High Hurdles Collection Two Read online

  “Umm.” DJ nodded and mumbled at the same time. She redrew the hoof and a couple of lines under it to show motion. “There.”

  She blinked and turned to her mother, who leaned back on the bed, hands clasped around one raised knee. “What did you say?”

  Lindy repeated herself.

  DJ let out a whoop and leaped to her feet, her pencils and eraser flying every which way. “Thank you, oh thank you, thank you, thank you!”

  “I take it you told her,” Robert said from the doorway.

  “Whatever gave you that idea?”

  DJ had a hard time settling back down to work on the drawing after Robert and Lindy left the room. Finally, finally she could ride Major again.

  She stopped. And now she was going to be gone. She raised her hands and let them fall. “Fiddle. Fiddle, fiddle, fiddle.”

  Chapter • 6

  “Joe! Joe, he’s limping.”

  Joe came out of Ranger’s stall just as DJ walked Major into his. “So the old injury is kicking up, eh?” Joe ran his hand down Major’s front leg, feeling for any heat or swelling. “I don’t feel anything. When did it start?”

  “I warmed him up real slow like I always do, then we did a lot of flatwork, reviewing the drills we’d been working on. And then I couldn’t stand it anymore. I had to try just one jump.” She stroked Major’s nose and rubbed his ears while she talked. “He was doing great. Then something happened. I could feel it, like he almost stumbled but not quite—really weird. He ticked the jump and started limping.”

  Joe squatted beside Major and examined both front legs again. “Nothing. It must be in his shoulder. Trot him down the aisle and back.”

  DJ trotted him away, stopped, and returned. “See, I told you. First time I have him out. What could have happened? He wasn’t that bad out of shape, was he?”

  Joe shook his head. “I’ve been riding him, you know. Not like you do but enough to keep him limber, and you’ve been lunging him. That’s not the problem.” Joe stroked down Major’s shoulder. “Let’s get the liniment and start an ice pack. He’ll be right as rain in a day or two.”

  “But I’m leaving this afternoon.” She put her arms around Major’s neck and leaned against him. The big horse whuffled down her back and nosed her ponytail. When he blew on her neck, she giggled. “That tickles, you big silly.”

  She pulled back and looked at Joe. “Maybe I better stay home. I can call Brad and tell him I can’t come.”

  “All because of a little limp?” Joe shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ll take care of him. It isn’t the first time and surely won’t be the last.”

  “But that’s not fair—to you, I mean. He’s my horse and my responsibility.”

  “You have an even more important responsibility—to your dad. Now, let’s get this old son taken care of.”

  After they’d rubbed in the liniment, DJ watched Major pull hay out of the sling and chew. “He doesn’t seem to be in pain.”

  “It would have to be mighty bad before he’d let on. This guy’s got a heart as big as California. Even when he was shot in the shoulder, he kept on going until he collapsed. Saved my life, he did.”

  DJ loved hearing stories from Joe’s days in the mounted police. She traced the scar where the bullet had hit Major instead of Joe. “You suppose that old injury could be causing problems now? It is the same shoulder.”

  “Nope. Now, if the bullet had hit bone, it might be different, but it was all soft tissue. I don’t know; he could be developing some arthritis or some such, but I think he just stepped wrong and got a bit of a sprain. You watch—he’ll be fine by the time you get home.”

  Later, when he came to pick up DJ, Brad stopped by the Academy and checked the shoulder, saying the same things as Joe. “Rest and then gentle exercise are what he needs.”

  DJ felt like screaming, But he’s been resting. And now I can finally ride again. We have shows coming up, and I thought I had him in top condition. Why would stepping wrong cause this?

  In the Land Rover on the way to Santa Rosa, Brad reached over and patted DJ’s hand. “You’re worried about Major, aren’t you?”

  “Trying not to. I just can’t understand why this happened.”

  “DJ, horses are like people. They get injured and they get well. Sometimes you can get whiplash stepping wrong off a step. Being in good condition helps, but accidents still happen.”

  “You really don’t think this is going to be an ongoing problem?”

  “Well, I can’t say for sure. Sometimes an injury, an old one—”

  “Like that mud slide in Briones. I knew it. …”

  “As I was saying, sometimes an injury leaves a weakness that flares up again. Like a person who repeatedly sprains the same ankle. The ankle is weak—they say it takes two years for a sprained ankle to really heal and be as strong as it was before.”

  “Yuck. Remind me not to sprain my ankle.”

  “Listen, if this does become a recurring problem, you always have Herndon to fall back on.”

  “But he’s a dressage horse—”

  “Who loves to jump.” Brad checked over his shoulder to change lanes. “He would have made a much better jumper than a dressage horse. That’s why Jackie changed mounts. He just didn’t have what it takes to go Grand Prix, and that’s what she wants to do.”

  DJ watched his face in the light from the dashboard. Man, her father was one handsome dude. She rolled her lips together to keep the grin from showing. Funny, it seemed like she’d known him much longer than the few months since he’d called to say he was her biological father and wanted to meet her. Her love of horses came from him for sure.

  “So what’s gone on since I was up here last?”

  “It seems like a year ago. Let’s see, we have four new babies, two more mares to foal. Mares are coming in to breed to Matadorian, and this will be our first year to use Sheik, our younger stallion. We went to the show in Phoenix and bought two more mares there. Wait till you see the one called Sea Gypsy. I think she’ll match well with Matadorian and throw colts like you wouldn’t believe.” He turned to look at her. “Sure do wish you wanted to show Arabs.”

  “I’ll learn to show them, but jumping in the Olympics is more important to me.”

  “Yeah, I know, and there’s only so much time.”

  They talked horses all the way to the turn-in to the farm. Old-fashioned light posts with two globes lined the way from the road up to the house, crowning the top of a rounded hill.

  Brad checked his watch. “We’ve got a few minutes until Jackie has dinner ready. You want to go see your baby first?”

  “Need you ask?” DJ sighed. “She’s probably forgotten all about me.”

  “Most likely, but it won’t take long to refresh her memory. I’ve been showing her a picture of you every day so she wouldn’t forget.”

  “Right.”

  They stopped in front of a long white barn lined with horse stalls on either side of the wide aisle. To the front were the foaling stalls, with only one occupied.

  “She should foal while you are here, but that’s the man talking, not the mare.”

  “Dad, is it true that mares in the wild can start and stop the birthing at will if something frightens them?” Calling him Dad surprised her almost as much as it did him.

  He smiled at her. “I’ve heard that, too. Up to a point, I’m sure. But once that foal’s feet show, running would kill it.” Together they leaned over the half wall of the foaling stall. The mare dozed in the back corner after checking them out with one open eye.

  “She sure doesn’t seem worried.”

  “No. Veda, there, is an old hand. This will be her tenth foal.”

  “Wow. She’s getting kind of old.”

  “Be careful what you say. You don’t want to hurt her feelings. Come on, your child awaits.”

  They could hear horses scrambling to their feet as they approached the stall. The mare came right up to Brad, nosing him for the treats he always carried
in his pockets. The filly peeked out from behind her dam, only now she was tall enough that her mother’s tail no longer feathered over her face but just draped over her back. She hesitated barely a moment or two before coming forward for her share of the goodies. But she went to Brad, giving DJ a wide berth.

  “Hey, Stormy, how you been?” DJ held out a piece of horse cookie.

  Stormy ducked under her mother’s neck and ignored the offering.

  “She is such a cutie. Man, has she grown.” DJ patted the mare, hoping her baby would change her mind and come for a reward. “Her mane looks like a shoe brush.”

  But Stormy ignored her, ducking away as soon as she got her treat from Brad’s outstretched hand.

  “Jackie’s been the one working with her the most, since we thought having her accustomed to a woman might make it easier for you. You watch—by tomorrow she’ll be eating out of your hand. If only we could get you up here more often.”

  “Now with shows starting, my weekends are going to be really busy.”

  Together the two of them strolled back toward the Land Rover, listening to the horses settle down again. Brad turned off the light and slid the door shut. “Let’s go eat.”

  “Darla Jean Randall, I am so happy to see you I could sing and dance!” Jackie turned from stirring something that smelled wonderful on the stove and gave DJ a big hug. “And if you’ve heard me sing …” She shook her head.

  “Not here, I hope.” Brad sniffed the garlicky fragrance. “Italian?”

  “Your favorite. You want to toss the salad?” She turned the oven dial to Broil. “The bread’s already in there.” Surveying the kitchen, she put a finger to her chin. “I know I’m forgetting something. Oh, DJ, would you please get the plate of antipasta out of the fridge and set it on the counter. We can munch while we finish up here. So what did you think of her?”

  “Stormy?” DJ turned from the refrigerator door. “She’s about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. She wouldn’t come to me, though. Looked at me like, ‘Who’re you and what do you think you’re doing giving my mom treats?’ ”

  “Sounds just like her. She has a mind of her own already. I can’t wait to see the two of you in the show-ring.”

  DJ picked up a carrot stick and an olive. “That means I have to learn to show Halter.”

  “You could use the experience. At the upper-level shows you need to be in every class you can.”

  DJ groaned. “Halter’s boring.”

  “Says the voice of longtime experience.” Brad leaned against the butcher block center island and waved a celery curl as he talked. “You ever shown Halter?”

  “Once.”

  “How about riding Hunter Seat?”

  “Lots.”

  “Lots?”

  “Three or four times, I guess.”

  He continued naming classes, and DJ got the idea rather quickly that she had a lot of learning to do. Bridget had said the same thing, but it all seemed in the distant future. According to Brad, that future was roaring closer, like a freight train on the loose.

  “I guess we can begin working on some of those things this week.” Jackie drained the pasta and flicked off the oven. “You can ride again, can’t you?”

  “Yep.” She went on to tell about Major’s limp as all three of them put things on the table and sat down.

  After Brad said grace and thanked God for bringing DJ back to them, the discussion continued about what DJ needed to learn and how they could help her. The evening passed in a haze of horse talk. When she went to bed, she hugged all the new ideas to herself, thanking her heavenly Father for this man and woman who had come into her life so unexpectedly.

  “God, you sure are amazing,” DJ whispered in the darkness. “I was so hung up about not wanting a dad in my life, and now I have two. Guess you wanted to make up for lost time, huh?” DJ lay staring into the darkness. “And please take care of Major; make his shoulder all better so we can really begin to work hard.” She pressed a hand to her middle. “I get butterflies just thinking about bigger shows.”

  Brad had plenty of horses for her to practice on. By noon the next day, she felt dizzy from all he’d been cramming into her head. It beat algebra any day. After lunch she sat in the corner of Stormy’s stall, waiting for the filly to come to her. The mare settled into a doze after nibbling her share of horse cookies, and while Stormy wanted to ignore DJ, she couldn’t.

  Closer and closer she’d come, then dart away if DJ made a move. Finally she planted her front feet wide apart and stretched her muzzle as far as she could to reach the treat. One step to go.

  “Come on, baby, just an inch or two more.”

  DJ felt a familiar tickle in her nose. She wrinkled her face, hoping …

  She sneezed. “Fiddle.”

  Stormy leaped behind her mother as if she’d been struck by lightning.

  “Double fiddle.” DJ blew her nose and tucked the tissue back in her pocket. Back to holding out the treat. She needed a brace to prop it up, as long as this was taking. For sure, she needed to come here more often.

  Once again, tiptoe, one step at a time.

  Her arm wavered.

  Reach, r-e-a-c-h. Soft lips tickled the ends of DJ’s fingers as the baby took her treat and leaped backward, her hooves slipping and scrambling in the straw.

  “Good girl.” DJ dug in her pocket and palmed another. “This time you have to come closer to take it.”

  Stormy munched her goodie and nodded, the star on her nose flashing white with the movement.

  “You are so cute. Now, get yourself over here and let’s get together.” DJ kept up a running patter, all the while forcing herself to wait patiently while she wanted to hug the little soft neck and tickle Stormy’s nose. “Sure wish Amy could see you. She’d go nuts with her camera.”

  When she finally laid a hand on Stormy’s neck, DJ felt as though she’d jumped a perfect round of six-foot fences. Not that she’d ever done that, but the thought persisted.

  “You are one patient kid,” Brad said, leaning on the stall wall. “I was about to come and get her and tie her up so you could play with her. Wait until you see the crop of babies playing in the pasture. What a hoot.”

  DJ rubbed Stormy’s neck. “She is so soft. What color do you think she’ll be?”

  “Chestnut, I think. See that red tinge? And her mane hasn’t any dark hairs. She’s a show-off, too, so I’ll bet she’s going to love the limelight. Some horses get a kick out of showing and others just tolerate it.” Brad stroked the mare’s neck. “We have an all-Arab show coming up in May. You want to enter her?”

  “Where is it?”

  “Up here. Not a big one. You could jump Herndon and show him in equitation. Give you a chance to show a horse you don’t know well. I have a feeling someday you’re going to be doing a lot of that, so you might as well get the experience.”

  The offhand way he spoke made DJ realize this meant a lot to him. “I’ll ask Mom. It shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “You know what we could do—bring Major when you come up here so you and Jackie can work with him, too. She’s a good coach, even though she’d rather do dressage than jump.”

  DJ looked up from rubbing her cheek on Stormy’s mane. Once the little filly decided to give in, she didn’t mind being handled and leaned into the stroking. “She helped me a lot with the dressage. Major and I can always use more of that.” She could hardly believe she said that, after all her heel digging about dressage. Jackie and Bridget had been right. Both she and Major were better athletes because of it.

  Brad pulled a soft brush from his back pocket and handed it to DJ. “She loves this.”

  “You ready to go again?” Jackie stopped at the stall. “Herndon’s waiting for you.”

  “Sure.” DJ gave the baby one more pat and let herself out of the stall. “Bye, Stormy. You be good, now.”

  Stormy shook her head, sending her mane flopping from side to side. She twitched her tail and yawned.

  “Sorry I
bored you.” DJ caught herself yawning, too. When Brad and Jackie followed suit, they all laughed.

  “You two go on, and after I get a couple of things done, I’ll saddle up Matadorian and we can ride along the river.” He winked at DJ. “You’ll need a break by then.”

  Putting Herndon through his dressage paces was like flying.

  “You’ve learned a lot since the first time you rode him,” Jackie said with a smile. “Feel what it’s like when he bends around your leg. That way you’ll know how it should feel for Major. The deeper you sit in that saddle, the more contact you have with him and the better you can drive him on the bit. Balance is everything in dressage, and it’s the same in jumping.”

  She tapped DJ on the knee. “Don’t look so serious. You’re supposed to be having fun.”

  “I am. I just have to concentrate so hard to remember it all.”

  “Some of it is already second nature to you. I can tell you’ve been working hard.”

  I would have been further ahead if I hadn’t been grounded for the last six months. DJ knew it hadn’t really been that long, but it sure seemed like it.

  “Now what?”

  “N-nothing.” What? Is my face like an open book anyone can read?

  “If you have any questions, remember that the only dumb question is the one you don’t ask.”

  “Thanks.” DJ signaled Herndon forward again. “This time we are going to do this perfect, you hear me?” The big horse’s ears twitched back and forth as he listened to DJ and paid attention to everything going on around him, even the birds twittering in the rafters overhead.

  “Relax, DJ,” Jackie called.

  “Relax, use your seat, more leg, keep your hands steady.” DJ shook her head and Herndon faltered. “Fiddle. Do you have to be so sensitive?” She sucked in a deep breath and dropped her shoulders. Right, relax. How come I get so tired trying to relax?

  “Come on, DJ, you’re trying too hard. Let’s have a simple canter, staying in half the ring. If you put a smile on your face, your shoulders will relax, and he’ll come down on the bit.”