Cinderella's Cowboy

Chapter One

My eyes search the ring for my step sisters. I am able to easily able to pick out Jordan’s Pinto Thoroughbred Kisses behind her I see Paige’s brown Thoroughbred Snuggles. I should have known they would be right next to each other. They always are, you see Jordan and Paige are my twin step-sister. I am supposed to look after them and make sure that the always place well or at lease higher than me. The announcer comes on and tells us to walk. My mare settles right down into the walk and I make sure my step-sisters do to. Everyone in the ring knows what is coming next and so do the horses. Some are getting antsy I know that the judge is pick out those horses I am too. Those that are misbehaving are making my job easier.

The announcer comes on again and asks us to canter. My mare picks it up nicely and I see Kisses throw a little kick. I know the judge has seen it so I as my mare to swap her lead’s. She does as I ask and I feel the judge’s eyes on me. She marks me down and I which my leads back. Snuggles is behaving so I relax into my seat. We are asked to walk then trot into the line-up and I sigh. Jordan and Paige rode well and should place well. My step-mother catches my eyes and I give her a nod letting her know that they will place above me and did well. She smiles then goes back to talking on her phone. The announcer starts the placing and with no surprise Paige wins first and Jordan gets second; I follow it up with third. I congratulate the other riders as we head out of the arena. I hop of and hold Kisses and Snuggles so Jordan and Paige get off.

They run to their mom and hug her. I lead the three horses back to their stalls and un-tack them. By the time I finished grooming them Jordan and Paige has come back having changed out of their show clothes and plop themselves into the chairs in front of their horses stalls. I begin to wrap Kisses legs to go home in as they talk. I finish then get out of her stall. Jordan is right there scowling at me. I look at her and ask “What?”

 She smirks are me and says “You said that fixed that kicking habit.”  I role my eyes “I did he didn’t do it going the other direction. Snuggles was just to close behind you guys and he didn’t like it.” Now Paige is in front of me giving me the death glare. “So you are saying that it is my fault?”  I respond “No of course not when we get back I will keep working on it with him.” Now their mom steps into the picture “You better finish wrapping the horses’ legs we are leaving in ten minutes.” I nod my head and go into Snuggles’ stall she greets me with a nicker and I wrap her legs. I don’t know why she is so worried about leaving she will not even be here anymore.

I feel bad for these horse I mean there name are so girly and there owners are so spoiled. I pat her then leave her stall and enter my mare’s, my mare’s name is Lilly she is a chestnut Arabian, I have had her since I was five. My dad bought her for me when she was two. Most people thought he was crazy giving a little five year old a green mare but he didn’t care. He put me right on her and we learned together. She is also one of the few things I have left of him, my dad died three years ago at a different type of horse show. He went to a rodeo, someone fell off and he jumped in the ring to help. The horse went crazy and charged at my dad breaking neck killing him instantly. You would think having this happen to him would keep me from riding but no I pushed on in memory of my dad. We were on a winning streak until my stepmother Olivia thought that her daughters deserved to win more than me. So now I make sure that I never place higher than them. I put the horses’ halters on and walk them out to the trailer.

 I look around for Jordan’s and Paige’s car but no surprise they are not there and neither is Olivia’s. I load them up and then load up our equipment; I check everything one last time then hop in the truck and drive to our barn. I pull in and park there is only one other car here and it belongs to my best guy friend. I hop out and open the trailer. Sam comes running out to help me and I point him towards the equipment he laughs and shakes his head he knows the routine by now. I unload the horses and put them back in their stall and un-wrap their legs. I head to the tack room and see Sam sprawled out on the floor. I role my eyes and laugh at him