Dressage Dreaming (Horses Heal Hearts Book 1)

by Kimberly Beckett

  As she listened to Ian’s end of the conversation, Jessica paled in fear. She ran back up the stairs to change into something more suitable, then, once changed, ran out to the stable. Michael was walking Tempest up and down the aisle. The stallion didn’t appear to be in any distress, but that didn’t mean that everything was all right. Colic or laminitis could develop over time. Laminitis especially, could take hours to develop, as the sugar from the grain made its way through Tempest’s system.

  Before Jessica could say anything to Michael, his vet, Dr. David McKnight, arrived. Jessica noted that Dr. McKnight was in his mid-forties, medium build, about six feet tall, with light-brown hair that looked a bit tousled, as if he had just gotten out of bed. Jessica smiled to herself. He probably had just gotten out of bed to answer their emergency call. His attitude was one of professional concern as he approached the barn.

  Knowing Ian had described what had happened to Tempest when he called, she knew he was prepared to get started with treatment right away. He had brought from his truck some items familiar to Jessica after several years around a number of horses: a stomach tube and funnel. “Michael, how is he? Does he have a fever, or is he showing any signs of colic?” the vet asked.

  Michael said, “Nothing, David. I looked in the grain bin, and it appears he may not have had time to eat more than a gallon, but that’s still more than he gets as a regular ration.”

  “Good,” the vet said. “I still think it would be a good idea to tube him with mineral oil and Banamine to prevent colic. It will also ensure any toxins produced by the excess sugar don’t cause laminitis. Laminitis is a disease of the hoof, caused when internal tissues, called laminae, weaken, and the horses pedal bone detaches from the inside of the hoof. When detached, the pedal bone can turn, and sometimes, it even pushes through the sole. When it pushes through the sole, it's called founder. It’s very painful to the horse, and if not treated or if it is severe it can cause permanent lameness. Horses in that situation would have to be put down or face a lifetime of excruciating pain.”

  “I’ve heard of horses foundering, but have never experienced it in one of my horses, thank goodness. I do know it can be extremely painful for the horse,” Jessica said. “I’m so glad you found him when you did, Ian. You probably saved his life.”

  Michael also expressed his gratitude to Ian. He looked to Tempest, who was still not exhibiting any signs of distress, but was watching the small group of humans surrounding him with interest. “He isn’t going to like this,” Michael said. “But we have to do it. Jessica, please help me keep him calm so David can insert the tube, and give him the mineral oil and Banamine.”

  “Sure. No problem.” Jessica approached the stallion, who began to tense as the attention shifted back to him. The vet prepared the mineral oil and Banamine mixture, and as Jessica and Michael talked to the stallion in soft, comforting tones, David slowly and carefully inserted the naso-gastric tube into Tempest’s nostril, and guided it down his throat to his stomach. He slowly poured the liquid mixture into the tube so that it would go directly to Tempest’s stomach. The stallion’s eyes grew rounder, and the whites started showing, but Michael was at his side, soothing him with his voice, and slowly stroking his neck. Jessica held the lead rope and also did her best to speak soothingly to Tempest as the procedure progressed. The stallion calmed and stopped resisting the procedure. When the container holding the oil/Banamine mixture was empty, the doctor slowly withdrew the tube.

  “Now, we wait,” the vet said. “I recommend you continue to walk him until he passes gas or manure and we know his digestive system is working. Hopefully, we’ll know in an hour or so if this treatment worked.”

  “Thank you, David. I’m so glad you could get here so quickly.”

  “You’re lucky. You were my only emergency tonight.” He smiled ruefully. “I should have known that expecting to get a full night’s sleep on my on-call night was too good to be true.”

  Ian started walking Tempest up and down the barn aisles, and the tension that had been infecting the group began to recede. Michael noticed his vet looking at Jessica with curiosity, and realized he may be wondering who she was and why she was here on his farm in the middle of the night. He decided to simplify the explanation, since David didn’t need to know every detail of the circumstances surrounding Jessica’s presence. “David McKnight, this is Jessica Warren, an American dressage rider here to train with me on this stallion.” He looked over at Jessica. “Jessica, David was the vet for the British Olympic team before I persuaded him to follow me here to Surrey.”

  “Wow. I’m impressed. I had no idea Michael could be that persuasive.” Jessica looked over at him and grinned, and he winked in response.

  “Actually, my practice wasn’t far from here, in Sussex,” David said. “I still have many of my previous clients, but I’ve taken on Michael since we met in London for the Games last year. I haven’t regretted my association with him. He treats his horses very well.”

  David offered his hand, and Jessica clasped his hand warmly. “It’s very nice to meet you, Jessica. Michael, as you probably know, is an excellent horseman. I’m sure you’ll learn a lot from him while you’re here.”

  “Yes. I’m sure I will,” Jessica responded, looking over at Michael. She blushed when Michael met her gaze with warmth and, if she wasn’t mistaken, a hint of desire. Where did that come from? Jessica felt her entire body heat under his perusal, and she felt parts of herself stirring that hadn’t come alive in quite some time. She cleared her throat, and broke the visual contact by looking back at the vet.

  Just as she was about to make a comment, Lionel appeared at the barn door. “What’s going on out here? Did I miss something?”

  “Lionel, I’m surprised you slept through all the commotion,” Michael responded. “Tempest escaped from his stall, and broke into the grain room. He helped himself to about a gallon of sweet feed. Thank God Ian couldn’t sleep and wandered out to the barn to check on the horse, and discovered him. We called David and he treated him right away. He’s going to be fine.”

  Lionel looked over at Ian, still walking Tempest up and down the aisle, and ruthlessly stifled the frustration he was feeling that his plan had not worked as he had hoped. “Yes, thank God, indeed.” I can’t believe my rotten luck. Now what? Lionel smiled at the group hoping his expression conveyed relief rather than frustration. “If all is settled, I think I’ll go back to bed and see if I can get some sleep. Good night all.” Just as Lionel was turning to leave the stable, Ian approached with Tempest. The stallion saw Lionel, immediately turned his rump toward him and farted explosively in his direction. The fart was immediately followed by a stream of loose, wet, and very smelly manure which landed right at Lionel’s feet. It was so close, in fact, that some of the wet manure splashed onto Lionel’s shoes. The stallion groaned in relief and audibly sighed after losing that intestinal burden, then nudged Ian indicating he was ready to be led back to his stall.

  “Well, Lionel,” Michael said as he tried without success to stifle his mirth. “It appears that Tempest is trying to tell you something. Do you have any idea what you’ve done to deserve such noxious treatment?”

  Jessica, David and Ian were also trying mightily to remain silent, but snorts of their suppressed giggles filled the stable.

  “I do not,” Lionel said as he attempted as best he could to retain his dignity, and walked back to the house. He cringed as the trio behind him in the stable burst out in raucous laughter.

  Chapter 15

  The next day, Michael talked to Tiffany to find out what she might know about why Tempest’s stall door was left unlatched, and why the grain room door was left open. “Michael, I swear to you that when I left the barn after feeding dinner last night, the grain room was tightly closed, and Tempest’s stall, as well as all the other horses’ stall doors, were securely latched.”

&nbs
p; “Was anyone else out here when you left yesterday, Tiff?”

  “No. No one. All the workers leave before I do, and there would have been no reason why any of them would have come back after hours. None.”

  Michael was stumped. He did check at 10 o’clock that night, and hadn’t noticed the grain room open or Tempest’s stall unlatched. It was simply too coincidental that only Tempest’s stall was unlatched, and that the grain room door was open at the same time. This smacked of an intentional act by someone to injure Tempest, and make it appear as an accident. The perpetrator would have to be someone who knew horses, because few laymen knew that excessive grain could cause a horse serious injury. Michael was troubled. There appeared to be someone intent on sabotaging Michael’s, or Jessica’s, or both of their chances of success with Tempest. At the very least, it was clear someone meant Tempest harm. That was something he could not tolerate. Unfortunately, all he had was suspicion. There was no clear evidence of tampering or deliberate interference, so he couldn’t involve the police. He would have to do his own investigation and would have to take precautions that something like this couldn’t happen again. He decided he would sleep in the loft over Tempest’s stall for the next few nights, and see if the villain would try to strike again.

  That being decided, he went back to the house to tell Jessica what he planned to do. He found her having lunch in the manor dining room. He pulled out a chair and sat at the table across from her to explain his plan.

  “What will you do if you actually encounter the person?” Jessica asked. She was more than a little concerned when she heard Michael’s plan. If what Michael believed was true, the perpetrator had no difficulty causing an animal harm, and would most likely not hesitate to injure anyone that tried to stand in their way.

  “I won’t engage the person unless I absolutely have to,” Michael replied. “Unless I see that he or she is likely to cause some immediate harm, I’ll just keep an eye on them while I call the police.”

  “I still don’t like it,” Jessica responded. “Are you sure there isn’t any other way?”

  “I’ve looked at this from every angle, and I can’t think of anything else. David says that Tempest will be fine to ride again in a couple of days, so this is the best time for the saboteur to try again. If he or she does, I’ll be waiting.”

  Ian had walked into the dining room and heard the last part of the conversation. “If you need someone to spend the night in the barn, Michael, let me do it. I’m out there during the night most evenings anyway, since my nightmares still plague me.”

  “No, Ian. You need to at least try to get some sleep. Didn’t the NHS doctor give you sleeping pills to help you sleep through the night? You should be taking those and getting your rest. Although I do admit that I’m glad you weren’t taking them last night. You truly did save Tempest’s life.”

  “I hate those pills,” Ian said vehemently. “They knock me out so much that I have trouble waking up the next day. I’m afraid if something happens during the night while I’m on the medication, I’ll not be able to wake up and help. What if there’s a fire, or one of the horses is injured or colics?”

  “Your getting a good night’s sleep is more important than anything. Please, for my peace of mind, take the pills at least until the nightmares fade. The doctor did say that eventually they’ll recede and not be so vivid, right?”

  Ian sighed. “Yes, but she couldn’t assure me exactly when that would happen. I’m concerned that I’ll get hooked on the sleeping pills if I rely on them for any length of time. The doctor warned me they were addictive.”

  “Damn it!” Michael said. “There doesn’t appear to be any easy answers, but the bottom line here is that this is my responsibility and I will be the one monitoring Tempest. I won’t accept any other solution.”

  Ian and Jessica shared a look of concern, but they also realized by the tone of Michael’s voice that he had made up his mind, and there was no changing it.

  “All right,” Jessica sighed. “We’ll back off. But please promise us you’ll be careful.”

  “I promise,” Michael said, hoping that neither Jessica nor Ian noticed he crossed his fingers behind his back. He knew that if anyone seriously threatened those dearest to him, including his horses, Michael wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever was required to stop them. There could be no other way.

  As night approached, Michael gathered his pillow and two large but lightweight blankets and made his way to the stable. Only Ian and Jessica knew he was spending the night in the stable, lying in the hayloft over the main aisle of stalls directly over Tempest’s stall so he could watch over the stallion and ensure that whoever had tried to hurt him the night before would be caught if he or she tried again this night.

  In the barn, Michael used a large quantity of loose hay in the loft to fashion a bed of sorts in the area just above Tempest’s stall. The stallion occasionally looked up with interest, most likely thinking he would be getting a flake or two of hay thrown down to him at any time. Michael located a freshly cleaned winter turnout blanket, and laid it nylon side down against the hay to prevent the stems from poking through and irritating him all night. The inside lining was quilted flannel, and actually very comfortable. He covered himself with the blankets he had brought from the house, and fluffed his pillow. In the loft next to him he had laid a pitchfork. Who knew what he might encounter, and a pitchfork was as good protection as anything. He refused to buy a gun, and he had no experience using a knife. The pitchfork would have to do. After making a final check to ensure all was as it should be, Michael settled in for what expected to be a long, restless night.

  Jessica had watched from her bedroom window as Michael made his way into the barn. She noticed he took blankets and a pillow with him, confirming that he planned to spend the entire night in the loft on the lookout for the saboteur to try again. Jessica was not at all comfortable with Michael’s plan, but she couldn’t see a way to convince him there was a better way. She herself understood that what happened to Tempest last night couldn’t have been a coincidence, and she had racked her brain all day trying to come up with a better solution, but to no avail. She sighed and returned to her bed, knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing Michael was potentially in danger.

  After an hour of tossing and turning, Jessica looked over at her alarm clock, which showed it was only midnight. Well, this isn’t going to work, Jessica thought to herself. Maybe I should go out to the barn and join Michael in his vigil. That way, we could ensure that at least one of us was getting some sleep while the other kept watch. If Michael is there all alone, she reasoned, there was a chance he could fall asleep from exhaustion or boredom and miss the saboteur. Not to mention that I owe him an apology for jumping all over him when he tried to help me find help for Hailey. He didn’t deserve my bad attitude, and I most likely hurt his feelings by essentially telling him to butt out because it wasn’t his business.

  The decision made, Jessica pulled on a pair of lightweight sweatpants, slipped a pair of tennis shoes on over her bare feet, and elected not to change out of her oversized T-shirt that doubled as a night shirt. It definitely covered her, and she would be sleeping some of the time anyway so she might as well be comfortable.

  As Jessica left the house, she realized that Michael wouldn’t be expecting her, and might mistake her for an intruder. She needed to alert him to her presence without alarming him. She needn’t have worried, because as she got closer to the stable, she heard Michael’s low voice, speaking softly in the dark. She found him in front of Tempest’s stall, stroking his neck, and soothing him. Apparently, Tempest was fretful this evening, possibly still suffering some aftereffects of last night’s tubing.

  Michael looked up as he heard her approach. “Jess. What are doing out here?”

  “I couldn’t sleep, and thought you might like some company.” Seeing Michael’s uncert
ainty, she pressed on with further explanation. “I feel some responsibility for Tempest’s welfare too, you know. I should be here with you watching over him.” She approached the stallion and rubbed his forehead. The stallion lowered his head and rumbled his appreciation for the attention.

  “I was just thinking about how much is at stake, and what might have happened if we lost Tempest,” Michael said. “I’m also trying to figure out who hates me so much that they’re willing to seriously injure such a magnificent animal to hurt me.” Michael looked so troubled that Jessica reached out to him, and slid her arms around his waist, and pressed her body against him to offer him comfort.

  Surprised but pleased, Michael returned the hug, his arms surrounding her in a warm embrace, and Jessica sighed. This felt so right, so wonderful. She had no idea how much she had been longing for the comfort and protection Michael offered. Her heart swelled with emotion.

  Michael’s hands caressed her back in large, soothing circles, and she lifted her head and saw her longing echoing in Michael’s eyes. She stretched up and touched Michael’s lips with hers, hoping she hadn’t misinterpreted the desire and acceptance she had seen in his eyes. She hadn’t.

  Michael inhaled her scent, a combination of floral scents mixed with a hint of her own personal spice as he returned her kiss tentatively at first. Jessica parted her lips and teased his mouth with her tongue and Michael moaned with pleasure, allowing her access and deepened the kiss. Their tongues mingled and danced and both reveled in the excitement and heat they were generating. Jessica’s arms moved up to encircle Michael’s neck, and she ran her fingers tentatively through his thick, soft hair. Such a delicious feeling. Michael broke off the kiss, and his fingers tenderly traced the line of Jessica’s jaw. He cupped her chin and tilted her head up to make sure she met his eyes.