Willow King (11 page)

“I think this horse might surprise you,” Jan predicted.

An hour later, when the horse was brushed, clipped, bathed, and drying in the sun, both girls were amazed.

“Wow!” Jan stood staring at the transformed animal. “Who would have thought there was a show horse under all that mud?” She looked pointedly at Katie. “You still don't think you've got a chance at a ribbon?”

Katie picked up the sweat scraper and sponge, and threw them back into the wash bucket. “I've got to admit, I'm impressed. I've never seen him look this good before. Every time I've seen him in the past, he's been lathered up from a hard day of ponying. But you know as well as I do, Jan, he's got to have good gaits and work with his rider; if we can put it all together, we might have a shot.”

“I can't wait to see Cindy's face when she gets a look at this horse.”

“You'll have to ask your mom to bring the video camera.”

They laughed all the way back to the house, and made plans to meet the following day for practice.

The Appy's ears pricked forward when he heard Jan ride up the driveway on her chestnut mare. Katie pulled the girth on the Appaloosa's saddle snug, then checked the fitting of the bridle. “Perfect timing,” she called as she waved to her friend. She put her foot in the stirrup and mounted up. “Let's see what this ol' boy can do. Oh, excuse me, he has a
real
name now. Let's see what
Sir Galahad
can do.”

“Sir Galahad?” Jan laughed. She paused and looked the two of them over, then nodded her head. “Yeah, I like it. He just might be the knight that carries you to a blue ribbon at this show. Let's get to work.”

The next several days were spent practicing the walk, trot, and canter, and riding in circles to get Sir Galahad used to responding to Katie's leg pressure. By the middle of the week, he was bending well in both directions, and looking like a true show horse.

“He's not perfect,” Katie said, “but he may be good enough to get one of the lower ribbons … maybe a sixth place or honorable mention.”

“Won't that just torque little Miss High-and-Mighty?” Jan chuckled. “I can't wait to see her jaw drop when she gets a load of you two.”

“I'll have to tell her that I'm picking the horse up the day before so I can practice on him and that I'll meet her at the show. She won't know that I've had him all week. This is going to be fun.” Katie almost felt guilty for pulling this trick on the unsuspecting Cindy. Almost, but not quite.

The morning of the show dawned bright and clear. Katie was up at sunrise, grooming Sir Galahad and braiding his mane and tail. Their first class was an English Pleasure class, followed by an Equitation class, then bareback Equitation. She didn't want to get there too early and spoil the surprise.

Jan and her mother were supposed to pick her up at seven thirty. With the half-hour drive to the fairgrounds, they would get there about fifteen minutes before time to enter the ring for the first class. Jan was also riding in several classes.

When Katie was finished with Sir Galahad, she ran into the house to change into her show outfit. Normally, she would wait until they got to the arena, but there wouldn't be time today. Once they reached the show grounds, there would be just enough time to saddle up and get to the ring.

A car horn sounded. Katie picked up her riding helmet and ran out the door.

“I'll be there as soon as I get this lunch packed,” her mother called after her. “Good luck, honey.”

Jan dropped the loading ramp on the horse trailer. “We've got to hurry.”

They quickly loaded Sir Galahad, then drove to the show. When they arrived, they had to search for a parking spot. All the good ones had been taken by the early arrivals.

The fairgrounds were alive with activity. Contestants warmed up their horses in designated areas, while others, who were in later classes, groomed their slick mounts. Horses munched lazily from hay nets and called to their stable mates. Riders pinned their identification numbers to their jackets and did last-minute checks on tack. Katie smiled. She loved this time of year. No school to worry about—just horses, horses, horses!

“Mom, could you run and get our numbers while Katie and I saddle up?” Jan asked.

Just as they climbed from the truck, Cindy rode over on Jester.

“Where have you been? You should have gotten here an hour ago,” Cindy chastised. “You'd better hurry. The class begins in ten minutes.” She quit grouching and a haughty smile lit her face. “I guess it just took a little extra time to make the old Appy presentable. See you in the ring.” She stuck her nose in the air and trotted off confidently.

Jan snorted. “She thinks she's already got this one won.”

“Jester did look good,” Katie pointed out.

“Yeah, but Jester and her three-hundred-dollar riding boots won't do her a bit of good if she can't stay in the saddle or make him pick up the correct lead.”

Just then the announcer gave the first call to the gate.

“Grab the saddles. We've got about five minutes before we go in,” Katie said as she picked up her saddle pad and placed it on Sir Galahad's back, then settled the saddle into place. She shortened her left stirrup a notch to accommodate her leg. Jan's mother arrived with their numbers and pinned them to the back of their show jackets.

Under ideal conditions, Katie would have liked to have had an extra hour to ride a new mount around the arena. But although it had been many years since the Appy had been in the show ring, he had been to the Salem Fairgrounds many times to pony Willow Run horses in the races. To him this was just another day's work.

She slipped the bit between Sir Galahad's teeth, then rechecked her tack and mounted up. “Let's go, Jan. They're opening the gate.”

Cindy was at the back of the line of horses, craning her neck to look for them. They were almost beside her before recognition dawned in her eyes, and her mouth dropped open, working like a fish out of water.

“He looks real good, doesn't he, Cindy?” Jan laid the compliment on thick. “Who would have guessed there was a genuine show horse under all the mud and burrs? Good luck in your class.”

Cindy snapped her mouth shut and gave them a dirty look. She whirled Jester around and trotted into the ring.

Jan smirked. “She doesn't look too confident now.”

“I don't know.” Katie watched the determined set of Cindy's shoulders. “Maybe we shouldn't have done this. She's really mad.”

“Don't worry about her. She wasn't too concerned for you when she asked you to ride a flea-bitten nag into competition. Her only aim was to humiliate you. Now get in there and do your best.”

“You're right, Jan.” Katie gathered her reins and entered the ring at a trot, rising and falling in perfect time to the horse's gait.

There was a half a ring distance between her and Cindy. She could see the girl turning her head to watch her and Sir Galahad. She was tempted to stare back, but she knew she would need all of her concentration to make her horse perform to the best of his ability. “Easy, boy,” she soothed as the judge asked them to slow to a walk and reverse direction.

The next command was for the canter. Katie asked the old horse for the gait, but he picked up the wrong lead on the first try. She immediately pulled him back to a trot and tried again. This time he picked up the correct lead. She could only hope the judge's eyes hadn't been on her when she made that blunder.

“Nice going,” Cindy sneered as she cantered past them on the inside. “I guess that blows your chance for a ribbon.”

Katie wanted to scream at her, but she knew that Cindy was just trying to fluster her. Instead, Katie steadied her mount and listened for the judge's directions. Soon it was time to bring the horses to the center of the ring. She lined Sir Galahad up near one of the ends, just two horses down from Jester, and waited for her turn to back her horse for the judge. When all the contestants had been asked to back up, the judge made a few more marks on his sheet, then sent it up to the announcer.

Katie sat listening to the hum of the crowd as they waited for the results. Although they were in a covered arena and it was cooler than it was outside, a trickle of sweat ran down her neck. She chided herself for being nervous. She shouldn't worry about competing with Cindy. Katie knew she was a much better rider. Her main concern should be that she did her best with the horse she had to work with. But it
did
matter. If only she hadn't blown the lead at the canter.

Cindy looked over at her and smiled. If Cindy beat her, Katie would never hear the end of it. Cindy would brag all over town that she had beat her—and with her own horse!

The announcer broke into her thoughts, calling out the sixth-place winner. It wasn't her, and neither was the fifth. Cindy and Jester were called for fourth place. Katie's heart sank as Cindy gave her a cold smile and trotted out to receive her ribbon.

She sighed. The judge must have been looking directly at her when she picked up the wrong lead. She leaned down to pat the Appy. “That's all right, old man. We did the best we could. I think we did a great job. We've got two more classes to catch them.”

She listened to see who picked up the other three places. She didn't recognize the girl who took third place, but she almost fell off Sir Galahad when they were called to collect the second-place ribbon.

She hesitated for a moment, thinking she hadn't heard them correctly. When no other horse moved forward, she nudged Sir Galahad and went to collect her award. She couldn't keep the smile from her face as she trotted from the ring.

“Way to go, Katie!” Jan cried as she rode up to join her.

“Congratulations!” Her mother beamed as she slipped the Appaloosa a carrot.

Cindy rode by with a sulky look on her face. Katie wanted to flash her ribbon at her, but that would be too childish. She knew she was probably the last person Cindy wanted to talk to right now, but she steeled her nerve and rode up alongside Jester. “You did really well, Cindy. That's your first ribbon. You should be proud.”

Cindy gave her a withering glare. “It still wasn't good enough to beat you.”

“You're missing the point. You should be out there to do your very best with your horse, not to beat everyone. It's nice to take first place, but your aim should be to do as well as possible. You did a good job. You should be proud of yourself.” She felt a bit guilty giving that lecture when just minutes before she had been trying to beat Cindy. She should practice what she preached.

Cindy pulled off her helmet and looked at her ribbon. “I guess you're right. We did do pretty well.” She met Katie's eyes. “But I still want to beat you. We've got two more classes to go.” She plunked her hat back on her head and trotted off.

Katie smirked. There was nothing wrong with a little healthy competition. She turned Sir Galahad and walked back to the horse trailer. They had about twenty minutes before their next class.

By the end of the day, Katie had collected another second-place ribbon and one for third. Cindy also earned two more ribbons, but both were behind Katie's. Mr. Ellis came to their truck after the show.

“Congratulations, Katie. I can't believe this is the same horse we pony off of. He looks great.” He reached out to stroke the Appy's neck. “I also want to say thank you for the great job you've done with Cindy. She's not too happy about you beating her, but this is the best she's ever done in a show. There will be a bonus in your paycheck this month.”

“Thanks, Mr. Ellis. We worked hard and it paid off. I'll bring Sir Galahad back to the farm tonight.” She waved as he strode back to his own truck and trailer.

“I guess that means I've still got a job,” she said to Jan.

“Yeah, but I wouldn't want to be in your shoes. Cindy doesn't take losing very gracefully. If you thought she was hard to get along with before, she'll be even worse now. I'd watch my back if I were you.”

Katie considered the warning. Cindy acted a lot tougher than she really was, but it wouldn't hurt to be cautious. She'd have to bite her tongue and be extra nice. She didn't want to be on the bad side of Cindy Ellis.

Nine

Cindy didn't offer her Sir Galahad again, so Katie spent the rest of the show season in the stands watching Jan collect all the ribbons. She didn't mind. She had enough to do without having to worry about getting a horse ready for a show.

After winning her first ribbons, Cindy had convinced her father that she didn't need any more lessons, so Katie was relieved of that duty. It was a good thing, because after Cindy found out that Jason was leaving for an entire year, she became very irritable and snapped at anyone who got in her way. After a while, the only time Cindy ever spoke to her was when she asked if Katie had heard anything from Jason.

Jason
had
written her a couple of e-mails and called her house, but Katie didn't tell Cindy. He talked about the excellent Quarter Horses his uncle raised for racing. He spoke of a swimming pool for horses that his uncle had built for conditioning his racing stock and said that a trainer had installed a similar pool not far from her in Salem.

“Can you believe it?” she asked Jan. “A swimming pool for horses! Whoever thought of such a thing? Jason says his uncle likes it because it helps build up a horse's wind without pounding on their legs. He uses the pool
and
the track to keep his horses in top form. They've won a lot of races.”

Jan sat down on Katie's bed and leaned against the headboard. “I know that place he's talking about. My father is friendly with the owner. Do you want to go look at it?”

“Sure. It sounds really cool.”

Jan made a call to her dad. An hour later, the girls and Jan's father walked onto Mr. Simon's place and found the barn that housed his horse pool.