Toni Petti - Horse Girl Homicide

Chapter Three

"Whoa, handsome!"

"This is Kaiser, my only true love," Ainsley introduces me. "No boy could ever win me like him. You won't understand Toni. Not until you've owned a horse." The big animal plods closer and pokes his head over the yoked gate to snuggle. "Yeah. You miss me?" The gelding snorts and pushes out even further into the aisle. "Okay baby. Back." My friend unlatches the gate and smacks her tongue on the roof of her mouth to clack Kaiser backwards. She halters him in a heartbeat, slipping the leather bridle over his big head and ears. Then she motions me to stand aside so she can lead him to the crossties. I'm confused until we get there; her horse stands on rubber mats where his head can be tied to both walls. He's cross-tied, but he's so well behaved that I don't think it's necessary.

Ainsley brushes Kaiser's flanks with a curved comb while I pet his neck. She tapes his ankles and drapes a thin blanket over his back before she straps on her jumping saddle. I'm not paying attention because my job is to keep him occupied and I'm enthralled.

We've brought both saddles from the car and now we leave Ainsley's heavier English riding saddle here on the tack box. My friend will use her lightweight close contact rig this morning. The specialized gear is designed for jumping because, among other advantages, it lets riders set shorter stirrups which are more conducive to crouching over their horses' necks.

When everything is ready, Miss Chan unhitches Kaiser and leads us both into the arena. The other girls move in a slow circle to limber their mounts before today's session. It seems like they're practicing their pacing which is somehow connected to the way they hold themselves and their own posture as riders.

At first glance, it looks like the indoor space has a white sand bottom but one step on the spongy powder and I wonder if there isn't some rubber in the mix. Ainsley mounts her horse in front of everyone without using the mini staircase. She just two-steps-it up the animal's side by placing her left foot in the stirrup and rocketing upwards while simultaneously turning herself into the saddle. I'm impressed by her elegance, but probably failed to capture it on camera except in silhouette. With better shots in mind, I move to stand by the open barn door as planned. This angle has the most interesting background too, because I can see up into the hay lofts over the stables.

Candice Brummel, Tanya's mom wanders past and seems curious about me; she must wonder why I'm here. Her stallion is the gorgeous Norwegian we saw in the window when we parked and I think he's the prettiest horse in the barn. Dun in colour, Charlie has black zebra stripes on his legs and a forelock-to-tail dorsal stripe. His mane has black center hair and white outer hair that's cut short so it stands like bristles to outline the curve of his neck. He stamps his front hooves and prances and I can't stop watching him.

"Did you bring your camera?" Mrs. Brummel asks.

"No." I'm shocked by her question. Does she know who I am? Does she suspect there's a GoPro in my hat recording her now?

"Not even for Instagram?"

"I have that yes." I pull out my iPhone10.

"Be sure and at Brummel Equestrian," Candice tells me. "Then you can post all the pics you like."

"Mom!" Tanya glares at her mother and then shakes her head no at me. Ainsley catches my eye and grins, appreciating the irony. Only she knows who I am, and how many Instagram followers I have and could direct to their profiles. I stare straight ahead to hold the frame; the less I jiggle about the better.

Mr. Delany, the barn manager we met outside plods across the sand and into the parlor that's just inside the stable entrance. His sudden appearance catches Mrs. Brummel's eye and she leads Charlie over to him.