Free Back in the Saddle by Catherine Hapka Page B

saddle, with a running martingale attached to his bridle. Haley had met Cancun the last time she’d come to Jan’s for a lesson. He was a talented jumper but had turned out to be a little too lively and bold for his previous career as a show hunter. His new owner wanted to event him, so Jan was teaching him the basics.
    â€œI got your text about dropping back a level, Kyle,” Jan said. “I think it’s a good idea. You guys did fine last time, but I think you’d both gain confidence from a good stadium round, and dropping down is probably the best way to do it.” She glanced at Wings. “Haley, you might want to consider trying elementary this time too. You and Wings could probably—”
    â€œNo!” Haley blurted out. “I mean, I don’t think that’s necessary. We’ll be ready for BN this time.”
    Jan raised her eyebrows. “Okay,” she said with a shrug. “Thought that stop might’ve shaken you up a little—you were awfully quiet afterward.”
    â€œI was just trying to figure out what I’d done wrong so I could fix it.” Haley squared her shoulders, looking hertrainer in the eye. “And I know we can do this.”
    Jan nodded. “Fine. Sounds like you’re confident, so no worries.”
    Kyle was watching Cancun as the big gray horse sniffed noses with Turbo. “Are you riding with us today?” he asked the trainer.
    â€œThought I would, if nobody minds.” Jan tugged lightly on the reins to pull her horse away from the other gelding. “We probably won’t jump, but Cancun could use some more experience just being in the ring with other horses before we tackle the warm-up area next weekend.”
    â€œYou mean you’re entering him in the event?” Kyle asked. “The one we’re all doing?”
    â€œUh-huh. We’re going to give BN a whirl, see how he does.”
    Haley was still a little distracted by Jan’s suggestion, however mild, that she and Wings drop down a level. But now she tuned in again. “You’ll be competing against us?” she blurted out.
    Jan chuckled. “Looks that way. But don’t worry. Cancun and I won’t be chasing ribbons. This is his firstevent—we’re just going to give it a go, try to have a nice, calm dressage test and then see how he reacts to being out on a cross-country course in an unfamiliar place.” She patted the gray gelding. “I know he won’t have any trouble with the physical part—he’s jumped much bigger than BN height before—but the mental part? That’s an open question.”
    Haley nodded, though she knew that Jan wouldn’t enter the event if she wasn’t pretty confident that the horse was ready. Haley tried not to think about that as she grabbed her saddle.
    Suddenly Jan’s phone buzzed. Pulling it out of her pocket, she glanced at the screen. “I’ve got to take this,” she said. “See you all in the ring in five?”
    â€œWe’ll be there,” Kyle told her.
    Haley watched the trainer hurry away with her phone pressed to her ear and Cancun trailing along behind her. “Wow,” Haley said. “It’s weird to think about competing against Jan, right?”
    â€œYeah.” Andrew shrugged. “That sort of thing happens a lot in eventing, though.”
    â€œI guess.” Haley knew he was right. Upper-level riders often rode young or green horses at the lower levels as part of their training. At the bigger recognized events down toward Chicago, where Haley had spectated a few times, it wasn’t unusual to see former Olympians riding at training level—and not always winning either.
    â€œMakes me even happier that I’m dropping back,” Kyle joked. “So I guess you guys had better school extra hard this week, huh?”
    â€œDon’t worry. Already on it.” Haley set the saddle onto her pony’s