Much More Than A Horse Story

Chapter 4: Bang, Bang

We trotted into the arena smoothly. I slowed Dina to a walk as we neared the center. We positioned ourselves to face the judge. I bowed. The judge smiled and nodded, a signal to begin our test.

I trotted Dina to X. The letters were neatly placed on signs although I doubted I would need them. I had practiced this test so much it was drilled into both mine and Dina's minds. We did a small circle at X and slowly cantered to Z. I kept in the back of my mind that I would need to be almost perfect to get first place. The barn was counting on it.

I shook my head to get me back to reality. Good thing I had then. Dina had just reached Z. We high stepped across the fence to K. Dina kicked stepped across the arena to C. We continued the test, and I must say, it went very well. At C we backed up and Dina did a fancy small rear turn, which was supposed to be in the routine. Although Olympic riders rarely did rear turns. It was hard to tell if that was a routine rear or a random rear.

Dina sidestepped diagonally across the arena to the middle. We side step trotted in a circle to face the judge. I bowed and Dina bowed as well. The crowd cheered very loudly. The judge grinned and nodded with a small wave, signaling to exit the arena.

A small crackle drew the audience's attention to the speakers on top of the wooden poles by the judges box.

"Emma Evans riding Dina, a score of 97." The female judge announced.

I gasped to myself. That was Dina's highest dressage score! She threw her head around once we exited the arena. Lyn was running over to congratulate me, when 2 loud bangs stopped her.

Lyn ran over. Dina was bucking around. Luckily the judges didn't notice or Dina would've been disqualified. I was holding onto Dina's reins tightly. I was trying to calm her down but it didn't work. She threw me off and I landed close to the fence where horses and riders were waiting.

A rider with curly black hair jumped off her horse and yanked the reins of Dina down. She stood still but gave a few small kicks and tail whips in the air. Lyn ran to me. I moved my arms and legs. No broken bones there.

"Emma! Are you hurt? Broken bones?"

I stood up. My butt hurt. "I'm fine. My butt will be bruised though."

Lyn laughed. "Well, collect Dina then. That nice girl is holding her."

I looked over to see an African American girl holding Dina's reins. Dina was swatting her tail crazily.

"Thanks for holding my horse." I said. I nodded at her and grabbed Dina's reins. The mare instantly calmed down.

"Sure thing. Those gun shots were unexpected. I'm surprised she's the only one that spooked though."

My eyes got wide. "She's the only one? Doesn't surprise me. She's a young high strung mare. And most of the horses here are geldings. But never the less, you really think those were gun shots?!"

"Mm hm." She said and got on her horse. "I love talking as much as the next person, but I'm up after the next two riders."

I looked around for Lyn, but she had walked away. I hopped onto Dina and trotted her to her stall. Lexi, Kelsey and Shelby came running to me.

"Em! We heard about your fall." Lexi said.

"Are you hurt!?" Shelby asked frantically.

"I'm fine. Bruised butt, that's all."

They giggled but stopped when a medic man walked in with a stretcher. I turned around. "It's fine. I only bruised my leg."

He nodded, still looking worried but jogged out of the barn. Kelsey looked at me, confused.