May/June 2010 PonyCare - Spring Trials
By Margaret Evans
Solve the printable Crossword here.
The Brokeville Horse Trials was one of Anita’s most favourite two-day events. She had been conditioning Penny for it all spring and both she and her cousin Meridy were riding in the Pre-Training division. She was excited and nervous at the same time.
On Friday night Meridy rode her Paint pony Daisy to Anita’s house. They were going to trailer together because Auntie Wendy had planned to visit a sick friend who lived out of town. She had brought over everything Meridy would need for the weekend.
The girls took their time shampooing their ponies, pulling their tails, and braiding their manes. When Matt smirked that the FIFA World Cup would be over before they finished, Anita slung her dandy brush at him. Penny jumped. Anita dropped her elastics and had to start all over. Meridy hid her giggles in Daisy’s mane, wondering who had come up with the idea of braiding manes for dressage in the first place.
“How many riders d’you think’ll be at the show?” Meridy asked Anita as they threw stable blankets over their ponies to keep them clean overnight.
“Who knows? Maybe we’ll find out when we check the website for our start times. Last year there were about a hundred I think.”
The show grounds were already busy at 7:00 a.m. when Anita’s mom drove them into the competitors’ parking area. They unloaded their ponies and settled them before running to the show office for their registration package. Tripping up the steps of the mobile home that served as a show office, Anita bumped into Marie Baynes, a rider who had moved to Brokeville recently and took lessons at Blue Meadows.
“Whoops, sorry,” she grinned.
Marie glanced at her, clearly preoccupied. Inwardly Anita shrugged, remembering that Marie always seemed distant. Tall and willowy for her 13 years, Marie was hard to get to know. Anita wondered fleetingly why Marie seemed so unsociable, but then dismissed the thought as she picked up her envelope.
“Good luck with your dressage test,” Anita called with a quick smile to Marie as she and Meridy raced to the trailer. Marie pushed back her long blonde hair, catching it behind her ear. Wistfully, her pale blue eyes watched the girls run excitedly to their ponies. This was so much harder than she thought it would be.
The girls’ tests were not until mid-morning so they had plenty of time to do a final brushing and polishing, tack up, change into their show clothes, then warm up their ponies. Their show nerves were starting to mount, but they were in good company. Everyone in the warm-up ring had the flutters too.
“Breathe, relax, and just go with the flow,” Mom said reassuringly as she watched the girls gather their reins and move into a working trot around the arena. She knew both her daughter and her niece wanted to ride a perfect test but too much tension could get in the way of performing.
“Watch those heels, sit up, look where you’re going Marie!” Mrs Baynes’ called to her daughter. Mom glanced at her. She was taken aback by the look of worry and sadness on her face.
“Hello.” Mom’s voice was warm, gentle, her gesture impulsive. “I’m Betsy Lee. Anita’s mom.” She glanced toward Penny. “The black pony.”
Mrs. Baynes looked at her with grey eyes that crinkled in a weak smile. “Bretta Baynes. I was trying…” she paused, uncertain. “We’re new here.”
Anita half-halted Penny to avoid bumping into Jacey as he shied toward the centre. He was a fine-boned 15.1 hand bay Thoroughbred. Marie corrected his movement and continued warming up. To Anita’s eye her position looked perfect, even if her tight hands might be the cause of Jacey’s nervousness.
Mom smiled encouragingly at Mrs. Baynes. “She’ll be fine. Her horse looks beautiful.”
Marie’s test was right before Anita’s. She watched Jacey’s perfect 20 metre circles, his extended trot that made him float, and his precise, square halts. Marie’s test inspired applause from spectators. She bent her head, avoiding eye contact as she rode out of the arena. Anita bit her lip, wondering why she didn’t reward Jacey with a pat on the neck.
Anita’s thoughts focussed on her test as she entered at “A” at a working trot and came to a perfect halt through walk to salute the judge. As Penny moved through the dressage pattern, Anita breathed deeply and relaxed. Responsively, Penny seemed suppler as she bent on the circle, flew across the arena at an extended trot, then neatly collected her hindquarters under her as she continued the movements. Then it was over and Anita heard Mom and Meridy clap as she halted for her final salute.
Meridy rode her test carefully and precisely. Daisy was always so accurate and dainty and she held her head beautifully on her arched neck. Meridy adored her pony. Their enjoyment clearly showed as they rode the test, and Anita could tell from the look on her face that Meridy was happy with her performance. Anita and Mom clapped wildly as Meridy left the arena.
After settling their ponies with hay and water, Mom and the girls went to check scores and grab some lunch. Anita was thrilled to see that she had 60 points and Meridy 61. They were just out of the ribbons, but Marie was in first place with a dressage score of 67.
“Great score,” grinned Mom. “Marie’ll be thrilled. But there’s lots of catch-up time for you girls with stadium and cross-country.”
“Getting a good dressage score really helps in the final placings though,” said Anita as they sat at a picnic table to eat salad and chicken burgers.
“Your last dressage score at Belton was 71.” Mrs. Baynes sounded tense as she and Marie settled at a nearby picnic table.
“So what? I’m still in first place.” Marie’s response was edged with a defiance that belied the shakiness inside.
Anita glanced at her, feeling a twinge of sympathy. Parent pressure could be a nightmare. Characteristically, Marie looked off in the distance, a habitual way of distancing relationships, discouraging dialogue.
“She rode great,” said Meridy, guessing Anita’s thoughts. “What’s her mom complaining about?”
Anita thought of the pony parents she knew. There were always some who complained.
“For some, enough is never enough,” she said simply.
Mom smiled at Anita’s insight. “Maybe it’s just a bad day for them.”
“I think every day’s a bad day for Marie,” said Anita, thinking for a moment. “I’ve never seen her smile.”
Stadium jumping started right after lunch. Anita and Penny loved jumping but she had to contain her pony’s excitement and not rush fences. Anita rode clear and Meridy had one knock-down on the double. But she wasn’t worried. She knew she’d paced it wrongly coming off the upright.
“Bet you’re ticked at getting four faults.”
Meridy looked around in surprise to see Marie, mounted on Jacey, frowning at the course.
“No biggie,” she shrugged good naturedly. “That’s jumping for you.”
“It’s clear or nothing for me.”
Meridy glanced at Anita, not sure if she wanted to continue this conversation.
“Have you competed lots, Marie?” Anita phrased the question carefully.
“Yes. Not here.” Marie stiffened. “Why?”
“No reason.” Anita skirted around a potential argument. “It’s just with horses and obstacles, anything can happen.”
“Has anything happened to you?”
“Nothing major.”
“You’re lucky.”
Anita stared at her, confused, as Marie’s number was called and she trotted into the ring. Somehow Anita had a feeling they weren’t talking about horses anymore.
“What was that about?” Meridy asked, puzzled.
Marie was riding too fast and the girls could see Jacey fighting for his head. Marie checked him and her hands were knuckle-white and firm. Jacey, though, clearly had talent as a jumper and he flew over the obstacles with air to spare. But Marie’s talent didn’t match Jacey’s. Only the grim determination in her eyes and her unyielding hands kept her in place as Jacey cleared the last hurdle and raced across the finish line. Anita let out her breath and, with misgivings, wondered about their safety on the cross-country course tomorrow. She said as much that evening over supper.
“Maybe you should talk to her,” suggested Mom. “Perhaps it would help if she talked to someone her own age.”
“Are you kidding?” Anita exclaimed. “She’s so hard to talk to.”
“I always feel like she’s looking for an argument,” added Meridy.
“She might think we’re criticizing her.”
That’s true enough, thought Mom. It was still on their minds the next day when they arrived early for the cross-country walk. The girls paid attention to detail and paced out their own approaches to fences. Marie followed the riders, hanging back just slightly but intently listening to the course designer. Remembering Mom’s suggestion, Anita slowed and waited for her to catch up.
“Jacey’ll do these easily,” Anita grinned. “He sure leapt with air to spare yesterday!”
“It’s best to keep your approach line straight,” added Meridy. “Better to go slow and safe than rush a solid fence.”
“He always races.” Marie stared with growing apprehension at the course of logs, stacks, spreads, and water. What was it Dad once said about speed and danger? She blinked away the image the way she had done endless times. Panic welled. What was she thinking, doing this?
Anita and Meridy were riding later in the morning so they had some time to watch a few of their friends on course. Marion Smith on her Paint pony, Whitewash, had one refusal at the water jump and Danielle James went clear on her Quarter Horse, George. Suzie Payne, who ran the Animals in Distress Society, had a wonderful round on her young Warmblood cross, Fritz.
Anita carefully tacked up Penny and checked everything before securing the over-girth. She put on her helmet, checked the clasp, and secured her chest protector. She rode to the warm up area where riders were schooling over a couple of ground logs.
In the start box, Penny was alert and full of excited anticipation, her hooves shifting impatiently during the countdown. In moments, they were on course and heading for the first log jump. Penny kept a steady rhythm as she leapt the skinny, the tires, the log stack, and the table before dropping into the water, splashing out over a log and up a slope to the obstacles scattered through the trails. It was a wonderful ride and over far too soon. She had no riding faults and Anita was sure she had no time faults either as she really knew Penny’s pacing. But how do you judge bits of a second? High-fiving Meridy, she cooled out Penny until it was her cousin’s turn.
“Great ride, Anita!” Mom laughed, running over to her and waving the video camera.
“Let’s get Meridy’s ride on camera too,” grinned Anita. “Wasn’t Penny terrific? I felt so safe on her all the way round.”
Daisy cantered off and clearly Meridy was loving every second. Anita knew that Daisy wasn’t as keen on the water jump as Penny. She grinned as she watched Meridy do exactly what they had discussed. On approach she checked Daisy’s pace and kept both legs on to keep forward movement, not letting Daisy think twice about whether to get her feet wet. Then she was in and out and over the log and on her way through the trees. Meridy whooped with a triumphant fist punch at the air. Moments later she cantered across the finish line to the cheers of Anita and Mom.
Much later, Anita would remember that Meridy’s ride was the last normal thing she could recall about that day. They had just led their ponies back to the trailer when the girls heard a wail of anguish from Marie a few trailers over. Her mother was trying to comfort her about something but she was upset and sobbing. Then in anger she threw her helmet on the ground, leapt on a startled Jacey, and swung him away into a wild trot, leaving the show grounds and heading for the busy road.
Jolted into action, Mom was instantly by Mrs. Baynes’s side. Anita and Meridy, still clinging to their ponies’ reins, raced up to them. They knew what to do. Grabbing Marie’s helmet, Anita and Meridy leapt on Penny and Daisy.
“We’ll find her. We’ll bring her back.” Then they were gone. Mrs. Baynes broke down and told Mom their story.
Pausing just long enough to grab Anita’s saddle bag from their trailer, the girls trotted onto the road, scanning the traffic for any sign of Marie. A passer-by pointed anxiously to the north and the girls set out as fast as they dared.
“This road leads to the freeway!” Meridy shouted as she rode abreast with Anita.
“Hopefully she’ll take the turnoff.”
“What if…”
Anita glanced at her, then urged Penny into a canter on the grass verge. Two kilometres along, they arrived at a turnoff that led to a logging road which was a shortcut to Brokeville Hill. Fresh tracks in some soft mud hinted that someone had ridden by recently. Instinctively, Anita followed the tracks and her heart hammered in her chest as dire thoughts cluttered her mind.
Meridy’s scream forced their focus onto the crumpled heap that lay on the logging road ahead. Shaking, Anita leapt from Penny and stared in shocked dismay. Marie lay motionless on the gravel, her head covered in blood. Anita knelt beside her, not daring to touch anything. But she could see Marie was breathing.
“We need help!” Meridy’s terror was palpable.
“Phone…” Anita’s voice was hoarse with fear as she leapt toward Penny, rummaged through the saddle bag and whipped out her cell phone. Frantically she dialled Mom’s number, praying she was within cell range. Mom’s answering voice swept over her like a blanket.
“Mom! Help! Call an ambulance. Marie’s unconscious. There’s blood and…”
The next 20 minutes were a blur as Mom, Mrs. Baynes, helpers, an ambulance, and paramedics descended on the scene. In moments, Marie was prepared for transport to the hospital.
“Go with her, Bretta,” Mom urged. “I’ll look after things here for you.”
“What about Jacey?” Anita suddenly remembered Marie’s horse.
“We’ll find him,” said Meridy. She felt exhausted with relief that Marie was in expert hands but she dreaded to hear what could be wrong. Mom was returning to the show grounds with the official who had driven them to the site of the accident.
“Be careful.” Mom’s face was white with anxiety.
“We’re okay.” Anita’s voice was wobbly. “Who’ll trailer Jacey home?”
“I got hold of Dad. Pete’s giving him a ride over here. He’ll drive Bretta’s truck and trailer Jacey to their house and Pete’ll bring him home.”
“I’ll call you when we find him.”
As the ambulance left with its lights flashing, Anita had an awful sense of foreboding. It helped to focus on the task at hand as they trotted up the forestry road, praying Jacey wasn’t far away.
“There’s a meadow not far up here.”
“You mean the bird sanctuary,” Meridy glanced at her. “The Wetlands?”
“Here’s hoping.”
The sanctuary was alive with wading and shore birds, and songbirds in the bushes. It was a Mecca for bird watchers and one of the most important sites for the Christmas bird count when some species overwintered. Pausing for a second, Anita noticed one hoof print in the turf by the road… but it was Penny who found Jacey. Her sharp whinny brought an urgent neigh from a sheltered glen as Jacey burst into sight, broken reins flying and one stirrup leather missing. He was clearly shaken.
As he came alongside Penny, Anita caught his reins and the girls wasted no time making tracks back to the show grounds. Dad, their neighbour Pete Poole, and Mom were anxiously waiting for them.
“Have you heard from the hospital?” Anita asked as she quickly untacked Penny, threw on her travelling blanket and shipping boots, and offered her some water before loading.
“Fractured skull, three broken ribs, and concussion,” Mom answered quietly. “Not to mention some nasty road rash where she fell on the gravel.”
While Meridy loaded Daisy, Anita untacked Jacey and loaded him so that Dad could drive him to the Baynes’ home and put him in the paddock as Mrs. Baynes had asked. Once Penny and Daisy were loaded, they set off for home after learning Anita finished third and Meridy was fifth in the event.
“What was Marie thinking?”
They were still debating that around the supper table that evening.
“The family’s had a terrible loss,” explained Mom, shedding light on the family’s tragedy. “A year ago Mrs. Baynes husband — Marie’s dad — died in a heli-skiing accident. He was a really talented athlete and Marie adored him. She was following in his footsteps and apparently she’s a great skier. They were devastated. She had always wanted to ride so Mrs. Baynes bought Jacey hoping he would help her get over the tragedy. She was having a terrible time coping. But when she has flashbacks of things she did with her dad, she breaks down and does something irrational. Her Mom’s going to get her some professional help.”
“Was riding without her helmet one of those irrational things?” Anita wondered.
Meridy looked at her. “Remember the course walk? She seemed really unsure…”
“I feel awful,” admitted Anita. “I thought Mrs. Baynes was one of those pushy parents. But she wasn’t. Marie’s hard to know but I couldn’t imagine coping with her nightmare. That’s really scary that she had some sort of flashback on an eventing course!”
“The course was just a loose connection. It was competing, like her Dad used to compete in sports with speed and danger,” said Mom. “At least, that what her mom thinks.”
“Jacey’s a fast little horse, and if she doesn’t wear a helmet there’s always danger.”
“You’re right,” nodded Mom. “Mrs. Baynes knows it. She’s always telling Marie to put her helmet on.”
“I can’t believe how many people I see riding the trails without helmets,” said Anita. “Right, Meridy?”
Marie nodded. “Horses and ponies are big animals and they can do awful damage.”
“Is Marie going to be all right?” Anita asked.
It was a question that still couldn’t be answered when the family visited Marie in hospital several days later. She was still sedated and bandaged but she was able to talk a little. The girls set some horse magazines on her bedside table.
“I know you can’t talk much,” smiled Anita. “But when you’re ready, me and Meridy want to help you with Jacey.”
Marie looked at them, her blue eyes steady as she dared to take a tiny step away from her tragic past.
Then she smiled.