by Andrea Young
“Joe, you never have to see him again, ever.”
“I know.” Joe pulled into the driveway of Azure Hills and parked the truck. He turned to face Finny.
“After that he shoves me in the camper, tells me I got four hours to rest up before the race, then locks me in.”
“Is that the day you ran?”
Joe nodded. “All I could think about was how to get my horses out of that pen and out of that sale. When my uncle came for me I had a plan. When the race started, I’d break off, open their gate, and get them running. Then I’d lead them out to the mountains and set them free.
“So, the race is about to begin. I’d been threatened by the other riders, and they’re at it again. But somethin’s different this time. They’re whispering back and forth to each other, glaring at me. The bell rings. I blast off; I don’t want my uncle to think I’m doing anything but trying to win. Once we round the first corner and I’m out of sight I pull out and run to the corrals. I swing open the gate, circle the herd, and they start going. They followed me right out the gate, up the road, then along the highway. It worked perfect. We ran all night, got to the base of the mountain, and they didn’t need me anymore. They ran for home. It was dark but the moon was full and I could see them so clearly as they made their way up. It felt so good. I knew my uncle wouldn’t find them again. He didn’t know where they lived. Only I did.”
“You got them free, Joe. You saved their lives.”
“It was worth it, no matter what.”
“Then what did you do?”
“Well, the next part of my plan I didn’t think out so good.” Joe let out a small laugh. “I rode the rest of the night back in the direction of the sale. I wanted to hook up with this cowboy who owned cutting horses. He’d always been real nice to me, taught me a lot about reining and told me I was a real good hand. He took good care of his animals and never sold any to slaughter. I figured I’d ask him for a job and go with him. By the time I was back it was almost dawn. I slipped the horse I’d run with back in his pen and went to where the cutting horses were, but the barn was empty. I should have known he’d be gone. He didn’t participate in the illegal stuff. So there I am, nowhere to go, not a dime to my name, just the clothes on my back. I didn’t know what to do. So I went up in the hay barn to hide until my uncle gave up looking for me and left.
“I was so tired, I slept the whole day. When I woke up, it was almost dark. I crawled out of the hay and looked out of the barn window. My uncle’s truck was gone. I peeked out the door, didn’t see a soul, so I go outside and they’re on me in an instant. These cowboys from the race—it’s like they were waiting for me. This is where I got my knee busted. Anyway, next thing I know it’s dark and I’m looking up at my uncle. He’s trying to pull me to my feet but my right leg won’t work. He hauls me up and drags me to the truck, opens the camper, and shoves me in. Before he closes the door he asks me if my leg’s broke. I tell him I think so. His face goes all dark and he says, ‘Well, you’re completely useless to me now,’ and slams the door.”
Finny had gone white as a sheet.
“By now I’m positive he’s gonna kill me. He gets in and starts drivin’. I’d say we’d been on the road about thirty minutes and I start looking for anything to knock the hinges off the door or bust out the lock. The camper is full of junk so I’m hoping for anything. What I find is a can with three hundred dollars. That had to be a sign—for once some luck on my side. I find an old screwdriver and start prying away at the door. A few minutes later, I popped it. We were going ’bout seventy and I’m holding the door so it doesn’t bang around. It took another twenty minutes; finally he stopped at a light. I was out and in the woods in ten seconds flat. And, you know the rest.”
Joe closed his eyes. He felt like he’d just run a marathon. Finny scooted next to him, put her arms around his waist, and laid her head on his chest. Joe wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. They sat in the truck and stayed in each other’s arms until everything felt good again.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“I’M GOING TO BE SICK.”
“No you’re not. Take a deep breath and relax.”
“Elsa and everyone from Silver Spur is here,” Finny said, slumped on her tack trunk.
Joe knelt down so he was eye level with her. “It doesn’t matter; they don’t matter. We’re just getting Sky in the ring to see what he can do. We’re not here to win. We’re here to train because that’s what we do.”
Finny looked up and gave Joe a smile. “You’re right. I’m getting on.”
“Good, just slow and relaxed, that’s all we need.” They led Sky over to the warm-up arena and Joe gave Finny a leg up. She entered and picked up a trot. Sky flowed soft and smooth under her, not at all bothered by the new place or all the strange horses.
“How does he feel?”
“Good. Ready.”
“Super. Three ahead of you.” Finny nodded and cued Sky into a canter. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Elsa and Carl watching. She had to stop caring about what they thought or did and erased them from her mind.
Sky loped easy on a huge stride. Finny collected him up for ten strides, then opened his step for ten to get him limber. Sky listened and responded perfectly.
Sky had learned to love jumping. Finny, so accurate with her ride to the jumps, gave Sky the confidence he needed. In no time they’d built a mutual bond of trust and Sky had come to listen and respond to Finny even more than to Joe.
Joe watched Finny warm up Sky. A proficient Western rodeo rider, he was new to the English world of jumpers, but he’d learned so much from Vel he felt confident enough to help Finny get through this monumental day. Joe couldn’t imagine not being here with Finny and felt grateful again to Vel, who had insisted he go and she’d stay to take care of the ranch.
“Finny, you’re next. Let’s go watch the rider on course now.” She nodded and followed Joe to the gate.
“Joe, I’m totally gonna throw up.”
“No you’re not. Look at the course, think about that.”
“Okay, I’ve looked at the course. You’re right, I’m not going to be sick. I’m gonna die.”
Joe laughed and patted Sky. “Sky, if Finny dies make sure you finish the course anyway.”
“Again with the comedy!”
“Finny,” Joe said, “you’re going to be great. Go prove me right.”
Finny took a deep breath and entered the ring. She waited for the whistle, then picked up a canter and rode her pace circle. She felt Sky brighten on the way to the first jump. He understood this was different from a lesson; this time it counted. Sensing that filled Finny with confidence. The goal was a double clean round. They weren’t going for the win. Jump one, a simple vertical, right on stride, felt perfect. The next jump, a black and white oxer, was again easy. Sky was soft as a feather in Finny’s hand. Jump after jump smooth, each turn effortless. Finny picked up a little bit of speed to the last fence, a three-foot brick wall—just like the one Sky had jumped at home dozens of times. She’d taken a bit too long getting through the course and didn’t want a time fault. Sky opened his already giant stride and flew over the wall with a second to spare. The announcer called number six hundred eleven, clean first round. This meant Finny had made it to the second round—the jump-off. That’s where it counted to win.
The whistle blew, telling Finny she had forty-five seconds to get to her first jump. She looked at Joe and saw him clapping away. Finny cued for the canter; this time she built a little more speed. Going for the win wasn’t the plan, but Sky was going so well, she decide try for the tight turns to see how Sky handled it. As big as he was, he could still turn fast and hard when asked.
Jump one was another simple vertical, then, after a right turn, six strides to a solid green gate. Sky just stepped over, wasn’t even trying. Next a combination, one stride in tight, two out long to an oxer. Sky eased through the next two. Just three jumps to go, then the gallop through the timers. Finny picke
d up speed, clearing the next one with a foot to spare. She collected Sky up, made the hard right, and got to jump nine at an angle. No problem for a horse with Sky’s scope. In the long gallop to ten, she let Sky open up. He surged forward and closed the gap in seven strides instead of eight, then flew over the last jump. Finny kicked him forward and blasted him through the timers. It was over, she was alive, and they had made it through both rounds clean. She looked at Joe. His arms were crossed; he didn’t look happy. Finny pulled on the reins and brought Sky down to the walk. She hadn’t followed the plan. She went for the win the first time out on a green horse. Not the smartest thing to do, even if it did work out. The announcer called out, “Clean round, twenty-one point six. Our current leader.” That was exciting to hear. It didn’t mean someone wouldn’t come along and beat their time, but it was a very nice first time out. Joe’s unhappy expression hadn’t changed by the time she rode up to him.
“Finny, I know it worked out, but you know how he is. When you angled jump nine he could have hit it, or worse crashed through it. Then he would think shows are scary. You know how sensitive he is. You know what it took to get him here.”
“Joe, you’re right. I’m sorry. He just felt like a million bucks. He didn’t look at a thing. He was featherlight the whole time. It just felt right.”
Joe rubbed his temples. “It was his first time out, and he’s way harder than most horses.”
Finny realized he was mad at her for being childish. For Joe, who was never allowed to be a child, this was unforgivable.
“Joe, I totally see that now. I could have undone everything you accomplished with him. I’m sorry, really.”
Joe sat down on a bench just outside the warm-up ring. “You know what, Finny? I’m sorry. It’s your horse, your first show. You have every right to have fun. I think I’m turning into my uncle yelling at you like that, minus the cursing.” Joe put his face in his hands.
Finny hopped off of Sky and sat next to him. “This is our business and I intend to treat it like that from now on. If we make a plan, I’ll stick to it.” Finny laced her fingers through his.
“You know, Finny, you looked pretty amazing out there. And Sky, he steps over those jumps, like he’s not even tryin’.”
“That’s what it feels like, Joe.”
“What are the times? Anyone beat us yet?”
Finny got up and checked the board. “No, two others have gone, five more to go. We’re still leading.” Joe stood and looked at the board.
“Wow . . . Is there prize money for this class?”
“Five hundred bucks.”
“Oh man, I hope you win.”
“You mean we win! Do you realize if we win that money, we can start getting some training equipment?”
“That last horse was two seconds slower. If we get that money, let’s buy a bitting rig and some bridles. We might just be able to pull off this training business.”
Finny grabbed Joe’s hand. “You know we will.” Sky nudged her shoulder, as if to say, Hey, don’t forget about the star here. Finny rubbed his neck, but kept her eyes on the ring.
Hand in hand, Joe and Finny watched the last horse go. He finished the ride a tenth of a second short. Sky had won. Joe and Finny’s delighted cheers were cut short by another announcement. There was a last-minute entry.
“I don’t believe it; it’s Elsa,” Finny said, feeling ill.
“Doesn’t she normally show at three-six level or higher? What’s she doing in the training class?”
“Yeah, she’s probably never done a training class in her life. She buys all her horses made.”
“Is she even allowed to do this class?”
“It’s an open class. Anyone can do it.”
“She’s doing this just to make sure you don’t win, isn’t she?”
“That would be my guess.”
Joe put his arm around Finny and held her tight. They watched Elsa enter the ring on a horse that cost more than most houses. Savannah, her chestnut mare, was fit and sleek and used to doing jumps much higher. The whistle blew and Elsa kicked her horse forward. She finished the first round with ease as well as the fastest first-round time. The whistle blew for the jump-off. Elsa dashed off.
“I don’t think I can stand to watch. There goes our bitting rig.”
“It’s okay, Finny. We’ll get one next time.”
Elsa was flying around the jumps as fast as she could, almost frantic.
“She’s going too fast,” Finny said.
“Isn’t that the point?”
“Not if you want to win. Going that fast, you can’t turn—she’s being reckless.”
Joe and Finny watched Elsa tear up the course. Turning wide, kicking like crazy. As she cleared the second-to-last fence, her time was close to Sky’s.
“Joe, she’s going to try to leave out a stride like Sky did, but Savannah doesn’t have Sky’s stride.” Finny put her hand to her mouth as Elsa whipped her horse to the last jump. Savannah, in a panic, leaped forward and tried to jump when her rider asked. She couldn’t make it; her legs swam. The mare crashed into the last jump and somersaulted in the air, tearing the hard lumber of the jump to pieces before hitting the ground in a bonecrushing crash. The whole crowd gasped collectively, then fell silent.
“Oh my God.” Finny buried her face into Joe’s chest. Within seconds Jeff and Barbara and others from Silver Spur were running into the arena. Neither Elsa, who had been flung free, nor her horse was moving. The crowd of spectators ran to the edge of the ring, obscuring the view from Joe and Finny.
“Joe, tell me she’s okay.”
Joe hugged her. “I can’t tell. I can’t see anything.” The paramedics and ambulance rolled in with no sirens, so as not to spook the horses. Joe and Finny moved down the rail, leading Sky, to see if they could spot Elsa. Some of the crowd had dispersed but the EMTs were now surrounding her, blocking the view. A small group of bystanders and a veterinarian were hovering over Savannah, who still hadn’t moved. Joe watched the vet stand up after checking the mare and wrap his stethoscope around his neck. Joe knew by the vet’s body language that the horse was dead.
Finny began to cry. When Joe looked at her she was staring at Savannah. She knew it, too. The EMTs lifted the stretcher holding Elsa into the ambulance. Finny saw the oxygen mask on her face. That told her what she needed to know. It was a relief to know she was alive.
“Let’s get out of here,” whispered Joe. Finny nodded and once the ambulance doors closed, they made their way to the barn with Sky by their side. Neither one spoke as they untacked and got Sky ready for the trip home. Joe hurried to the parking lot to get his truck, which they’d hitched to Vel’s trailer.
As they had feared the week before, Sky had been impossible to load. After several days and endless hours, Joe, who used every trick in the book, was out of ideas. He couldn’t get Sky near the trailer, much less in it. Joe, too tired to keep trying, unclipped the lead from Sky’s halter to let him graze on his own. He sat on the bumper trying to figure out how to break the news to Finny, when Sky came up wanting the carrots in his hand. Out of frustration, Joe tossed them into the trailer and told Sky to go fetch. Without hesitation Sky walked into the trailer after the carrots. Joe didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. As long as it was Sky’s idea, he was happy to do it.
Using the same technique today, they loaded Sky in and latched the gate.
The Silver Spur trailer drove past them, then pulled out of the show grounds.
“Finny, Elsa killed her horse and almost herself, just to try to beat you,” Joe marveled.
“From the day I set foot on that ranch, she’s hated me and I don’t know why.”
“We need to break all ties with her. We’ll go to the next county to show if we have to. She worries me; she’s not right.”
“You think she might be dangerous? Like she might try to hurt Sky or something?”
“After today, I think she’s capable of anything.”
Chapter Twenty-Fo
ur
“THANKS AGAIN FOR THE RIDE, DALE. I SURE APpreciate it.”
“No problem. See ya tomorrow.” Dale gave Finny a smile, then backed his car out of the Azure Hills drive.
Finny jogged up the drive and found Joe in the round pen, lunging Jenna, the four-year-old quarter horse mare they had in training. Finny smiled when she saw the new bitting rig on the horse. It kept Jenna’s body framed correctly while she worked free of a rider.
“She looks great!”
“She is. She’s so easy, I think she was born broke.”
“Dale filled me in on Elsa. She had a bad concussion, but she’s okay and already out of the hospital.”
“That’s good to hear,” Joe said with a mystified shake of his head.
“Any work to be finished before Sky?”
“No, got it done.”
“You should save something for me, you know.” Joe smiled, “Sorry, I gotta keep myself busy while you’re gone. It’s lonely here without you.”
“You could go to high school like everyone else.”
Joe shook visibly; his eyes got big. “I’ve seen your high school—terrifying!”
Finny had to laugh. “Can’t argue there.”
Joe eased the mare to a walk and allowed her to cool down. Vel came out of the house with several slips of paper in her hand.
“Uh, kids?” She was scratching her head. “I just checked the message machine, and, well, these are for you.”
