Keeping Secrets (Timber Ridge Riders Book 1) by Dana Maggie

Author:Dana, Maggie [Dana, Maggie]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Pageworks Press
Published: 2011-11-17T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

At ten the next morning, Liz gathered her students in the tack room and announced a change in plans for the Hampshire Classic.

“As you all know, Sue had an accident and can’t ride,” she said. “Kate McGregor will be taking her place.”

There was a collective gasp from the riders. None of them, except Denise and Angela, had seen Kate ride Magician. The little kids giggled and nudged one another. Two girls who’d just begun riding and were still at the walk-trot stage looked at Kate with curiosity. Robin Shapiro gave Kate a high five.

“Way to go,” she said.

Kate felt herself flush with excitement—or was it foreboding. She risked a quick glance at Angela. The return look had enough venom to strip paint.

“We’ll be competing with Denise, Angela, Robin, and Kate,” Liz said, handing out rules and schedules for the three-day competition. “We all have a lot of work to do, and I expect everyone to cooperate. This means practice twice a day, and anyone who skips will be—”

“Booted from the team?” Denise murmured, just loud enough to be heard.

Eyes wide, Angela looked around. “So, where are the spare riders, anyway?” she said, looking straight at Holly. “Who do we have for backup in case someone else gets hurt?”

Holly clutched Kate’s arm. “I may have to kill them,” she said through clenched teeth. “Why do they have to make fun of Mom’s hard work?”

“Before you interrupted,” Liz said, fixing Denise with a look, “I was about to say that anyone who skips practice will find themselves cleaning extra tack.”

“That’ll be the day,” Holly whispered. “Angela never cleans tack.”

“Why should I bother?” Angela drawled, as she and Denise headed for the door. “It only gets dirty again.”

* * *

Kate had never worked so hard in her life, not even for Mrs. Mueller. But she happily endured sore muscles and stiff legs as Liz coached her and Magician.

There was so much to learn and so little time. Dressage was the easiest, but only because Magician was responsive and well-trained. Kate memorized the test and practiced riding it until she could do it in her sleep. Her father had once asked her to explain dressage. Kate told him it was like compulsory figures in ice-skating, a series of maneuvers to show the judges you really did know what you were doing. He seemed to have a better understanding after that. Not that he came to any of her events, though. They always seemed to coincide with a field trip or a lecture he couldn’t miss.

Magician excelled on the cross-country course. His powerful legs ate up the distance, and he soared over the jumps like an enormous bird. At first, he was so eager to run that Kate had a hard time holding him back. He wanted to race.

In the riding ring, Liz set up a jump course similar to the one at the previous year’s Hampshire Classic, and Kate joined the rest of the team as they practiced for the last time.

“Magician will make mincemeat out of those,” Holly declared.

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