The Canterwood Crest Stable of Books

by Jessica Burkhart

  “Perfect,” Callie cheered. “He’s all business today, isn’t he?”

  Alison nodded. “Maybe the time off was good for him.”

  “Go ahead,” Callie said to me. “I’ll go last.”

  “Okay.” I pushed my heels down and Charm moved out into a smooth canter. I counted down the strides—four, three, two, one, and up! On up, I lifted out of the saddle and moved my hands along Charm’s neck. He rounded his back and rose into the air. We landed and in four strides, he leapt the second vertical.

  I did a half-halt to slow him and he eased up.

  “Good boy,” I whispered. I rocked in the saddle and leaned forward as he jumped the third vertical. He took them with such ease. We cantered to the final jump and he seemed suspended in air until his front hooves hit the ground.

  I turned Charm and Callie clapped.

  I glanced over at Eric. He gave me a thumbs up and a big smile.

  Callie rode Jack forward to the course. The Morab moved as if he jumped like this in his sleep. Callie completed the course without a wobble and rode back with a smile.

  “That felt good,” she said.

  “It’ll feel better after we do it AGAIN,” Heather said.

  “Yes, Mr. Conner,” I teased.

  Even Heather smiled at that. “Fine,” she said. “Then I’ll take it all the way.”

  She turned to Julia. “Go again. This time, more leg before Trix takes off. Don’t jerk on her mouth when you land. Got it?” She mimicked Mr. Conner’s deep voice.

  “Yes, sir,” Julia said.

  I sat back in the saddle and waited for my turn. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Eric. He almost jumped up in his seat every time one of the horses launched into the air. I laughed to myself. It was like he was riding the course, too!

  After we’d all finished, we dismounted and cooled the horses. The horses were ready to get back to their stalls and I had a feeling we all wanted to go back to our rooms. Eric, probably afraid of incurring Heather’s wrath, waved goodbye and slipped out of the arena.

  The Trio led their horses out of the arena first and Callie and I followed behind them. Callie’s eyes were on the ground. She must have been stressing about tomorrow.

  “We’ll be ready for the demo,” I said. “It’ll be okay.”

  “Oh,” she said. “I know. I mean, you’re right. I mean…see you tomorrow.”

  “Oh,” I said. “Okay.”

  It’s just nerves, I reminded myself. Just nerves.

  “I can’t wait to see you tomorrow!” Paige said, via Webcam.

  “I know! It’s going to be awesome to have you at the demo!”

  Paige grimaced. “I might have to cover my eyes, though, when you go over those giant jumps. I’m scared just watching you!”

  “I’ll be fine,” I laughed. “Charm takes care of me.”

  “Go get some sleep,” Paige said. “See you in the morning.”

  “See you then.” I flicked off the camera and went to my closet. I needed an outfit that screamed Future YENT Member.

  I looked through my show breeches and picked a fawn colored pair with suede knees. My tall show boots were shiny since I’d cleaned them after my last event. I grabbed a white show shirt and my favorite show coat—the black one with the gold stitching—and put everything together on my bed. I stepped back to look at it.

  Perfect. Charm and I would be ready.

  31

  DON’T BLOW IT

  MR. CONNER’S CLINIC, DAY 13. LAST DAY.

  MINUTES TILL DEMO: 44

  TIMES I’VE WANTED TO THROW UP: 3

  TIMES I’VE CONSIDERED CONFRONTING VIOLET

  ABOUT THE E-MAIL: 3. TIMES I’VE CHICKENED OUT: 3

  IT WAS JUST BEFORE EIGHT ON SATURDAY morning and the demo started at nine. The groups were staggered, so I didn’t technically go on until nine thirty.

  A handful of cars and SUVs filled the parking lot. I wondered if any of them belonged to scouts. I hurried into the stable and almost got run over by a girl running out the door.

  “Sorry!” she said. “Forgot my choker pin!”

  I touched my neck to be sure my pin was there. I’d thrown on an oversize sweatshirt and sweatpants over my show clothes. As much as I loved Charm, I couldn’t trust him not to sneeze on me.

  I walked to the indoor arena where the riders were supposed to gather for a final pep talk from the instructors.

  “Welcome,” Mr. Conner said after everyone had gathered inside. “I want to thank you for attending our clinic. I hope you feel prepared for today’s demonstration. You’ve all shown tremendous growth. I look forward to hearing of your successes in the equestrian circuit.”

  “Best of luck to all of you,” Miss Cho said. “Thank you for your hard work.”

  Mr. Bright stepped forward. “I thank you all for your well-wishes for my daughter. Thankfully, she’ll make a full recovery. I hope her accident serves as a reminder to us to be careful riders.”

  Ms. Thorne stared at us and smiled. “If I see any poor jump seats,” she warned. “I’ll stay an extra day just to make you jump without stirrups again.”

  We all laughed.

  “Go get ready and good luck!” Mr. Conner said.

  Everyone rushed to the door. I grabbed Charm’s tack box before going to his stall.

  “You okay?” I asked him. His ears flicked back and forth and his bottom lip trembled. “Don’t get nervous. Maybe I’ll just groom you in your stall so we stay away from all of the craziness out there.”

  I went into his stall and clipped a lead line to his halter. I tied him to the iron bars on his stall and picked up the hoof pick.

  “Ready for your predemo grooming?”

  Charm nodded.

  I blocked out the nervous chatter of other riders and focused on Charm. After I picked his hooves, I brushed him until every hair on his coat gleamed. I rubbed his face with a clean cloth and he closed his eyes. He stood still, almost sleeping, while I combed his mane and detangled his tail.

  I took his tack box out of the stall and checked to see if crossties were free. A pair a few stalls down was empty.

  “C’mon, boy,” I said to Charm, leading him down the aisle. I clipped him into the ties.

  “Hey,” Callie said. She and Jack walked up to me.

  I finished a final sweep of Charm’s coat with a soft cloth while Callie put Jack on a tie ring.

  “Do you feel ready?” I asked Callie.

  “As much as I can be,” she said. “You?”

  “A little nervous, but yeah, I think we’ll be fine.”

  My phone buzzed and I looked at the screen. I’m here!

  “Oh, my God!” I said. “Paige is here!”

  “Go say hi to her,” Callie said. “I’ll watch Charm.”

  “Be right back.”

  I hurried outside to look for Paige. The yard was full of students, horses, and adults. Ms. Thorne stood by the arena and talked to a man in a black suit. Maybe he was a scout. By the stone benches, I saw Paige crane her neck and look around.

  “Paige!” I called.

  She turned and saw me. “Sasha!”

  “You look amazing,” I said, giving her a hug. “Your coat is gorgeous.”

  Paige wore a plum-colored wrap coat, skinny jeans, and furry chocolate-brown boots.

  “Thanks. It’s from the Teen Cuisine wardrobe. I might have snagged you a few accessories.”

  “Omigod!” I hugged her again and she laughed.

  “Take me to see Charm! I haven’t seen him in a while,” Paige said.

  Paige and I linked arms and headed for the stable.

  “Welcome back,” Callie said, hugging Paige.

  “It’s good be back,” Paige said, stretching out a hand to Charm. “Hi, beautiful.”

  Charm sniffed Paige’s hand and she stepped up to rub his neck. Paige looked over and saw Jack. “He looks gorgeous, too, Callie.”

  “Thanks,” Callie said.

  “Here, girls,” Mike said, walk
ing up to us. He carried my saddle, bridle, and saddle pad on his right arm and Callie’s on his left.

  “Thanks, Mike,” I said.

  “Yeah, you didn’t have to do that,” Callie said. We took our tack from Mike.

  “You both deserve a little help after doing so many of my chores,” Mike said. “Good luck.”

  He walked off and Paige looked at me. “Chores? What’s he talking about?”

  Callie and I looked at each other and then at Paige.

  “It’s kind of a long story,” I said.

  “Yeah, long and one that has to be told over hot chocolate,” Callie said.

  Paige squinted at us. “You guys did something. You have to tell me after the demo.”

  “Promise,” I said. “We’ve got to tack up. Do you want to go find a seat in the indoor arena?”

  “Sure,” Paige said. “I know you guys don’t need it, but good luck!”

  Paige walked away and Callie and I got to work.

  “We have to take her on a trail ride soon,” Callie said. “I’m sure Mr. Conner would let her ride a stable horse.”

  “Yeah—that would be so much fun,” I said. “She’d love it.”

  I smoothed the pad onto Charm’s back and placed the saddle on top of it. I reached under his stomach for the girth and tightened it. Charm didn’t move while I unclipped the crossties and slipped the reins over his head. Callie and I finished bridling the horses at the same time.

  “Oops!” I said. “Forgot to paint his hooves.”

  “Here.” Callie tossed me her hoof polish.

  “Thanks.” I bent down and smoothed on a clear layer of polish. “Now, we’re ready.”

  I started to lead Charm away from the crossties.

  “Um, Sasha?” Callie said.

  “What?”

  “Our clothes.”

  I looked down at my sweats.

  Oops!

  “Right.” I handed her Charm’s reins and she held him while I peeled off my sweatpants and took off my sweatshirt. Callie handed me back Charm’s reins and I took Jack’s while she stripped off her dirty clothes, revealing a perfectly tailored navy jacket and beige breeches.

  “Now we’re ready,” she said.

  We looked at each other and I gave Callie an encouraging smile.

  “Let’s do it,” she said.

  32

  ONE CHANCE

  HORSES AND RIDERS PACKED THE WAITING area near the indoor arena. Riders muttered strategies under their breaths, readjusted leg wraps, and brushed horsehair off show coats.

  “Let’s keep them away from that for as long possible,” Callie said. “They’ll get nervous.”

  I scanned the aisle for a quiet spot. “Over there,” I said. A space had emptied near the back. We led our horses away from the crowd and I rubbed Charm’s shoulder.

  “Do you remember how this is going to work?” I asked Callie. “I think I zoned out when Miss Cho explained it to my group.”

  “Ms. Thorne told us that each group would do flatwork first and then we’d talk to the scouts. After everyone does flatwork, we’ll all move out to the jump course.”

  “Wait, we have to talk to them?” I stopped Charm and looked at Callie.

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  From our spot, we could just see through the large window into the indoor arena. I peered through the glass and watched Heather’s group trot, canter, halt, and reverse directions. For a minute, my nerves eased as I watched Heather ride.

  She and Aristocrat made the other riders look as if they hadn’t even attended the clinic. I shifted my eyes to the stands and focused on a group of people who had to be scouts. Four men and two women. They held clipboards and looked back and forth from the riders to their notes. A few seats in front of the scouts, Paige leaned forward in her chair and watched the riders.

  After a few minutes, Miss Cho signaled Heather’s group to stop. The students lined up their horses in the arena’s center. Heather scratched Aristocrat’s neck and he let out a quiet snort.

  The scouts stood in their seats and walked toward the horses and riders. As a group, they moved together and stopped in front of Heather, who was first in line. They studied Aristocrat and turned their heads as they whispered. One man said something to Heather. She nodded and whatever she said back made him smile.

  The judges did the same to each person in line. When they looked to Mr. Conner, he stepped into the arena.

  “If you’ll take your horses back to the waiting area, we’ll progress through the other four groups and then your group will be first to jump,” Mr. Conner said. “Thank you.”

  The riders dismounted and led their horses out of the arena. Heather headed for Callie and me.

  “You next?” she asked Callie.

  “Yeah,” Callie said, turning to Jack and preparing to mount.

  Heather stopped Aristocrat. “Good luck. Oh, and Sasha, Julia told me she thought she saw Jacob outside.”

  “What?!” I shook my head. “He’s here? Really? Where?”

  “Oh my God, calm down,” Heather said. “Julia said he was by the outdoor arena.” She led Aristocrat away from us.

  OMG! He came to watch me ride. He was going to tell me he wanted to be more than friends.

  I checked my watch. “If I hurry, I can go find him and get back in time for my class.”

  “No,” Callie said, stepping around Jack. “You can’t. You could be late and miss your ride for the scouts. Mr. Conner would freak if you left.”

  I looked around for him. “But he’s watching the other group ride. He won’t notice if I’m gone for two minutes.”

  Callie narrowed her eyes at me. “After we just convinced Mr. Conner to let us ride, you’re going to run off? Don’t.”

  “But…”

  I took a breath. She was right. Jacob could wait. This was more important. “Okay,” I said. “I’ll stay. You’re right.”

  “Good,” Callie said. “I would have worried too much about you being late.”

  Callie mounted Jack and turned him toward the arena. She pointed her crop at me. “Do. Not. Leave.”

  “Promise,” I said. “Good luck!”

  Callie rode into the arena with Julia, Alison, and another girl in their group. They were down a member since Georgia couldn’t ride.

  The second Jack started moving, I knew Callie had no reason to be worried. Her hands and legs were quiet as she guided him through Miss Cho’s instructions. The scouts didn’t show any emotion while they watched Callie ride, but I could tell by the way they looked at her that they were impressed.

  I tried to stay focused, but my mind couldn’t help wandering. Jacob was here! As soon as I got through my flatwork round, he’d be waiting when Charm and I jumped. Charm and I would fly over the jumps, and Jacob would be so impressed.

  Finally, Callie’s group finished and the scouts strode up to her, Julia, Alison, and the other rider. It was time to prep for my ride.

  “Good luck,” Eric said, walking up beside Charm. He scratched Charm’s shoulder. “I’m going to go grab a seat.”

  “Thanks,” I said. “Paige is in there already.”

  Eric slipped away. I closed my eyes and visualized a good ride.

  “I can’t believe Mr. Conner let you in here,” Jasmine snapped.

  I kept my eyes closed for a few more seconds before looking at her. She led Phoenix over by Charm and me.

  “I don’t have time for this,” I said. “I’m trying to get ready.”

  Jasmine brushed the sleeves of her hunter green show coat. “Well, unlike you, I’m all ready. I got an extra day of lessons that you didn’t get and I always rode after class. I’m more than prepared.”

  “You rode after lessons?” I asked. “When?”

  “Every day,” she said. “You ran out of here as fast as you could, but I actually stayed to practice more.”

  I turned away from her and mounted Charm. That’s why I’d never seen her around campus or at the cafeteria. I should ha
ve been here, I thought. But instead, I’d been trail riding, getting in trouble, and obsessing about Jacob. And my mind was still stuck on him. It drove me crazy that he was out there and I was stuck in here!

  Cole and Aaron mounted their horses and we waited for our signal to go in. Mr. Conner dismissed Callie’s group and she and Jack walked by us.

  “Amazing!” I said. I leaned down to slap Callie’s palm.

  “Thanks.” She smiled up and me and patted my boot. “I know you’ll do great.”

  Mr. Conner stuck his head out into the aisle. “Group C, we’re ready for you.”

  Jasmine urged Phoenix in front of me and I rode in after her. Cole and Aaron followed me. The group felt noticeably smaller without Violet.

  I tried to keep my hands from shaking.

  “Hello, everyone,” Miss Cho said to us. “Please move your horses along the wall and start at a walk.”

  Here we go! Just get through this and then you can ride and see Jacob.

  I slid Charm behind Cole, who followed Jasmine. No way I wanted to be near her. She’d pull some dumb trick to mess me up. I kept my eyes focused between Charm’s ears and didn’t look at the scouts in the arena.

  “Trot,” Miss Cho called.

  The second I touched my heels to his sides, Charm moved into a smooth trot. I posted and we made a couple of laps around the arena.

  I almost couldn’t hide my smile. This was going to be waaay easier than I’d thought. Charm could do these exercises without me! I wondered what Jacob was doing. I hoped he’d come inside the stable.

  “Cross over the center and then canter at the wall,” Miss Cho called.

  Uh-oh…did she say walk through the center and halt at the wall?

  I slowed Charm to a walk and we started across the arena. Everyone else kept trotting. My stomach twisted. Did I mess up the instructions?

  “Trot, Sasha!” Miss Cho called.

  I wanted to hide. That’s just what I needed—to be called out in front of the scouts. No one else had missed the instructions.

  I nudged Charm with my heels, but he ambled along at a walk. I squeezed my legs tighter around Charm’s sides. He took five more strides at a walk before he broke into a bumpy trot. Charm trotted for only a few seconds before the rest of my group started to canter.