Crown Prince Challenged (14 page)

While Bismarck and Crown Prince continued on the trail beyond the pasture fence, Donegal Lad was forced to come to a skidding halt at the corner of the fence line. His whinny of frustration pierced the air while the other two horses continued at a hand gallop, leaving him behind. When Prince lessened his pull on the bit, Sarah relaxed her hold. In response, Prince seemed to shift gears. He grabbed the bit in his teeth and exploded with a burst of speed that quickly put him far ahead of Bismarck. With every stride he distanced himself farther.

Looking ahead, Sarah saw the path would soon leave the field and enter a thickly wooded area.
Oops,
she thought,
this is getting out of hand!
Quickly she used the pulley rein technique that earlier in the summer had worked so effectively on the runaway, Gray Fox. She shortened her left rein while crossing the right rein slightly over Prince's neck and pulling it as hard as she could. Instantly, she felt his pace slacken, as he gave in to the pressure of the bit. Sarah pulled again, and this time her horse slowed noticeably. She was in control!

Prince had opened up a substantial lead over Derek's horse, but with Prince now back to canter, Bismarck galloped up beside him. “Wow!” Derek shouted to Sarah. “With speed like that, your horse should be at Churchill Downs.”

“His former owner thought so, too,” Sarah yelled back.

The horses came back to trot just as the trail led them into the darkened forest. It was probably an old logging road, wide enough for a vehicle, and the two horses were able to trot abreast. “That's something I'd like to know more about,” Derek said. “Let's give the horses a break and walk for a while. You can tell me Crown Prince's story.”

After slowing their horses, they made their way side-by-side deeper into the forest. Derek turned to Sarah, and his eyes met hers. “Why don't you start at the beginning?” he said. “We have plenty of time.”

“You're asking for it,” Sarah replied jokingly as she turned away. “I hope this trail will be long enough for me to cover everything.” The story tumbled out, as Sarah told Derek about her mother's accident and her parents' inability to buy her a horse. She described how the DeWitts had arranged for her to choose a horse at the racetrack, and that she'd picked the one that was considered unridable, a rogue. And then a monster of a wolf tooth was discovered as the likely source of his bad behavior when bridled. She went on to tell Derek how she'd turned down a large sum of money, enough to put her through college—and a good one, at that—when Prince's former owner had tried to persuade her to give him back. She explained that in order to keep him, she still had to prove to her parents that Prince was safe to ride.

There was more Sarah could have told Derek, but she was reluctant to tell him about Rita. After all, as far as she knew, he hadn't even met Rita. She felt a twinge when she remembered his eagerness for an introduction.

Derek ducked under a low branch as Bismarck pushed forward on the trail. “When I rode with Kelly and Nicole last week,” he said, “they were running on, telling me a million things about the farm and everyone who rides here. But I always felt they were skirting around some stuff.”

“I can just imagine what they said about me,” Sarah quipped, as she reached down to stroke Prince's neck.

“I got the impression they didn't want to talk about you. They had tons to tell me about Tim and Paige, though. Even Kayla. What's the deal?”

Sarah didn't want to sound like a gossip, and at first she hesitated. “I used to ride in Kelly and Nicole's class. Last year they both wanted to join the Young Riders, but Jack said they had to wait. It was before I got Crown Prince, and they were really ticked when I started riding in that class using schoolies. They've carried a grudge against me ever since.” Then she told Derek about the kick. “Jack knows that Kelly lied to her mother and anyone else who would listen. He decided the best way to douse the flames would be to take me out of the four o'clock class. So that's why I'm back with the Young Riders, but I don't think Jack's plan thrilled those girls.”

They rode in silence for a few minutes until Derek spoke. “This explains a lot.”

Sarah shifted her eyes from the trail ahead to meet Derek's gaze. “There are some great people at Brookmeade Farm,” she assured him. You'll really like Tim, Paige, Kayla, and especially the DeWitts. The instructors are totally cool—I can't imagine there's a more awesome instructor than Jack. There are also a lot of boarders I don't know very well. And then there's Gus. He's on the grumpy side, but he takes great care of the horses.” She shortened her right rein to keep Prince from grabbing leaves along the trail. “The farm's not perfect, sure, but you shouldn't feel bothered by my drama. I'm sorry if I unloaded some hostile stuff on you.”

“I'm glad you did,” Derek said. He grinned. “I seem to be seeing a lot of Kelly and Nicole these days.”

Sarah shot him a grim smile. “According to Paige, Tim does, too, although perhaps less since you came to town.”

They picked up trot on a straight section of the trail where the footing was good, with Derek and Bismarck in the lead. Sarah was relieved Prince didn't mind being in second place; he didn't pull on the reins or try to pass. Coming around a bend, they saw where the trail left the woods and entered a green field of waving grass. A mowed path ran along the edge of the field.

“Where are we?” Sarah called, bringing Prince back to walk. “I'm completely lost!”

Derek slowed his horse as well. “According to Mrs. DeWitt, we should be near the beginning of the entry road. The trail through the woods took us around the broodmares' pastures.”

Looking over her shoulder, Sarah gazed at the open field of tall grass. At once she saw split-rail fencing and recognized the pastures she passed on every bike ride to the barn. Soon they were back on the farm road, heading home.

“I like trails that make a loop like this one,” Derek said. “It's much better than retracing your steps.”

After crossing the wooden bridge over the brook and climbing the hill to the O'Briens' bungalow, the full view of the barn and indoor arena was before them. Within minutes they were back in the courtyard.

Ouch!
Sarah thought when she saw Nicole watching them from inside the main entrance.
When we get closer, I'm sure I'll see her eyes are green—green with envy, that is.

TWENTY MINUTES BEFORE HER LESSON
was to start, Sarah led Crown Prince into the indoor arena and over to the mounting block in the corner. To be here this early, she'd set a record for how fast she got out of the house after the bus dropped her off, and her ride to the barn felt like she was on a rocket-propelled bicycle. Finally she and Prince would be in a group lesson, and the best part was she'd be with her friends in the Young Riders class.

The arena was deserted when Sarah arrived with Prince, but she knew the other four riders would be along soon. Paige and Tim were getting their horses ready in the barn, and both the Snyders' and Romanos' rigs were parked outside. She was glad the class would be inside today. Prince had spent a lot of time in the indoor, so he was usually relaxed there. A few barn swallows were flying in the upper regions of the arena, but Prince had seen them many times.

As Sarah settled into the saddle, Rita and Paige filed in with their horses. Rita gave no greeting and seemed to be entirely focused on Chancellor. Paige waved. “Great to have you back, Sarah!”

Sarah gave her a thumbs-up. “Thanks. It's awesome to be here!”

Sarah followed her usual warm-up routine with Prince. She started by asking him for an energetic trot on a long rein while going large in the arena to get her horse to reach forward and down with his head and neck. Jack called it riding “long and low.” Then gradually she increased her leg pressure while shortening her reins, to put Prince in a frame between her hand and her leg. He seemed agreeable, trotting willingly and dropping his head down on the bit when she asked.

Sarah hoped Jack would be pleased with how Prince was going. They'd certainly put in a lot of hours over the summer practicing what he had taught her, and the fact Prince had such a willing attitude helped a lot. After going large for a while, she began trotting a circle, gradually spiraling it in and then reversing the process until the circle was its original size before letting Prince walk on a long rein. She reached down to stroke his neck. So far, he was being a good boy!

While she gave Prince a break, Sarah's gaze drifted to the bleachers near the front of the arena. As usual, there were quite a few people sitting there. Some were other boarders, but most were family or friends of the riders. The Dixons almost always came to watch Tim ride, and even if her parents were tied up at their restaurant, Paige's grandmother was usually there. Mr. DeWitt wasn't sitting on the bleachers, but Sarah saw him standing beside them, closely observing the riders as they warmed up.

As she looked closer, Sarah gulped in surprise when she saw
her mother
sitting in the third row. Wednesday was a day Mrs. Wagner usually went to the gift shop to do her bookkeeping, so having her show up for a lesson here at Brookmeade was a bolt from the blue. She must have made a special effort to get time off, but Sarah thought it strange she hadn't told her she was coming.

What was really strange was that her mother was sitting next to Richard Snyder, Rita's father. His business trips usually kept him away during the week, so he rarely, if ever, came to the farm to watch Rita's lessons. A slightly overweight man with thinning dark hair dressed in a business suit, he appeared deeply engrossed in conversation with Mrs. Wagner. Sarah also noticed Derek sitting in the top row with Nicole on one side and Kelly on the other.
Poor Derek,
she thought.
He's got those two leeches surrounding him, whether he likes it or not!
Just then Kelly's mother and Mrs. Romano walked into the arena together and found a place on the bleachers.
What's going on here?
she thought.
Since when are those two buddy-buddy?

Sarah looked at the clock on the arena wall, wondering where Kayla was. It was unusual for her to be late. Tim had arrived right after Paige, and Jack would be showing up at any moment. The main entrance to the arena was still open, and a few minutes later Kayla trotted fast into the arena on Fanny. Kayla guided Fanny directly onto the track and continued trotting briskly, long and low.
I wonder why Kayla was late?

Jack strode into the indoor. “Good day to all,” he began. Even after living in the states a few years, Jack still spoke with a noticeable Irish accent. “After a cross-country school last week, today we'll be working to improve your horses' work on the flat.” When he noticed Sarah, he added, “'Tis probably no surprise to you that Sarah Wagner has returned to this class with Crown Prince.”

Jack walked to the center of the arena and began his instruction. “Drop your irons and knot your reins so you can proceed with your body stretching exercises.” The group began by reaching down to touch their boots with the opposite hand, alternating from side to side. They had been doing this routine at the beginning of all their lessons since they'd started riding with Jack, and knew the exercises by heart.

The five horses were scattered about the arena, all walking on the track. After Sarah had knotted her reins to shorten them and taken her boots out of her stirrups, she felt Prince began to tense up. She'd never done exercises while on his back.
With my legs off his sides and no rein contact, he might feel abandoned,
she thought.
He's probably wondering what's going on!
A few times Sarah paused what she was doing long enough to stroke his neck. Finally Jack asked them to take back their irons and reins. Prince felt more comfortable when her legs were again in contact with his sides.

“Rather than spreading out to use the whole arena, I'd like you to form a line on the track behind Paige with one horse's length distance between you,” Jack called out. “We're going to ride in a drill team formation today, which will require discipline and accurate control of your horses.” He waited while some riders cut across the arena and others picked up trot to catch up to the line of horses. Sarah found herself right in the middle, behind Kayla and in front of Rita. Sarah slowed Prince's walk so he wouldn't get closer than one horse's length from Fanny, and then looked over her shoulder at Chancellor. Rita was being careful to maintain her distance, and Sarah noticed Rita's green eyes were glaring at her from under the brim of her expensive helmet.

Suddenly it dawned on her. Many of the observers sitting in the bleachers were there for one reason only. They were waiting, and in fact hoping, for her horse to make a mistake, preferably to kick out at another horse. No doubt Rita was telling anyone who would listen that Prince had nearly bowled Chancellor over on the trail, and of course Kelly was still broadcasting that Prince was a vicious kicker.

Sarah felt a knot growing in the pit of her stomach, and she struggled to turn her attention back to her horse. She breathed deeply to make herself relax.
I'm going to ride just as I did when I had private lessons with Jack,
she thought.
I'm not going to let them get to me!

“Prepare to trot,” Jack called out, and the five riders gathered their horses, getting ready for the transition. When Jack gave the signal, all five horses picked up trot on cue. Sarah was happy with Prince's reaction, moving forward willingly while no longer seeming tense. Being close to the other horses didn't seem to bother him. His ears frequently flicked back in her direction, a sign he was listening to her. At one point she caught their reflection in the mirror that ran the length of one side of the arena, and she was momentarily taken aback by what an eye-catching horse Prince was under saddle.