Chapter 3

I heard a car coming near the field, and saw it was Tess. I galloped over to her and she stepped out wearing regular jeans, t-shirt, and cowboy boots.

"Dixie!" She ran over to me. I stuck my head over the fence and let her stroke my blaze. "C'mon!" Tess grabbed my halter, and slipped it over my head.

She opened the gate and led me out and into the barn onto the cross-ties.

I pranced with excitement when I saw she was bringing out my barrel saddle. "Ready for some barrel racing, girl?" She asked me, with a smile. I bobbed my head up and down, and she laughed.

In no time I was groomed and tacked up-ready for practice. She didn't have a lesson today, so she was just going to barrel race with Caitlin. So I got to practice with Honey!

Tess led me out to the arena that had the barrels set up. Soon, Caitlin led Honey in-and we were ready to go!

While we warmed up, Tess asked for some pointers from Caitlin.

Finally, Caitlin started. She shot off, aimed at the first barrel. Honey curved her body around it and then started off to the next barrel. Tess had a stopwatch, and I knew they would make amazing time. Finally, they finished and I heard Tess click the stopwatch.

"What was our time?" Caitlin asked her.

"15.304." Tess told her.

"Yes!" Caitlin cheered. Honey pranced around. They lived for barrel racing!

Before Tess started me, we heard a trailer coming in. Caitlin and Tess turned Honey and I around to see.

The guy stopped the trailer and went to the back. When he came back, out stepped a beautiful Quarter Horse mare. She was like a chocolate-bay color. Beautiful color, really.

"Wow." Tess breathed. Caitlin nodded. I looked at Honey and she looked at me.

We knew she was going to be a dominant horse, one that needed to be on top.

Tess dismounted and tied me to the fence

"What are you doing?" Caitlin asked her.

"Going to help and see the new horse! C'mon!" Tess told her, with a smile.

Caitlin rolled her eyes, but dismounted and tied up Honey next to me.

"What are we going to do?" I asked her. "She's obviously used to being the one with the power at her stables!"

"Well. Let's just weight it out. Hopefully it's just her looks, not her personality." Honey told me. I nodded and looked at Tess. She was stroking the mare and grinning like crazy. Something WASN'T right…

I listened to their conversation-Tess's and the guy's. I could pick up a few words.

"When…..now? Yay! Let….tack….ok!" Was what I heard Tess say. She jogged back to me.

"Let's go girl!" She said. She untied me and brought me into the barn to un-tack me. Then she led me out to the pasture next to the arena, and she got the mare tacked up. What was going on?

When Tess ran to get her helmet, I jumped the fence to talk to the horse.

"Who are you!" I demanded. She arched her neck over the fence.

"I'm Drifter. Tess's horse." The mare told me. I stared at her.

Before I could answer, a groom came and got me and put me back in the pasture.

What? Tess's horse? How? Why? NO! Either she was going to keep on riding me, or I was leaving.

I watched Tess ride Drifter on the barrels, and I was filled with envy. I turned around and started galloping around my field-searching for a way out. I could jump, but I wouldn't be able to make it to the woods. Finally, I stopped and ran towards the center. I needed a plan. I needed Tess back! I couldn't have only Sydney! How could Tess do this to me?

Laying down, I caught her and Caitlin laughing together, and saw that Honey was talking to Drifter. I sighed and went to sleep. I always got my best ideas then.

I woke up as a groom came to put me in my stall that night. Groggy, I went in and looked to the back of my stall. Honey and Drifter were outside in the pen. They must be sleeping there tonight. I felt lonely and left out. Facing the front of the stall, so I couldn't see them, I fell asleep-hoping that THIS was the dream.

I woke up the next morning and Honey was in the stall next to me.

"Hey." She said cheerily.

"Hey." I grumbled, not wanting to look at her. Today, I basically had the day off. Tess usually had a lesson on me, but now she had her horse. I waited for the grooms to let me out now.

"What's wrong?" Honey asked me.

"Nothing." I said sharply, hoping to end the conversation.

"Ok…sorry…" Honey shrunk back in her stall.

I ignored her and finally the grooms came. They put me out in the pasture Zip and Lisa were usually in, but neither were there. I assumed that Tony and Amanda had them on a trail. Just then, I saw them head out on the North Trail, their black coats glistening in the early morning sunlight.

I trotted around the pasture, looking for some mud to roll in. Nothing, I thought. Turning around, I saw a girl looking at me. She was leaning on the fence-just staring at what I did.

Cautiously, I walked up to her. The girl held her hand out and I sniffed it. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a treat for me. Eyeing her, I gobbled it up. The girl started stroking my face.

"Good girl…" She told me. I closed my eyes, her touch felt good. "Mom?" The girl asked, not moving from where she was at.

"Yes Carolyn?" I heard another voice, I assumed it was her mother.

"Can I ride this one?" Asked the girl

"Carolyn, you're just starting to ride. Dixie is an intermediate horse." I heard a gruff voice say-it was Miss Peterson-the stable's owner.

"So?" Carolyn said. "I want HER." She told them, forcefully. I opened my eyes.

"Tack her up and meet me in the arena to try her out." Miss Peterson told her. Carolyn nodded and hopped the fence with a halter and lead she had. It wasn't leather-it was a cute red and grey color! I pranced with excitement as she slipped the halter over my head, buckled it, then clipped the lead line to it. Finally, she led me out and to the cross-ties.

When Carolyn tacked me up, she unclipped me from the cross-ties and led me to the arena. We saw Miss Peterson, someone who I assumed was Carolyn's mom, and Kathleen-the beginner rider's instructor.

"Mount up!" Kathleen told her. Carolyn nodded and shakily mounted me. She felt tense, but I didn't let it affect me.

"Loosen up, you're to stiff." Kathleen told her. Carolyn nodded and I felt her soften.

"Take her around." Miss Peterson encouraged.

Carolyn asked me to walk, and I did. She seemed a little off-balance, so I moved under her.

After a few laps, she relaxed more.

"Try her at a trot!" Kathleen called out. I waited for Carolyn's signal, then I finally trotted for her.

Even though I just met Carolyn-I felt an instant bond-one stronger than what I had with Tess.

But did I really want Carolyn over Tess? Maybe so.

Soon, Carolyn stopped me in front of all three of the adults.

"Well? Can I?" She asked, hopfully.

Miss Peterson, Carolyn's mom, and Kathleen all looked at each other.

"Yes." They said in unison.

Yay! I thought. I was so happy! Carolyn was super nice!

"Carolyn I'm going to talk with Miss Peterson some more, while I am, you can ride Dixie." Carolyn's mother told her. I felt Carolyn nod, then she clucked at me to walk on.

Chapter 4

I was dozing in my stall when I heard Carolyn and Tess walk up, talking.

"So…you're riding Dixie?" Tess asked, with a pang of jealously in her voice.

"Yup! My mom said I might be able to buy her soon!" Carolyn walked over and started stroking me. I leaned into her touch and closed my eyes.

"Oh…I used to ride her. She's great."

My eyes fluttered open to see Tess staring at me and Carolyn.

"Why don't you ride her anymore?" Carolyn asked.

"My parents bought me a show horse. She has great bloodlines! Drifter also has papers." Tess boasted.

"You can't ride papers." Carolyn said softly, kissing my blaze.

"What?" Tess asked her.

"I said; You can't ride papers. Does it really matter what bloodlines he or she has to make a great show horse?" Carolyn replied, turning to face Tess.

"I guess not.." She mumbled. "Well, you want to go for a ride?"

Carolyn nodded. "Sure!" Then she grabbed my lead line, clipped it to my halter, then led me to the cross ties.

Quickly I was saddled up and ready to ride.

"Let's go!" Carolyn said. She led me out to wait for Tess.

Finally, out came Tess with 'Drifter'. Drifter looked at me and I rolled my eyes. I knew from the day she set foot on here that she would be fighting for the top. And it didn't help that she now had MY rider.

"Ready?" Tess asked, mounting Drifter in one swift motion. Carolyn did the same.

"Yup! What do you want to do? Trail? Or practice?" Carolyn asked.

"Practice." Tess said. There was something off in her tone…like this was a competition or something.

"Ok!" Carolyn said, ignoring the new attitude. They walked us into the arena and Carolyn started to warm me up.

"So, are you going to be a pleasure rider? Or show competitively?" Tess inquired.

"I'm going to show. Mostly Western Pleasure and barrel racing, though." Carolyn replied.

Behind Carolyn's back I saw Tess smirk.

"I ride barrels and everything western." Tess told her.

"Oh that's cool." Carolyn said calmly. She told me to jog and I did. We circled the arena and I kept my head low. Then, Carolyn asked me to lope. Reluctantly, I did. Was she ready though? She hung on as I went around the arena at a nice smooth lope. I had my head down and I was on the right lead-I was a figure of the perfect Western Pleasure horse. Not to brag or anything!

Carolyn told me to slow by gently pulled the reins back a little. She patted my neck as we went at a slow walk. I watched Tess and Drifter. Tess looked completely fine, but Drifter was on the wrong lead, going way to fast, and had such a jaggidy trot.

"Hey Tess. My mom's here to watch me ride Dixie. And see if it's worth it to buy her. I don't want to be rude, but can you leave?" Carolyn asked, looking at her mom that was now outside of the arena.

"Sure." Tess said shortly, dismounting and leading Drifter out of the arena.

After showing off to Carolyn's mother, Carolyn dismounted and walked me over to her.

"Carolyn. What do you think of owning a horse?" Her mother asked, a smile playing on her lips.

Carolyn put her hands over her mouth and her eyes widened. "Can I? Please? Please? Please?" She begged.

Her mother laughed and nodded. "Let me go discuss it with Miss Peterson." And she walked off. Carolyn threw her arms around my neck and hugged me. Then I saw Sydney walk up.

"So YOU'RE the new rider here." She asked, crossing her arms.

Carolyn nodded and removed her arms from my neck. "Yeah! I'm Carolyn, you?" She stuck out her hand.

Sydney rolled her eyes and ignored Carolyn's kind gesture. "I'm Sydney. I ride Dixie." She said.

"Well, not anymore. My mom's talking to Miss Peterson about buying her right now." Carolyn told her.

"We'll see about that!" Sydney said then she stormed away. Just then Carolyn's mom walked out, will my papers in hand.

"Well! I bought her!" She told Carolyn, with a smile on her face.

"Yay!" Carolyn ran over and hugged her mom.

I felt happy, really genuinely, happy-surprisingly-happier than I was with Tess.