At Risk

Chapter 9

I sat in the kitchen 5 days after Amy's surprise visit.  I was eating some cereal and mapping in my mind how I would work Cody today.  Amy left yesterday with more confidence in me then when she arrived and I was currently at the point where Cody was okay with most tack, but my heavier saddles were still iffy.  She seemed as if she just didn't like the weight on her back, so when I wasn't working her, I tended to leave light hunter saddles on her in her stall.  She didn't mind these too much, but it was nice when I was finally able to saddle her without her getting nervous.  Today, however, was the big day.  I am finally going to ride my horse today.  I first want to try her just standing, and then move from there.  If she doesn't mind me sitting, I'll try it with the saddle.  If she's not okay with that, I'll take it off and try bareback.

"You ready for today K?" My dad asked, sitting next to me at the table.

I finished chewing and swallowed my last bite.  "I'm ready, but I'm nervous." I admitted.

"That's to be expected, Kendall.  You know, you've made great progress with her.  I wonder what you did that got through to her." my dad questioned as I got on my boots.  

"I actually have a theory.  I think all the people that have worked with her have looked at her like a project.  I'm connecting with her.  I really do think that we are going to be a good pair." I said.

"Well, I wanted to show you this," he said, pulling a manila envelope out of his jacket and handed it to me. 

I opened it skeptically to see registration papers for a quarter horse.  I scanned through the pedigree, seeing a couple nice names.  This horse has strong racing blood and is even the half sister of Easy Date, whose dad is Easy Jet.  That was on her sire's side which is when I realized that this horse's dam is Spot Cash, which is pretty cool.  Her sire is a horse by the name of Chicks Bedunio and I am instantly impressed with this horse's pedigree and wonder why my dad handed me this paper.  The horse's registered name is Can't Rush a Vision, which I love and think is really unique.  

"Whose papers are these, dad?" I ask, not understanding why he showed me these.

"Your horse.  Took some searching, but I found out your horse is registered to the AQHA."

"Cody?" I choked out.

"Yep.  Your stubborn little project in the barn has crazy good bloodlines and I though that might... inspire you do work harder." He smiled and hugged me.  "Now go work with your horse," he said, leaving me gaping in the kitchen.

"This changes everything." 

*****

"C'mon Cody!" I said, pushing her even further.  Knowing her bloodlines now, I wanted to get her as far as humanly possible before fair.  She just snorted at me and sped up, making her saddle move a little.  She was currently tacked up in an old English saddle and she had a faded blue saddle pad on.  I was going to attempt to put polos on, but she seemed high strung when I saddled her up and I decided not to push her limits too much.  Finally, I slowed her to a trot, and eventually a walk.  She came into the middle of the circle and faced me head on.  Her grass belly had started to get smaller, and her legs even looked a little muscular, but I knew she still had a long ways to go.

"What are you doing?" I asked her, moving the lunge line into her sights, hoping that wound make her move.  She just stared at me and huffed, bending her head to inspect what she could see of the saddle.  "You've worn this saddle before, Cody.  What's all the hubbub?" I was hoping she'd decide to just turn around and keep going.

"Now's a good a time as ever." I heard a familiar voice speak.  I whipped around and saw Nick standing there in a pair of faded blue jeans and a t-shirt that fit him a little too well.  

"Nick?  What the hell are you doing here?" I asked in pure astonishment.

"Your dad said you're actually making progress with her and I wanted to see for myself.  I've got to say, I never thought I'd actually see a saddle on that horse."

"She's been letting me saddle her for about a week.  I was going to try and ride her today but she seems really stressed out.  I think it'll do more bad than good."

"Just try it.  She'll be fine." Nick said, seeming a little snappy.  I almost wish he'd just leave because he obviously didn't want to be here.  I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and instead of ignoring like I normally did, I took it out and saw a text from my friend Maisie.  I opened it and saw a picture of Nick and another girl.  A girl I immediately recognized as Cameron, one of my biggest competitors in the show ring.

"What the hell?" I muttered, moving on to the actual message.  It read: 'Check this out.  Nick was all over her outside the Pottery Barn today.  Did you guys break up?'  I gasped, realizing what she was implying.  Did Nick break up with me?  Was he just here per Cameron's request to see how I was coming along with Cody?  It was common news by now my intentions with her for the upcoming show season.  Ordinarily I'd back down from a challenge I was set up to fail.

In that moment, I channeled all the emotions I felt- jealousy, anger, sadness, betrayal- and passed them all onto Cody.  I put my phone back in my pocket, checked Cody's girth to ensure that it was tight, and gave her stirrup one firm tug.  Cody seemed to understand how I felt and the need behind the situation.  She was comfortable with the weight on the stirrups because I'd done this before.  I'd put gentle weight onto the stirrups and walk her.  I examined the height of the pasture I was currently in.  I decided to bring her to this pen today to see how she'd do lunging without the walls.  It was about 5 feet high.  I examined Cody's height and couldn't believe I was contemplating doing this.

"I've got a message for you to pass along for me, Nick." I said, dragging a mounting block over to Cody.  I got one foot in the stirrup and Cody and I took one deep breath as I swung the other leg over the saddle.  It wasn't really a jumping saddle but in that moment, I didn't care.  I backed her up a couple strides and began to trot and eventually canter forward.  We were nearing the fence only feet from where Nick stood.  I'd taken 6 weeks of jumping classes last summer and I knew how to jump a horse.  I gave her a firm kick to the sides and before I knew it, we were sailing over the fence of the pasture.

"Oh my..." I heard Nick say as we landed the jump cleanly.  I halted Cody and gave her a firm pet on her neck where my other hand held the reins.

"Tell Cameron if she wants to fight fire with fire, I'm down."