Summer Love

chapter 12

Two weeks later

"Codie! Hurry up or we will be late!" Kari yelled through the barn.

"Sorry! I couldn't find my girth!" I yelled back running out of the tack room. We were currently loading up and getting ready to go to our first team competition this year. This show was strictly the children's division. 3'-4'. Lindsey and I were showing in the 4' division, while Sawyer and Annie were showing in the 3' division, and Tiana was in the modified 2'9". I was so stoked, but extremely nervous. It's been nearly six years since I last showed.

"Let's get a move on everyone!" Kari yelled getting into the driver's seat of the truck. We all piled in, Annie and Tiana in the front and us three in the back. The JV team was showing tomorrow, so it's just us going up today.

After a three hour drive, we pulled into the show grounds. We drove through a large iron gate, and went down a long drive surrounded by trees and green fields. On the left side were some pastures and old barn with horses occupying them. And on the right was a cross country field. We drove a little more and were shown the barns and riding arenas. There was one large barn and two smaller barns in front of it. Then there were four arenas adjacent to the barns. One was obviously set up for warming up, and the others currently had horses showing in them.

Kari stopped the truck and let us all out and we unloaded our horses and brought them to their assigned stalls. After unloading our tack, we went to sign in.

While I was waiting I looked around to scope out all the competition. There were a lot of people here. I saw one team walking around on their horses, but I couldn't see what team they were. Then they turned around and I saw their zone number. Zone 3. They came all the way from the East coast! Great there goes our chance at placing.

I finished signing in, and returned to Zeus' stall. I gave him a hay bag and started braiding his mane. The rest of my team is paying our barn braider to braid their horses, but I want to know it is being done right. While braiding I heard a bit of commotion coming from outside the stall. I stepped down from the stool and poked my head out. There stood Sawyer and Lindsey. Sawyer was holding onto Lindsey's wrists and was whisper yelling at her.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked fully coming out of the stall. They jumped apart.

"Nothing. We were just waiting for our horses to be done being braided." Sawyer said a little rushed.

"Alright, well I'll see you guys at the ring then I guess." I said going back into Zeus' stal and tying up the last of his braids.

I brushed Zeus down and applied showshine to his coat to make him shiny. I tacked him up and put his scrim sheet over my saddle, and covered his legs in boots. I tied him up and let him eat while I went to go change.

Walking back from the bathroom, I saw Sawyer stomping towards the barn with Lindsey following close behind him. I couldn't help but think back to earlier when they were whispering. I feel like they're hiding something from me. I decide to shake it off and worry about it after the show. I've got enough to worry about right now.

I return to Zeus' stall dressed in my show clothes and hair pulled up neatly into my helmet. I untied my number from his neck and re-tied it around my waist. I pulled his bridle on and led him to the warm up ring where Kari was waiting.

"Codie! You look amazing. Now I want you to just start hacking him around until the others get out here." Kari told me. I nodded and walked into the ring.

The rest of the team eventually made their way to the arena, and I was able to start warming up over jumps.

I cantered around and hopped over the small vertical set up. I came back around on the other lead after Kari raised it. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Sawyer and Lindsey at it again. I lost focus and we chipped into the fence.