Watch Me

Chapter Four

Tara stormed into the house and slammed the front door behind her. Her mom jumped and turned around with a confused expression. She wiped her hands on a hand towel and asked "what's wrong?"

"Mindy Archer." Tara choked out, her chest tight with anger. When she got home, she looked Jewel over carefully and found where Mindy had struck her with the crop. She had a long welt on her flank and Tara knew that there would be some bruising on her own leg. Jewel was completely worn out from all of the excitement.

"What did she do this time?" Her mom leaned back against the counter and crossed her arms over her chest.

Tara sat down at the table and laid her head on her arms. "She called Jewel a useless mutt and basically said she couldn't do anything."

"Oh Tara..."

"Mom, I tried to prove her wrong." Tara interrupted. "We raced across the field and Jewel almost had her, but then she started playing dirty!" Tara paused and swallowed. "She hit us" she whispered.

Her mom walked over to the chair and draped her arms around Tara's shoulders. "She hit you? Like cheating jockey style?"

Tara nodded and buried her head into her arms. Her mom hugged her tight and whispered into her ear "well, I guess we need to get back at her."

"How?" Tara asked, lifting her head and turning to face her mom. "She has an unfair advantage with her money and all."

"But she doesn't have the true bond and willpower you and Jewel have." Her mom stood up straight and smiled. "She also doesn't have me as a trainer."

"Are you serious?" Tara smiled. "I thought you retired from training?"

"I retired from giving lessons to others and training other people's horses. You're my daughter."

"Thanks mom!" Tara jumped up and hugged her tightly.

Her mom laughed and said "be up early in the morning. We have a lot of work to do!"

*****

"Okay, put those logs ten strides from the poles." Tara's mom directed her dad who was pulling the wagon with the tractor. He stopped and Tara helped him unload the long logs. They stacked them to make another jump and Tara placed some fake flowers at the edges.

They had finally finished setting up Tara's new training field. She had log jumps, oxers, ground poles and tarps. There were barrels and mounds and bales. Tara smiled and took it all in.

Jewel had her head hanging over the board fence. She watched them move around and set everything up. Her ears perked when she heard Tara's voice and she whinnied happily.

"Go ahead, get her tacked up." Tara's mom smiled and watched her run off to get the mare. Tara led her to the barn and quickly brushed her out and tacked her up in her English set. Jewel could sense Tara's excitement and she bobbed her head, ready to go.

Tara led the mare out to the field and her mom gave her a leg up into the saddle. She adjusted her stirrups and straightened her reins. She walked Jewel up to each obstacle, letting her take as much time as she needed to look them over and smell them and just get used to all angles. Jewel snorted at the bale jump that had fake ferns on the top. She looked over the bright red and yellow flowers at one of the log jumps then completely ignored the crinkling of the tarp at the one water jump.

Mrs. Douglas had Tara warm up around the edge of the field. Tara walked Jewel then let her trot. Jewel snorted and pranced around, her head tucked and ears pricked. "Take her across the poles."

Tara nodded and turned Jewel towards the ground poles. Jewel adjusted her stride and trotted over the poles, lowering her head and stretching. Tara circled her and took her over the poles again. After a few rounds, Tara's mom had her approach the smallest jump: a single log with fake ferns on the sides. She pushed Jewel into a canter and pointed her at the small jump. Tara misjudged the distance and Jewel had to stumble to get over the jump. Tara cantered around the course and tried again, this time making Jewel reach. She slowed the mare and sighed.

"You just need to work on judging your distances." Her mom walked up to the jump. "Try it again. This time, imagine another Jewel directly in front of you. Find the distance."

Tara took a deep breath and cued Jewel to canter again. The little mare cantered right up to the jump and leapt over neatly, landing smoothly. Tara smiled and patted her neck and continued to ride her over the poles and the single log.

Her mom smiled and talked as she walked away. "Just keep it up and remember the distances! She'll need more power for bigger jumps!"

Tara watched her mom walk away with her dad. She rode around the jumps and looked for a good one. Jewel locked onto the small wall and bounded over it. Tara patted her shoulder and guided her over another log. They spent almost an hour jumping each jump. Jewel never even offering to refuse. Tara focused on finding the correct distance and perfecting her form over the jumps.

"I think that's all for today, girl." Tara gave Jewel's now sweaty neck a good pat and rub and walked her around to cool her off. She walked her right into the barn and dismounted. Her legs were sore from the jumping and Jewel was tired. Tara untacked her and took her out behind the barn to hose her off. Jewel shook her body happily, throwing water everywhere. Tara laughed and hosed down her legs and stomach.

After drying off, Tara took Jewel out to her field and let her go to run around for a few hours. Jewel snorted and trotted off into the field then stopped and began grazing. Tara watched her for a few minutes then went inside to get cleaned up.