Horsewoman Book 1: Best Of Equitation

Chapter 2

"Ok, squeeze your knees in and bring your body up," I called. Ella was learning how to post in her tiny English saddle. "But press your knees higher on the skirt. If you don't, Opal might canter. "That wouldn't be good!" Ella giggled. "Do you think I'll be able to enter Best of Equitation?"           Best of Equitation was a big rodeo/dressage show that had everything from halter classes, to barrel racing, to hunter classes.                                                                                                                                           Out of nervousness, "Maybe," was all I said. Ella also reminded me I needed to fill out entry forms. "Yeah, I'll do that later."                                                                                                                                                                           "Sure."                                                                                                                                                                    "I mean it, Ell," I said. "I have to go exercise some of the horses. You can ride with me if you want."                 Of course, Ella squealed, and we were soon riding side-to-side, me on Map, and Ella on Opal. Map's chestnut mane flowed freely in the wind as I cantered loosely around barrels. I was entering Map in barrel racing. Ella followed on my heels, Opal's four white socks rising and falling in a steady trot. "Come on, Ell! Try cantering." Ella nodded, said, "I'll try," and tapped her little boots on Opal's flank. Of course, Opal was still wearing the red leather English saddle; Dad was scared to have her ride bareback. I, on the other hand, was riding bareback, with a blue leather hackamore.                                         I urged Map into a loping gallop. The only thing I could see was the purple blur of heather fields.

"No, I said trot, not balk!" I hollered at the end of a longe line. Teensy the Falabella was on the other end. I was trying to train the young gelding for the show. It wasn't working. I walked up to him, cuffed him playfully behind the ears, and pretended to scold him. "Tee-Tee, you have to practice if you want that blue ribbon on your little halter!" Just then my older brother, Troy, cantered by on Cherry the Hackney. Cherry's liver chestnut tail flagged freely in the wind while Troy jumped her on the two-and-three-feet cavalletties, then finally over the four-and-five-foot hedges. "Show-off!" I yelled to him as he brought Cherry to a slow cattle-slide halt, inches away from me. "Besides, Hackneys are show horses! Why'd you teach her a cattle-slide?" I asked. He shrugged his shoulders.                                                "Don't you need to fill out your entry forms? I already filled out mine," he said. "I'll take Teensy off your hands," he added.                                                                                                                                           I gave in. "Okay," I said with a sigh. I trudged into our large house and plopped down on a chair in the dining room. Forms already waited for me on the table. I grabbed a green mechanical pencil and started writing the list of entries.

Map: Barrel racing, four to five year old mare halter, intermediate jumping course.

Skye: Two to three year old filly halter.

Sweetie: Barrel Racing, advanced jumping course, four to five year old mare halter, cavaletti dressage, longe line.

Teensy: Three to four year old gelding halter, longe line dressage, longe line jumps.

Nickers: Beginner jumps, six to seven year old mare halter, dressage riding, obstacle course.

Freedom: Six to seven year old mare halter, dressage cavalletties, dressage.

Pal: Five to six year old gelding halter, pole bending, advanced jumping course.

And finally:

Misty: Intermediate jumping, five to six year old halter, pole bending.

I set down my pencil. "Phew!" Then I took a pen with a horse head on the top and started writing out the official Best of Equitation forms. I started by putting the horse's registered names in the top boxes.

Map of Chincoteague

Skye Blue

Chocolate Sweets

Teensy Tiny

Nickers the Horse Gentler

Freedom Flag

Pal-Omino

Misty Day

Them I wrote their dates of birth, events, and so on. Right as I finished, the door opened and my sister, Dannielle, walked in. "Hey!" I said, grinning. She waved her hands at me, signing hey back. Dannielle is mute. Doctors don't know why, but she's never been able to make a sound out of her mouth. She signed to me, How many events? I counted in my head. "Twenty-four," I answered. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. I looked out the window just in time to see Dad drive by, holding the long reins for a four-in-hand cart. Hitched to the cart were Sweetie, Nickers, MJ's Melody, and Nova. I giggled at the sight of Ella in her tiny cart on Dad's tail,Opal in the harness. Dad waved to me and signed, Race! "Oh, it's on!" I said, dashing out of the house, Dannielle on my heels. We both wheeled out our small carts. I was planning to use Freedom, and Dannielle signed to me, Twister. "Ok, I'll grab him for you," I called. Seconds later, I was slipping rope halters over the horse's faces. I led them out, urging them into a slow trot.                                                                                                                                        "You remember how to hitch them up, Danni?" I asked. Danni nodded. "Ok, good."                                              I took out Freedom's leather harness, set it on her broad, shiny back, and buckled it. I grabbed a pair of long leather straps from the wall and buckled them to the sides of the harness. I attached them to the cart. Last, I took long, red reins from a hook. I pushed them through the loops on the sides, leading them to Freedom's muzzle. I slipped the bridle onto her velvety face. She took the bit willingly. "You ready, Danni?" She knocked on air, signing, Yes! We flicked the reins in unison, sending the horses into a canter.