The Boy Who Loves Horses (Pegasus Equestrian Center Series)

by Diana Vincent

  *****

  31 Riding Cory

  A rider must have passion. Without passion, how can a rider feel? – Lisa Wilcox

  *****

  “You can’t let her do it.” River hugged his side, anger causing his wound to throb. Tess, her countenance equally defiant, stood next to him at the rail of the outdoor arena where Crystal had just finished a course of jumps and now walked Diva on a loose rein.

  “You are being ridiculous. Diva did not have to recover from an injury like you. Don’t project your own lack of conditioning on her,” Tess retorted.

  “I agree she is in better shape than me, but she has lost conditioning. Can’t you see it?” River insisted. “Why did you depend on Crystal to keep her in shape? Sierra could have taken Diva out on the trail.”

  “It so happens, in case you’ve forgotten, Diva does belong to Crystal. She told me she did not want Sierra riding her horse. I’m disappointed that she didn’t keep her word and ride the mare herself, but I can’t force her to do anything.”

  “But you can advise her. She needs to scratch this show.”

  “You haven’t been here. She came in a strong first at her last event while you were in the hospital.”

  “Yes, over a month ago when Diva was still in condition.”

  “It may challenge the mare, but I think she will still do very well. What is it you found wrong with the way she jumped today? Her form was perfect.”

  “Right, she did her best and she jumped well. But look at her. Can’t you see how she’s breathing too fast? She should have recovered her breath by now. Can’t you see how tired she looks?” To River, it was obvious the mare was drained of all her energy. She plodded at the walk, barely picking up her feet, her head low with fatigue, her body slick with too much sweat for the amount of work she had done on a day not that hot. The honest mare had cleared every fence of a very difficult preliminary level course, using all her heart and strength. A less willing horse would probably have dragged the hind end, taking rails down.

  While River had been laid up, Crystal declared she would take responsibility for Diva’s conditioning rides. She had come out twice the first week, but after that, had only shown up for her lessons. Diva’s exercise program diminished from six days a week to usually only two. Some weeks, Tess managed to fit in a twenty-minute session on the flat, but her own schedule was crammed fitting in rides on all the horses that had been assigned to River. She had been able to add two of them to Sierra’s schedule, and even Katrina had picked up one extra horse; otherwise, she probably would have had to hire a temporary rider.

  When two weeks went by where Crystal only showed up for lessons, Tess had tried to convince her of the wisdom of letting Sierra ride Diva, but Crystal had been adamant. It had been over a month since Diva had been trotted or galloped on the trail or jumped an outside course.

  Now Crystal planned to show Diva at the upcoming event this weekend.

  River foresaw disaster.

  As Tess stormed away to meet Crystal at the exit gate to debrief, he swore under his breath and shuffled toward the stable with his shoulders hunched, his eyes on the ground, and feeling impotent in his ability to protect the horses. Anxiety exacerbated the tightness already in his muscles from his anger, causing achiness from his wound throughout the left side of his chest, forcing him to take short, painful breaths.

  Suddenly, the muscles along the left side of his rib cage knotted into a spasm of pain, doubling him over, and he had to stop in his tracks, clutching at his side, sucking in air, until finally the spasm subsided.

  Tess wanted him to ride Cory in the event this weekend, and thanks to Sierra, his own horse was still in top condition. But even more than Diva, River realized he was not in any shape to compete. Finally, the spasm subsided and he could stand up straight and continue walking slowly to the stable.

  His frustration and anger were not just because of Diva. He had been back to riding for over a week. Not just his wounded side, but every muscle in his body ached. He tired after just a few minutes of grooming a horse. Sometimes bending over to pick out their feet, he felt like he might pass out. He needed a few minutes to rest after tacking up his horse before he could summon the energy to mount into the saddle. Within ten to fifteen minutes of riding, his body wanted to quit; nevertheless, he pushed himself to ride for at least twenty minutes and earlier today, made it to a half hour. He knew he needed time, just like rehabilitating an injured horse. It was just hard to feel so weak and incapable. River couldn’t remember ever being sick, other than once or twice having a head cold. He had always possessed a healthy appetite and plenty of energy and endurance. Now he was so tired at the end of the day that he had to force himself to eat something before he dropped onto his bed and almost instantly fell asleep.

  “River, are you okay?” Sierra met him on her way to take Diva from Crystal and cool out the mare. She had seen River doubled over.

  “I’m fine,” he stated curtly, so tired of people asking him that, but then immediately felt ashamed of the rudeness in his tone. His frustration at his weakness and the humiliation for her to see him was no excuse to snap at her. It certainly wasn’t her fault. He looked up and more shame washed over him at the look of hurt in her eyes. “Sorry,” he offered. “I still get spasms in my side sometimes.”

  “That must be awful.” Sierra tried to keep her tone neutral and hold back all the sympathy she felt. She understood how much River needed to hide his frailty. She quickly changed the subject, but it disturbed her to note his ashen look and the glistening line of perspiration across the top of his lip and across his brow. He’s pushing himself too hard. “Did Tess tell you that Silver’s new owner is picking him up today?”

  “Yeah, I’ve been keeping an eye out so I can help get him ready. Has Tess assigned you another horse yet to compete on?”

  “No, she mentioned Felicity, but I think she’s too flighty for me. She needs you to ride her until she has more experience.”

  River walked alongside Sierra back toward the arena where they saw Tess leading Diva toward the stable and Crystal walking off toward her car. He waited while Sierra continued on to take Diva from Tess. He didn’t want to confront Tess again just now. Then he walked back with Sierra to the crossties, noting to himself with wry humor, here goes a drained horse and a drained human. Then he had a thought. “Sierra, Tess hasn’t scratched Corazón yet, and there is no way I’m going to be ready to ride. Why don’t you compete on Cory?”

  Sierra looked at him in amazement. “You would let me show him?”

  “Why not? You’re the one who’s been keeping him fit. And he does love to get out and show off.”

  They reached the crossties and Sierra led Diva in. “River, that would be so awesome! You know I’d love to, but I’ve never jumped on him.”

  “Don’t tell me you’ve never taken him over the log on the trail.” He smiled at her with a knowing look.

  “Well sure, but that’s not much of a jump.”

  “Okay, how about right now?”

  Sierra slipped off Diva’s bridle and on with her halter, thinking furiously. Could I do it? He’s such a great horse…I don’t know… but it’s training level; what I’ve been riding all season… She turned to face River who waited for her answer. “Okay,” she agreed, her face breaking into a very enthusiastic smile. “I’d love to.”

  “Let me finish Diva. Go get Cory and take him around the short loop of the trail to warm him up, and I’ll meet you in the back field.”

  Sierra nodded, too excited for more words, and skipped off to the paddock for Cory.

  *****

  When Sierra brought Corazón back to the field after trotting and a short gallop on the trail, River was there waiting. He waved and she walked Cory up to him.

  “Take him around a few low obstacles, whichever ones you want. Just point him at the jump, and keep yourself balanced and quiet. That’s all. He knows how to rate himself. Let him decide where to take off and just be ready fo
r him,” River instructed.

  Sierra nodded, and scanned the field, picking out some easy novice level obstacles. “I’ll do the log, split rail, coop, and how about the in-and-out fence?”

  “Good choices.”

  “Okay, Cory,” Sierra spoke to the black, who already sensed that jumping was coming up and she could feel the bunching of his muscles beneath her seat. She turned him onto a beginning circle and then pointed him at the log. Easy. It was only an inch or two higher at its lowest spot than the one on the trail. They galloped toward it, Cory’s ears pointed at the jump. She kept herself balanced in two-point position with her weight slightly back until she felt him a stride away gather his hind end. She shifted her weight forward as he sprang off his hind legs, letting his momentum move her over his withers, and as he cleared and landed, came softly back into the saddle. “Good boy!” She turned to the right on the same lead, to the split rail, a jump six inches higher. She didn’t think about its height, and again stayed balanced in the middle of the saddle until she felt him gather for the thrust, and then let her weight move forward as he jumped, and in mid air, she touched the left rein, and Cory landed onto his left lead as she turned him back to the coop. He soared over the coop, and then took the in-and-out, adjusting his stride competently. Just as River said, all she had to do was stay balanced on his back and not interfere.

  “He is so awesome! He’s the easiest horse I’ve ever jumped on!” Sierra exclaimed enthusiastically, riding back to River.

  “You were perfect on him,” River praised. “Sometimes it’s just as hard not to control the horse as it is to control him correctly.”

  She nodded in understanding, still wearing a euphoric grin.

  “Take him down the bank; see how that feels,” River suggested, knowing she had experienced some difficulty with Silver at the bank.

  Jumping down the bank proved no more difficult for Cory than the upright fences.

  “Try the ramp,” River said next.

  “The ramp?” Sierra knew the ramp was three-foot-six-inches, a preliminary level jump.

  “You should be able to jump at a level above the one you’re competing at,” he said. “It’s not a difficult jump, just a little higher than what you’ve done before. Don’t think about the height. Ride just like you’ve been riding and Cory will take care of you. I know you can do it.”

  Sierra nodded, and before she could think herself into a state of fright, she moved Cory back onto the field at a trot, circled well in front of the ramp, turned him in its direction and let him gallop on. Cory carried her over as competently as he had the lower jumps, with no idea his rider had never jumped this high before. Sierra whooped out loud, and praised Cory enthusiastically, stroking his neck as she rode back to River, her face split in the widest grin possible.

  “Well?” River asked her, also grinning.

  “This has been the most exciting day of my life,” she answered.

  River’s heart filled with warmth as he felt like he and Sierra had gained back some of their past close friendship.

  *****

  The next day, River watched Sierra ride the training level dressage test on Cory, correcting her in a few movements, but for the most part, satisfied with how she rode with her core muscles, seat and legs, and keeping her hands very soft.

  Two days before the weekend, he coached her over a stadium course. “You two can do it,” River declared. Then Friday he told her to just ride Cory at an easy walk and trot on the trail.

  A two-day event, Sierra rode dressage and stadium jumping on Saturday. She had been apprehensive of riding Cory in his excited state, the way she had seen him prance under River as he showed off. But to her surprise, even though he jigged and pranced on his way to the warm-up areas, he remained obedient and light in her hands, seeming to understand that he was not yet in a test.

  For as she entered at A, down the center line for dressage, he rounded his neck and shoulders into her soft hands, and trotted energetically in a forward moving trot, and responded obediently to her aids as she asked for transitions and changes of rein, and responded promptly when she asked him to lengthen his stride both at trot and canter, and obediently transitioned back from his hind end muscles when she asked him to come down to working trot.

  When the standings were posted late in the afternoon, Sierra was in first place for training level, having the highest dressage score and a clean stadium round without time penalties. Dean and Calculator were in second place and Gloria in tenth.

  “I know Diva is a much better bred horse than Calliope, and there will always be better horses out there. I’m just so proud of Calliope that she consistently places among all these really expensive horses,” Katrina said as she and Sierra read the postings, and as expected, Crystal was in first place in preliminary and Katrina in fourth place.

  “You should be proud. River is proud of you,” Sierra declared, having heard the faint note of bitterness in Katrina’s tone. “Can you imagine what would happen to Calliope if someone like Crystal rode her?”

  Katrina smiled as they walked back to the stalls. “You’re right,” she agreed. “My parents paid two thousand dollars for Calliope and do you know someone came up to me after stadium and offered ten thousand for her? He said he wanted her for a brood mare.”

  “Katrina, you wouldn’t…” Sierra gasped.

  “Of course not,” Katrina stated. Then she asked in a timid voice, “How do you know River is proud of me?”

  “Because he says so; all the time, and I know I’ve heard him say it to you too.”

  “Yeah, seems like a long time ago. Lately he seems to be avoiding me.”

  This was a conversation Sierra really did not want to have with Katrina. They walked on in silence.

  “Well, is he?” Katrina asked.

  “Katrina, how should I know?”

  “Because he talks to you. He tells you things.”

  Sierra detected a tear in her voice, and felt very, very uncomfortable. She certainly did not want to see Katrina hurt. But oh, how she wanted…

  “Sierra,” Katrina suddenly grabbed her arm, stopping her in mid-stride. “Please, I beg you, don’t steal him from me.” There were tears at the corners of her eyes.

  “I…he’s…”

  “You love him too, don’t you,” Katrina demanded.

  Sierra stared back with her color rising and her heart racing. “I…” Sierra continued to stumble for words.

  Then Katrina let go of her arm. “Never mind; what a fool I am. It’s not up to you, it’s up to River.” Then in a determined voice with her eyes straight ahead she said, “I will fight you for him.”

  Love…it’s so unfair, Sierra moaned inwardly; her happiness on Cory brought crashing down by Katrina. And yes, I do love him!

  *****

  The show grounds were close enough to Pegasus that they could trailer back home and then return again the next morning for cross country.

  “I don’t like the way she walked down the ramp,” River said in the stable yard, watching Manuel lead Diva from the trailer into the crossties to remove her shipping wraps. Sierra followed down the ramp leading Corazón, also thinking Diva had been a little hesitant to set down the left hind leg.

  “Don’t look for trouble,” Tess snapped at him. “She looks fine.”

  River pivoted away from Tess, controlling an angry retort, and stepped back into the trailer to unload Four Score.

  “What was it you saw?” Sierra asked, waiting with Cory.

  “She favored her left hind as she came downhill on the ramp. I don’t see it on the flat, but she’s tender on that leg.”

  Sierra nodded. “Yeah, I noticed that too.”

  They finished removing shipping gear from the horses and put them away in their stalls with plenty of hay and extra measures of grain to compensate for the energy expended at the show. Then River started on Diva first, massaging liniment into her legs and Sierra followed behind him, placing standing wraps as she had been taught.
The idea was to provide overnight support for any strained muscles, ligaments or tendons; hopefully reducing heat and preventing swelling.

  “Good,” River said as he surveyed the wraps Sierra had placed. She stood close to his shoulder as he inspected each wrapped leg. River glanced sideways at her, studying her profile and even from the side he recognized her expression of concentration; her concern as to whether she had wrapped the legs effectively. A sudden rush of affection filled his heart at how much she cared about the horses. How badly he wanted to take her into his arms; to kiss her with all the feelings roiling inside his heart. Would she let me? Does she want me to?

  He had really enjoyed today, in spite of not being able to ride himself. It pleased him how well Sierra got along with Corazón. When everyone had left and it was just the two of them in the stable caring for the horses, listening to their contented munching on hay; he felt happy and contented himself. What would it be like to bring her inside the lounge…to take her up to my room?

  “I guess I better head home before it gets dark,” Sierra said, brushing her hands together as they left the stable. She turned to find River looking at her, studying her with his beautiful dark eyes…Kiss me, River, kiss me…

  “Yeah, don’t want your mom to worry.” He smiled, still gazing into her eyes.

  “Um, yeah, and thanks again for letting me ride Cory. He was so awesome.” Sierra smiled back. She did not want to leave; but then she turned and retrieved her bicycle, happy when River at least walked with her.

  He waited until she straddled her bicycle and pedaled out of sight down the driveway before he turned away and went into the lounge.

  Storm sprawled in front of the door where she had been sleeping. She stood and yawned as he bent down to pet her and they went inside. He fed her and filled her water bowl and scrounged through the well-stocked refrigerator. He smiled at the dishes of leftovers brought to him by Mrs. Marshall. She stopped by weekly to check on him, bringing Todd who seemed to love being around animals of any kind, and thrilled when River led him around on Muffin.