stile. They were clear. Turning back on themselves, they raced up the middle to jump the treble.

  “One, two, three,” Alex muttered as Chancey bounded over the fences. One more turn to come, then the parallel bars and finally the huge wall. Chancey leapt over the parallel bars nimbly and went on to fly over the wall, clearing it with ease. And then they were cantering through the finish to the sound of applause, as the voice announced the result.

  “Tom Buchanan on Horton Chancellor, jumping clear with no time faults and into the jump-off.”

  Tom grinned to himself. They were through to the next round.

  “Well done my boy. You were brilliant.” He patted Chancey proudly as the admiring spectators looked on at him. And then he saw Nick.

  Tom looked at him pleadingly. Nick’s eyes flashed angrily.

  “What do you think you’re doing, Tom?” he said. “Finish the jump-off and see me afterwards.”

  Tom felt sick again. They must win.

&nb
sp; There were four competitors through to the jump-off, and Tom was third in the ring. Not a bad place, he thought to himself. He watched the other competitors from behind the rails, carefully weighing up the opposition. The first competitor had a bad round and sent everything crashing to the floor. The second competitor, a girl in immaculate cream jodhpurs and navy hacking jacket, set a better standard. She looked incredibly professional and for a moment Tom doubted that he should really be competing against her. She jumped clear.

  Then it was Tom’s turn. He cantered the obligatory circle, looked determinedly straight ahead and approached the first.

  There was a loud bang as Chancey rapped the top of the rails. Tom’s heart sank. He looked under his arm. But it was all right, the pole was still hanging there – how, he didn’t know but it was still there. The near miss at the first fence had startled Chancey and he went on to clear the gate by miles, careful to pick his feet up as they flew over it. Collecting his stride, Tom faced Chancey at the stile, leaning forward to take his weight off his back. Tucking his legs up under him, Chancey sailed neatly over the jump.

  Almost turning on the spot, Tom swung him round and they raced up the middle for the treble. Chancey cleared the three jumps with ease. Tom knew his horse, knew how far he could push him and with another sharp turn, Chancey sprang gracefully over the parallel bars and again there was only the wall. The crowd held their breath as horse and rider rose to the challenge. They were over it!

  Everyone cheered madly as the voice announced that Tom Buchanan and Horton Chancellor had taken the lead with a time of three minutes and sixteen seconds.

  “What a speed. No one will be able to beat that,” Alex said excitedly to a stranger standing next to him. And sure enough, the last rider wasn’t able to beat Tom’s time and it seemed only moments later that Tom was galloping around the ring, a red rosette attached to Chancey’s bridle.

  Nick was the first to meet him as he came out of the ring. Tom looked shamefaced. Nick smiled. He had hardly been able to contain himself at the jump-off. And there was something else too. Tom reminded Nick of how he had been as a boy. If he was totally honest with himself, he knew that he would have done exactly the same thing.