Free The a Circuit by Georgina Bloomberg

green and quirky. Most of the other juniors didn’t like riding him much, but Tommi found him a fun and interesting challenge. She enjoyed trying to figure him out, working with him to bring out his best. Jamie had noticed how well they got along and made the gelding her personal project.
    “If you keep jumping like that, we’re going to tear up the Training Jumpers at the show this weekend,” she murmured, sending the horse around the outdoor ring at a walk on a loose rein to cool out. It was a hot afternoon, and they’d worked hard. Both horse and rider were sweaty and a little tired, but content. Legs ambled around for a moment, then suddenly leaped into a trot, pricking his ears at the nearest jump.
    Tommi laughed again, pulling him away from the jump and making him slow down. It was fun to ride a horse that loved to jump as much as she did. And Legs definitely loved it. He was no hunter, that was for sure—too hot, too fast, too high-headed. But he was perfect for jumping the big sticks, if his rider could channel his energy and keep him under control.
    As they made their third circuit of the ring, Tommi saw Kate walking toward the gate at the head of a little parade of ponies. Kate was helping a tiny eight-year-old girl lead the first pony, a fancy dapple-gray medium that kept tossing its head. Three more ponies were behind them, led by their small owners, who ranged in age from six to eight.
    “Hi,” Tommi called, steering Legs toward the gate and then dismounting. “Don’t worry, we’re finished. The ring’s all yours.”
    “Thanks.” Kate looked harried. “Okay, girls. Stand back until Tommi’s out of the ring, okay?”
    Tommi shot her a sympathetic smile as she led Legs out. She was sure this was going to be an interesting lesson. The pony Kate was leading was young, green, and opinionated. His owner was a tough little rider who’d cleaned up in the Smalls for the past couple of years, but she definitely had her hands full with her new mount.
    Stopping just outside the ring, Tommi loosened Legs’s girth. When she turned around, she almost jumped out of her skin. Zara was standing about six feet away, watching her. How long had she been there?
    “Nice horse.” Zara flicked her moss-green eyes at Legs. “Yours?”
    “No, he’s Jamie’s.” Tommi felt cautious, considering their previous exchange. “But thanks, he’s a good boy.”
    Zara nodded. “He looks like fun. I liked how you handled him over that tricky combination.”
    “Thanks,” Tommi said again, trying not to sound surprised. She wondered if she’d misjudged Zara earlier. Maybe the tough exterior was just that, a way to protect herself. Tommi knew as well as anyone that it wasn’t easy coming from a well-known family.
    Before she could think about it much, she heard a shout from nearby. Zara heard it, too, and spun around.
    “Shit,” she spat out.
    “What?” Tommi turned, too—just in time to see a pair of paparazzi types rush toward them, cameras raised.

SIX
    “Don’t forget to tighten your girth,” Kate told little Gigi Jones, who would probably forget her own head if someone didn’t keep after her. “I’ll check it in a second.”
    As she turned to help Mackenzie with her green pony, she heard someone let out a yell from the direction of the nearest building. Glancing that way, she saw two strange men running at full speed toward the ring.
    “There she is!” one of them hollered. “Zara, wait! We just want to talk to you!”
    Confused, Kate glanced at Zara. The girl’s face had gone hard. Without a word, she turned and dashed away, disappearing into the quarantine barn.
    “Get out of here!” Tommi yelled at the men. “You’re going to spook the horses!”
    The first man ignored her. “Go after her!” he shrieked, waving his arms in the air. The other man obeyed, vaulting over the ring’s post-and-board fence, clearly seeing that as a shortcut to catch up to Zara.
    “Stop!” Kate cried in alarm.