High Hurdles Collection Two by Lauraine Snelling

Author:Lauraine Snelling
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: book
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2010-09-14T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter • 9

“Oof!” You jerk! DJ wasn’t sure if she meant the horse or herself.

She pried herself off the horse’s neck and spit out a bit of mane hair. Settling back in the saddle and finding her right stirrup took a couple more triple-time heartbeats. She straightened her helmet, collected her reins, and sucked in a deep breath. She and Herndon let out their breath at the same time.

“Okay, fella, let’s go back to the beginning. Sorry I dropped you. It won’t happen again, but you could be a little more forgiving, you know.”

Herndon snorted as DJ turned him and ordered a trot for them both to get their equilibrium back. Oh, Major, I miss you so. God, I know you know what’s best and are taking care of all of us. Keep me on this horse, please, and help us learn to work together. Feels to me like I’m getting worse, not better, at this.

She squeezed him into a canter and focused on the jump in front of them. One at a time, count, pay attention, focus. Three, two, one, and up. Nice and easy. Three, two, one, and up. She felt him hesitate out of the in and out but drove him straight forward and they cleared it without a hitch. He twitched his tail when he landed as if to say, “See, it wasn’t my fault.”

“Again,” Bridget called when DJ finished the round.

“You know, if you’d settle down, you wouldn’t work up such a sweat.” She still wasn’t sure if she was talking to the horse or herself.

Her legs felt like rubber when she finally finished. This was harder than the show-ring any day.

“Not bad for working with a new horse.” Bridget stroked Herndon’s neck. “You have to watch him, though, and yourself. He will not tolerate some of the things you get away with on Major.”

“I’m beginning to understand what a neat horse Major is. Herndon doesn’t seem to be sneaky like Patches, though.”

“No, but he wants to make sure you know what you are doing. Trust will come with time, for both of you.” Bridget turned to Brad and Jackie. “DJ is very fortunate to have someone like you in her life at this point. Losing Major without another mount would have been disastrous to her career.”

“Oh, I have a feeling that between Robert and her grandparents, there would have been another horse rather soon.” Joe nodded as he spoke. “But most likely not quite the quality we have here.” He looked up at DJ. “You look mighty fine on him, kid.” He winked at her. “Even up on his neck, although I wouldn’t go so far as to say that looked either graceful or comfortable.”

DJ grinned down at him. “Yeah, well, I’ve seen you in some rather laughable poses with Ranger. One day I thought maybe you were trying to bulldog him.”

“Can you beat that?” He turned to Bridget. “No respect, I get no respect around here.”

That brought a laugh from all of them, and DJ dismounted.

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