Sea Horse

by Bonnie Bryant

  Lisa followed a footpath through the hotel’s garden and found herself at a dirt road. She looked for a sign or somebody to direct her, but no guide was in sight. Then she glanced at the road, and spotted the familiar marks of hooves. Feeling a little bit like Davy Crockett, she followed the hoofprints until they led her to her goal, the stable.

  The stable was buzzing with activity. One group of riders had just returned from a trail ride, and another group was gathering to leave. Lisa was impressed with the horses. She could tell immediately that they were well cared for. The grooms waited attentively, holding the reins while the riders dismounted, and helping riders down.

  A woman who was clearly in charge was standing in the center of the yard giving the stablehands orders on which horses to put away and which to keep out. Lisa watched as the woman sized up the riders about to go on the trail, matching them with horses she thought they could manage.

  “What do you mean, you’ve taken lessons?” she was asking a man.

  “Well, I had some lessons a few years ago,” the man answered vaguely.

  “Walk, trot, and canter?” the instructor asked.

  The man shrugged. “I guess so,” he said.

  “Ride Pal, then. He’s the bay over there.”

  The man looked confused.

  “Bay means brown with a black mane and tail,” the instructor told him. “But, actually, I think you’ll do better on Jasper, here.” She patted the flank of a gray horse.

  Lisa knew that the man’s uncertainty about the three gaits and his unfamiliarity with horse colors had told the instructor a lot. As Lisa had learned, it was important to match riders and horses correctly or an instructor could have a disaster on her hands. Lisa thought the instructor had handled the situation well.

  “You’re not riding in that outfit!” the instructor said sharply. Lisa was surprised to find she was speaking to her.

  “Oh, no,” Lisa said. “I’m not riding today. We just got here and I’m looking around.”

  “Look all you want, but stay clear of the horses,” the instructor said. “They’re big animals.”

  The woman turned and began speaking to somebody else as abruptly as she’d spoken to Lisa. Automatically, Lisa stepped back, out of the way. She entered the stable, hoping she wouldn’t annoy anybody there.

  Lisa liked the stable immediately. It was a white stucco building, unlike the wooden structures she was familiar with. It had a wide aisle and big stalls for each horse. Lisa counted twenty-eight stalls, plus a tack room and a feed room. About half the horses were outside, either leaving or coming back from the trail. The remaining horses stood patiently, munching at their hay and sipping at their water. One horse lifted his head curiously as Lisa walked by. Lisa paused. The horse stuck his head out over the door. Lisa patted him on his cheek and neck. He sniffed at her.

  “I told you, they’re big animals. Be careful!” the instructor said with annoyance. She’d entered the stable silently and now strode toward the tack room, carrying a broken stirrup leather in her hand.

  “I’m okay,” Lisa assured her, but she jumped back from the horse anyway, feeling very unwelcome. She was determined to ride, though.

  “Can I ask you something?” she asked while the instructor rummaged through a rack of leathers.

  “Not now,” the woman said. “Wait until these riders are out, then I’ll answer your questions. In the meantime, why don’t you wait in the office?”

  Lisa nodded and politely followed the woman’s suggestion. She would much rather have waited in the stable, but it was clear the woman didn’t trust her, and she wanted to get off on the right foot with the riding instructor.

  Lisa sat on a rattan chair in the office and waited for the instructor to return. She suddenly felt very lonely and somehow out of place. She’d always felt as if she belonged at Pine Hollow once she’d made friends with Stevie and Carole. How could it be so different on San Marco? She realized with some dismay that she’d only been out of Willow Creek for about six hours and she was already homesick. More like stablesick, she told herself, and smiled at her own joke. It made her feel a little better.

  After a few minutes, the riders dispersed, some on foot, headed for the pool, others on horseback, going out on the trail. The instructor entered the office.

  “Well, what can I do for you?” she asked.

  “I want to sign up for a ride,” Lisa began.

  The woman, whose nametag introduced her as Frederica, just half grunted in acknowledgment.

  “I’ve been taking lessons for about six months,” Lisa continued. “I can walk, trot, canter, and have begun jumping.”

  “Six months? Then we’ll put you on the beginner trail ride tomorrow at eight-thirty,” Frederica said.

  “I’m an intermediate,” Lisa said a little impatiently. She was surprised to hear herself contradict Frederica. It really wasn’t like her to stand up to an adult, but she knew that if she got into the beginners’ group, she’d never go faster than a walk.

  Frederica frowned. “You’ve only been riding six months—”

  “But I ride a lot—twice a week. And I went to riding camp. I’m in a Pony Club.”

  Frederica shrugged. “Okay, I’ll let you try the intermediate ride. That’s at ten o’clock. Here, fill this out. Get your parents’ signatures, too.”

  She handed Lisa a registration card and then abruptly left the office.

  Lisa glanced at the card, decided to fill it out later, stuck it in her pocket, and left the office. She had the feeling that a swim in the pool would feel really good about now. At least, it was certain to feel better than sitting in the office at the stable, trying to convince Frederica that she actually knew which end of the horse went first!

  As Lisa walked back along the roadway, she spotted the first genuinely friendly face she’d seen since she’d arrived at the stable.

  “Hi, my name’s Jill. Are you a rider, too?” the girl asked. She looked about eleven years old, a little younger than Lisa. She had bright red curly hair and a cluster of freckles sprinkled across her nose and cheeks.

  “I’m Lisa,” she replied. “And yes, I am a rider. I’m going on the intermediate ride tomorrow at ten. What about you?”

  “Me, too. Great,” Jill said. “Are you pretty good?”

  Lisa thought for a second. If Jill had asked her that question an hour ago, she wouldn’t have hesitated to say yes, but now, Frederica’s doubt seemed to have affected her.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “I’ve only been riding less than a year, but I do ride a lot.”

  “Like once a week?” Jill asked.

  “No, more like twice a week, and then there’s my Pony Club. But when I was at camp last summer, I guess I rode about every day. I’m learning to jump, too.”

  “Wow! You really know your stuff, don’t you?” Jill said, clearly impressed. “You’re just going to love this ride. Tomorrow will be my third time. Frederica leads it. She’s really strict, but it’s great and you won’t have any trouble at all.”

  Somehow, Jill’s confidence was infectious. I do really know my stuff, Lisa thought. She knew how to ride. Equally important, she knew how to take care of horses. She knew how to feed them, groom them, even how to take care of them when they were sick. She was good. She’d learned a lot in six months. It didn’t matter what Frederica thought. She’d show that woman how good she really was!

  The two girls walked back toward the hotel and fell into an easy conversation about horses. Jill lived near Boston, and she had a neighbor with a horse she could ride occasionally. She told Lisa how much she loved horses and riding and they compared experiences. Lisa was a little pleased to find that she’d had more instruction than Jill. Jill had learned a lot from her friend, but Lisa had been studying harder.

  “You mean you actually take tests about horse care in your Pony Club?” Jill asked.

  “Oh, sure,” Lisa said. “And they’re not easy, either.” Lisa told her about all the skills they had to
study and practice and how hard Max made them work, both in the Pony Club, Horse Wise, and in riding. Jill had obviously never come across anything like it. She was extremely impressed. And as far as Lisa was concerned, Jill’s admiration went a long way toward making up for the hard time she’d had convincing Frederica that she knew what she was doing.

  They arrived at the lobby of the resort and agreed to meet by the pool in ten minutes. As she headed for her room to get her beach towel, Lisa reflected that she was glad she’d met Jill, although it wasn’t exactly the same as having Stevie and Carole there. But Jill seemed nice enough and she was interested in horses. That had been enough for a start with Stevie and Carole. Lisa hoped it would be with Jill, too.

  LISA FELT A little out of place the next morning at breakfast. Almost everybody, including her own parents, was wearing shorts or a bathing suit. She would be in a bathing suit by noon, but for now, she was wearing breeches and boots and carrying a hard hat because she was going riding.

  “Good morning, Lisa!” Jill greeted her cheerfully, pulling out the chair next to hers at the breakfast table. Lisa was relieved to see that Jill was dressed the same way she was. She relaxed right away.

  “Good morning,” Lisa said, and smiled at her new friend.

  “Hi there, Mr. and Mrs. A.,” Jill said. Lisa winced and tried not to look at her parents. Jill had only met them very briefly the day before. The Atwoods were rather formal people, and after that greeting Lisa was certain they wouldn’t approve of Jill.

  But both of her parents were unfazed. “Good morning, Jill, how’s it going?” Mr. Atwood asked warmly. “Looking forward to your ride?” Lisa remembered then that her parents could occasionally surprise her.

  “Oh, yes!” Jill said. “And Lisa’s just going to love it, too. She’ll see a whole part of this island you can’t see at all from the resort. It’s something special! And because Lisa’s such a good rider, I just know we’ll have a great time. Yesterday, before you guys got here, there was a total amateur on the ride. We had to stop all the time so Frederica could explain things he really should have known. It was so boring. I hope it’ll be better today. It’s got to be better, though, because Lisa will be there!”

  Lisa gulped down the rest of her breakfast. That didn’t please her mother, but at least Mrs. Atwood didn’t say anything.

  “Let’s go.” Lisa pushed her chair back, picked up her hat, and headed for the door. Jill followed.

  The stable was a five-minute walk from the main building. As they walked, Jill continued to tell Lisa about the route they would take on their ride and how much Lisa was going to love it. Lisa was already convinced, but she didn’t mind the extra sales pitch. Jill was no Carole or Stevie, but she was okay. Besides, Jill was there, and Carole and Stevie weren’t.

  Like the day before, the stable area was a flurry of organized confusion. Frederica stood on the mounting block, directing stablehands and riders like a conductor with an orchestra.

  “Mr. Hellman, you ride Pal. He’s the bay over by the fence. Alain, help Mr. Hellman, please.” Stablehands adjusted stirrups and held bridles for the riders while Frederica oversaw everything.

  “Ah, yes, Lisa,” Frederica said thoughtfully when Lisa approached her. “The new rider. You take Velvet. That’s the gray mare under the palm tree. Jill, you’re on Tiger again. He’s next to Velvet. Alain, help these girls as soon as Mr. Hellman is in the saddle.”

  Lisa didn’t need any help. She could adjust her own stirrups and mount a horse without a stablehand to help her. She wanted to show Frederica that, as well. Confidently, she approached Velvet, who waited patiently in the shade of a tall palm tree.

  Velvet regarded her curiously, flicking her ears like antennae. Lisa liked that. It was usually a sign that the horse was alert and responsive. She patted Velvet’s neck, admiring the mare’s smooth coat. She scratched the horse’s forehead and rubbed her cheek. After that, Velvet’s curiosity was apparently satisfied, for she turned her attention to the sparse grass that grew at the foot of the tree. Lisa turned hers to the horse’s tack.

  First, Lisa checked the girth and found she had to tighten it a notch. Velvet stood quietly while she did. Lisa then adjusted her stirrups and was mounting the horse when Alain arrived to help her. She told him she was fine and that he should help Jill. Lisa could tell that Jill was impressed with her confidence. She felt grateful to Max for insisting that all his riders learn to do these things for themselves.

  “Ready?” Frederica asked a few minutes later. Lisa was. So was everybody else. Frederica explained the familiar ground rules of a trail ride—“Stay in a single line, evenly spaced, following my lead”—and it was time to start.

  There were seven trail riders, not including Frederica. Frederica had arranged the line so that Lisa was third and Jill was fifth. Lisa wished they could have been together, but Frederica was definite about the way she wanted things done. Lisa and Jill followed her request without comment.

  They walked their horses out of the stable area, past a schooling ring with low jumps, and followed a well-worn trail through the hotel’s gardens. Soon, they were on open grass, headed toward the ocean.

  It was a magnificent sight. In the first place, it was a glorious day. The sky was a deep, rich blue with only a few wisps of clouds. The grassy area they were on led to a narrow grove of palms that edged the beach. The beach itself was a white crescent of sand, meeting the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Lisa blinked her eyes to make sure the water’s color was real. But the color didn’t change. It remained the same startling blue it had been when she had first seen it.

  “Prepare to trot!” Frederica called from the front of the line.

  Without any signal from Lisa, Velvet began trotting. It always concerned Lisa when the horse she was riding changed gaits without instructions from her. It meant Velvet was paying more attention to the horse in front of her than she was to Lisa. It meant Lisa wasn’t in control. The jolt she felt when Velvet began trotting proved it, and proved something else. The mare had definitely gotten her name from the softness of her coat and not the smoothness of her gait! Velvet’s trot was short and jerky, catching Lisa by surprise. It took a few seconds for Lisa to recover and begin posting, but once she did, she was fine. The only complaint she had, in fact, was that at a trot, the scenery went by too quickly.

  The horses sped through the coconut grove toward the beach. As they approached the sand, Frederica slowed her horse down to a walk. All the others riders followed suit. Velvet’s shift in gaits was just as jerky as her trot. Lisa was jolted forward with the sudden slowing down. She got her balance again and settled back into the saddle.

  The beach was filling up with sunbathers from their hotel. Lisa looked for her parents and was relieved when she didn’t see them. No matter how good Lisa was, it always made her mother nervous to see her on horseback. At that moment, since she wasn’t feeling very confident with Velvet, the last thing Lisa wanted to think about was how her mother would feel if she saw her!

  Soon, the horses were past the part of the beach where there were swimmers. Frederica rose and turned around in her saddle. She lifted her hand as a signal to all the riders.

  “Prepare to canter!” she called.

  Lisa was glad they wouldn’t be trotting again right away. It was her experience that horses with rough trots usually had very smooth canters. She was looking forward to the gentle rocking of the three-beat gait.

  She held the reins tight and kept her legs on Velvet. It was a way of reminding the mare who was in charge. After the horse in front of her began cantering, Lisa moved her right foot behind Velvet’s girth and touched her belly. Velvet responded instantly, lurching into a canter that was just as jerky and rough as her trot.

  Lisa gripped the mare tightly with her legs. She sat as deeply in the saddle as she could and she kept her hands still. Within a few seconds, she had her balance back and could feel the regular, though rough, rhythm of the horse’s canter.

  Ridin
g Velvet was hard work. The one thing going for Lisa was that their path was clear and relatively straight. They were following the gentle curve of the beach, and the ground was hard and smooth. It took all of Lisa’s concentration to hold firmly with her legs and sit deeply in the saddle through Velvet’s jerky canter. She sighed audibly when Frederica’s hand went up, a signal to return to the walk.

  Automatically, Lisa leaned forward and patted Velvet’s neck in appreciation. The horse may have had an awkward and uncomfortable gait, but she had done what Lisa had asked.

  The group walked for a while, and Lisa had time to admire the scenery. The horses trailed along the beach and then crossed a runoff ditch, taking them into water several feet deep and about twenty feet wide. Lisa was very glad for the waterproof riding boots Stevie had given her as a Christmas present. Velvet seemed to enjoy sloshing through the gentle surf at the edge of the sea.

  “Prepare to canter!” Frederica called out again when the riders were all clear of the water. Lisa didn’t like the feeling of dread that clutched at her stomach at those words. She wasn’t used to it when it came to riding, but the feeling was unmistakable. She gripped Velvet as well as she could with her legs and then, when the time came, signaled for a canter.

  At first, things went fine. Velvet paid more attention to Lisa than to the horse in front of her. The problem came when Lisa began paying more attention to Velvet than to the trail. The trail swung into the wooded area to the left, toward a hill. Velvet swung with it, but Lisa didn’t. She just wasn’t prepared for the turn and flew right out of the saddle, landing with an undignified thump on the soft earth at the edge of the beach.

  “Aargh!” she grunted, rolling out of the way of oncoming horses. Fortunately, she had fallen off the path so she wasn’t in danger. Once Velvet was free of her rider, she halted, bringing the rest of the riders to a halt as well. Before Lisa could even stand, Frederica was off her horse and by her side.