Horsewoman Book 2: Summer Camp

Chapter 2

"All set?" Mom asked as I tossed my backpack into the car. "Yep! I can't wait!" I exclaimed. We were leaving to camp. I had loaded the blue van with my bags, boots, helmets, and crops. "Let's go!"

The two hour drive to Caliridge passed quickly, and soon we were registering. I had to fill a long form before sitting at a bench with about ten other kids. An auburn-haired girl was next to me. "Hi," I said awkwardly. She smiled warmly. "Hi! I'm Audre. Nice to meet you!" "I'm Cristal," I said. "Nice to meet you, too." "So, do you have horses at home?" Asked Audre. "Yeah, I have a grey Andalusian mare named Skye. She's a really great jumper," I said, already missing my horse.
"Nice! I have two Connemara ponies, Apollo and Pepper. Pepper's only eight months old." "Aw, I love foals!" I exclaimed. "Me, too!" Was all Audre got out before the last camper signed up and a camp counselor addressed us. "Hello, campers!" The counselor said. She was a kind-looking lady, probably about 25, with bright red hair and green eyes. "Welcome to Caliridge jumping camp! I'm Hayley, and this-" she gestured to a brown-haired woman walking up to her, "is Katarina. We are the counselors in charge here." "And," said Katarina. "We make sure you have lots of fun! First things first, though. Hayley is going to tell you the cabin you are in and the kids you're sharing with. There are six kids per cabin." "This group will be staying in cabin #2K. Mia, Gail, Miranda, Amy, Ashley, and Megan, please take your things to cabin #2K. The next six will be staying in cabin #7D..." She listed one other group before she called my name.
"Staying in cabin #3A is Audre, Cristal, Erica, Jadyn, Melanie, and Airi. Please take your things to cabin 3A." I slung my backpack over my shoulder, extended the handle of my suitcase, and picked up my riding bag. My group tromped up the stairs into the cute cabin. Inside, there were three small bunkbeds. To the right of the bedroom was a small cloakroom with dressers marked with our names. Off of the cloakroom was a bathroom with a bathroom stall, sink, mirror, and shower. "I love this cabin!" I told Audre. "Really cute," she agreed. We put our stuff in the cloakroom and started unpacking into the dressers. The one marked 'Cristal' was a pretty robin-egg blue. I unloaded my half chaps, crop, helmet, tall boots, riding boots, paddock boots, and half chaps into the top drawer, then my breeches, jodhpurs, and riding shirts into the second. After putting my normal clothes in the third drawer, I sat on my bed for a moment, taking in everything. I'm really here, I told myself. I can't believe it. "Hey, Cristal?"
Audre's voice broke into my thoughts.
"Do you want to be bunkmates with me?" Audre asked.
"Of course!" I broke into a big smile.
Audre grinned, too. "Yay!"
"Campers!" A new voice called. "I'm Leigh," said a young counselor, about nineteen. She grinned excitedly. "It's time to pick horses! Remember, the horse you choose will be your horse for the entire three weeks. It will be your responsibility. Now, I am going to call two names at a time, and those two will go the barn and choose their horse. First group is Erica and Jadyn." Soon, blonde-haired Jadyn and black-haired Erica were back in, beaming happily. "Next is Audre and Cristal."
"Yes!" I said, excited. Together we raced up the rocky path. At the top of a big hill, we had a view of the whole farm. A huge gray barn was surrounded with lush green pastures. Horses sunbathed, rolled, and grazed in the paddock.
Audre grabbed my arm. "Come on!"
We sprinted down the hill into the barn.

When we entered the barn, I heard the familiar sounds of stomping, snorting, whinnying, and nickering. Familiar sights, too. Women grooming horses. A young man leading a Thoroughbred by a red halter. Saddles hung on racks.
"Hi!" Said an older woman. "You must be Cristal and Audre. I'm Carlotta. Nice to meet you!" She extended her hand and we shook it in turn. "Now, about picking horses. You can pick any horse you want from these three rows." Carlotta swept her arm over the stalls. Curious horse heads peeked out from them.
"You also find notes on the door of each stall, telling about the horse and its personality," she added. "Now, go pick your horses! But please, no running in the barn." Audre and I walked down the rows, examining the horses. All of them were beautiful. How could I decide?! Right away, Audre found a sorrel Connemara pony gelding named Rocky.
"He's so cute!" She exclaimed. "And he looks just like Apollo!" I stroked Rocky's nose absentmindedly while I scanned the aisle. I rounded the corner into the second aisle. I heard a loud whinny coming from the stall at the end. At the last stall, a dark dapple grey poked its head out and nickered gently. "Hey, there," I said softly, letting the grey nibble my hand. "And your name is-" I peeked down at the paper. "-Cheyenne. Is that right?"
I got a snort in return.
I picked up the paper. It read:
Cheyenne is a super sweet horse that loves to please. She will jump anything, anywhere. Cheyenne is also an amazing cross-country horse, having speed and high jumping skills, not to mention endurance. Cheyenne is no doubt a favorite here at Caliridge for her kind personality and super-smooth gaits.
Name: Cheyenne, also known as Chey
Breed: Arabian/Andalusian cross
Gender: Mare
Height: 17.73 hands
Best event: Everything!
"I think I want you to be my horse," I said to her. I pulled out the sticker marked CHOSEN that Carlotta had given me and slapped it onto the stall door.
"Cristal?"
Audre's head poked into the aisle.
"Which horse did you choose?" She asked.
"This mare. Her name is Cheyenne," I said, lovingly stroking her forelock.
I could have stayed in that barn forever, but Gail and Miranda from cabin number 2K came with stickers. Gail immediately put her sticker on a chestnut mare named Star, and Miranda put hers on a black gelding named Knight.
"Come on, Audre! We have to get back!"

"Who'd you two pick?" Asked Leigh when we arrived back at the cabin.
"Cheyenne. She's awesome!" I said, flopping down on my bed.
"Rocky," said Audre. She pulled two granola bars from her bag and handed one to me.
"Thanks," I said before peeling back the wrapper.
After everyone had a snack, Leigh said, "Campfire time! All the campers will gather around a fire and get to know each other. Let's go!"
She led us to a firepit surrounded by chairs. Everyone else was already sitting around it. A big fire was raging in the pit.
"Hello, campers!" Carlotta said loudly. "I'm so glad you are all here. We're going to play some icebreaker games, okay? It's good to know some details about everyone. We're going to start by saying your name, age, favorite color, and the horse you chose in turn. I'll go first to demonstrate. Does that sound good?"
Her answer was a cheer.
"Okay. My name is Carlotta Wilkins, and I'm fifty-two. My favorite color is yellow, and I ride any horse here. Now, this pretty young woman will start." She gestured to a brown-haired girl.
"My name is Mia Tanner," she said. "and I'm twelve. My favorite color is green. I chose Rocket."
"Good choice," said Leigh. "I love Rocket."
Audre was next. "My name is Audre Rentis, and I'm fourteen. My favorite color is orange, and I'm going to ride Rocky."
My turn. "My name is Cristal Rogers, and I'm also fourteen," I said shyly. "My favorite color is teal. I chose Cheyenne."
"My name is Leigh Wheeler," said Leigh. "And I'm twenty. My favorite color is pink, and I ride Rocket."
After fifteen other kids went, we had dinner, and soon it was bedtime.

I went into the cloakroom before going to sleep and slid onto the top of my dresser. Phone in hand, I dialed the familiar number. Ella answered.
"Cristal?"
"Yeah, it's me," I said, smiling at the squeaky voice I knew too well.
"How's camp?"
"Fun! You'd love my horse, Ella. She's a really dark grey mare named Cheyenne."
"Nice!" Ella squealed. "Look, we're having dinner. Talk again tomorrow?"
"Sure."
"Bye."
"Bye."
"Wait, Cristal?"
"What?"
"Skye misses you. We all miss you."
"Thanks, Ella."
Smiling, I pressed the red dot and Ella's voice faded.
"Cristal!" Audre yelled to me. "Light's out!"
"Ok, I'm coming," I called back.
Soon I was snuggled up in pajamas and a soft blanket.
"Good night, Audre," I said at the upper bunk.
"'Night, Cristal," came the reply.
"Oh, and Audre?" I said.
"What?" Audre sounded sleepy.
"You can call me Cris, if you want," I smiled up at the bed.
"Ok, cool."
Then I heard a soft snoring.