Two Days with Horses

    “Bye, Mom.” I stepped out of the car, my riding helmet in one hand, and slammed the door shut with the other. I pulled my blonde, shoulder-length hair back with a hair tie and headed for the barn.

    My mom called to me through the open window, “I’ll see you soon, honey.” She drove away, and I could hear the crunch of tires on gravel as she went down the long, winding driveway of Stone Ridge Stables.

    Stone Ridge was where my horse, Star, was boarded. I took lessons four days a week with the instructor and barn manager, Lisa Smith. Located in the bluegrass state of Kentucky, in the famous area of Lexington, Stone Ridge was everything you’d expect it to be. Although most barns in and around Lexington are Thoroughbred facilities, there are a handful of hunter-jumper and eventing stables mixed in. Stone Ridge is one of them. A huge painted sign advertised the stables alongside the road, and its white fences stretched along for half a mile. The driveway was long, with a small bend in it as it approached the barn. It was lined with trees on both sides. The pastures were filled with horses, mostly Thoroughbreds and other warmblood breeds. Behind the barn was a large riding arena, and beside it a slightly smaller indoor one.

    I walked into the barn, which was empty. It had a cobblestone floor and stalls lined both sides of the aisle. An office and tack room were at the far end. Lisa must be in her office, I thought as I grabbed Star’s lead rope from his stall and hung my helmet in its place. I headed back out to one of the pastures beside the driveway. Star, a sixteen-hand bay Thoroughbred gelding, was grazing. He looked up as I approached, and meandered over to the gate.

    “Hey, boy.” I greeted him, unfastening the gate and clipping his leadrope to his halter.

    “Kayla! Hi!” Lisa appeared from the barn door. She was tall and had long auburn hair.

    “Hi. I’m just taking Star in to get ready for the lesson.” I clucked to him and tugged on the leadrope.

    “Ok. Emily and Karen are in the indoor already. I think they’re warming up now. We’ll practice in there today, to keep out of the sun.” Lisa smiled and started to head back into the barn. “I’ll go keep an eye on them.”

    Emily Willoughby went to the same school as I did. She usually ignored me, but recently she’s been doing her best to annoy me around the barn. She picks on my riding and my horse. I don’t say anything; ignoring her is hard to do, but I’m too shy. You see, I’ve been at Stone Ridge for about a month, and Emily was there before I was. I don’t really know anyone yet because on most days when I’m here, only Emily and Karen are around. Karen seems kind of nice, but she hangs out with Emily a lot, so I’m not so sure of her. We all are in the same group lesson twice a week, Intermediate Huntseat.

    Fifteen minutes later, I had Star groomed and tacked up and was entering the indoor arena. Lisa was at the center and Emily and Karen were walking in circles to warm up their horses. I checked Star’s girth and mounted up. We joined the others, and after ten minutes of walking, Lisa had us begin posting trot.

    I love riding. Something about finding your perfect rhythm, and getting in balance with your horse, is so much fun to me. I love the fact that there is so much to think about when I’m riding; checking my balance, whether or not my heels are down, my calves are in contact with Star’s sides, my reins are even and contact is elastic, my body is in the proper position, and ultimately, that I am in harmony with Star. That’s why riding is the best thing I do.

    Lisa began calling out instructions, “Karen, I’d like to see you sitting a little more gently. Close your hip angle until you find your balance. Kayla, see if you can get Star’s head down a little. Try carefully tugging the reins with each hand individually, alternating. Make sure you do it quickly, but don’t jerk on the bit. Emily… everything looks good.”

    I did as she instructed, and Star lowered his head and tucked it a little.

    “Excellent, Kayla. That looks much better.”

    Emily came trotting up from behind me and cut in front. As she passed, she said arrogantly, “Having trouble with Star’s headset, are we?”

    Star’s head came up and I repeated the rein signals to bring it back down. He sped up a little and I had to do half-halts for ten strides to get him back to a normal pace. Star is an ex-racer, and I’ve been trying to retrain him to be a jumper. He’s coming along pretty well, but one thing he doesn’t like is being cut off by another horse. He speeds up and thinks he’s racing again. Of course, Emily realized that and did it all the more. A little flare of anger rose inside me, but I squelched it down and concentrated on Star.

    “Good, Kayla. He raised his head, but you saw it and brought it back down quickly.” Lisa was setting out ground poles on one side of the arena. “You all can start trotting over these poles. Remember to get into two-point as you go over them.”

    Star was fine with ground poles. He usually kept his head tucked nicely, and he snapped his legs up high to avoid knocking them. That was one thing we could do better than Emily—her wonderful, high-dollar horse had been trained by a professional before he became hers, and he sometimes knocked poles that were on the ground. He was a great eventing horse, but I suppose he doesn’t think poles are worth extra effort. He didn’t always pick up his feet over them.  Star was very conscientious when it came to poles and jumps.

    After the lesson, I had Star in cross ties and was currying him when Emily came over. “You know, you really should put a martingale on him. It would fix his headset problem. But then again, he’ll always have a problem. Ex-racehorses are always crazy.”

    I turned to face her, another bit of anger flaring up inside me. “Running martingales aren’t allowed in most of the classes I show in. Lisa says I shouldn’t practice in one if I can’t show in it. It won’t really solve his problem.”

    Emily had pulled her hair out from its tie and was twirling a piece around her finger. She leaned back against a stall door and casually rested one foot on it. “Maybe so. But like I said, he will always have a problem of some kind.”

    Just then, Karen walked over and stood by Emily. “What’s new?”

    Emily crossed her arms. “I was just saying to Kayla that her horse is always going to have problems. Don’t you agree?”

    Karen tried to look casual as she stood next to Emily. “Of course. Ex-racehorses are hardly ever show champs.” she said coolly.

    I wasn’t sure what to say. I am a timid person. I’ve got some good friends at school, and I don’t usually have trouble making new friends. But I never know what to say or do when someone says something mean to me. Star is a good jumper; we are only jumping at novice level now, which is about two-foot-six, but that’s only because he hasn’t been off the track for that long. I got him from a Thoroughbred retraining facility, and they had been working with him for a little less than a year. He’s coming along really well, but we still have some issues to work out on the flat before we can jump higher fences. I’m okay with that, though. If we didn’t have a challenge to work towards, riding wouldn’t be as much fun. I think we’re working pretty well together.

    “There have been some ex-racers that have been successful in the show ring,” I mumbled. I wish they’d leave, I thought. Emily really gets on my nerves.

    “Mmm. Well, I should get back to Midnight. I have to get him ready for the show tomorrow. It’s been nice chatting with you.” Emily sauntered away, Karen in tow.

    I sighed, glad to be alone again, and finished brushing Star.



    Beep, beep, beep…The clock on my nightstand lit up my room. Five-thirty. I groaned, threw back my sheets, and climbed out of bed. I turned off the alarm, rubbed my eyes, and headed for the bathroom.

          Half an hour later, I was on the way to Stone Ridge. My mom was going to drop me off, and I’d ride to the show with Lisa. I had my breeches on under my sweatpants, and my white show shirt protected by an oversize sweatshirt. The back seat of my mom’s car was filled with my stuff: my show helmet, hunt coat, tall boots, and show tack. I was gobbling down a cereal bar when we turned on to the Stone Ridge driveway.

    I was positively thrilled. It was only my second show. I hated getting up so early, but other than that, it was great. Lisa had the trailer hooked up and pulled out in front of the barn, and I saw Emily leading Midnight up the ramp. Karen waited with her horse. 

    My mom parked the car and we got out as Lisa came over. “Hi! Kayla, would you go get Star? We’re just about ready to load him on the trailer. There’s room for your stuff in the changing compartment in the trailer.”

    “Sure,” I said, heading into the barn.

    “You’re late!” Emily yelled after me. I ignored her, although I considered yelling back, “No, YOU are early. Lisa told us 6:15!”

    Star nickered when he saw me. “Hello to you, too,” I replied. I put his halter on him and clipped on the leadrope. “Come on. We’re heading out.” I quickly lead him to the trailer to find everyone waiting.

    Lisa and my mom were talking. “All your stuff is in the trailer. We’re ready to leave,” Lisa said.

    “I’ll see you this afternoon, Kay. Love you,” my mom called.

    “Ok. Love you too!” I called back, and headed for the truck. Emily was in the passenger seat, so I sat with Karen in the back. The show grounds we were going to were almost an hour away. It was a long ride, with Emily and Karen talking to each other nonstop.

    It was really foggy; a white mist hung low over the hills, but the Kentucky landscape was still beautiful.

    When we reached the show, Lisa parked and we all got out. The atmosphere was damp and chilly, but as I looked around, I couldn’t help but feel an electric air of excitement. As the fog slowly began to clear up, I could see that there were crowds of riders clustered near trailers, people dashing here and there to get everything done, and horses being lunged in the arenas. Some showers had already gotten tacked up and were practicing for their classes. I squinted and scanned the grounds for a sign-up booth. I found it near a food stand not too far away from the barns. It was easily recognizable by the line that had already formed to pay their entries and get a number.

    Lisa began giving orders. “Get your leadropes from the trailer and start unloading the horses. I’m going to go find some empty stalls and after the horses get settled in, you’ll all have to go sign up.”

    I opened the trailer compartment, which was a small, cluttered room in the front of the trailer that we used to store our tack and clothes. It was used as a changing room as well. I saw Star’s lead rope on the floor and picked it up, then jogged to the back of the trailer. I waited for Lisa to open it, and then carefully slipped in beside Star.

    “Hey, Star.” I patted his neck, clipped the leadrope to his halter and untied the trailer tie. He started backing out carefully, and when he was on the ground he threw his head up and began looking around. I lead him out of the way and looked for Lisa. I saw her standing by a few stalls. Then she turned around, motioning me over.

    “Star can have this stall. I’m going to go fill the water buckets and tell Emily and Karen where we’re at. You should go get a spot in line to sign up,” Lisa said hurriedly. I grinned. The fun was just about to begin.

    I waited in the sign up line for nearly twenty minutes. When it was my turn, I fished a few crumpled dollar bills out of my sweatpants’ pocket and paid my entries. The manager gave me a back number and show bill and I hurried back to the trailer. I pinned my number, which was seven-eleven, to the back of my hunt coat. Then I found Star’s brushes and took them to his stall.

    I had just taken off Star’s protective blanket and had him tied for brushing in his stall when the PA system crackled, “Attention in the barn area. We will be starting in half an hour with class number one.”

    When I was done touching up his grooming job, his coat glistened and his tail hung free of tangles. I heard Emily and Karen talking to each other in the stalls nearby.

    “We should get changed or we won’t have time to warm up,” Karen said.

    “I’m not worried about that. Midnight doesn’t need warmed up. But Cinnamon isn’t as experienced as Midnight, so you probably should go.”

    I glanced at Karen, who was leaving Cinnamon, her horse’s, stall. “Yeah,” she said dully.

    I left Star tied in his stall and grabbed his tack from the trailer. Karen was there, putting on her hunt coat. “Hello, Kayla. How are you this morning?” Although her words were friendly, something in her tone of voice wasn’t.

    “Fine, thanks. How about you?” I replied cautiously. I found my coat and put it on, dumping my sweatshirt and sweatpants on the floor of the trailer.

    “Good,” she said. As soon as I’d put on my boots, I grabbed Star’s show tack and managed to carry it all back to his stall in one trip, achieved partially so as to avoid a second encounter with Karen.

    Star was watching the horses and people walking past the barn. Once I had him tacked up, I led him out into the commotion. He immediately perked up and began watching everything. I decided to lead him around for a few minutes to make sure he got to see everything and react to it before I was on him. The last thing I need is for Star to spook in front of Emily, I thought.

    After I’d given Star enough time to settle down a bit, I tightened his girth and mounted up in the warm-up arena. I kept him to a walk for a few laps to warm him up, then began to tune up his canter work. When we’d cantered a few circles in both directions, I decided Star was warmed up pretty well. Lisa was waiting at the gate to let us out.

    “You were looking good.” Lisa looked around. “Sounds like you’re about to go in, Kayla. Good luck.”

    I looked towards the main arena to see a stream of competitors flowing out of the gate. Some carried bright ribbons, holding them up to show to friends and family. “Thanks,” I said, and headed for the arena.

      I wasn’t fully aware of anything that was happening aside from Star and I until we were stopped in the center of the arena, lined up to hear our placings. It always seems like a long wait before they call out the results. I subtly scratched his neck while I waited and listened.

    Finally, I heard a much-welcomed sound. “We have the results of class 3, Junior Horse English Pleasure, eleven entrants. In first place, we have entry number three-sixty-one, Deanna Whitely on My Cashmere Dream. In second place, we have entry number seven-one-one, Kayla Anderson on Solar Star…”

    I heard some cheering and clapping from Lisa as Star and I made our way to the exit, with me patting his neck the whole way.  I reached down to receive my bright red second place ribbon. It fluttered gently in the breeze as we headed back to Lisa, Emily, and Karen. I couldn’t have been happier with Star.

    A short while later, Emily, Karen, and I were riding into the arena again for our equitation class. As we stopped along the rail, we took in the competition. Eight other riders were in the arena. By the time the gate was closed, two more had come in. I groaned. It was a large class.

    Star and I trotted along the rail at the announcer’s command. He had his head tucked in and was looking as good as he had in the pleasure class. As we went past Lisa, I heard her murmur, “Looking good.” I smiled.

    Just then, I heard hoofbeats coming up from behind. I sneaked a peek beside me and saw Emily coming. I also saw the judge turning in our direction. Emily reined Midnight in front of Star, almost bumping his head off Midnight’s side in the process. I knew what was coming. Star’s head came up, and I got it right back down. But when the judge called for a walk, Emily slowed almost immediately and Star almost hit Midnight again. His head came up and I fixed it. Emily stayed in front of us for the rest of the class, not letting us pass, and causing problems every time we changed gaits.

    When the results of the class were called, I listened patiently to hear my name. But it didn’t come. Karen got fourth place. Then the PA system called fifth place… and it went to Emily. How could she do that? Just when Star was behaving so well! It’s her fault we didn’t place, I thought angrily.

    I watched Emily receive her pink ribbon and head out of the arena as the riders who didn’t place exited behind her. I was right behind her. When we made it back to the barn and dismounted, I let loose. All the anger I had stored up inside me came pouring out.

    “How could you do that?!” I yelled, glaring at her. “You deliberately knocked me out of the ribbons.”

    Emily looked a little taken aback. “It’s not my fault Star can’t live up to his name.”

    “It’s not Star’s fault, it’s yours! You know that.”

    “I can’t help it if he can’t keep his head down,” she said back, “or change gaits quickly enough.”

    “Why do you have to be so mean to me? I came to Stone Ridge not knowing anyone. I tried to be friendly. But what did you do? You did your best to cause trouble!” I knew I was making a scene, but I didn’t care.

    Emily looked stunned. “I—no—I shouldn’t have done that! I mean, it was stupid of me to do. Star was going well for you. I should have just stayed where I was. I’m sorry.” She seemed truly sorry.

    I felt some of my anger washing away by the sincerity of her voice. “It’s ok.”

    Lisa, who had been approaching, seemed to sense that we needed a minute. “Don’t be late for your next classes. We’ll leave at lunchtime if we can get packed up by then.”

    We nodded. Emily continued in a lower tone, “It’s just… you’re rich. And I figured all rich people were rude and stuck up, and I guess I just jumped to conclusions. I was just jealous.”

    I didn’t expect that. “You were jealous of me? You’re the one with the high-dollar horse!”

    “My aunt gave him to me. She had an accident and couldn’t ride anymore, and she wanted me to have a horse to compete on. I used to ride Lisa’s school ponies. All my tack and clothes, I mostly had to get myself. Then I saw you with your expensive stuff and I got jealous.”

    “I’m not stuck up!” I was beginning to see Emily’s side of things. By now, all my anger had washed away.

    “I can see that now,” she said with a sheepish grin. “Hey, can we be friends?”

    “If you stop sabotaging my classes, then yes!” I smiled back.

    “Agreed.”



    Star picked up a canter, his head in a good position, his stride floating. I checked his stride and aimed him towards the middle of the first fence. Just as he was about to take off, I snapped into two-point position and rested my hands on his neck. We hit the ground and I knew we hadn’t knocked a rail; I had felt the surge of power as he leapt. We sailed over jump after jump, cutting corners of the course where we could to save time, and not hitting a single rail. As we landed after the last obstacle, an ascending oxer, Star powered forward. A few strides after it and the timer stopped. The loud speaker announced, “That was entry number seven-one-one, with a time of fifty- four seconds.”

    I walked Star over to where Lisa, Emily and Karen waited outside the arena.

    “That was really good!” Emily said. Karen nodded in agreement.

    “He looked like he was going well for you,” Lisa said in praise.

    “How many more riders are there?” I asked. I had been keeping track of the competitors who went before me and knew I was in the lead now.

    “I think there are four more.” Lisa replied, watching the next competitor completing his round.

    I watched carefully. The horse was a dapple grey and its rider looked good. I watched her fly over the course.

    “That was competitor five-fifty, with a time of fifty-seven seconds with one penalty,” the loudspeaker crackled. “In the arena we have number one-thirteen, with three-seventy-four on deck and our last competitor, number one-eighty.”

    We all waited under the shade of a maple tree, watching the last competitors make their rounds. A speedy chestnut horse was setting a new time to beat until it knocked a pole on both jumps in a combination. The second to last rider, on a horse that almost looked like Star, made a quick and clear round. “Fifty-three seconds for rider number three-seventy-four.” My heart sank.

    As I watched in disbelief, the last rider made a tight turn at one point in the course that I wouldn’t have thought possible, shaving almost three seconds off her time. The horse she was riding looked too good to be in a novice level competition. “Time of fifty-one seconds for number one-eighty.” The announcer went on to list the results.

    “She shouldn’t be in this class,” Emily commented.

    “Yeah, but there’s nothing we can do about it. They didn’t set a limit on this class, so she can’t be disqualified,” Lisa said. “Sorry, Kayla.”

          Star and I got a long yellow ribbon. Although it’s not what I was hoping for, it wasn’t too bad for an off-the-track horse that hadn’t been shown much. I patted him; I knew he had tried to do well for me. We would just have to practice a little more before the next show. Emily said she could help me.