Love of Horses Pt. 02

"Go to your kitchen Sammy," Kathleen gritted.

"Stay where you are Sammy and mom you stop it."

"Why you little bitch..."

"Hold it mom. I'll send my guest away. She might not like to see blood."

"Omigod. Maxine I'm so sorry. I just lost it."

"It's okay Mrs John. Mom and dad scrap and she's hit him at times. I was unaware Kate didn't know who her father was. Tell her Mrs John; she needs to know, to hear it from you. Is it Sammy?"

Tears were flowing down Kathleen's face and Sammy and Kate were looking at the mountains.

"I-I don't know what to say."

"Just say it Mrs John. The secret has probably stressed your terribly."

"Kate I..."

"Say it mom. I've work out who it is. Just be careful because he might not know."

"It was Sammy."

Sammy grunted, "Thank god that's over. It was the year of the huge floods. Your uncles were caught over the other side of the river and spent several days marooned here."

"Yeah and you two because bored and I can guess what happened. I've been happy to have guessed and looked up old newspapers a couple of months ago and found the date of those floods here coincided with the time I worked out for my conception. At the same time I'm relieved to have my belief confirmed and I can't think of a better way to be conceived. Since my earliest memories I've always loved you Sammy."

Sammy invited Maxine into the house to inspect his kitchen, leaving mother and daughter alone.

* * *

When returning to Patrick, Maxine said to Kate, "That was an absolutely fabulous weekend. I appear to be in synch with my family again, you and your mother ought to now enjoy a more stable relationship, Sammy is just the cutest old guy I have ever met, such a character and I've never ridden the biggest array of horses in my life over the past two and a half days in such challenging territory. Riding after you down into that river I thought I was going to die."

"And those things compromise the best part?"

"No having your mom arranging that pony clubs open jump off on Saturday and me winning the event. And then yesterday all the officials turned up again and I went through a series of officially measured jumps up in height and I finally cleared 5 ft and it was recorded filmed on disk and certified. That was seven inches higher that my previous measured best although several times when practicing at my grandparent's ranch I had cleared around five feet. That was so amazing and I know I did it under pressure of being observed and filmed because of your belief in me."

"Well pulling out all stops is what champions have to do. But will come for you in time. It's time I told you this. I emailed all those people who have coached you over the years to get verification you have more than the mandatory 24 hours of coaching to go beyond beginner's classes. The total formal coaching verified for you is 43.5 hours. You are one lucky girl that your grandma sent you to their local pony club to be sure you learned to ride properly. It's a pity you didn't go in for competitive riding but a local Intercollegiate Equestrian Society official in this region will come and assess you."

"That is hugely kind of you to go all that extra distance for me. But what I can't understand is why?"

"I was given a backdoor chance to enter society show competition but I decided no way, either I was a bona-fide competitor or nothing. I've commenced a coaching path and over the next four or five years I'll finally earn a bona-fide degree. Then I'll be able to become a college equestrian assistant coach and then coach and from there who knows, all I know is by the way I'm approaching it I'll have higher career opportunities as a professional coach."

"Oh and while we are talking like this you should know when I took you on as a problem teenager with little future in anything, sorting you out and coaching you er I mean assisting you, to help you to success is partly to help me. Think what they will look like on my CV? This is why Coach Hall hasn't given you any instruction. It isn't because he thinks you are too sexy for him; it's because we have an agreement that only I instruct you. You see I'm not as generous and giving as you might think."

"Well if you must know you mean everything to me and I regard us as working in partnership. Oh I had a fabulous time at the ranch and I um I allowed your eldest cousin to bang me. God it was scary, we did it under his mom's nose and she even came looking for us."

"Yeah well I told him to have a shot at you, that you hadn't had sex for six months and your body was screaming for it."

"How did you know I was in that state?" Maxine giggled.

That made Kate think once again she had come a long way since she'd last had sex.

The next afternoon after taking training sessions, Kate waited for the arrival of a straight-backed elderly woman and then took her into the lecture room next to Ralph's office.

"The student will be here shortly Mrs O'Toole. She is completing fitness training at the gym. I'm so grateful you have agreed to conduct this private lesson for us. Here is your fee."

"Just a minute young lady. Why are you doing this for just one of your students and not them all? I understood all students in the equestrian club were treated equally?"

"They are in scheduled classes and regular training sessions Mrs O'Toole. But this is my money being paid to achieve my own goals. I'm only an assistant to the trainer but have been riding since I was a wee girl and I have come to understand what makes a standout rider before I see her ride. This girl, who is my age of eighteen, came to us after being dismissed from a college after repeated warnings about unruly behavior. Coach Hall ask me to do my best with her and as soon as I saw her defiant stance and fire in her eyes I thought Omigod, let me see if your proclaimed love of riding is for real, and you sit well, have soft hands and obviously are thinking or one two moves ahead."

"Well to cut a long story short I had the feeling this young woman has what it takes, in my view, to become an intercollegiate champion."

"Oh yes Kate and yet you said on the phone it's only recently she's had any competitive event riding. So what makes her a standout?"

"I'm ready to put my money where my mouth is."

The celebrated retired Intercollegiate Equestrian Society long-serving senior judge said that's not what she meant.

"Right here we go: This Saturday just gone as a guest competitor at my old pony club's interclub competition day, my protégé Maxine won the senior open event. Thirteen clubs had their best two riders competing in the open. Secondly Maxine has jumped blindfolded over a jump set at 2 ft and wheeled and jumped on the return. I admit she was on a horse she knew well. She is also on film clearing 5 ft in a jumping session yesterday morning. Yesterday afternoon and this morning I had her ride seven different horses on different terrain and the finale was following me down a ravine and swimming her mount she'd never ridden before across a river. She is also with my three senior Western riders two weeks into riding a Paint trained in barrel racing."

"Kate please put your money away. I would be honored to assist your potential champion. There is no charge for this session. I admire you for taking this approach. I guess it's because you aspire to become a college coach once you get your degree. I did ask my friend Lucy Robinson who is in administration here. She admires you and believes you are the type of young woman who knows what she wants and will get it without bending the rules. Lucy has invited me to officially open Patrick University's new equestrian riding track. Twenty-seven years ago I ended eleven years as equestrian coach here."

"Omigod that information eluded me. I just asked Coach Hall for the best former horse show judge living within a hundred miles of here and he said, quote, "Pamela O'Toole, she's living right under your nose, within 10 miles of here."

"What is the highest jump you have attempted dear?"

"Six feet, set unofficially, here just recently. We have it on our website."

"I know and you ride with real flair. But I actually asked the highest jump you have attempted."

Kate said something and when she finished, Mrs O'Toole said, "I didn't catch that dear. You are mumbling."

"At my mom's 38th birthday party luncheon most people there were all high on liquor but I hadn't been drinking. I'd won the senior open jump, for the fifth year in a row the previous day at the pony club. I was seventeen and was flattered to hear people compliment me. Then mom's two youngest brothers said everyone wanted to see me jump."

"Mom's horse, Silver Stirrup, a good jumper was in the club pasture so she was saddled and I could see the fence was high, set at 5.5 but we sailed over it. I was overly confident and said put the bars up to 6.5 but mom shouted no, make it 7, she can do no worse than fall off."

"The bubbly crowed egged me on and so I agreed to do it. Oh god it was awful."

Kate burst into raking sobs and Mrs O'Toole rose and hugged her.

"Let it out dear, tell me what happened."

"Perhaps she was never going to make it but a dragging front leg caught the second to top rail and she slammed into the railing and I went flying and finished a forward roll as I was trained to do and... and poor Silver Stirrup. She was a beautiful horse, only 14, and she was on the ground screaming. One of my uncles had a rifle in the truck and oh, Omigod. The shot blasted into the afternoon air and I knew I'd recklessly killed a beautiful horse, mom's favorite of that time."

"All of your were responsible, not just you, and the worst contributors were your uncles for putting the fence that high. At 6.5 you might have made it. Their behavior was so unfair to you.

"That's what mom said. But she said had I made that height, everyone including her would have wanted to see me jump higher."

"And so that's why you don't jump competitively today?"

"More or less. I've gotten over it but the agony of my stupidity lives on. We have a two-year old and a four-year old on the ranch out of Silver Stirrup but I never ride them for their own safety."

"That's a bit illogical."

"I know but there you are. I put Maxine on the four-year old gelding Sam-the-Man to ride some figure of eights and driving back here last night I asked her which of the horses she'd like to ride again if we returned to the ranch. She said the best potential jumper, Sam-the-Man. She hasn't seen him jump but see what I mean, she has my ability to see ahead and that's why I recognize she had the gift. Most of the riders here only see what's coming up."

"Here comes a blonde now dear, it must be her. Go through and wash your face. I'll introduce myself."

They spent the next ninety minutes going through the DVD of jumping competitions and Mrs O'Toole would freeze the frame to point to what was right and what the rider was doing wrong and what the rider needed to do to improve to become an elite rider. Both Kate and Maxine were fascinated to learn a top judge's perspective.

At dinner that evening Maxine said, "Being the only club member to benefit from Mrs O'Toole's visit, I guess you'd like me to keep quiet about that?"

"Yes and thanks for being so sensitive."

"Why me?"

"Don't feel guilty. I've asked Coach Hall to hire Mrs O'Toole to tutor all the entrants before they compete in their first show, giving the pointers she gave to us. Satisfied?"

"No but I guess it's all I'm being told."

"Mrs O'Toole is also going across to Barton-Oaks this Saturday to watch you complete. She will judge you fully and will take us for dinner there and go over everything, point by point."

"Gee I hope I don't become over-coached and become too good."

They giggled when Kate said, "I do admire your attitude young woman. We may end up helping you to win a point or two."

* * *

Late Saturday Patrick University Equestrian team returned from their region's first show in triumph. The results had been phoned ahead and some 150 staff and students lined the top rise of Maple Avenue into the university as the team arrived home, vehicle horns blaring, to acknowledge the cheering and waving from the grassy bank in recognition of the Patrick's best show ever.

The English Riding group had won four individual first-place ribbons with Carole Leach taking the beginner walk-trot blue ribbon. Maxine Dunlop won the intermediate equitation on the flat and the intermediate equitation over fences. Rick Flavell had won the novice over fences class by a wide margin. The team finished first in the team's class after also scooping up a total of seven second or third places.

The Western Riding group came home with ribbons for all six riders. Claire Kennedy, named as high point rider, narrowly won the intermediate horsemanship class over last year's zone runner-up champion and Gwyn Wells won the novice horsemanship class. The other four riders won second or third ribbons in their classes

The riders then had to saddle up Patrick horses for the local newspaper to photograph both teams and the 'Patrick News' team had its photographs of those two line-ups and details of the riders' successes on the university's web site within an hour of those photos being taken.

Before taking their horses back to the barn, the team gave three cheers to the coaching team and Coach Hall was photographed hugging his pretty assistant but his watching wife clapped and laughed at that exhibition of spontaneous joy because Anne understood his emotion. She'd heard a whisper that unless the equestrian teams 'picked up their hooves' this season, the equestrian activity might be severely scaled back although not abandoned.

An hour later, when checking every horse to satisfy herself that it was fit to be part of next day's parade for the official opening of the university's new riding trail, Kate was interrupted by a guy who appeared in front of her without any warning.

"Hi."

"Jesus," she yelled. "You practically scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry there was no bell to ring."

She smiled apologetically and apologized for her sharp reaction.

"You were probably reliving a great day for equestrian at Patrick. Congratulations."

"Thanks but you must understand when push comes to shove it's the riders and their ability to handle the horse they've drawn to ride that matters."

"Yes I understand. I'm an alumni rider in competition at my former university. I've come down to ride Chocolate Ice."

"I'm sorry sir but..."

"I'm Grant Bell. My sister Annie Hall thought you'd be kind enough..."

Kate was no longer listening. Jesus Anne had more or less said her younger brother was cute. Suddenly she had difficulty breathing easily. Then she realized he was waiting a reply.

"Yes I'll take you to the Paint. It's our policy here if you ride, you saddle up."

"Fine and that's how it should be. Horses are more than a conveyance and should be treated with dignity and knowledge that the rider wishes to relate to them."

God this guy was more that cute, Kate thought, annoyed that her hair was in a mess and her lipstick would have worn thin and she smelt of horses.

"Lead me to Chocolate Ice ma'am. I reckon with a name like that she will be one of the most popular mounts here even if she is a Paint."

"And what's wrong with a Paint?"

"Hey I meant no disrespect. I have a real soft spot for Paints but know top preferences for females are chestnuts and palominos."

"That sounds like something dreamed up by the media but I concede Paints are not first choice for some riders. I like them because they have character and usually revel in hard work."

"Agreed and so what about my request to take me out to the bridge?"

Kate knew he must have made that request when her mind drifted off.

"Yes I'll do that."

"Annie said it looks great in fading light as you look across to it."

"I've only been out twice, both occasions early morning. Are you here for tomorrow's opening?"

"Yes I'm a freelance photographer in this region and have been commissioned by Equestrian World magazine to cover the event."

Kate realized he was carrying a camera bag.

"Right I'll fetch a couple of trail headlamps and we can then stay at the scene till nightfall if you wish to try for a mood shot or two."

"Great and thanks."

Kate took him to the Paint and Grant was instantly captivated.

"Gee what a horse," he said, eyeing her and then cupping her muzzle.

"Well Chocolate Ice is yours for the evening. She's eight, no bad vices and stands 15.1 hands. Saddle up when you're ready."

"Oh you are expected for dinner. Anne said 9:00 to 9:30 would be fine."

"Great. I'll get my horse."

Gary was just leading Chocolate Ice out when Kate came along with Cool Lady. She watched Gary's eyes widen when he saw the tall sorrel. He didn't say anything and didn't have to; she knew he was impressed.

They began at a walk and then from a trot Kate took Cool Lady into the easy lope she could maintain for long periods and Gary found his mount adjusted her pace without being urged.

"These two behave like sisters," he suggested and Kate said, "They are my personal horses. Actually I believe if I'm around CI always wants to be with me. For a horse that I thrash in Barrel Race training, initially I thought she'd not have any affection for me. But like most Quarter Horses they like to work. CI will do anything I ask of her but she is slightly standoffish, rather elegant in character."

"Then which one do you prefer?"

"I have avoided asking myself that question so I can avoid answering."

Gary grinned and said, "Anne told me you are anything but elegant and you are somewhat aggressive but you became her first real friend here and she had enormous respect and affection for you."

"Do you think you are suppose to tell me that?"

"No."

"So what does that make you?"

Gary sighed and said a big mouth.

"Yeah rather like me I guess. See the track entrance sign ahead? Let's give the horses a work out to there. We are limited to walking on the trail to avoid cutting it up."

"You mean a race?"

"If you wish. First to pass that signpost near the entrance wins."

They both kicked their mounts forward simultaneously and Kate got ahead by half a length and Gary tried everything but couldn't change that margin, noticing Kate was watching the Paint closely and she went past the post, winning by half a length.

"You didn't have the pedal to the floor," he charged.

"Why should I? Winning by a half-length is a win. I'm lighter than you so if I were riding CI I could have managed the same result. These horses are pretty well equal in speed but CI can turn faster but my sorrel can jump to take short-cuts."

He said sullenly, "Anne said you had great horses and you rode fearlessly and masterfully. I was determined to have a piece of you."

"Oooh Gary, are you talking about horse riding?"

His scowl became a slight grin and said well he was convinced the better rider won.

"Thanks. Tell me about yourself Gary," Kate said as they rode on to the trail through the woods.

Later as they came to the top of a ridge and look up ahead to the bridge over the ravine, they dismounted and tied the reins of their mounts to the safety rail near the edge of the 40 ft drop worn by the river over centuries.

"Is it okay for me to kiss you?" Gary asked slightly hesitantly.

Kate grabbed him.

She was at least a couple of months overdue for a kiss like this, she thought, at gave it everything.

They broke apart, breathing heavily, and wiping his lips with the back of a hand Gary said, "Wow."

"I haven't been in a position of being kissed for quite sometime," Kate said. "Don't be shy."

Gary grabbed her and kissed her hard and finally Kate opened her mouth and he eased back on the pressure triumphantly until Kate began grinding her groin against his and Gary grabbed her butt cheeks and squeezed hard.