“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. It felt like a mile farther down than from Major’s back. How long would it be before she quit comparing the two horses?
“With Herndon, you could enter dressage shows, too, if you want.” Bridget smiled at DJ.
DJ groaned. “I can’t keep up with what I have now.”
“I know. I just thought I would make the suggestion.”
“You’re kidding, right?” DJ felt her stomach plummet. What if Bridget really thought that was what was best for her? I don’t want to show dressage. I want to jump. But she caught the twinkle in Bridget’s eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.
“You had her going there.” Joe threw an arm over DJ’s shoulders. “Come on, let’s get him cooled down and used to his new stall. Maybe you should stay with him tonight so he doesn’t feel lonesome.”
“J-o-e.”
“How about I call your mom and ask her if we can take everyone out for pizza?” Brad walked on Herndon’s other side.
“Fine with me. I’ve got lots of homework, though, so it can’t be late.”
“Should we order it in?”
“Whatever.” DJ led Herndon back in his stall and swapped his bridle for a halter. Herndon stepped forward to snag a wisp of hay and planted his hoof right on top of DJ’s foot.
“Ow!” DJ smacked his shoulder at the same time as he shifted away. “You big … big …”
“Horse?” Joe arched an eyebrow.
Pain radiated up her leg. She felt like kicking him with her other foot, but then what would she stand on?
“Sorry, DJ, are you all right?” Jackie asked.
“I will be.” DJ glared at the gelding eyeing her with a puzzled look. “You know what you did, so don’t try to blame it on me!” Her voice snapped where her hand wished to slap. “And you can bet I’ll be more careful around you, too.” She wished she could rub her foot, but instead she finished removing her tack. Brad took the saddle from her to keep her from limping up to the tack room. Joe snapped on the lead shank and led Herndon out of the stall.
“You go put your foot up for a minute. That’ll make it feel better. And some ice wouldn’t hurt.” He led the big horse off to the grassy area by the hot walker, where countless cooling horses had worn a groove around the green.
“I’ll call your mother,” Brad called back from up the aisle.
“Are you all right?” Jackie asked again.
“It’s not the first time this has happened, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.”
“Not unless you stay totally away from horses and barns and shows and such.”
“When pigs fly.”
“I know, me too.”
DJ sat down on a straw bale by the tack room, kept there for saddle-soaping parties. She propped her foot up and leaned against the wall.
“You all right, DJ?” The concern showed on Bunny’s face as she came around the corner.
“Mashed foot.” DJ positioned the ice bag over her toes.
“That new horse of yours is gorgeous.”
“Thanks. I have a lot to learn on him.”
“One thing, keep your feet out from under his, huh?”
DJ nodded. “See ya.” She waved as Bunny headed out the door. How strange it seemed to be sitting down and not rushing all over the place.
“We’re bringing the pizza,” Brad announced. “How about we go get that and you come with Joe. I called Gran, too.”
“Okay.”
“What kind do you like? Besides the supreme with everything, that is.”
“Canadian bacon with pineapple, extra cheese, thick crust.”
“Any other favorites?”
“Mom always says no anchovies.”
“Got it.”
By the time they’d all eaten their fill of pizza, were entertained by the twins, admired Gran’s latest book, and talked about the barn Robert had laid out—along with a corral and pasture in their backyard—DJ wished she could blow off her studies and continue relaxing. After all, how often did a girl have such a wide family all together in one place and having a good time? At least not too many she’d heard of. Other kids had family horror stories to stand one’s hair on end.
But there hadn’t been an algebra quiz today, which meant Tuesday was a strong possibility. “Sorry, but can I be excused? I’ve got to hit the books.”
Robert nodded and smiled at her. “I’ll send them up to say good-bye when the party breaks up.”
Before she opened her school books, DJ called the veterinary hospital again to check on Major. The night assistant said he was a sweetheart and so good when they had to move him. He was alert, eating, and resting the tip of his hoof on the rubber mat. They kept the sling just tight enough to give him extra support when he tired.
“Thanks. Give him a hug for me, will you? And he loves both carrots and horse cookies.”
“I know that, hon. He checks out everyone’s pockets. You quit worrying about him, you hear? He’ll be home soon.”
After hanging up the phone, DJ attacked her algebra with a vengeance. If Major could handle an injury like that with such grace, she could handle algebra. She had most of the problems finished, with only a question or two for her math coach, Robert, when Brad and Jackie knocked on her half-open door.
“Come in.” DJ pushed her books aside.
“We need to be going.” Brad handed her an envelope. “This is information on a week- or two-week-long jumping school back in New Jersey put on by a couple of USET members near the headquarters. I’d like to see you go.”
“Really?” DJ folded open the sheets of paper. “Wow.” She looked up at her father. “Has Mom seen this?”
“M-hm. I gave her a copy. Just think about it, okay? Other kids go to sports camps all the time.”
“It would be a really great experience,” Jackie added.
“But … but … I can’t afford something like this.” She pointed to the cost of the camp at the bottom of the page. “And it says I would have to bring my own horse, too. I don’t think so. Mom will never let me go.” She shook her head the entire time, whether from shock or resistance she wasn’t sure which. Oh, but what I would give to do something like this.