Police have been in and out of SEC for the past three months. It is chilling. The whispers and gossip has been non-stop but that's understandable. Seeing officers and their patrol cars constantly will make you feel uneasy.
The police are speculating as Winter gets closer, the thieves could have a better chance of attacking. The dark nights are longer and daylight isn't keeping us safe for as long.
"There goes another one," Katy points out.
The three of us look to the road on our right. A white car with blue marks speeds past.
"Probably doing another patrol," Lily sighs.
We are on our way back from a mid-day cross-country ride. Virgo has built up a small sweat and walks limply on a loose reign behind Katy's gelding, Cobra.
"This is insanity," I groan.
"I still can't believe one of them had the guts to be prowling around at the New Castle show," replies Katy.
Sophie and I had promised each other not to tell anyone we chased the thief that day, just that we saw them. Antonio had rung the police immediately and since then chaos has broken out. All the horses are securely boarded up at night now and extra security cameras have been put in. Oh, and the police scavenging around constantly.
We walk through the white gate, leaving the cross country area of SEC and down the dirt trail to the stables. The trees are shedding their leaves and the temperature is dropping with the change from May to June.
Past the outdoor jumping arena we walk, where familiar faces are riding bareback.
Tom whoops and it's fantastic to see Jack smoothly ride his buckskin over a large oxer. They gracefully land on the other side and the boys clap for him. He takes a graceful bow before rejoining the group.
"Hey look!" Will calls. "The girls are coming back from a dangerous outing."
"Hardly dangerous, well maybe for you. Easy for the three of us," Lily jokes, dismounting next to the arena.
Katy and I halt and follow Lily's lead.
"I thought you guys were doing school work?" Katy asks, loosening Cobra's girth.
"Yeah, we took a break," Tom replies.
Lily laughs. "From what fooling around?"
Will walks Romeo up to us. "No, doing actual school."
"Will, you next?" Alex calls.
"Nah, you go."
I stop rubbing Virgo's nose and lookup. The Prince of Riding gathers Fletcher's reins and with his legs dangling by the chestnut's bare sides, he pushes him onto the outside track and canters. From under the helmet, his eyes lock onto the jump. It's a big one. I'd be too scared to jump this height bareback.
Down towards the jump they come, Fletcher's pace quickening, and quickening. Alex sits up on Fletcher's bag and in perfect unison, they fly over the jump and land neatly on the other side.
My mouth is hanging open a fraction.
We are all quiet for a moment. A low whistle comes from Tom. "You make it look, easy man."
Alex shrugs, walking back to the group.
"Please! Of course that was easy for him. I have a video of him going over a meter thirty verticle bareback from Christmas last year," Will laughs.
Alex smiles and strokes Fletcher's mane as the horse starts to doze off. Doing that is seriously impressive.
I keep watching him as unclips his helmet to scratch his black mop. He twists around and our eyes meet for a second before I pull away. Damn it.
YOU ARE READING
Madison v.s The Horse Thief
PertualanganBOOK ONE IN THE MADISON v.s THE HORSE WORLD SERIES Being coached by your equestrian hero is a dream. For Madison Smith, however, it is about to become her new reality... Madison has just been accepted to ride at Siracusa Equestrian Centre-one of the...
