Horsemen Trials, A Fantasy Story about Horses

Chapter 17

The town was flooded not only with horses, but also with people. Today was the first day of the festivities, there were games, market booths, and shows that were going on throughout the day.

We dismounted on the outside of the town, rather than ride through the crushing masses.

As I followed Checkmate's black and white bum through the crowds, I marveled at how full the town could become. I brushed shoulders with old and young, rich and poor, male and female. It seemed everyone was here.

In addition to the loud crowd, there were booths with vendors hawking wares and a stage where a story was being acted out. This was where most of the little children were, who watched with rapt attention.

We were making our way to the east of the town, and as we did, there were more horses there. I kept a tighter grip than usual on Destiny's reins, I didn't want her to get any funny ideas in that mare head of hers.

To the west of the town was where trainers would register to compete in Trials. Sometimes a trainer simply could not complete the bare minimum of training required, and if that was the case, then they didn't register to compete. But, if they had completed the minimum, then they had to come and register today or tomorrow.

Destiny and I had completed the bare minimum, and well beyond it, but I still didn't think we were ready.

Up ahead, I could barely see through the mass of horses and people the booths that they were registering at. Lines snaked forth from them.

At the edge of the the thickest part of the crowd Mr. Blair stopped. "This is where you go on without me, since I'm not obviously not competing."

We nodded and split our ways, heading the each respective booth.

Destiny had been claimed by me at Station 10, so that was where I needed to go register her, to say that I had completed her training.

The line at Station 10 was actually rather short, I fell in line behind two other horses, being careful of course to keep a fair distance from the rear end of the horse in front of us.

It did not take long before the pair in front was registered and moved out of the line. The horse in front of me stepped up.

"Name?" Asked a man. With a start I realized that I recognized him as Mr. Werth, the same man who had refused Nadia Veldworth's bribe. I smiled. I liked him.

Suddenly a pair came up behind Destiny and I, much too close for comfort. Destiny pinned her ears, but was a good girl. I looked back.

It was Nadia herself, looking positively bored. She raised her eyebrows when she saw me. "You actually managed to train that horse?"

I didn't expect anything less from her. "Could you please move back a little bit?" I asked.

"Or what? Your precious little pony will kick me because you couldn't restrain her?"

"Yes."

That actually shut her up. She didn't move right then, but when I looked back, she had backed up.

The pair in front moved out of line. I smiled at Mr. Werth as I moved up to register.

"Name?" He asked.

"Iris Backwood."

He scanned the list of names and tapped mine when he found it. "Have you completed the training of number 192, otherwise known as Destiny?"

"Yes, I have."

"Can your horse do trot circles?"

"Yes."

"Canter circles?"

"Yes."

"Do a simple lead change through trot?"

"Yes."

"Stretch down in the walk?"

"Yes."

He nodded. "You're good to go." He wrote a check mark next to my name. "Times for the competition of all horses registered to Station 10 will be posted at the beginning of each day of the Trials. Please check the board in the town square each morning."

I nodded. "Thank you."

"Have a good day."

And just like that, we were registered for the Trials.

"All done?" Asked Mr. Blair as I came up to him.

"Yep. There were not very many people in line at my Station."

We waited for Lillian and Norah, who came back to say that they had had no trouble registering.

"Well, I think we're done for the day, yes?" Said Mr. Blair.

We nodded.

"Well then, I'm going home. Anyone coming with me?"

I shook my head. "Not today. My family is town today and we're meeting up the enjoy the day together."

"Well then, enjoy yourself Iris."

"I'll join you today, but not tomorrow, my family will also be in town," said Lillian.

Mr. Blair nodded. "I suspect many riders will be enjoying these two days with family before the competition. Norah, are you doing anything?"

She looked down. "No, Mr. Blair. I am free."

Mr. Blair's faces softened a little. "Alright." He turned back to me. "Good-bye Iris, have a fun time with your family."

"Bye, see you tomorrow."

I mounted Destiny and reined her around. Knowing the town would be crowded today, my family had agreed to meet me at my camping spot.

I cued Destiny to a lively trot and posted to it, keeping an eye on the other people. I didn't want to run into anyone.

"Iris!"

"Torin!"

I swung off of Destiny and was wrapped in a big bear type hug by my bother. "It's good to see you," he murmured in my ear.

"You too."

We parted, and I looked past him to mother and father "Hello mother, father."

Mother gave me another hug. "Hello sweetie."

"Did you finish registering?" Father asked from beside her.

"Yep. We're all ready to go."

We spent the day in Greenspire playing homemade games, eating food that only was available once a year at the Trials, and listening to the storytellers. It felt just like any other year, except it wasn't.

This year, I was one of the riders.