Glitch #ONC

Chapter Ten

The impending show pushed all other concerns to the side. Luke busied himself with polishing his tack while Melody did her best to get Queenie's white socks white. Together they braided her mane, tail and tidied up her shedding coat.

With her freshly washed waffle rug on her back, Queenie followed Luke into the back of the trailer without question. She buried her face into the haynet. 

"Just try to leave those braids in," Luke attached the trailer tie and unclipped the lead rope. He gave the horse a scratch on the withers before letting himself out the side door. As he lifted the ramp he felt Mel walk behind him.

"I've done the back."

"Thanks." He latched the bolt. "Have we got everything in the truck?"

"You loaded the tack, right? I've just put the cool box in."

"The ice wraps?" Luke pulled off his gloves and unfastened his helmet. He peered into the bed of the truck. 

"In. I put extra ice packs in, just in case we're put in the glaring sun. There is nothing worse than trying to drink lukewarm water." Mel pulled a face. She jumped into the driver's seat and wound down the window.

"It does look like it's going to be a good day." Looking through the window he could see the two saddles resting on the back seats alongside a tangle of leather. He could make out the two different bridles by their different bits and the fluffy sheepskin pads of his martingale. With two complete sets of tack, he allowed himself to relax a little.

"Come on, we need to get on the motorway within the next ten minutes if you want a decent warm-up." Mel adjusted the radio to a national station so she wouldn't have to change it mid-journey. 

The motorway being less busy than expected allowed them to make it to the event an hour early. Something Luke found quietly reassuring. It also allowed them a better spot in which to pitch up their truck and trailer. 

As Luke hopped out of the truck he was greeted by the smell of the freshly baked doughnut stand. He stood there for a minute trying to spot it. Queenie stomped her hoof impatiently inside the trailer. 

"Alright girl, we're here now. I'll get you out." Cautious not to stand in her way, he walked Queenie out into the brilliant sunshine. 

She stopped at the bottom of the ramp, her head held high and nostrils flaring to take in all the smells. Her piercing whinny made several people turn their heads in her direction. She jogged off the ramp, her tail swatting from side to side like a braided whip.

"I'm going to try walking her around for a bit," Luke offered the horse a little more line and kept her moving.

"I'll go to the registration tent to get your numbers if you want?" 

"That'll be great, I shouldn't be too long, she just wants to have a quick look around." He kept one hand on the mare's neck as they walked through the crowded rows of trailers and horse lorries. Once he could feel the overflow of nervous energy dissipate he turned back towards his truck. 

With the mare calm and eating from the haynet once more, he set to work in getting her show-ready. His hands made light work of the braids Queenie had rubbed loose. By the time Mel returned Queenie had been brushed to a high shine and her hooves glistened from a coating of oil. 

"You have memorised the test, right? It's just the stewards wanted to know if you needed a caller and I said no."

"It's BE95, its pretty easy to remember because it is all mirrored. Is the warm-up busy yet?"

"Isn't it always? Classes don't start for another hour and yet there are people there prancing around and showing off." Mel helped herself to a bottle of water from the cooler. "I didn't realise they included flying changes and piaffe in the 90cm classes now, I do hope you have been practising?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm and was loud enough to carry across half the lorry park.