Horsewoman Book 1: Best Of Equitation

Chapter 8

Her black mane flowed like a waterfall over the most muscular neck I'd ever seen. Her legs were also super muscular. But I could see little scars on her flanks. Spur marks. On her back, long scars were everywhere, definitely from a Western bullwhip. The horse whinnied, eyes showing white. I held out my hand to her. "It's okay, girl," I said, trying to make my voice sound like a nicker. I blew into her nostrils. She didn't blow back. Then I remembered what I had in my pocket. I drew out a pony nut, dented but still edible. I handed it to her with a flat palm. She took it and blew back. I watched her as I backed away to the tack room to get a halter. I came back with Cherry's halter, because the mare and Cherry are both big, about 16 hh. When I tried to put the hot-pink halter onto her face, the headshy mare tossed her head. I finally somehow calmed her down, and got it onto her head. I snapped the leadrope into the O-ring and led her to an empty stall. The nameplate read COCOA, Opal's dam, but I knew right away what the mare's name would be. After I explained to Dad, Mom, and Troy, I ran to my room. I sat at my white desk and took out a sheet of paper. I wrote something on it, decorated it with gemstones, and took it downstairs and pinned it to the mare's stall. It read FIREFLY.

"Firefly, huh?" Mom said, hands on hips. As if on cue, Dad came back from the ASPCA. "Well, they do know this horse," he said, hand on his neck. I sucked in my breath. I'd already grown attached to this beautiful mare, and I didn't want to let go. "But," Dad continued, "they know us. They've been trying to get that horse away from a man that lives about a half hour from here. He abuses horses terribly. They said the mare'd be safe and well-cared for on our farm." My eyes lit up. "So we'll keep Firefly?" I asked eagerly. "Yes, we get to keep her," Dad said. "Looks like we're stuck with her," Mom added.

"Oo, she's so pretty!" Ella squealed when I introduced her to Firefly. Firefly snorted, making Ella jump. "Is she wild?" Ella whispered. I smiled. "Not wild, Ella. Just mistreated."

"What do you have today?" It was the next day, and Troy was talking to me. "Uhh, jumping on Pal, barrels with Map, and obstacle course with Nickers," I replied. Troy raised his eyebrows. "Wow! I only have dressage riding on Cherry!" When we reached the huge building, I ran straight to Map's stall. Troy bolted to stall 194, Cherry's stall. And Ella dashed to Opal's stall. I decided I'd work Map for awhile. I slid a medium correction bit into her mouth, followed by the silver-studded headstall of her bridle. Then I took an Indian-patterned saddle pad that was slung over the door and placed it on her withers. After I tightened the saddle cinch, I mounted and walked out. Thankfully, Jas was riding Mina in the arena, posting to her choppy trot. I pointed at the barrels, and she grinned and held up something yellow. When I rode closer, I realized it was a stopwatch. "Great!" I said. Map stood patiently at the starting line while Jas said, "Three, two, one....GO!" Map lunged forward and circled the barrel fine. Second. When she circled the third, her hind leg clipped the barrel, making her stumble. Even so, I clocked in a 13.37. I let the reins out, dropped them, and pumped my fists in the air. "Nice job, Cris!" She said, grinning. Then I remembered the yesterday's exciting events. "You won't believe what happened yesterday, Jas," I said, my eyes shining. "Knowing the Rogerses, I probably won't." "I got another horse." "WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!" "Yeah! A black Quarter Horse mare. I call her Firefly. She ran away from a horse abuser." Jas smiled. "I'll hafta come over sometime and see her!" She said. "Yes!" I exclaimed. "That would be so. much. fun! We should have a sleepover, too!" Jas drew her breath in. "I just had the most EPIC idea ever!! We should have a campout in Nicker's stall!" I grinned. "Great! But first I need to get Nickers ready for obstacles!" "I'll help," added Jas. Soon we were assessing Nickers. "Well, she didn't roll at all, and she doesn't feel dirty, so we should just to a dandy," Jas reasoned. After we gave her a dandy groom, we saddled her Western style. I put a one-ear, no-throatlatch bridle onto her sleek head, with a basic eggbutt snaffle. Jas gave me a leg-up and I settled in the deep-seated Wintec saddle. I took a deep breath and gave a nervous smile to Jasmine as the announcer said, "All obstacle trail participants gather at arena 121. Event starts in five minutes!" I rode up just as he said, "First up, Emily Kotesky on her gelding, Hawk!" I was number 18, so I had a lot of time to plan ahead. While I watched a Mustang mare perform, I surveyed the course. Cone weaving. Plastic bag. Wooden board. Gate. Mailbox. Two-and-three-foot jumps. Shouldn't be too hard, I told myself. As a Criollo gelding went through the trail, I noticed someone waving to me. I looked over and was surprised to see Mom on Greta the Fjord. I waved back and realized Mom was competing against me. Mom was number 17, so I sat back and watched her. She weaved through the orange cones with ease. The cones are bright orange with white stripes. Some horses don't like the bright colors, and will refuse to go through them. I've practiced with Nickers so much, however, that she rarely even looks down. Greta cleared the last three-foot jump easily.

Then it was my turn.