Crown Prince Challenged (10 page)

Sarah mounted her horse and headed for the trailhead, her fingers crossed that she wouldn't meet up with the girls and Derek. As she and Prince walked near the barn, Jack stepped outside and beckoned to her. When she got closer, he asked, “So is it a wee bit of trail riding for you and Crown Prince this morning?”

“Yes. I hope he'll be quiet. He's had a lot of stall rest this week, so I longed him in the ring first to take the edge off.”

“Excellent,” Jack said.

Prince suddenly raised his head to look across the parking area, his ears pricked. When Jack and Sarah followed his gaze, they saw Derek, Nicole, and Kelly coming toward the barn. “It appears we have riders returning,” Jack commented. Sarah noticed how strikingly handsome Bismarck looked under saddle. He dwarfed the two other horses.

“Howdy,” Derek called out, as the group neared.

“Good morning,” Jack said. “I know Nicole and Kelly have ridden their horses to the old orchard before, but I'm thinking this might have been your first visit. 'Tis a great ride, is it not?”

Derek flashed his even smile that made Sarah's heart beat a little faster. “The girls were nice enough to show me the way.”

Kelly had come up behind Derek. “It was a great ride,” she said. “Our horses totally get along. No kicking out, and not once did they pin their ears.” She paused to give Sarah a mocking look before turning back to Jack. “Nicole and I were wondering if Derek could join our class. The horses would be, like, perfect together!”

There were a few moments of silence as four faces watched Jack for his reaction. He looked directly at Kelly, his expression stern and uncompromising. “I place riders of similar riding ability together, as much as possible, and if they have their own horses, I try to put those with a similar level of training together,” Jack said in a clipped voice. “I certainly don't make up classes based on the horses' social relationships … or the riders', for that matter.”

Sarah turned her head to hide a smile, but Derek couldn't stifle a laugh. From the stony looks on their faces, it was obvious Kelly and Nicole were not amused.

Jack remained serious as he continued. “There
is
someone who will be joining your class on Wednesday, and that rider is Sarah. If you have any concerns about how well her horse behaves with yours, then I recommend you keep a safe distance, a rule you should
always
observe on horseback.”

Holy schmoly! They're going to freak out!
Sarah thought, as she looked at the ground to avoid meeting Nicole's glare.
Time for me to make an exit,
she thought. She couldn't help thinking about her next conversation with Kayla.
She'll be in hysterics when she hears about this!

SARAH GUIDED PRINCE
toward the parking area and the dark opening in the trees that marked the head of the old orchard trail. A shiver of excitement tinged with a touch of nervousness ran through her. This would be an adventure she and Prince would share, just the two of them. They were going on the old orchard trail by themselves, and that's how she wanted it. Just her and her horse. If they met wild turkeys, this time she'd be ready. She vowed that no matter what happened, she would be in the saddle when Prince got back to the barn!

Approaching the narrow trail entrance, Sarah sensed some tension in her horse. He knew where they were going, all right. With her legs she assured him that yes, they were going onto the trail. In response, he stepped onto the path and moved rapidly over the pine needles. With his head up and ears flicking in all directions, Prince took in everything around them. She felt his powerful muscles working, even at walk, moving them along at a quick pace.
He's loving this!
she thought. And, as her butterflies calmed, so was she.

The quiet of the forest was broken only when Prince snorted at a squirrel leaping from one branch to another above the trail. When Sarah felt him hesitate, she immediately reassured him by pressing her legs firmly against his sides. “It's okay, Prince,” she said softly, and he resumed his energetic walk.
So far, so good,
she thought.

Minutes later, Sarah recognized the group of trees ahead that signaled they would soon be in sight of the fallen log. She brought Prince to a halt and stroked his glossy neck. They should probably turn around at this point and head back to the farm. Jack had made it clear she was to go only a short distance the first day, and to gradually increase the length of the ride over the next few days. But Prince had been walking so fast. She'd probably gone too far already.

When she asked him to turn around on the trail, Prince braced against the bridle. He wanted to go farther! He wasn't ready to go home. Perhaps they could just jump the log ahead and then turn back. He had done it so effortlessly on their first ride, and there was no reason to think things would be any different today. Besides, she had been on this trail so many times with Lady Tate when they hadn't seen even one wild turkey. She envisioned being totally in sync with her horse as he lifted her over the jump.
Okay, Prince,
she thought.
I know what you want. Let's do it!

Sarah shortened her reins and gathered her horse before asking him to trot. He pushed off eagerly, as if remembering the jump ahead. As they rounded the curve in the trail, the big log came into view. Prince's ears went forward, focusing on the jump, while Sarah concentrated on looking through his ears ahead to the trail in the distance. In no time, Prince was rising off the ground, carrying both of them over the downed tree and leaving it behind them. He floated along the trail in a relaxed canter, not hurrying or pulling to go faster. His gait was so smooth, so perfect. Sarah didn't want to stop! They continued cantering until they passed through the narrow section where the low overstretched limbs had been removed by Gus and Lucas.

Sarah was in heaven! This is what she had dreamed of for so long, riding such a magnificent horse,
her own horse,
and leaving all her problems behind. Now Prince grabbed the bit as he quickened his pace and extended his stride into a gallop. As they raced by the tall thin grasses where the turkeys had been, he ran even faster. In no time, they were at the base of the ridge and beginning the climb toward the old orchard. Sarah felt the strength generated by Prince's powerful hindquarters as he galloped up the steep incline. At the same time, almost by instinct, she leaned forward and extended her arms to allow him more rein. The trail whizzed by as his gigantic strides devoured the ground. Horse and rider were moving as one! Higher and higher they climbed, and soon they were galloping through the thick, green grass of the orchard in the midst of the old apple trees.

Sarah sat back in the saddle and asked her horse to slow his pace. At first Prince resisted pressure from the reins. He shook his head, loving the run that had gotten them there and not wanting to stop. Sarah was insistent, and after a few strides he came back to her, first to trot, and then to a walk. The gallop up the steep ridge had been strenuous, and his breathing was quick, his nostrils red and dilated. She reached down to stroke his neck—it was warm and moist. She turned him to take in the view of the farm below, and in the distance, a few cottages in miniature with a glimmer of the ocean beyond. For several minutes they stood still, catching their breath and taking in the world.

Sarah felt on top of the clouds, her heart beating fast from the excitement of the ride. But the spell was broken when she checked her watch. She gulped. They needed to get back to the farm before anyone was concerned! She hoped no one was keeping track of how long they'd been gone.

Sarah turned Prince toward the trail that would take them down the ridge. As on their last visit, she asked him to carry with his hindquarters while she tweaked the reins to keep him light in front. Prince had learned something about negotiating hills on their first ride, and now he moved down the ridge in a more balanced frame, containing his forward movement without attempting to turn sideways.

As they proceeded slowly down the steep trail, Sarah's conscience began to bother her. There was no question she had failed to comply with Jack's wishes. How could she have done that? He had helped her so much. Without Jack's support, she would never have gotten Prince in the first place. From the beginning, he had convinced her father to let her take Prince on trial, and Jack had gone the extra mile to provide help whenever she'd needed it. And yet today she had clearly disregarded his instructions.

Excuses ran through her mind.
It isn't as if I'm riding a Brookmeade schoolie,
she thought.
Prince is my horse, and I should be able to do whatever I want with him, like the other boarders do.
But deep down she knew she shouldn't have ignored Jack's advice, and the place where the turkeys had swooped out of the tall grass was still ahead of them. She clutched the reins a little tighter and scanned the trail ahead.

When they reached the bottom of the ridge where the trail leveled off, Prince suddenly stopped and twisted sharply to look to his left. His body was rigid and he snorted loudly. Sarah had been focusing on the tall grasses close to the trail, searching for signs of the turkeys, but now she turned to see what Prince was looking at in the thick woods. Standing close to one of the mammoth pine trees that grew in this section of the forest stood a massive moose! With its huge rack of antlers, it looked enormous. Prince was riveted to the spot and snorted again. The moose didn't move, its eyes fixed on them.

Sarah felt a chill run down her spine. Perhaps they had invaded the moose's territory. What if it charged them? She wanted to get out of there fast! She kicked Prince hard with both legs while pulling his head around, sending him flying down the trail. After they galloped through the trail's narrow section, she twisted to look back. There was no sign of the moose in pursuit. She sat deeply in the saddle and asked Prince to slow his pace. The large log wasn't far ahead, and she didn't want to meet it at a full gallop.

Sarah was happy when Prince slowed his pace when she asked, and as the log came into view, he was back to trot. After steadying him a few strides, Sarah applied enough leg pressure so Prince knew they were committed to jumping it. He trotted to the base of the log and then lifted over it, cantering down the trail toward home. With little resistance, he came back to trot, and then willingly walked when she asked him.

“You amazing horse!” Sarah exclaimed, stroking his neck. She noticed that he was still quite warm, and a new worry flashed across her mind. No way did she want to bring him back to the farm hot and sweaty. If they ran into Jack, he would know in an instant she had done more than just walk Prince a short distance on the trail before turning back. Prince was walking at a fast clip, for now he knew he was headed back to the other horses at the farm, but he responded when she used half-halts to ask for a slower walk. Occasionally she halted him for a few moments, and frequently reached down to feel his shoulder. She was relieved that as they approached the parking area, Prince was nearly dry to her touch.

As had been the case when she left earlier, there were a lot of cars in the lot. Saturday was a busy day at Brookmeade when people who were in school or worked during the week could ride. Earlier she and Prince had been the only ones in the sand ring, but now there were half a dozen horses there. One of them was Bismarck, and Kelly and Nicole stood at the rail watching Derek's every move.
They probably never take their eyes off him,
she thought.
I wonder how Derek likes his new bodyguards.

Her mind came back to Jack with a jolt. What would she say when he asked her about the trail ride? She was dying to tell him how totally awesome Prince had been. She wanted him to know her horse hadn't freaked out when they encountered the big moose. But she had ignored his advice and had gone on a longer ride then she should have. He would have every reason to be upset with her. Could he understand that she and her horse had just gotten carried away? She was torn between regretting her actions and glorying in how Crown Prince had galloped up to the old orchard. It was a day she would never forget! She and her horse had been as one, his powerful strides eating up the trail as he flew up the ridge.

Sarah guided Prince directly to the barn's side door, dismounted, and led him down the aisle toward his stall. Once he was on the cross-ties, she removed his polo wraps. They had done their job—the cut on his leg had been well protected and was still firmly scabbed over. After untacking Prince and going over him with a soft brush, she led him into his stall, where he drank deeply from his water bucket before starting on his noon hay ration.

Sarah leaned on the back wall of the stall and reached for her phone. She needed to find out what was up with Kayla. Her friend answered right away. “Hi,” Sarah said. “I just remembered you have a show coming up. Is it tomorrow?”

“No, the Fairmont Farms show is
next
weekend. Want to bring Prince?” she teased.

“I wish I could,” Sarah said. “Maybe someday, although the way Nicole and Kelly see it, Prince should be banned from all horse shows and group lessons for the rest of his life.” She paused to change the phone to her other ear. “I've got a Kelly and Nicole update for you,” she continued. “They're following Derek around this place like stalkers, and this morning they got him to go on a trail ride with them. When they got back, right in front of me Kelly asked Jack if Derek could join their class. Kelly said they should ride together because their horses don't kick and totally get along.”

“You've got to be kidding!” Kayla cried. “What a stupid reason for someone to join a riding class.”

“Isn't Kelly a piece of work? Jack told Kelly he doesn't make up his classes based on the horses' social relationships.”